C-101 Aviojet

The CASA C-101 Aviojet is a two seat jet-powered low-wing single engine advanced trainer and light attack aircraft manufactured by the Spanish company Construcciones Aeronáuticas S.A. (CASA). It is used by the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire), where it is nicknamed Mirlo (Blackbird), the Chilean Air Force, the Honduran Air Force (both call it Halcón, Falcon) and the Royal Jordanian Air Force. It is the airplane used by the Patrulla Águila in its aerobatic displays.

The C-101 "Aviojet" responds to the request of the Spanish Air Force for a training and light attack aircraft to replace the Hispano Aviación HA-200 Saeta, the HA-220 Súper Saeta and the Lockheed T-33. On the 16th of September of 1975, the Spanish Air Force signed a contract with CASA for the design, construction and development of the new jet trainer. The plane was defined as a subsonic flight basic and advanced trainer, but should be equipped with the most modern equipment on board to facilitate the transition to fighter jets, it should possess good acceleration to get future military pilots accustomed to the performances of more advanced aircraft, it should also be very maneuverable at high and low level, and finally it should withstand load factors between +7.5 and -3.75 G. As if all that were not enough, the Aviojet should be able to land at 100 knots and be able to remain in inverted flight for 20 seconds. Other characteristics it should fulfill were high visibility in both cockpits, student training hood system for flight without visibility instruction, and a zero height and speed ejection seat.

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