AS 202 Bravo

Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke AG Altenrhein (FFA) of Switzerland and SIAI-Marchetti in Italy agreed in the late 1960s to develop jointly a two/three-seat lightweight touring/training aircraft. Initially they planned to build it in both countries, as the SA 202 Bravo in Italy and AS 202 Bravo in Switzerland, but subsequently it was decided as a result of a shortage of production space at SIAI-Marchetti's factory to build the plane only in Switzerland. Since that time the aircraft division of the Swiss FFA company has been re-named Flug-zeugwerke Altenrhein AG (FWA), accounting for the current designation of this aircraft.

The Bravo is a fairly conventional light-plane, a cantilever low-wing monoplane with non-retractable tricycle landing gear and power provided by an Avco Lycoming piston engine. Side-by-side accommodation for two is provided in aerobatic versions, plus a rear seat or space for 100kg of baggage in utility aircraft. The first Swiss-built prototype was flown on 7 March 1969, followed two months later, on 7 May, by the second prototype, the only example built by SIAI-Marchetti. Production versions include the AS202/15 powered by a 112kW O0-320-E2A, AS202/18A with an inverted flight oil system, and the single AS202/26A, powered by a 194kW Lycoming O-540 engine fitted with a fuel and oil system for unlimited inverted flight.

This small swiss trainer aircraft, with a side-by-side seating was built in small numbers. The primary model to fly was Swiss fabricated, it took to the air on March 7 1969. An Italian manufactured model took after not long after on May 7, while the first standard flying machine flew on 22 December 1971. Starting work focused on the AS-202/15 and 34 were fabricated through to the early 1980s. The authoritative generation model was the AS-202/18a-4, which first flew in August 1974 and got its accreditation in late 1975. This rendition contrasts from the first 15 in having an all the more powerful 135kw (180hp) motor. The standard Bravo administrator was British Aerospace Flight Training (Prestwick) in Scotland which flew 11 (named Wrens). One crashed, however and the remaining 10 were sold to Finland where they flew with the Pilot Factory Flight Training (Helsinki).

Two different models have been produced, albeit single airplane of each one having flown. The main was the 195kw (260hp) Textron Lycoming AEIO-540 controlled Bravo AS-202/26a, which first flew in 1979, the second was the 240kw (320shp) Allison 250-B17c turbine fueled Bravo AS-202/32tp which flew in 1991. Swiss accreditation was recompensed in 1995.

About 170 aircraft were built. Around 70 were delivered to civilian customers, mostly to aviation clubs / schools in Switzerland, Belgium (1), Morocco (6-8), United Kingdom (11 - which renamed its Bravos the Wren) and United States (1). Other were delivered to the air forces of Oman (2 AS-202/18A, 2 AS-202/18A4), Uganda (8 AS-202/18A1), Morocco (10 AS-202/18A1), Iraq (48 AS-202/18A2) and Indonesia (40 AS-202/18A3). There are a number of versions of the basic AS-202; depending on the engine horsepower and certain customer avionics packages.

The Bravo is still offered available to be purchased albeit none have been conveyed since 1989. Without Bravo generation FFA assembles parts for different makers under subcontract.