Canadair CL-227 Sentinel: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox aircraft

|name=CL-227 Sentinel

|image=

|caption=

|type=Unmanned reconnaissance helicopter

|national_origin=Canada

|manufacturer=[[Canadair]]

|designer=

|first_flight=25 August 1978

|introduction=

|retired=

|status=

|primary_user=

|more_users=

|produced=

|number_built=1

|developed_from=

|variants=

|developed_into=

}}

The '''CL-227 Sentinel''' is a remote-controlled [[unmanned aerial vehicle]] (UAV) made by [[Canadair]].

It displays a distinctively unusual bulbous hourglasspeanut shaped profile which gave it its nickname of the flying peanut. Lift is provided by a paired set of helicopter[[coaxial rotors]] emanating from the waist of the system. The engine air is exhausted upwards to minimize the infrared signature. The blades are made of composite materials as well as all the external skin and legs, in an attempt to reduce the radar signature. The main structure is made mostly of aluminium.

The CL-227 was designed in 1977, and the "phase one" prototype made its first flight on 25 August 1978; the larger production "phase two" vehicle first flew untethered on 14 December 1981.<ref name="Janes87">Jane's 1987-1988, p.816</ref> Following evaluation by NATO in March 1982,<ref name="Janes87"/> and was made available to [[NATO]] allied clients in the early 1980s. In the late 1990s it was replaced by an updated version, the CL-327.

==Bombardier Aerospace CL-327 Guardian==

The prototype of the CL-227 was designed in [[1977 in aviation|1977]], and was made available to [[NATO]] allied clients in the early 1980's. In the late 1990's it was replaced by an updated version, the CL-327.

The CL-327 was developed as an upgraded and advance version of the CL-227. The new UAV production line began in 1996 under [[Bombardier Aerospace]], which acquired the assets of [[Canadair]], the original developer of the CL-227.

While designed purely for intelligence gathering, its strange and menacing physical appearance inspired Science Fiction writer [[Bruce Sterling]] to portray it as an assassination device in the novel ''[[Islands in the Net]]''.

==Specifications (CL-227 Phase 2)==

[[Image:CL227.jpg|320px]]

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's 1987-1988 p.816; Leyes and Fleming 1999, p.421

|prime units?=imp

|crew=None

==Related content==

|capacity=

{{aircontent

|length m=

|length ft=

|length in=

|length note=

|span m=

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|max takeoff weight kg=190

|max takeoff weight lb=

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|fuel capacity={{convert|54|kg|abbr=on}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|sequence=

|eng1 name=[[Williams International]] [[Williams WR34|WTS34-16]]

* [[Canadair CF-104|CL-90]] - [[Canadair CL-215|CL-215]] - [[Canadair CL-217|CL-217]] - '''CL-227''' - [[Canadair CL-289|CL-289]] - [[Canadair CL-415|CL-415]]

|eng1 type=turboshaft

|eng1 kw=37.3

|eng1 hp=

|eng1 note=

|power original=

|rot number=2 coaxial

|rot dia m=

|rot dia ft=

|rot dia in=

|rot area sqm=6.16

|rot area sqft=

|rot area note=

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|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=70

|max speed note=

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|cruise speed mph=

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|ferry range km=

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|endurance=

|ceiling m=

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|roll rate=

|glide ratio=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=591

|climb rate note=at {{convert|1500|m|abbr=on}}

|time to altitude=

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|wing loading kg/m2=

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|fuel consumption kg/km=

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|power/mass=

|more performance=

|avionics=* {{convert|45|kg|abbr=on}} equipment capacity.

}}

==See also==

[[Category:UAVs and drones]]

* [[Canadair CL-289]]

==References==

===Citations===

{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===

* ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft'', 1987-88 edition. McGraw-Hill, 1987; p.816

*{{cite book|last=Leyes|first=Richard A.|title=The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines|year=1999|publisher=American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics|___location=Reston, VA|isbn=978-1563473326|author2=William A. Fleming}}

==External links==

* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/cl-327.htm CL-227 Sentinel and CL-327 Guardian]

{{Canadair}}

{{Bombardier Aerospace}}

[[Category:Canadair aircraft|CL-227]]

{{aero-1970s-stub}}

[[Category:Unmanned aerial vehicles of Canada]]

[[Category:Coaxial rotor helicopters]]

[[Category:1980s Canadian helicopters]]

[[Category:Unmanned helicopters]]

[[Category:Single-turbine helicopters]]

[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1978]]