UTVA 75

The Utva 75 made its maiden flight in 1976.[1] Between 1978 and 1985, a total of 136 Utva 75s were produced for the former Yugoslav Air Force.[1] Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, many were passed on to successor states.

Designed in 1975 to replace the UTVA Aero 3 as the primary basic trainer in the Yugoslav Air Force. Utva 75 is low-wing all-metal utility airplane. Wings are cantilever, rectangular with main and aux. wing spar and the integral fuel cells located between them. Dihedral is 6 degrees, NACA65 415 wing section.There is one underwing hardpoint on each wing for dop tanks carriage or additional weapon stores. Landing gear is non-retractable with oleo-pneumatic shock-absorbers. It features upward opening gull-wingtype access doors to the two-seat side-by-side cockpit. Another characteristic is a row of air scoops, presumably for cockpit ventilation, in the central front frame of the cockpit. The positions of the throttle and RPM levers are changed, which is leading to confusion, in all western aircraft there is a throttle on the left, and RPM on the right on Utva 75 it is exactly the opposite. The cabin doors have a poorly designed closing system, resulting in many doors shattering due to inadvertent opening in the air. The planes are extremely tired with time which is reflected in the disintegration of the sheet metal. Problems with sheet metal decay occur mainly due to long-term vibrations and stress concentrations due to poor design solutions based on the mass of the material and not on the stress distribution. Compared to other western manufacturers with tens of thousands of aircraft produced, only 20% of the hours are required to wear out the aircraft. However, the aircraft has one of the better suspension systems and even hard landings will turn out soft.

The aircraft was operated in the Yugoslav Air force as a basic trainer and it was given in parallel operational use by aeroclubs for the needs of basic training of reserve officers, maintenance of pilot training in the army reserve, air pick-up of mail with anchor, towing gliders and general aeroclub use. The aircraft has proven to be robust but economically very inefficient, maintenance is very expensive for a two-seater aircraft and also fuel consumption is high. It is estimated that the long-term costs are 150% higher than on the Cessna 152. The aircraft is flying very slowly around 160 km/h with fuel consumption of around 45 liters per hour. When towing gliders, fuel consumption reaches 55-60 liters per hour. There were at least over 30 different accidents with Utva 75 aircraft on the territory of Yugoslavia. The aircraft is considered extremely inefficient in aeroclub use and was used only due to military donations, but most of the aircraft were on the ground due to high maintenance costs and poor performance and also outdated avionics (they did not have VOR, ILS, intercom, audio panels, DME etc). Slovenia first retired the aircraft from operational military use and replaced them with more modern Zlin L242, also Macedonia retired them in 1995 and replaced them with Zlin L242 aircraft. Bosnia and Herzegovina followed with retirement, then Croatia retired their fleet of Utva 75 in 2007 and replaced them with Zlini L242, Sudan began replacing Utva 75 with Hongdu JL-8 jet trainers, Montenegro retired Utva 75 in 2012 and Serbia 2019 and replace them with more modern Utva Lasta aircraft.

UTVA 75A11

Single-seat agricultural aircraft, largely using the Utva 75 airframe.[3]

UTVA-75A21

Two-seater with dual controls and provisions for blind instrument flying.[3]

UTVA-75A41

Four-seater with advanced avionics, first flown in 1986.[3]

SAFAT 03

A development of the UTVA 75 from the SAFAT Aviation Complex at Khartoum, Sudan, with a modified fuselage and tail fin. To confuse matters the Sudanese Government marked up a standard UTVA 75 as a SAFAT 03. One example known, which was displayed at the Dubai Air Show in 2011.

 Slovenia

• Letalski center Maribor Civil operator (1989-today)

 Yugoslavia

• Yugoslav Air Force 1978-1992 passed on to successor states → partially handed over for use to aeroclubs

 Serbia and Montenegro

• Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro 1992-2006 passed on to successor states

Republic of Serbian Krajina

• 105th Aviation Brigade retired 1995

 Slovenia

• Slovenian Air Force retired 1995 [4] → handed over entirely to aeroclubs for use

 North Macedonia

• North Macedonia Air Brigade retired 1995

 Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Air Force and Anti-Aircraft Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina retired 2003

 Croatia

• Croatian Air Force retired 2007

 Sudan

• Sudanese Air Force retired 2009 [5]

 Montenegro

• Montenegrin Air Force retired 2012

 Serbia

• Serbian Air Force retired 2019 [6]

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 210 kg (460 lb) max
• Length: 7.11 m (23 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 9.73 m (31 ft 11 in)
• Height: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
• Wing area: 14.63 m² (157.5 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 6.5
• Empty weight: 685 kg (1,510 lb) equipped
• Max takeoff weight: 960 kg (2,116 lb)
• Fuel capacity: standard:160 l (42 US gal; 35 imp gal): with drop tanks 360 l (95 US gal; 79 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming IO-360-B1F 4-cyl. air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 134 kW (180 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-1BF/F7666A variable-pitch metal propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 215 km/h (134 mph, 116 kn)
• Cruise speed: 165 km/h (103 mph, 89 kn)
• Stall speed: 95 km/h (59 mph, 51 kn) flaps up at idle

82 km/h (51 mph; 44 kn) 25° flap at idle

• Never exceed speed: 270 km/h (168 mph, 146 kn)
• Range: 800 km (500 mi, 430 nmi)
• Ferry range: 2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
• g limits: +4.4 -2.2
• Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min)
• Takeoff distance to 50 ft (15 m): 501 m grass at Sea Level
• Landing distance from 50 ft (15 m): 450 m grass at Sea Level

Armament

• Hardpoints: 2 with a capacity of 150 kg (330 lb) each, with provisions to carry combinations of:
  • Rockets: 2x RL 128-02 128 mm (HVAR-5) or 2x rocket launcher with 12 rockets 57 mm
  • Bombs: 2x 120 kg bombs or 4x 50 kg bombs
  • Other: 2x MAC-AA-52 container with 7,62 mm or 2x cargo container 100 kg capacity or 2x drop tanks

' Avionics

• standard (model 75) KING KR85 ADF and KING KY 195B
  
• optional (model 75A catalog only) KING KR87 ADF, RNAV KING KNS81 VOR/LOC: KING KN 53, KING KY 197 Indicators: HSI KING KI 525A, and RMI KING KI 229, DME:KING KN 62A, Transponder: KING KT 79, Audio panel: KING KMA 24

• The aircraft appeared in several music videos of the Serbian musician Rodoljub ,,Roki'' Vulović

Wikimedia Commons has media related to UTVA-75.

• Utva 66

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Zlin Z 142