CASA C-212 Aviocar
Just like the similar sized Short Skyvan the CASA C-212 has a very box-like appearance, thanks to the square fuselage cross section. The end is swept up and has a rear loading ramp. The cockpit has six large flat windows and the cabin has small round windows. The vertical stabiliser is placed high and is also tall. It has a non swept, trapezium shape. In front is a big dorsal fin. The C-212 is a high wing aircraft with two small engines underneath it and in front of it, positioned in the leading edge. The all single wheel landing gear is fixed. The main gear is attached to small stubs.
While production in Spain has stopped, the aircraft is still built under license in Indonesia, by IPTN (now PTDI).
Different versions
The different versions of the C-212 can be identified by looking at:
- the length of the fuselage
- the presence of triangular winglets (or bent up wingtips)
- the shape of the nose
Details will follow later.
Confusion possible with
Let L-410
The L-410 is of similar size as the CASA Aviocar. It has a retractable landing gear though, and the rear fuselage is not swept up. Also, the vertical stabiliser is more swept. Finally, the Let has a cruciform tail.
Dornier 228
The square fuselage is a common feature of the Dornier 228 and C-212, but there are many differences: the Dornier has a longer, rounded nose, a retractable landing gear, lower vertical stabiliser and rounded rectangular cabin windows.
Short SC7 Skyvan
The Skyvan is in many ways very similar to the Aviocar, with two major differences. The Skyvan has strut-braced wings and - more important - two vertical stabilisers.
Britten-Norman Islander
The BN-2 Islander has a tall vertical stabiliser and a fixed gear like the C-212, but the main gear has two wheels and is attached to long struts extending from the wings behind the nacelles. Also the BN-2 is smaller, but has larger cabin windows.