CL-44 To Get Bigger Cargo Capacity

Conroy Aircraft Co., Santa Barbara, Calif., will transform the Canadair CL-44 into an outsize cargo aircraft capable of hauling large jet engines, airframes and other items, according to John M. Conroy, company president.

Licensing agreements have been signed under which Canadair Aircraft Ltd. will provide engineering data and exclusive modification rights for the CL-44 to Conroy Aircraft. Conroy has taken delivery of one of the swing-tail planes from The Flying Tiger Line, and has options on three more FTL airplanes.

Engineering and prefabrication for the CL-44 are well under way, Conroy said. Actual modification

of the prototype is to begin this month and first flight is tentatively scheduled for May 1969. It is planned to exhibit the modification, designated the CL-44-O, at the Paris Air Show next year.

Major features of the modification apparently will be that the 98 ft. long CL-44 fuselage will be enlarged in width to 14 ft. 9 in. (opposed to the standard 11 ft. 4 in. width) and in height to 11 ft. 5 in. (compared to the standard 6 ft. 6 in. interior height). The CL-44-O reportedly will offer a 62,500 lb. payload and a 325 knot cruise speed over a 4,000 mile range. It will retain the four 5,730 eshp Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprop engines of the original CL-44.

Reprinted From AMERICAN AVIATION January 20, 1969