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AIRCRAFT

 

Fairchild Swearingen Metro/Merlin

See other Multi-engine turboprops

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Overview

The Fairchild Swearingen Merlin is a business aircraft whose design laid the foundations for the Metro commuter series. Introduced in the late 1960s, the Merlin was known in some quarters as the flying pencil, given its low 4.8 ft ceiling, narrow 5.2 ft cross section and 33.1 ft length.

Previously, Swearingen had specialised in building conversions of existing aircraft into corporate transports. Its piston-powered Merlin I never entered production. The Merlin II is a twin turboprop aircraft that combined the wing of the Queen Air with the Beechcraft Twin Bonanza's undercarriage and a pressurised fuselage and tail. The first Merlins were powered by two 400 hp Lycoming TIGO540s, while the Merlin IIA was powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A20s. The prototype IIA flew for the first time on 13 April, 1965 and production models then switched to the AiResearch TPE331-1-151G powered Merlin IIB.

The Merlin III combined a stretched version of the Merlin II fuselage with a new tail plus the wings and landing gear of the Metro II, along with more powerful TPE331-3U-303G turboprop engines. It was certificated on 27 July, 1970, production began in February 1972 and it entered service the following year.

The Metro was a stretch of the Merlin II with room for up to 22 passengers. Prototype construction began in 1968 and the first flight was on 26 August, 1969. Two TPE331-3UW turboprops drive three bladed propellers, and it features a pressurised fuselage and double slotted trailing edge flaps. Certification was awarded in June 1970 and it entered service in 1973.

The Merlin IV designation applies to corporate configured versions of the Metro series. The Merlin IV is a 21 seat corporate version of the Metro, with two TPE331-3U-303G engines. In 1974, the original Merlin IV and Metro models were replaced by the Merlin IVA and the Metro II, with their larger windows and optional provision for a small take off rocket in the tail cone. The same year the Merlin III was replaced by the Merlin IIIA: more windows.

In January 1979, production turned to the Merlin IIIB; more powerful TPE331-10U-503G engines drive four bladed propellers that turn in the opposite direction to those of earlier models. The Merlin IIIC came next, redesigned to meet SFAR-41 standards. It was introduced concurrently with the wider-winged Metro III, with its TPE331-11U engines and drag-reducing airframe modifications. The Merlin IVC version of the Metro III followed shortly after; a corporate aircraft with increased MTOW.

Specifications
  • Typical passenger capacity:   19
  • Range:   595 - 1,115nm
  • Cruise speed:   250 - 293 kts
  • Cabin height:   4.75 ft
  • Cabin width:   5.17 ft
  • Cabin length:   25.42 ft
  • Cabin volume:   449 cu ft
Variant types
World fleetCharter fleetTypical paxCabin volumeCruiseRangeYears
SA226 129 34 19 549 cu ft 255 kts 595 nm
SA227 219 118 19 549 cu ft 293 kts 1,115 nm - 1999

 

Supplemental Type Certificates

Browse or search through all recent STCs.

21/06/2023 EASA: 10082206. Installation of single/dual Garmin GTX 3000. Installation of either single or dual Garmin GTX 3000 transponder(s) replacing the existing transponder(s) and using existing XPDR antennas and XPDR antenna cables.
SA227, SA226
STC holder: Avionik Straubing
See also: Garmin International
01/03/2023 EASA: 2004-5755 / LBA SA1390. Installation of TCAS II system and Mode S transponder with upgrade of Honeywell CAS-67A to S/W – change 7.1. Rev 2; transfer of STC. Rev 3: combination of STC 10048031 with STC No. 2004-5755. Rev 4: typo correction to STC 10048031 AFM supplement reference.
SA227
STC holder: Roeder Prazision
See also: Honeywell Aerospace
28/03/2022 EASA: 10078925. Installation of single Garmin GTN 6XX (Xi) / or GTN 7XX (Xi) withoptional Garmin GA 35 GPS antenna, using existing antenna footprint.
SA227, SA226
STC holder: Avionik Straubing
See also: Garmin International
19/01/2022 EASA: EASA.A.S.03887. Installation of MX20 camera system. Installation of Wescam MX series (10, 15, 20) gimbal cameras with manual extension/retraction mechanism, operator console and downlink antenna.
SA226
STC holder: ACC Columbia Jet Service

 

Charter operators
Canada Bearskin Airlines , Carson Air , Ookpik Aviation , Perimeter Aviation , Sunwest Aviation
Mexico Aeronaves TSM
U.S.A. Ameriflight , Aspen Helicopters , Berry Aviation , Castle Aviation , Key Lime Air , Kolob Canyons Air Services , Mauna Hele , McNeely Charter Service , Sierra West Airlines , TransNorthern Aviation , Western Air Express
Maintenance centres
Canada Central Aircraft Maintenance , Davis Aircraft Services , Flying Colours Corp. , Keewatin Air Service , Langley Aero Structures , Mobile Air Service , Springer Aerospace
Mexico Aero Rex
U.S.A. Berry Aviation , Corsair Turbines , Elbit Systems of America , National Flight Services , Precision Air , Signature TechnicAir (INT) , Straight Flight , Toledo Jet Center , Toledo Jet Center , Worldwide Aircraft Services
Completions centres
U.S.A. Capital Aviation
Type rating training providers
U.S.A. FlightSafety San Antonio Learning Center
News from Business Air News
Ontic acquires Fairchild TCs from M7 Aerospace
January 31, 2022
Ontic has purchased the type certificates for the Fairchild Merlin, Metro II/III/IV, C-26 aircraft from Texas-based M7. It will maintain the complete life-cycle support for the family of aircraft from its facility in North Carolina.
Ameriflight launches parts trading company
November 18, 2021
The new parts trading company from Ameriflight offers customised solutions, and customers should find a reduction in cost and shortened lead times, resulting in minimised downtime.
Flightline's reliability leads to COVID call-ups
March 9, 2021
Flightline has experienced plenty of interesting activity over the past year, including one flight to transport a key from Romania to Spain so that a factory could be opened. It expects to add more aircraft this year.
October 15, 2019Dowty authorises Pacific for metal prop R&O
April 7, 2015Me & My Aircraft - Twin turboprops: The masters of longevity, twin props offer utility and charter for decades
June 11, 2013Me and My Aircraft–Twin turboprops: The turboprop faithful sing the praises of rugged workhorses everywhere
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