Cessna 421 Golden Eagle

The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle is an American six or seven seat twin-engined light transport aircraft, developed in the 1960s by Cessna as a pressurized version of the earlier Cessna 411.

Development
The Cessna 421 was first produced in May 1967, the 1968 model year. It had "Stabila-Tip" fuel tanks on the wingtips (like the Cessna 310). Its electro-mechanical landing gear are similar to that of the 310. It was an immediate hit, selling 200 planes in its first year.

The very next year, 1969, the design was refined, with a three-inch stretch of the fuselage, five more gallons of fuel capacity, and a 40-pound increase in gross weight. The plane was redesignated the Cessna 421A.

In 1971, the design was again improved. Both empty and gross weight increased, the wingspan was increased by two feet, raising the service ceiling by 5,000 feet. The nose was stretched two feet to accommodate a larger nose baggage section. This new plane is designated the Cessna 421B.

In 1975, the plane was offered with a package of equipment enabling flight into known icing conditions.

In 1976, the 421C appeared which featured wet wings, the absence of wingtip fuel tanks and landing gear that was changed from straight-leg to a trailing-link design from the 1981 model year onwards. Production ended in 1985 after 1,901 aircraft had been delivered.

The 421 was first certified on 1 May 1967 and shares a common type certificate with models 401, 402, 411, 414 and 425.

Some 421s have been modified to accept turboprop engines, making them very similar to the Cessna 425, which itself is a turboprop development of the 421.

Design
The 421 is an all-metal low-wing cabin monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear, and powered by two geared Continental GTSIO-520-D engines, wing-mounted in tractor configuration. The cabin is accessed from a door, on the left hand side behind the wing, and has seating for six on the basic 421, or up to ten on later variants.

Variants

 * 421
 * Type approved 1 May 1967, powered by two Continental GTSIO-520-Ds of 375 hp each, maximum takeoff weight 6800 lb. 200 built.


 * 421A
 * Type approved 19 November 1968, powered by two Continental GTSIO-520-Ds of 375 hp each, maximum takeoff weight 6840 lb. 158 built.


 * 421B Golden Eagle/Executive Commuter
 * Eight-seat light passenger transport aircraft. Type approved 28 April 1970, powered by two Continental GTSIO-520-Hs of 375 hp each, maximum takeoff weight 7250 lb, later models 7450 lb. 699 built.


 * 421C Golden Eagle/Executive Commuter
 * Model with new wing and landing gear. Type approved 28 October 1975, powered by two Continental GTSIO-520-Ls or Continental GTSIO-520-Ns of 375 hp each, maximum takeoff weight 7450 lb. 859 built.


 * Riley Turbine Rocket 421
 * Conversion of Cessna 421 aircraft by fitting two Lycoming LTP101 turboprop engines. Formal designation R421BL and R421CL for conversions of 421B and C respectively.


 * Riley Turbine Eagle 421
 * Conversion of Cessna 421C aircraft by fitting two 750hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135 turboprop engines. Formal designation R421CP.


 * Excalibur 421
 * Re-engined 421C with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135A or PT6A-112 turboprops, supplemental type certificate held by Excalibur 421 LLC of Paso Robles, California. In 2013 it was announced that Aviation Alliance are acting as program managers for the Excalibur 421 upgrade programme.


 * Advanced Aircraft Regent 1500
 * Production of the Riley Turbine Eagle 421 conversion by Advanced Aircraft Corporation.

Military operators

 * Royal Bahamas Defence Force
 * Bolivian Air Force at least one 421B was in use.
 * Royal Cambodian Air Force
 * Ivory Coast Air Force
 * Royal New Zealand Air Force three 421C.
 * No. 42 Squadron RNZAF
 * Pakistan Army at least one 421 in use.
 * Philippine Army One 421B in service.
 * Turkish Army Aviation at least three 421Bs in use.
 * Air Force of Zimbabwe at least one 421A in use.
 * No. 42 Squadron RNZAF
 * Pakistan Army at least one 421 in use.
 * Philippine Army One 421B in service.
 * Turkish Army Aviation at least three 421Bs in use.
 * Air Force of Zimbabwe at least one 421A in use.
 * Turkish Army Aviation at least three 421Bs in use.
 * Air Force of Zimbabwe at least one 421A in use.
 * Air Force of Zimbabwe at least one 421A in use.
 * Air Force of Zimbabwe at least one 421A in use.