Orlican L-60 Brigadyr
Designed by Ondřej Němec and first flown in 1953, the L-60 Brigadýr was built to replace the Fieseler Storch-derived K-65 Čáp as Czechoslovakia's utility and observation aircraft, with production shifting to Orličan in Choceň, the former Storch manufacturer. About 400 were built between 1955 and 1960 as a four-seat STOL type; early aircraft used an unreliable 160 hp Praga Doris inline engine, but later radial-engined conversions with the Ivchenko AI-14R proved far more dependable and kept many Brigadýrs flying for decades in aero club, agricultural, glider-towing and skydiving roles.
Did you know?
The L-60 Brigadyr is a Czech high-wing taildragger with wide fixed undercarriage, built for farm work and rough strips, its name meaning brigadier.
Specifications
| Length | 8.5 m (28 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 13.9 m (46 ft) |
| Height | 2.7 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 4 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1.4 t |
| Range | 485 NM (898 km) |
| Stall speed | 28 kt (52 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Rate of climb | 757 ft/min (3.8 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 240 m (787 ft) |
| Units built | 273 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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