Aérospatiale Corvette

what is it?

The Aérospatiale SN 601 Corvette is a French business jet of the early 1970s developed and manufactured by aerospace manufacturer Aérospatiale. Sales of the type were disappointing, leading to only 40 Corvettes being constructed, including the prototypes, prior to production being terminated. In response to an open request by the French government for a compact twin-turbofan engine-equipped liaison/trainer aircraft, aircraft manufacturers Sud Aviation and Nord Aviation decided to embark upon development of a new business jet that could also fulfil the government demand as well.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 jet engines · 12.9 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 760 km/htop speed
• range 2,555 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 14passengers
• size 6,600 kgmax take-off weight
• built 40made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 56 years ago, in 1970.
• 🏎️Top speed is 5.8× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 12.9 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 2,555 km: 14× Amsterdam to Brussels.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.4× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1970-07-16

number built

40

role

business jet/regional jet airliner

origin

🇫🇷 France

makers

Aérospatiale

engines

2× Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4 / Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D

crew

1

passengers

14

length

13.8 m

wingspan

12.9 m

height

4.2 m

max take-off weight

6,600 kg

top speed

760 km/h

cruise speed

566 km/h

range

2,555 km

ceiling

12,500 m

ICAO code

S601

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.