{{Short description|Chilean aircraft manufacturer}} {{Infobox company |name = Empresa Nacional de Aeronáutica de Chile |logo = Logo-enaer.png |logo_size = 200px |logo_alt = |native_name = |type = State-owned company |traded_as = |industry = Aerospace, Defense |predecessor = Maestranza Central de Aviación |founded = {{start date and age|1984|3|16}} |founder = |hq_location_city = Santiago, Santiago, Santiago |hq_location_country = Chile |area_served = Latin America |key_people = |products = Military aircraft |services = Aircraft maintenance<br>Aircraft MLU systems |revenue = |revenue_year = |operating_income = |income_year = |net_income = |net_income_year = |assets = |assets_year = |owner = Chilean Air Force |num_employees = |num_employees_year = |divisions = |subsid = |website = [http://www.enaer.cl/lenguaje_ingles/inicio.html www.enaer.cl] }}
'''ENAER''' ({{IPA|es|enaˈeɾ}}) (''Empresa Nacional de Aeronáutica de Chile'', "National Aeronautical Company of Chile") is a Chilean aircraft manufacturer.
==History== The origins of ENAER can be traced back to 1930, when the Chilean Air Force formed a dedicated maintenance wing, the ''Maestranza Central de Aviación'' (Central Aviation Workshop). During 1980, the Chilean Air Force established an aircraft manufacturing arm, ''IndAer''. During the early 1980s, an agreement with Piper Aircraft saw IndAer begin the local assembly of the firm's PA-28 Dakotas for the Chilean Air Force. Around the same period, it also started building the ENAER T-35 Pillán, a military light trainer, which was developed for manufacture in Chile by Piper, based on a PA-32R fuselage with a new center-section and wing stressed for aerobatics. The first production aircraft was delivered by ENAER to the Chilean Air Force Air Academy in August 1985.<ref name="ab" >{{Harvnb|Peperell|Smith|1987|p=159}}</ref>
On 16 March 1984, IndAer was reorganised as a state-owned company separate to the Chilean Air force, named ''ENAER'' (''Empresa Nacional de Aeronáutica de Chile'', "National Aeronautical Company of Chile").<ref name="gun145,235">{{Harvnb|Gunston|2005|pp=145–146, 235}}</ref><ref name="jawa90p30">{{Harvnb|Lambert|1990|p=30}}</ref> The Chilean Air Force initially provided the company with capital, personnel and resources, while one of the firm's prime responsibilities was to service the various aircraft types operated by the Chilean Air Force.{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}}
During the 1980s, the Chilean Air Force acquired four Spanish-built CASA C-101 trainer aircraft, along with a licensing agreement for another eight to be assembled locally by ENAER. In Chilean service, the type is designated as the ''T-36 Halcón''.<ref>Tobar, Alfonso and Graham Warwick. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/looking-forward-50193/ "Looking forward."] ''Flight International'', 14 April 1999.</ref><ref>Hoyle, Craig. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-chile-receives-first-four-super-tucanos-336775/ "PICTURES: Chile receives first four Super Tucanos."] ''Flight International'', 5 January 2010.</ref> A follow-on agreement for a dedicated attack version of the C-101, which was locally designated as the ''A-36 Halcón'' ("Falcon"), was also ordered by Chile;<ref name = "Hewson 36"/> only the prototype was manufactured in Spain, while the remaining 22 machines were assembled by ENAER. Modifications over the trainer model previously procured included an engine upgrade and increased fuel capacity.<ref name = "Hewson 36">Hewson 2001, p. 36.</ref><ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/military-aircraft-directory-casa-40223/ "Military Aircraft Directory: CASA."] ''Flight International'', 29 July 1998.</ref>
During 1986, ENAER decided to embark on its first entirely indigenous aircraft. It was a two-seat, single-engined light aircraft suitable for use by flying clubs as a training aircraft. As such, the project, initially known as the ''Avion Livano'' (light aircraft) and later known as the Ñamcú, was to be inexpensive,<ref name="jawa88p33-4">{{harvnb|Taylor|1988|pp=33–34}}</ref><ref name="jawa90p31">{{Harvnb|Lambert|1990|p=31}}</ref> with a price of US$70,000 claimed in 1991.<ref>{{harvnb|Hamill & Gould ''Flight International'' 5–11 June 1991|p=49}}</ref><ref name="jawa90p31-2">{{Harvnb|Lambert|1990|pp=31–32}}</ref><ref name="fi27690p40-2">{{Harvnb|Gaines ''Flight International'' 27 June–3 July 1990|pp=40–42}}</ref> The first prototype made its maiden flight in April 1989,<ref name="jawa90p31"/> with three more prototypes following, one of which had a fatal crash on 11 February 1992.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=News in Brief: Ñamcú Crashes |magazine=Flight International |date=19–25 February 1992 |volume=141 |issue=4306 |page=9 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1992/1992%20-%200347.html |access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref>
After attempts to interest the Chilean Air Force in the Ñamcú failed, ENAER set up Euro-ENAER, a joint venture with the Delft University of Technology and private Dutch investors, to certify the aircraft as airworthy in the Netherlands under European regulations; ENAER hoped to sell as many as 50 aircraft per year, at a price which had increased to US$100,000 per aircraft.<ref name="fi21300p45">{{harvnb|Lewis & Norris ''Flight International'' 21–27 March 2000|p=45}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Enaer Namcu close to certification |magazine=Flight International |date=26 April – 2 May 1995 |volume=147 |issue=4469 |page=23 |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%201194.html |access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref> By 1998, it was planned to assemble a modified version of the aircraft, powered by a {{convert|110|kW|hp|abbr=on|order=flip}} Textron Lycoming O-320-D2A engine, in a new factory in the Netherlands. Certification was expected by late that year, while the unit price had again risen to $120,000.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=ENAER creates Dutch assembly base for Eaglet |magazine=Flight International |date=7–13 January 1998 |volume=153 |issue= 4607|page=16 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%200018.html |access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref> In early 1999, Euro-ENAER blamed poor weather and difficulties with the Joint Aviation Authorities for certification delays, while the unit price rose yet again to US$160,000, although the company was forecasting annual sales of 50 aircraft per year in Europe and 200 per year in America.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sarsfield |first=Kate |title=Eaglet approval set back to later this year |magazine=Flight International |date=24–30 March 1999 |volume=155 |issue=4669 |page=16 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%200018.html |access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref> Euro-ENAER certified the aircraft in 2001, but the company announced that additional funding was needed to start production.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=ENAER to strengthen IAI ties with avionics move... |magazine=Flight International |date=9–15 April 2002 |volume=161 |issue=4826 |page=13 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2002/2002%20-%201121.html |access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref> Financing could not be found, however, thus Euro-ENAER was declared bankrupt later that year.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jackson|2003|pp=71, 321}}</ref> [[File:191 (ENAER T35 DT Turbo).jpg|thumb|261x261px|ENAER T-35 Pillán]]
==Aircraft== * Maestranza Central de Aviacion HF XX-02 * A-36 Halcón * T-35 Pillán * ENAER Elkan * ENAER Pantera * ENAER Ñamcú * ENAER Eaglet
==References== ===Citations=== {{Reflist}}
===Bibliography=== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite magazine |last=Gaines |first=Mike |title=Chilean Lightweight |magazine=Flight International |date=27 June – 3 July 1990 |volume=138 |issue=4222 |pages=40–42 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/archive/?view=1990/1990%20-%201838 |access-date=28 November 2019 |ref={{harvid|Gaines ''Flight International'' 27 June–3 July 1990}} }} * {{cite book |last=Gunston |first=Bill |title=World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers |year=2005 |edition=2nd |location=Stroud, UK |publisher=Sutton Publishing |isbn=0-7509-3981-8 }} * {{cite magazine |last1=Hamill |first1=Tom |last2=Gould |first2=Ian |title=Light Aircraft Buyer's Guide |date=5–11 June 1991 |volume=139 |issue=4270 |pages=47–56 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%201471.html |access-date=29 November 2019 |ref={{harvid|Hamill & Gould ''Flight International'' 5–11 June 1991}} }} *{{cite book |editor-last=Jackson |editor-first=Paul |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003–2004 |year=2003 |location=Coulsdon, UK |publisher=Jane's Information Group |isbn=0-7106-2537-5}} * Hewson, Robert. "The Vital Guide to Military Aircraft." Airlife, 2001. {{ISBN|1-84037-065-3}}. * {{cite book |editor-last=Lambert |editor-first=Mark |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1990–91 |year=1990 |location=Coulsdon, UK |publisher=Jane's Defence Data |isbn=0-7106-0908-6 }} * {{cite magazine |last1=Lewis |first1=Gary |last2=Norris |first2=Guy |title=Southern success |magazine=Flight International |date=21–27 March 2000 |volume=157 |issue=4720 |pages=44–47 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2000/2000%20-%200788.html |access-date=29 November 2019 |ref={{harvid|Lewis & Norris ''Flight International'' 21–27 March 2000}} }} * {{cite book |last1=Peperell |first1=Roger W |last2=Smith|first2= Colin M | title= Piper Aircraft and their forerunners | year=1987 |publisher=Air-Britain | location=Tonbridge, Kent, England | isbn=0-85130-149-5}} * {{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=John W. R. |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988–89 |year=1988 |location=Coulsdon, UK |publisher=Jane's Defence Data |isbn=0-7106-0867-5 }} * {{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=Michael J. H. |title=Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000 |year=1999 |location=London |publisher=Brassey's |isbn=1-85753-245-7 }} {{Refend}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023652/http://www.enaer.cl/lenguaje_ingles/inicio.html ENAER]
{{ENAER aircraft}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Aircraft manufacturers of Chile Category:Defence companies of Chile Category:1930 establishments in Chile Category:Manufacturing companies based in Santiago, Chile Category:Chilean brands Category:Chilean companies established in 1984