Porterfield Collegiate

{{Infobox aircraft |name= Porterfield Collegiate |image=Porterfield CP-65 G-BVWY Kemble 11.05.03 edited-3.jpg |caption=CP-65 at a rally at RAF Kemble in 2003 |type=Two-seat trainer |manufacturer=Porterfield Aircraft Corporation |designer= |first_flight=1936 |introduction=1936 |retired= |status=still in service |primary_user=private pilot owners and aero clubs |more_users= |produced=1936-1941 |number_built=476<ref name="simp 442"/> |variants= }}

The '''Porterfield Collegiate''' is an American-built two-seat training and touring monoplane built by the Porterfield Aircraft Corporation of Kansas City.

==Design== Developed originally as the '''Porterfield Zephyr''', under Approved Type Certificate (ATC) 2-530,<ref name="aerofiles">[http://www.aerofiles.com/_porter.html "Porterfield"], Aerofiles.com, retrieved September 5, 2017</ref> it is a light-weight version of the earlier Model 35 Flyabout for use as a pilot trainer. Powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) Continental A-40 engine it was later re-designated the '''Porterfield CP-40'''.

Though roughly in the same general class with the tandem-seat Piper Cub, Aeronca Champ, and Interstate Cadet -- and the side-by-side seating Aeronca Chief, Taylorcraft BC-12D and Luscombe 8 -- the tandem-seat Porterfield is visually distinguishable from them by its twin parallel wing struts on each side (compared to the V-shaped struts on the other planes), and by its largely symmetrical airfoil wing (similar curvature top and bottom).

==Development== To improve performance, under ATC 690,<ref name="aerofiles" /> the engine was replaced with a 50 hp (47 kW) Continental A50-4 engine and re-designated the '''CP-50 Collegiate'''. It is a braced high-wing monoplane with a tail skid fixed landing gear. The two bracing struts run in parallel from the bottom of the fuselage and the tailplane was fixed to the top of the rear fuselage. Due to the narrowness of the fuselage, particularly to the rear of the cabin, the type is nicknamed "Skinny Bird".

In 1940, under ATC 720,<ref name="aerofiles"/> the power was again upped to the popular 65-horsepower Continental A-65, pushing cruise to 100 mph, with a 500-pound useful load permitting a 300-statute-mile range.<ref name="aerofiles" />

A number of variants were produced with different engine installations, resulting in a series of model designations.

Roughly concurrently with the development of the Continental-powered CP-series, Porterfield also developed variants (under the same ATCs) to accommodate comparable Lycoming engines (LP-50, LP-55 and LP-65 -- over 400 built, in all) and the less-popular Franklin engines (FP-60 and FP-65).<ref name="aerofiles" />

==Production and operations== Total production had reached 476 when production ceased in 1942 at the start of American involvement in the Second World War.<ref name="simp 442">Simpson, p.442</ref> Many used in the U.S. Civilian Pilot Training Program to prepare civilians to become military aviators for the emerging threat of war.

Over 100 Porterfields remained active with private pilot owners in the United States and other countries in 2001.<ref name="simp 442"/>

In 2014 two Collegiates were active in Europe, G-AFZL a 1939 CP-65 in U.K and F-AYRJ (ex-G-BVWY) a 1940 CP-65 in France. Others airworthy outside the United States include examples in Canada, Mexico and Argentina. An owners club exists to support the ongoing operation of the type, of which around 40 of all varieties are active.

==Variants== thumb|Porterfield Zephyr 70 photo from Le Pontentiel Aérien Mondial 1936

;CP-40 Zephyr :Original {{convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Continental A40 powered version ;CP-50 :Improved production variant with a 50hp (47kW) Continental A50-4 engine ;CP-55 :Revised engine cowling ;CP-65 :Powered by a 65hp (48kW) Continental A65-8 or -9 engine. ;FP-60 :Powered by a 60hp (45kW) Franklin 4AC-171-A1 engine. ;FP-65 :Powered by a 65hp (48kW) Franklin 4AC-176-B29 engine. ;LP-50 :Powered by a 50hp (37kW) Lycoming O-145-A1 engine. ;LP-55 :Powered by a 55hp (41kW) Lycoming O-145-A3 engine. ;LP-65 :Powered by a 65hp (48kW) Lycoming O-145-B1 or B2 engine.

==Specifications (CP-65) == {{Aircraft specs |ref=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2760 and Simpson, 2001, p.442. |prime units? = imp |crew=2 |length m=6.91 |length ft=22 |length in=8 |span m=10.59 |span ft=34 |span in=9 |height m=2.11 |height ft=6 |height in=11 |wing area sqm=15.68 |wing area sqft=168.80 |empty weight kg=304 |empty weight lb=671 |gross weight kg=526 |gross weight lb=1160 |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Continental A65-8/9 flat-four piston engine |eng1 kw=48 |eng1 hp=65 |max speed kmh=174 |max speed mph=108 |cruise speed mph=98 |range km=483 |range miles=300 |ceiling m=4570 |ceiling ft=15,000 |climb rate ftmin=600 }}

==Gallery== <gallery> Porterfield CP 50 Collegiate G-AFZL.jpg Porterfield CP-65 Collegiate -FRJ.JPG Vue de façe Porterfield CP-65.JPG Logo original Porterfield Turner.JPG Porterfield CP-65 Instruments Panel.JPG Plaque constructeur Porterfield.JPG </gallery>

==See also== {{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |sequence= |lists= }}

==References== {{reflist}} * Simpson, R.W, Airlife's World Aircraft, 2001, Airlife Publishing Ltd, {{ISBN|1-84037-115-3}} * The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2760

==External links== {{commons category|Porterfield Collegiate}} *[http://www.aerofiles.com/_porter.html Description and images of Porterfield models] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140910200200/http://www.porterfield-turner.net/ Porterfield Turner Aircraft Blog]

Category:1930s United States civil trainer aircraft Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1936 Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft