Preliminary design studies for a replacement for the Morane-Saulnier MS-760 of the Argentine Air Force started at the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) in 1978, with these studies resulting in selection of a proposal powered by a single Garrett TFE731turbofan with high, unswept wings. At the same time the FMA signed a partnership agreement with Dornier to develop the new aircraft.
Although influenced by the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet design, the Pampa differs in being a smaller aircraft, it is also single-engined and has straight supercritical wings rather than the swept ones of the Alpha Jet. It is constructed mainly of aluminium alloy, with carbon-fibre used for components such as the air intakes. The crew of two sit in Tandem under a single piece clamshell canopy. The avionics systems are also simpler than the Franco-German aircraft, which has an important secondary combat role. The Pampa prototype first flew on 6 October 1984. Flores 1987,......
Read More