The hangar on UFSM’s campus – the construction of which was completed at the beginning of the second semester of this year – has received its first aircraft: an AMX A-1 fighter jet that was no longer in flying condition. For this reason, the aircraft was donated to the university by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to serve as study material for students on various courses, such as Aerospace Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. With the wings dismantled and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers removed, the plane was transported by truck on November 21 from Santa Maria Air Base (BASM) to the UFSM hangar, with the support of military personnel from the Logistics Group (GLog).

The AMX A-1 is 13.23m long, has a wingspan of 9.97m and is 4.55m high. A biplace aircraft (i.e., two-seater, with a cockpit for both pilot and co-pilot), the fighter occupies the hangar along with the wing assembly and stabilizers, as well as a set of tires. As is the case with most of the aircraft “retired” by the FAB, it had been used as a source of spare parts for other aircraft of the same model that are still in operation. For this reason, it is not a complete aircraft, as important parts are missing, such as the canopy and, above all, the engine.

To make up for this shortfall, the FAB donated another engine (from an F5 fighter) to the university, which was at BASM and transported last Monday (27) to UFSM’s Department of Material and Assets (Demapa). The university also received from the FAB several disused parts – mainly aircraft electronic systems – from the Aeronautical Material Park in São Paulo. These parts, which are also at Demapa, will soon be transferred to the hangar, along with the engine. According to Professor Marcelo Zanetti, the university is still negotiating with the FAB for the donation of other disused aircrafts.

In addition, there is a space in the UFSM hangar reserved for the wind tunnel that currently occupies the facilities of the Electrical Engineering Research and Development Center (Nupedee). The main reason for this relocation is the noise produced by this equipment, which can exceed 100 decibels, disrupting other research and work carried out in the Technology Center’s Laboratory Pavilion. There are also plans to install two laboratories in the hangar: one more focused on electronics and the other on mechanics. These laboratories will be used, for example, to design and build experimental aircraft, communication systems and radar.

Text and photos: Lucas Casali

Translation: Yuri Lima

Original date of publication:  29/11/2023