Curtiss-Wright CA-1

The Curtiss CA-1 AKA the Commuter or the Courtney Amphibian was an American five-seat biplane amphibian designed by Frank Courtney and built at the Curtiss-Wright at St Louis, Missouri.

 Designed by the British test pilot Frank Courtney, the CA-1 was a five-seat amphibian.

The CA-1 was powered by a 365 hp (272 kW) Wright 975E-1 radial, cowled and fitted into the leading edge of the top wing driving – through an extension shaft – a pusher propeller.

It had a tricycle amphibian landing gear and an enclosed cabin for the pilot and passengers.

Only three aircraft were built, and they were all sold in Japan, designated Curtiss-Wright LXC (Navy Experimental Type C Amphibious Transport) by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service.

Specifications

Crew

One

Capacity

Four passengers

&
240 lb (110 kg) baggage

Length

31 ft 0 in (9.45 m)

Wingspan

40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)

Height

12 ft (3.7 m)

Airfoil

NACA 2412

Empty weight

2,980 lb (1,352 kg)

Gross weight

4,650 lb (2,109 kg)

Powerplant

1 × Wright R-975E-1 Whirlwind 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine.

365 hp (272 kW)

Propellers

2-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller

Performance

Maximum speed

151 mph (243 km/h, 131 kn)

Cruise speed

125 mph (201 km/h, 109 kn)

Stall speed

60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn)

Range

550 mi (890 km, 480 nmi)

Service ceiling

14,000 ft (4,300 m)

Rate of climb

835 ft/min (4.24 m/s).