Waco A series

Waco A series
Waco PBA biplane of 1932 at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum near St Louis Missouri in 2006 showing the wide side-by-side seating layout
Role	two-seat side-by-side biplane
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Waco Aircraft Company
Introduction	1932
Status	a few examples still extant in 2009
Primary user	private owners

The Waco A series is a range of light American-built twin side-by-side seater sporting biplanes of the early 1930s.

Development

The Waco A series was introduced in 1932 as an affordable private-owner aircraft with cross-country range and baggage capacity and a more sporting image than the larger Waco F series. The A series offered a number of engine options which had varying sub-designations. The power range lay between the KBA with a 100 hp (75 kW) Kinner engine and the later UBA with a 210 hp (157 kW) Continental powerplant.^[1]

The PLA "Sportsman" of 1933 introduced a longer wider fuselage and a higher useful load and had a 170 hp (127 kW) Jacobs LA-1 radial engine. The last model in the series was the ULA, also of 1933, with a 210 hp (157 kW) powerplant.^[2]

Operational history

The A series was bought mainly by private pilot owners with a sporting inclination. Relatively few were produced and the type survives in small numbers in 2009. A PBA is on display in the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum at Dauster Field near St Louis, Missouri.

Variants

Data from Aerofiles^[3]

BBA

165 hp (123 kW) Wright J-5

KBA

100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-5

IBA

125 hp (93 kW) Kinner B-5

PBA

170 hp (127 kW) Jacobs LA-1

RBA

110 hp (82 kW) later 125 hp (93 kW) Warner Scarab

TBA

160 hp (119 kW) Kinner R-5

UBA

210 hp (157 kW) Continental R-670

ICA

125 hp (93 kW) Kinner K-5

KCA

100 hp (75 kW) Kinner K-5

PCA

170 hp (127 kW) Jacobs LA-1

RCA

110 hp (82 kW) Warner Scarab

TCA

160 hp (119 kW) Kinner R-5

UCA

210 hp (157 kW) Continental R-670

PLA Sportsman

longer and wider fuselage and 170 hp (127 kW) Jacobs LA-1

ULA Sportsman

as PLA with 210 hp (157 kW) Continental R-670

Specifications (RBA variant)

Data from Green, 1965, p. 306

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 21 ft 0 in ( m)
• Wingspan: 29 ft 6 in ( m)
• Height: 8 ft 8 in ( m)
• Empty weight: 1,250 lb ( kg)
• Gross weight: 1,949 lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Warner Scarab, 125 hp ( kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 104 mph ( km/h)
• Cruise speed: 91 mph ( km/h)
• Range: 400 miles ( km)
• Service ceiling: 12,800 ft ( m)
• Rate of climb: 500 ft/min ( m/s)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Waco A series.

Notes

Bibliography