Role Business jet
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Hamburger Flugzeugbau
First flight 21 April 1964
Retired Military: 24 June 1994
Civilian: 30 November 2004
Status Retired
Primary user West German Air Force
Number built 47
The Hansa Jet begun development during the 1960s, the selection of the forward-swept wing can be largely attributed to head engineer Hans Wocke, who had previously worked on the experimental Junkers Ju 287. It possessed a spacious cabin, which was achieved due to its wing design, but was a relatively heavy aircraft, posing some issues during both take-off and landing. On 21 April 1964, the prototype conducted its maiden flight. On 12 May 1965, the first prototype was lost during a test flight, killing Hamburger Flugzeugbau's chief test pilot; several design changes were made to change the Hansa Jet's stall characteristics..
The HFB 320 Hansa Jet is a mid-wing monoplane of a somewhat conventional layout, being powered by a rear-mounted twin jet engines beneath a T-tail. Constructed entirely of metal, it has a 10-seat passenger cabin and retractable undercarriage. As certified, the Hansa Jet can carry up to 12 passengers. Its General Electric CJ610 turbojet engines enabled the aircraft to achieve a maximum speed of 900 km/h (486 kn) along with a maximum endurance in excess of 2,200 km (1,200 nmi). The decision to mount these engines far aft contributed to the relatively quiet cabin.
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The selection of the American General Electric CJ610 turbojet engine to power the design was a straightforward choice; at the time, there was no other compact turbojets that had reached quantity manufacture yet. It provided some benefits, such as a relatively high thrust output, but was both noisy and fuel-hungry.
On 21 April 1964, the prototype conducted its maiden flight; during the following month, it was exhibited at the Hanover Air Show.[3] A second prototype was flown on 19 October 1964.
Additionally, a further eight Hansa jets were purchased by the German Air Force for providing electronic countermeasure (ECM) training to air crews; these aircraft were delivered between August 1976 and April 1982.