Flown by the British in 1949 was the Vickers Viscount, first turboprop airliner in the world. Power plant is four Rolls Royce Dart engines turning four-bladed Rotol propellers, and seating capacity ranges from 32-43 passengers with a crew of four. On flights as short as 750 miles, a payload of 10,800 lb. is possible. Cruising speed at 20,000 ft. (68 per cent power) is approximately 320 mph. At 30,000 ft. it is 350 mph.
Span of the Viscount is 89 ft.; fuselage length, 74 ft. 6 in. Construction is all metal monocoque. The tricycle landing gear has twin wheels, with nose wheels steerable from the cockpit and electro-hydraulic retraction. Wings are tapered in plan form and are equipped with slots. Thermal anti-icing, using engine heat, is used for wings and other critical points.
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