For the USAF unmanned Quail drone aircraft, see ADM-20 Quail.
The IMCO CallAir A-9 is a small agricultural aircraft that first flew in 1962, a development of the company's previous successful crop-dusters. It is typical of aircraft of its type - a single-seat aircraft with a low wing incorporating spraying gear.
Design and development
The Call Aircraft Company (CAC) had built the CallAir Model A series of light utility and agricultural aircraft. Following the purchase of CAC in 1962 by Intermountain Manufacturing Company (IMCO) the latter produced a new agricultural derivative of the Callair, the CallAir A-9. Production of the new aircraft started in 1963.[1]
Like the earlier CallAir aircraft, the A-9 is a single-engined monoplane with a braced low wing. It is of mixed construction, with a fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood-and-fabric wing. The pilot sits behind the chemical hopper, and the cockpit is enclosed by two removable, bottom-hinged doors that form the left and right side windows. The aircraft is powered by a single Lycoming O-540flat-six piston engine.[1][2] Later, some A-9s have been adapted for glider towing operations.
Original variant, powered by a 235 hp (175 kW) Lycoming O-540-B2B5. Built by IMCO and Aero Commander (as the Sparrow Commander)
B-1
Enlarged A-9 with a 400 hp (298 kW) Lycoming IO-720-A1A engine and 42 ft 8 in (13.00 m) wingspan. First flight January 15, 1966.[3] Built by IMCO and Aero Commander (as the Snipe Commander).
A-9 Super
Version with 290 hp (216 kW) Lycoming IO-540. Built by Aero Commander (as the Quail Commander) and by AAMSA (as the A9B-M Quail)
Specifications (AAMSA A9B-M Quail)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83 [4]
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Capacity: 210 US gal (170 imp gal; 790 L) or 1,600 lb (730 kg) of chemicals
^"A-9 Owners Manual: Serials 1048, 1111, 1117 & Up" Archived 2014-08-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
^Taylor 1966, pp. 261–262.
^Taylor 1982, pp. 155–156.
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Bibliography
Smith, Michael R.; Patrick, John D. (November 1966). Evaluation of the CallAir A-9 Agricultural Aircraft: Technical Report (Report). Aerophysics Department, Mississippi State University. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
Taylor, John W. R.Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
Taylor, John W. R.Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966-67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.