Long sea-coasts, abundance of rivers and lakes, coupled with other hard-to-reach areas in different regions of the world are the right places for the Be-103 light amphibian operation. A most attractive and universal feature of the aircraft is its ability to operate from both paved and unpaved runways, as well as from inland water reservoirs and offshore waters.
The aircraft is a low-wing monoplane featuring +-type tail unit consisting of vertical fin with rudder and horizontal allmoving stabiliser, and tricycle landing gear with nose wheel. The power plant includes two TCM IO-360 piston engines mounted on horizontal pylons on either side of the fuselage. The low wing creates a considerable aerofoil effect at takeoff and landing, thus ensuring a three-point skimming capability (planning step, starboard and portside centre wing trailing edges).
The Be-103 amphibian is designed for a variety of applications, namely:
LAYOUT VARIANTS DESIGN
The aircraft is of riveted design, made of aluminum alloys with special rust-protective coatings to ensure operation in all climatic conditions. It also features titanium alloys, polymers and glass-reinforced plastics. The materials were chosen to ensure the required strength and weight characteristics, the set service life as well as given fire safety and survivability requirements. The airframe is a one-piece structure consisting of the boat, the centre wing section, the fin and engine pylons. The detachable parts include detachable wing sections (cantilevers), the horizontal stabiliser, the rudder and nacelles. The Be-103 systems and equipment comprises the fire-fighting system, the control system, the hydraulic system, the heating and ventilating system, the anti-icing system and the flight control and navigation equipment.
POWER PLANT
The Be-103 amphibian is fitted with two US Teledyne Continental Motors 210 hp TCM IO-360ES4 air-cooled piston engines. The power plant ensures reliable startup of engines in a wide variety of temperatures (from +45°C to –55° C), and provides for comfortable conditions in the cockpit, complying with noise and emissions requirements. The two engines allow flying at an altitude of 3,000 m at a speed of 250 km/h to the ranges of up to 1,180 km. The engines are operated along with the MTV-12 three-blade reverse-pitch propellers designed by MT-Propeller, Germany.
RADIO COMMUNICATIONSFLIGHT CONTROLAND NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT
Elements of the radio communications, flight-control and navigation equipment, as well as the aircraft systems control panels are accommodated on the instrument panel, the central, the upper and the side consoles in the cockpit. This equipment provides for self-sufficiency during flight preparation or aircraft maintenance, as well as VFR and IFR manual flight modes, in daytime and at night, in any season and any region of the world. Also, it allows fulfilling the following tasks: a 10-minute preflight preparation; continuous measuring of the aircraft present position, the set track angle and lateral deviation; ICAO Category I manual approach; measuring of the flight altitude, vertical speed and airspeed, and outside air temperature; indication and warning of operating limitations and critical flight conditions.
The Be-103 amphibian is equipped with the Bendix/King radio communications, flight-control and navigation equipment including:
The following auxiliary equipment can also be installed:
The navigation system of the Be-103 aircraft comprising the KLN 89B satellite navigation system, the KR 87 radio compass, the KX 165 radio navigation and communication system and the KT 70 responder allows the pilot to find the actual position of the aircraft and pick up heading, take the bearings of radio stations and listen to weather reports and commercial radio stations
OPERATION AFLOAT
The sea-going capabilities of the aircraft ensure its operation in sea state 2 (with 0.5 m high waves). There are waterproof bulkheads separating the boat and the wing compartments to ensure floodability if part of the hull is flooded. The landing gear wells are also waterproof and are separated from the inside of the boat. The Be-103 can be operated both at berthed and free waters, using floating assets and without them. The aircraft can independently climb soft slopes on the shore and set itself afloat from the shore. The stationary slipway has winches that can be attached to bow snatch cleats or the stern lug to help climb or descend the aircraft. When afloat the aircraft can be tugged by a boat with the help of a special kapron cord. At anchorage the aircraft is moored with the help of the anchor tab attached to snatch cleats. The cabin houses seagoing equipment, including a drag-anchor, a heaving line, a boat hook and water-resistant gloves. Also, a special pump is provided to drain water out of the compartments.
The Be-103 Amphibian Certificates
Aircraft Type Certificate (USA) (application/pdf, 395 KB)
The Type Certificate Data Sheet (USA) (application/pdf, 86 KB)
Aircraft Type Certificate (Brazil) (application/pdf, 601 KB)
The Type Certificate Data Sheet (Brazil) (application/pdf, 111 KB)
