Ten MH260 with its rectangular section fuselage were built by Nord Aviation as the Nord 260. In 1961 started a significant redesign of the Nord 260. This resulted in the Nord 262 that had a redesigned fuselage with a circular cross section, pressurisation and more powerful powerplants. On 24 December 1962, this pressurised Nord 262 made its first flight.
The first production aircraft, F WKVA, flew in time to be exhibited at the Paris Aero Show in June 1963.
Air Inter, the French domestic airline, was expected to be the first operator of the Nord 262 pressurized version of the Nord 260.
On 1 January 1970, the main three French nationalised aircraft companies – Sud-Aviation, Nord Aviation and the missile manufacturing company, SEREB – were merged into Aérospatiale. As a result of this merger the Nord 262 became a product of Aérospatiale. The Nord 262 became the Aerospatiale Fregate turboprop.
The 262A was powered by two Turbomeca Bastan VIC. The 262B designation was for the first four production aircraft. Aerospatiale developed the improved 262C Fregate, with more powerful Bastan VII engines and new wingtips that increased wingspan by 2 ft 3.5 in (0.70m). The generally similar military 262D Fregate or Frigate D was produced.
In 1964 Lake Central Airlines was buying eight Nord 262 to replace DC-3s in its fleet, with an option of eight additional.
When production ended in 1976, a total of 110 Nord 262 were built.
Mohawk Air Services, a subsidiary of Allegheny Airlines Inc., Washington D.C., was formed to control a conversion program for the Mohawk 298, UACL PT-6A-45-powered Nord 262 airliner, being undertaken by Frakes Aviation Inc. The first example flew on January 7,1975.
N.262A
Engines: 2 x Turbomeca Bastan VIC, 1080 shp / 805 ekW
Wingspan: 71 ft 10.25 in / 21.90 m
Wing area: 592.03 sq.ft / 55.00 sq.m
Length: 63 ft 3 in / 19.28 m
Height: 20 ft 4 in / 6.20 m
Empty operating weight: 15,498 lb / 7030 kg
MTOW: 23,369 lb / 16,600 kg
Max speed: 239 mph / 385 kph
Cruise: 233 mph / 375 kph
Service ceiling: 23.500 ft / 7165 m
Range no res: 864 mi / 1390 km
Crew: 2
Passenger capacity: 29
Nord N 262 D Frégate
Engine: 2 x Turboméca Bastan VIII A, 1341 shp
Length: 63.255 ft / 19.28 m
Height: 20.374 ft / 6.21 m
Wingspan: 71.85 ft / 21.9 m
Max take off weight: 23373.0 lb / 10600.0 kg
Max. speed: 226 kts / 418 km/h
Service ceiling: 26247 ft / 8000 m
Range: 567 nm / 1050 km
Crew: 2
Payload: 29 pax
Fregate
Engines: 1045shp
Max cruise: 225 mph
Econ cruise: 192mph
Stall: 80mph
Fuel cap: 3530lb
Service ceiling: 25,750 ft
SE service ceiling: 13,500ft
ROC: 1160fpm
SE ROC: 500fpm
Min field length: 2575ft
Payload with full fuel: 4209 lb
Max range: 965sm
Max payload: 5867 lb
Pressurisation diff: 4.2psi
Seats: 29
Gross wt: 22,100 lb
Equipped empty wt: 14,555 lb
Useful load: 7545 lb
Mohawk 298
Engines: 2 x P&W PT6A-45A
Pax cap: 26
All Aero 