The ECH-02 Ñamcu light aircraft project started in June 1986 and assigned to the Department of Research and Development Company. The idea behind the project was to develop new design capabilities and gain experience with composites, hoping to eventually offer the local market a civil lightweight and relatively inexpensive, aerobatic trainer. The engineering used computer-aided design (CAD) and while US would provide the raw material, the design of structures and systems would be Chilean.

The construction of the first prototype was started by ENAER in February 1987, receiving the civil registration CC-PZI on 31 March 1989.

Its first flight occurred on 8 May 1989, being taken to the Le Bourget airfare in June and officially shown in Chile on October 6, all in the same year. Its construction number was 001 and factory number ECH-002.

The situation of CC-PZI remained unchanged until May 14, 1996, when the civil registration was canceled as being sold to the Chilean Air Force. With the FACh , starting in June 1996 and assuming the number 181, it was based at the Group’s facilities 11 in Los Cerrillos.

From 2000, the aircraft became 181 renamed Eaglet (instead of Ñamcu), since ENAER wanted to occupy it as a flight demonstrator. At the FIDAE 2000 this aircraft was displayed as “181 Eaglet”.

To become Eaglet, the original Ñamcu 181 gradually received a number of changes to its engine and propeller, interior accommodation, undercarriage and wheels, flaps and avionics. The EE-10 Eaglet version being developed jointly by ENAER and Dutch partners. On July 3, 2001 this unit abandoned the military number and was reregistered CC-PZC to ENAER. This aircraft was later displayed at the National Museum of Air and Space.

The second prototype cn 002 of Ñamcu was finished in 1990, the registration CC-PZJ assigned the April 9 of that year.

After being presented at the Farnborough Airshow ’90, from England made a private demonstration (Chilean pilot and one European) in which they experienced flutter, managing to land shortly before the entire rear section broke. It happened after 150 flight hours. The remains were then used extensively for structural investigation and its cabin was used to mock-up in the doomed EuroEnaer EE-10 project in the second half of 90s, and also for research and testing of destructive dynamics of shock and collisions, best configuration of seats, effects fairings, etc.

The third Ñamcu prototype was also manufactured by ENAER. Its registration was CC-PZK (cn 003), assigned on 28 October 1991. This aircraft served as a basis for studying the possibility of certifying the type in Chile and FAR 23 utility category and the idea of promoting it to the IAF as determiner flying skills (this unit received some modifications requested by that air force).

On February 11, 1992, the aircraf crashed on at the farm of San Damiano, near We. Squadron commander Saa Francisco Izquierdo was killed. This accident ended projects associated with ECH-002, closing the Ñamcu office in Santiago and temporarily finish the program. The registration was canceled on April 2, 1993.

Shortly after the accident that destroyed CC-PZK, began the fourth prototype, for the ÑAMCU kit and the road to the Euroenaer EE-10 Eaglet. The kit project had the idea of targeting the US market, being certified in that country. The subsequent project was called Kit Ñamcu. The idea was for a cheaper and more aerodynamic design, simpler construction and a better price.

In early 1993 the construction of the fourth plane, registered CC-PZL(cn 004) on March 26 of that year, ended th ENAER name. It was displayed at the Sun & Fun in Florida that year, then went back to the workshop, returning to fly in October 1993.

Then a pair of Chilean companies were subcontracted to build a number of pieces of composite and metallic materials, but the final product was not good nor timely. After that, the aircraft went to the US together with a kit, and was being touted in Florida by pilot Harry Hayman.

In 1994 Dutchman Jan Van Toorn, a former aeronautical merchant house linked to Piper, was contacted, who offered to send the kit to Holland, and market it. In 1996 a group of Dutch executives arrive in Chile to begin the certification process for their country. The joint idea between ENAER and Dutch executives was to establish an independent company in the Netherlands that could take the call Project Eaglet. In February 1997 Chilean executives traveling to Holland with technical documentation of the Ñamcu Project; soon after, the joint-venture Euroenaer was founded.

While that was happening, in June 1996 the CC-PZL passed to the FACh as 182 and was based with Group 11 with the 181 (ex CC-PZI). The registration CC-PZL was canceled on 31 May 1996. Soon this aircraft would lead role in the birth of EE-10 Eaglet. In February 1998, the CC-PZL / 182 aircraft would be packed to Holland, where it received a number of improvements in order to participate in the start of the Chilean-Dutch joint venture.

Some of these improvements were:
A more powerful O-320-D2A engine [145 shp / 2,450 RPM and 160 shp / 2,700 RPM for 5 minutes] was fitted replacing the 115 hp Textron Lycoming O-235-N2C;
The cabin was re-design ergonomically and expanded;
The flaps and rudder were redesigned;
A new propeller, flaps, Trim, smaller systems in door locks and hood were fitted.

The CC- PZL / 182 and then became the first Eaglet (or semi Eaglet) to support certification as utility JAR 23 category (for private aircraft under 5,670 kg / 12,500 lbs [and enabled maneuvers such as lazy 8, Chandelas, steep turn, etc.].

In Holland the CC-PZL / 182 (004) was registered as PH-EAG under the Euro-Enaer Eaglet EE-10 designation, in April 1998, and on behalf of Euro-Enaer Holding BV, Den Helder.

Finally, when EuroEnaer collapsed in February 2000, the University of Delft had the aircraft, and registered to the University in July 2002. Under this new status was used as a basis for the development of other projects, including the installation of a fly-by-wire system in the basic flight controls. This project was soon canceled, although the aircraft continued in the Netherlands.

After the progress made with the CC-PZL / 182 modified during 1998 in Chile, began the manufacture of the first Eaglet itself, cn 005. This was done following the European specifications. In Chile the complete structure corresponded to the EuroEnaer assembly in Holland and installation of the cabin and seats. Construction of 005 in Chile was practically in real time with arrival of information from Holland.

Once completed, the fifth aircraft went to Holland in 2000. Flight tests were made on it to complete the certifications uncompleted with the modified CC-PZL. It incorporated the modifications already made in the CC-PZL and CC-PZK, as more powerful engine, new propeller, and a new cockpit design provided by TU Delft. In Europe it was registered as Euro-Enaer EE-10 Eaglet PH-ABG (cn 005) in November 2000 and on behalf of Euro-Enaer Holding BV in Den Helder. The Eaglet design was certified JAR 23 type on July 13, 2001.

Linking EuroEnaer with RLD (Rijksluchtvaartdienst, the Dutch DGAC) determined that the company was in charge of the final assembly and certification, in addition to providing engines, accessories, paint and interior. Meanwhile, ENAER deliver all the airframe.

The final certification of design and manufacturing rights were took longer than desired, and during this delay EuroEnaer began with financial difficulties that made it go bankrupt. Additionally, the participating contractor, Renegade Aircraft CV, in 2001 provided additional problems to the project by claiming the protection of their rights related to the Eaglet and threatened with lawsuits.

Finally, EuroEnaer bankruptcy in February 2002 suspended certification of design and with it the value of the aircraft type certificate. Then ENAER bought what remained of the joint venture and planned to validate alternative type certification in the Netherlands.

In August 2002, the only Eaglet built , cn 005, was returned to the plant in El Bosque. Once in Chile, on November 27, 2002 was registered CC-PBZ as EuroEnaer EE-10 (cn 005), and the title of ownership to ENAER was formally a sale to EUROENAER Holding BV under contract formalized in Santiago November 18 2002.

During FIDAE 2000 an unfinished airframe with leftover pieces, enabled presentation was the fantasy CC-OO7 makings.

Finally, the project was forgotten as it was clear that with the large number of similar aircraft on the international market, the future, if there was any, was very complicated.

If the Eaglet still flies, it does with an Experimental Certificate, restricted only to marketing operations, testing and restricted flights, but no instruction or for profit with it.

Gallery

In the late ’70s there was the need to develop a new primary and basic trainer and the ECH-51 Pillán project was chosen to fill specific technical aspects required, but also possible fabrication in Chile.

In the Pillán there is a sort of reinvention of the wheel, but using a series of highly tested products. The use of facilities and growing potential of Ala Maintenance first and ENAER starting in 1984, served starting to give force to this project and that while hybrid in its construction, was Chile in its conception.

This was to be the replacement in its entirety of the serving Beechcraft Mentor, and that until 2002 (when four units were delivered to the Ecuadorian Navy) different versions of the aircraft succeed in being placed in service in not less than seven other military aviations of America and Europe.

Developed by Piper for manufacture in Chile, the T35 Pillan (Devil) tandem-seat trainer is based on the Cherokee series, using a proportion of PA-28 Dakota and PA-32 Saratoga components The first prototype (N300BT) was designed and manufactured as part of the Project 51, by Advanced Engineering and Experimental Department of Piper Aircraft Co. in Lakeland, Florida, where it made its first flight on March 6, 1981 piloted by Hugh Smith, factory test pilot.

Then the FACh commissioned the construction of a second prototype and also requested the necessary kits are manufactured in Chile to join three other copies of preproduction aircraft.

Shortly after the first flight, N300BT went to Chile to continue testing, retain the original registration, supplemented with XBT.

XBT crashed on February 26, 1982, on El Bosque, while doing an inverted low flight. The pilot, Don Fernando Malbrán (also reported as Don Juan González Silva), was killed.

The second prototype Pillán, manufactured, assembled and tested in the US, first flew on 31 August 1981.

The first flight occurred in Chile on 13 September 1981, flown by José Salgado, and was officially unveiled three days later in a symbolic delivery at the Aviation School.

The number 102 was assigned in Chile, but soon (early 1982) changed to YBT when those digits were reassigned. It was exhibited at the IFAD ’82 painted red and white, as YBT. On 23 January 1986 the on aircraft was registered CC-PZA.

On 31 December 1993 this aircraft was decommissioned after 764.6 hours of flight. Since 1994, it is preserved in the Museum of Aviation, registration YBT on the sides, but with plate CC-PZA as “serial number”.

The third plane, was the first preseries of Pillán and first assembled in Chile. Its first flight was on January 30 , 1982.

At first it was painted blue top and white below the fuselage , and red / white / red wings ( then blue / white / blue ), plus the white star. It was exhibited at the IFAD ’82 with serial number 101.

For a time it flew in Chile repainted red-white and registered CC-EFP before shipment to Farnborough ’82 (5 to September 12), where it was given the number 56 on the nose. With the same scheme and identifying marks it participated in the June 1983 Farnborough, and shared the static display with the space shuttle Challenger.

The aircraft continued to operate with such a color scheme and markings until the registration was replaced (keeping the red / white and 56th ) by CC-PZB tuition, on 23 January 1986.

During the first half of 1987 this aircarft was extensively modified, being used as a prototype for the Project ENAER ECH-51M and T-35S Pillán version with aerobatic capabilities. Basically the weight was decreased and the cabin accommodation redesigned, retaining the original two-seater engine.

A new scheme of blue and white lines along the fuselage, finished in the head of a hawk nose , similar to that used at some point by Aerobatics Squadron Hawks FACh, was applied. CC-PZB made its second first test flight on March 4, 1988 and was exhibited at the IFAD of that year.

The T-35S program did not take this prototype and after a while the plane was decomissioned and the fuselage meant to be displayed on a pedestal in the Division of Systems and Equipment ENAER in El Bosque, painted white, red and blue, with a fantasy registration of CC-CSM. In 2006 it was given to the Aeronautical Museum in Los Cerrillos, to display the colors of the Squadron Hawks.

The fourth Pillán, (the second pre-series aircraft) was the second assembly in Chile. Its first flight date was estimated for January 20, 1982 , but was delayed for several weeks.

This was the only one painted a light green color scheme on the top half of the fuselage and the bottom white. The rudder green with a white star. It wore the number 102. It was exhibited in ’82. During the first half of 1982 its color scheme changed to the traditional white red with black numbers painted on the fuselage. During the first half of 1984 this plane, still marked with the number 102, was sent to the US for changes to the cabin and cockpit.

Returning to Santiago it received the number 104 as the original 102 was reassigned to the second prototype of Pillán (the original YBT).

Shortly afterwards it received the registion CC-EFS, and was exhibited at the Farnborough Airshow ’84, keeping this identification during the second half of 1985.

This airplane became the prototype Pillán T-35TX, later known as Aucán, as CC-PZC, being shown for the first time at IFAD ’86. Received on January 23, 1986, the first flight was on 12 February 1987.

The Aucán was basically a turboprop version of the original Pillán, converted by Soloy in the US, with an Allison 250-B17D engine with 420 shp, plus other minor changes. After an unsuccessful promotion, the aircraft experienced a series of noticeable changes, including the replacement of three traditional cockpit transparencies by a one-piece. The aircraft was presented in the FIDAE 1990, at which time it wore a camouflage in shades of dark green and gray with light gray undersides, keeping the CC-PZC registration.

It was eventually discharged from inventory of ENAER on June 21, 1991, and subsequently disassembled for use as spare parts for other aircraft, canceling the registration CC-PZC on April 2, 1993. The balances of the fuselage would be in a courtyard of the Educational Complex La Reina, Santiago, very battered and away from view.

The Aucán has no relation to the Pillán Turbo. The Pillán Turbo was the result of ECH-51DT, a plane built by ENAER ECH-51B serial number 186-88. Registered on October 6, 1988 as CC-PZG the Pillán Turbo featured all the changes applied and tested in the Aucán CC-PZC, and its first flight occurred on May 14, 1991. It differed from Aucán externally by a cockpit which consisted of two parts (with no racks front section). On July 12, 1996 was delivered to evaluating Aviation Group No. 11 as T-35DT Pillán Turbo, serial number 191. After the dissolution of this unit in late 1997 the aircraft returned to ENAER and was promoted in different configurations, without success.

The sixth aircraft was known as “the first series production aircraft,” though in reality it was the fourth of preproduction aircraft.

Its roll-out took place on March 8, 1984 at a ceremony in El Bosque, where it was shown as “the first Pillán made in Chile”, wearing 105, since this was the beginning to progressively integrate parts manufactured in Chile.

However, its official status indicates that this plane would never have flown, being used only to perform various tests on land, at the end of which it was severely deformed. The remains were definitely unusable in the second half of 1985.

The construction of the seventh plane, the fifth preseries, was not completed and was used as a model. During the second half of 1985 it was decommissioned and the remains were observed in the School of Aviation in January 1988. It was not assigned a serial number and it might be seen as that there were not six production aircraft but only five.

The eighth plane, sixth preseries, was the last in preproduction. Completed in 1984, it received the number 107. Due to its continuous modifications, the aircraft has seen three model designations (A, B and C).

It was exhibited at Farnborough with unregistered CC-EFU, and assigned the number 51 on a scheme of white with blue lines. After receiving the CC-PZD registration on January 23, 1986, and, with the same white color but with different set design lines, was exhibited at Le Bourget 1987, following which, in order to participate in the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Piper Aircraft Corporation, moved under its own power to the US via the North Atlantic (France, England, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, USA).

It was reained by ENAER and used as a demonstrator of the company, with color schemes that varied over time.

After making ECH-51 number 107, began delivery to the FACh its first batch of T-35, by agreement dated July 6, 1984, for an initial batch of 20 aircraft, a total of 48 finally contracted. The first of these, serial number FACh 101 (cn 108-85) was completed in May 1985 and delivered on July 31 1985. After operational service it was sold to the Air Force of El Salvador in 1998, where it served as FAS 70 from 29 May 1998 until January 19, 2000, when it crashed and was completely destroyed in that country.

The Pillan is operational with the Chilean Air Force in two versions, the T-35A primary trainer and the T-35B instrument trainer, which has an upgraded avionics package. CASA is assembling a number of T-35C Pillans for the Spanish Air Force as the E.26 Tamiz, from kits supplied by ENAER under a counter-trade agreement linked to the Chilean Air Force purchase of C-101 Aviojets.

Versions include the T-35D instrument trainer for Panama.

T-35 Pillan
Engine: 1 x Lycoming AEIO-540-K1, 225 kW.
Span: 28.871 ft / 8.8 m.
Length: 26.247 ft / 8 m.
Height : 8.858 ft / 2.7 m
Wing area: 147.467 sq.ft. / 13.6 sq.m
Weight empty : 2050.7 lb / 930.0 kg
MTOW: 2950.3 lb / 1340 kg.
Max speed: 168 kt / 310 kph.
Landing speed: 62 kt / 115 km/h
Cruising speed: 144 kt / 266 km/h
Initial ROC: 365 m / min.
Wing loading: 20.09 lb/sq.ft / 98.0 kg/sq.m
Range : 648 nm / 1200 km
Ceiling: 6250 m.
T/O run: 290 m.
Ldg run: 240 m.
Fuel internal: 290 lt.
Endurance: 4-5 hr.
Crew: 2