Dornier Do 328

History of the Dornier Do 328

The Dornier 328 was a turboprop aircraft. Originally produced by Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH, the company was acquired by Fairchild Aircraft in 1996. The resulting company, named Fairchild-Dornier, manufactures the 328 series in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, manages sales in San Antonio, Texas, USA, and supports the product line from two locations.

A jet-powered version of the aircraft, the Fairchild DORNIER 328JET, was also produced.

In 2005, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority awarded AeroRescue a contract to provide long-range search and rescue capabilities in Australia. As a result, five 328-100s entered service in stages from April 2006 to February 2007 and were based off the coast of Australia, providing 24 hours and 30 minutes of combat capability. The aircraft are equipped with a full suite of electronic sensors from Germany's Aerodata AG, including: Israel Aerospace Industries ELTA EL/M 2022A radar, FSI Star SAFire III forward looking infrared, direction finders and ARGON ST infrared/ultraviolet scanners. The aircraft is also equipped with the Australian Aeronautical Engineers Dispatch System, which allows relief supplies to be dropped from the aircraft via chutes through emergency exits under the wings.

These are being progressively upgraded with in-flight opening cargo doors to allow the transport of larger items, life rafts for up to 20 people and boat sump pumps for open water rescues. These aircraft were replaced by a fleet of CL604 jets under contract with AMSA.

Specification

BASICS

Year of Service

1993

Origins

Germany

Crew

2

Production

217

Manufacturer

Dornier; Fairchild Dornier - Germany

Operators

American Samoa; Austria; Australia; Botswana; Canada; Colombia; Chile; Democratic Republic of Congo; Denmark; Germany; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Malta; Nigeria; Switzerland; United Kingdom; U.S.

Roles

Transportation

General transport function for moving supplies/cargo or people (including casualties and VIPs) out of range.

Commercial Aviation

Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, moving passengers and cargo over long distances.

VIP Service

Used in the VIP (Very Important Person) passenger role, usually with above-average amenities and luxury as standard.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

69. 3 feet

(21.11m)

Width/span

68.8 feet

(20.98m)

Height

23.8 feet

(7.25m)

Cured weight

19,665 lbs

(8,920 kg)

MTOW

30,115 lbs

(13,660 kg)

Wgt Difference

+10,450 lbs

(+4,740 kg)

Performance

Installed:

2 x turboprops.

Maximum speed

395 km/h

(635 km/h | 343 knots)

Maximum

31,020 feet

(9,455 m | 6 km)

Area

621 km

(1,000 km | 1,852 nautical miles)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None.

Variants

Do 328 - Base series name Do 328-100Do 328-110Do 328-120Do 328-130Do 328JETC-146A "Wolfhound" - US AFSOC variant.