English name: Falcon

TYPE: Light utility turboprop.

PROGRAMME: Derived from Nelli and M-70 projects; first shown in model form at Moscow Air Show '90; developed full-scale mockup exhibited at Moscow Air Show '92 with piston engine and at Moscow Air Show '93 with turboprop. Two static test airframes and three flying prototypes built at Nizhny Novgorod by Sokol; first (RA-15001) first flew 31 March 1995; this and second flying aircraft (RA-15003), shown at Moscow Air Show '95, lack ventral fin. Third prototype (RA-15004) to what then regarded as preproduction standard; first preproduction aircraft (RA-15101) displayed at Paris and Moscow Air Shows 1997. Initial batch of 12 at Sokol plant; 11 reportedly completed by September 2001; No. 6 (RA-15106) is first in full production configuration, shown at Moscow, August 2001; No. 7 for reliability tests; No. 8 previously intended as first for customer delivery. Trials aircraft crashed near Zhukovsky test aerodrome on 12 September 2001, following loss of longitudinal stability, putting programme back by six months. Certification trials were due to restart in May 2002, with completion scheduled by December 2002; certification to AP-23 eventually awarded 14 January 2003. In April 2002 it was reported that 12 aircraft had been built — 10 for flying trials and two for static testing. Cold weather testing at temperatures as low as -50°C (-58°F) was undertaken in Yakutia, Sakha Republic, in February 2004.
Russian certification to AP-23 in passenger category was expected late 1998 or early 1999, following delivery of two aircraft to State Civil Aviation Research Institute (GosNII GA) on 23 January 1998 for short-range freight services from Moscow/Sheremetyevo by Fenix Air but delayed by lack of funding; meanwhile five aircraft used on freight services by Sokol plant, completing 200 sorties and 460 hours between 31 airports between December 1997 and September 1999; one demonstrated in Africa by Central African Airlines, based in Egypt, accumulating 14,000 n miles (26,000 km; 16,150 miles). In November 2001, US$3 million was being sought to complete certification and further US$5 million to complete production tooling and retrospectively modify airframes already built. In April 2004, an agreement was announced with Mooney International for assembly of M-101Ts at Greenville for the US market; this appears to have lapsed.
Shortcomings in directional stability addressed by retrospective installation of additional two ventral fins and dorsal fillet on third prototype (RA-15004) in 1999, this also having extended wingtips. These additional tail surfaces standardised from RA-15106 onwards.
The aircraft was originally named Gzhel for a type of fine porcelain made in the city of Gzhel. Some development funding was provided by Gzhel, other finance coming from Myasishchev, Sokol, Inkombank and a Czech bank. Marketing is by Gzhel-Avia. In 2004, name was changed to Expediteon, apparently because of additional, alcoholic connections of Gzhel. By 2005 this had been changed, yet again, to Sokol.
Deliveries of new-build aircraft eventually began in late 2005.

CUSTOMERS: Three flying prototypes and up to six preproduction aircraft completed by 2001; further two may have been finished by 2004. By April 2003, company reported 15 built, with 30 more under construction; delivery of first customer aircraft was due mid-2003, with eight scheduled to be handed over by end 2003 and a further 25 in 2004; by 2004, the company was stating that orders had been received from South Africa and Australia and production for the year would total seven (two for Russia and five abroad), followed by 18 in 2005. First confirmed receipt, in April 2004, by South African dealer, Rosavia Group of Johannesburg, although this was previously built (2001) aircraft RA-15106 which had returned to Russia a few months later. On 15 November 2005, Sokol production plant delivered two M-101T Sokols to civil aviation flying schools at Ulyanovsk and Buguruslan.
In December 2005, Avia Management Group ordered 45 Sokols, valued at USD67.5 million, with deliveries to be complete by mid-2007, for use by Dexter air taxi operation between 17 Russian cities. First (RA-15106) handed over 3 March 2006.

COSTS: USD1.6 million (2001). Hourly operating cost estimated at USD200 (2001). By mid-1999, Sokol plant had invested Rb102.4 million in M-101, and in 2000 was planning funding of USD2.5 million to complete certification.

DESIGN FEATURES: Intended for operation in remote areas; able to serve away from base aerodrome for up to 50 flying hours and fly from unpaved runways. Conventional all-metal low-wing monoplane with pressurised cabin; sweptback vertical tail surfaces and ventral fin. Designed in accordance with Russian AP-23 and US FAR Pt 23 airworthiness requirements. Service life of 15 years or 20,000 hours.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Electrically operated trim tabs in port aileron, rudder and each elevator; ground-adjustable tab on starboard aileron. Double-slotted flaps operated hydraulically.

STRUCTURE: All-metal. Wing constructed around torsion box.

LANDING GEAR: Hydraulically retractable tricycle type; single wheel on each unit; nosewheel retracts rearward, mainwheels inward into wingroots and fuselage; mainwheels uncovered by doors when retracted; tyre size 500x150-9 on mainwheels, 400x150-5 on nosewheel; levered suspension legs; castoring nosewheel with shimmy damper; designed to use paved and unpaved runways.

POWER PLANT: One 559 kW (751 shp) Walter M 601 F32 turboprop, driving Avia Hamilton Sundstrand V-510 five-blade propeller. Power plant is protected against particle ingestion. Fuel in two wing tanks and two feeder tanks, with electrical pumps.

ACCOMMODATION: One or two pilots and four passengers, in pairs in pressurised cabin; max capacity, one pilot and seven passengers. Rear-hinged door to flight deck on port side; large door for passengers and freight loading aft of wing on port side; emergency exit on starboard side above wing; provision for rapid change to cargo/passenger, freight or ambulance configuration.

SYSTEMS: Hydraulic system for landing gear and flaps. Pressurisation system maintains cabin altitude of 2,400 m (7,880 ft). Pneumatic de-icing of wing, tailplane and fin leading-edges; electric anti-icing of propeller, pitot tubes and windscreen clear-view panel. Electrical system, 27 V DC, supplied by 250SG125Q1 starter/generator and 115 A/400 Hz single-phase secondary supply with Varta 24 V emergency battery.

AVIONICS: Russian or Western equipment for single-pilot VFR or two-pilot IFR.
Comms: Bendix/King KX 165 nav/com.
Flight: Bendix/King KLN 89B GPS, WX-900 Stormscope and autopilot all optional.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

• Wing span: 13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)
• Length overall: 9.975 m (32 ft 8¾ in)
• Height overall: 3.45 m (11 ft 3¾ in)
• Tailplane span: 4.32 m (14 ft 2 in)
• Wheel track: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
• Wheelbase: 2.885 m (9 ft 5½ in)
• Propeller diameter: 2.30 m (7 ft 6½ in)
• Passenger/freight door: Height: 1.15 m (3 ft 9¼ in)
• Width: 1.23 m (4 ft 0½ in)
• Flight deck door: Max width: 0.90 m (2 ft 11½ in)
• Max height: 0.975 m (3 ft 2½ in)
• Emergency exit: Max width: 0.485 m (1 ft 7 in)
• Max height: 0.665 m (2 ft 2¼ in)

DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:

• Cabin: Length: 4.56 m (14 ft 11½ in)
• Max width: 1.32 m (4 ft 4 in)
• Max height: 1.26 m (4 ft 1½ in)
• Volume: 7.5 m³ (265 cu ft)

AREAS:

• Wings, gross: 17.06 m² (183.6 sq ft)

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:

• Weight empty: 2,190 kg (4,828 lb)
• Max payload: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
• Max fuel weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
• T-O weight: normal: 2,900 kg (6,393 lb)
• max: 3,270 kg (7,209 lb)
• Max landing weight: 3,160 kg (6,966 lb)
• Max wing loading: 191.7 kg/m² (39.26 lb/sq ft)
• Max power loading: 5.84 kg/kW (9.59 lb/shp)

PERFORMANCE:

• Max cruising speed: 210 kt (390 km/h; 242 mph)
• Stalling speed, flaps down, MLW: 71 kt (130 km/h; 81 mph)
• Cruising altitude: 7,600 m (24,940 ft)
• T-O run: 460 m (1,510 ft)
• Landing run: 390 m (1,280 ft)
• Range:
• with max fuel, 45 min reserves: 594 n miles (1,100 km; 683 miles)
• ferry: 701 n miles (1,300 km; 807 miles)

The article appears in the following publication:
Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2007-2008. Jane's Information Group Ltd. 2007. ISBN: 0-7106-2792-0