Let L-610
The Let L 610 is prototype aircraft for the Czech civil aircraft manufacturer Let Kunovice.
History
Its history started in late 70's, when, after success of LET L-410 twin engine turboprop, the main Soviet airline Aeroflot requested LET factory to design a replacement for Antonov An-24 airplanes.
LET's L 610 was designed as twin engine turboprop aircraft powered by the new Czech engines, Motorlet M 602, with seating capacity of 40. Regrettably the fact that historically engine development always takes much more time than airframe development was not taken into consideration. Eventually the 1358kW (1822shp) Motorlet M 602 turboprops engines were finsihed and the aircraft first flew on Dec 28, 1988. A few were shipped to Aeroflot but LET, stopped deliveries demanding western currency for payment. The deal with Aeroflot was given a death blow with the breakup of the Soviet Union.
After the Soviet collapse LET tried to westernize the plane in order to widen the plane's sales appeal. The result was a new model, known as the L 610G, which had General Electric CT-7 engines, Collins Pro Line II digital EFIS avionics, Collins weather radar and autopilot. The L 610G prototype flew its madien voyage on December 18, 1992; four years after the L 610M.
The choice of GE CT-7 engines, was not suitable for such category of aircraft, which was originally intended for the Pratt & Whitney PW 100 family engines. This engine choice only increased delay of the project leading to its final rejection in start of 2006 by new owners of LET factory.
The plane has also been known as the Ayres L-610 and the Ayres 7000.
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