The AERMACCHI SF-260 SF.260 (formerly SIAI MARCHETTI now LEONARDO)is an Italian light aircraft which has been commonly marketed as a military trainer and aerobatics aircraft
The SF-260 is a single-engine, two-seat, low-wing monoplane manufactured by Italian aviation firm Leonardo. The piston-powered aircraft has been primarily used as a military trainer, with some limited civil and aerobatics use. Some military users armed the aircraft, using it for light attack and bombing. The SF-260 has served the militaries of nearly three dozen countries, including those of Italy, Belgium, Mexico, and Singapore. Roughly twenty percent of total production served non-military operators.
Development began on the aircraft in the early 1960s and it took its maiden flight on July 15, 1964. Introduced in April 1966, the SF-260 has been manufactured by a number of firms over the years. More than 870 have been built over a production run spanning from 1964 to 2017.
The SF-260 features side-by-side seating and a high-visibility canopy for optimized training value. The airframe has a retractable tricycle undercarriage and a standard tail unit. It measures 23 feet, 4 inches in length and has a wing that comprises tip tanks with a total span of 27 feet, 5 inches. The aircraft is powered by a 6-cylinder Textron Lycoming O-540-E4A5 engine that produces up to 260 horsepower and drives a Hartzell 2-blade constant-speed propeller. It has a range of 1,030 miles, a service ceiling of 15,300 feet above sea level, and climbs at 1,500 feet per minute. It cruises at 190 miles per hour, stalls at 78 mph (flaps and landing gear down), and has a top speed of 207. The SF-260 can pull up to +6 gs for aerobatic maneuvers.
Sporty-yet-forgiving best describes the Leonardo SF-260. This aircraft is equally suited for learning the basics or pushing the limits of a pilot’s skillset with precision maneuvers and formation flying.
VERSION 1.1.0 RELEASED SEPTEMBER 5, 2023