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| During the late 1950s the Lockheed Georgia Company, Marietta, Georgia made a rare venture into the general aviation market with a design for a four to six-seat light utility transport aircraft aimed specifically at South American operators. The one and only American-built prototype Lockheed AL.60 made its maiden flight on September 15, 1959. It was a boxy, robust, all-metal high-wing monoplane with a wide square cabin which could quickly be changed from passenger to all-cargo configuration, and tricycle landing gear which could be replaced with skis or floats for bush flying. The standard seating arrangement is for four to six passengers but these can be replaced by seats without backrests for use by parachutists. The ambulance version could carry two stretchers, one seated patient and one attendant.
It was never Lockheed's intention to manufacture the aircraft in the United States. Instead a subsidiary company - Lockheed/Azcarate SA -was established in Mexico. This plant produced only 18 LAS A 60s before all manufacturing and sales rights were sold to Aeronautica Macchi.
The first Italian-built LASA 60 was flown on April 19, 1961, and was subsequently developed and produced in several models which included the AL.60B1 with a 250hp Continental IO-470-R engine, the B2 variant with a 260hp supercharged Continental TSIO-470-B powerplant, and the C4 with a conventional tailwheel undercarriage replacing the standard tricycle landing gear. A 340hp Piaggio-built Lycoming-engined version known as the AL.60C was developed to meet an Italian army requirement for a liaison/utility transport. The final civil versions of the Aermacchi aircraft were the 400hp AL.60F5 Conestoga, and a tail-wheel version of the same aircraft for Canadian operators. Some 100 examples of all models were built in Italy before production terminated in 1972.
The basic AL.60C5 design, with a 340hp engine, has been produced by the Atlas Corporation in South Africa as the Atlas C4M Kudu which first flew in 1974 and serves with units of the South African air force. A three/four-seat forward air-control aircraft known as the Aermacchi AM-3C was also developed from the basic AL.60 airframe, though modified substantially, and is serving with the air forces of Rwanda and South Africa, under the name of Bosbok.
Bill Gunston "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Commercial Aircraft", 1980
 | A three-view drawing (1826 x 920) |
| CREW | 1 |
| PASSENGERS | 6 |
| ENGINE | 1 x 400hp Avco Lycoming IO-720-A1A piston engine |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 2041 kg | 4500 lb |
| Empty weight | 1043 kg | 2299 lb |
| Payload | 653kg | 1440 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 11.99 m | 39 ft 4 in |
| Length | 8.8 m | 29 ft 10 in |
| Height | 3.2 m | 11 ft 6 in |
| Wing area | 19.55 m2 | 210.43 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 254 km/h | 158 mph |
| Range | 1037 km | 644 miles |
| TiMcKinney, e-mail, 15.11.2023 03:35 I wonder if the plans and construction jigs are out there somewhere?
It seems like if someone could produce them again there would be a market! reply | | Connie Thompson, e-mail, 15.07.2022 23:22 PROBATE SALE
Lockheed AL60 C5 - ACCEPTING OFFERS
FFA Certified "Experimental" Lockheed AL60 with Chevy 350 Stroker 383 cubic inch powered "Air Truck". 450 ft lbs torque at 4500 rpm. 6-7 passenger, large cargo area. 72 gal fuel capacity, 2700# empty, 4500# max weight. Will cruise at 125mph, climb rate is 900 ft /min at gross weight, Stall speed is 60mph with fowlers out and 80mph without fowlers. "Air Flow Performance" mechanical fuel injection. 11-12 gal /hr fuel burn. "MSD" Dual Fuel injection Dual alternators "Geschwender Chain Drive" with 2:1 reduction at 98% efficient powering 87 inch diameter prop over 7 inches wide. Static Thrust almost 1200# at the prop.
Probate Sale
Contact: Connie Thompson reply |
| Anonymous, 02.03.2022 01:26 He reply | | Anonymous, 29.11.2021 02:51 Hi, A friend of mine here in Australia owned VH ELI, an AL60 that was mentioned earlier with a forced landing near Seattle. My says it has a IO520 fitted and was the only AL60 on the Australian register, I flew 30 or 40 hours in it, several trips across Bass Strait from Victoria to Tasmania but this was 35 years ago
Ian
countrywide_finance@bigpond.com reply | |
| | orlo ellison, e-mail, 08.11.2021 22:08 Lars,
Please contact me. I own the AL60-F5
Orlo Ellison reply | | Michael weeks, e-mail, 03.02.2021 03:22 I have a AL 60 B I bought with a 601 Walters on it on 3900 floats. I have been working on it since 2013 redoing everything. I would buy one for parts or flying if anyone hears of anything please let me know. Not sure if can leave my number. I am Michael Here is my email Mdweeks55@gmail.com reply | | mike, e-mail, 22.07.2017 02:31 Hello, does anyone know of any of these that are still flying and are for sale? I'd prefer on that's been converted to turbine, but can do that myself if needed. reply | | nicolas hucki, e-mail, 27.01.2017 20:32 My AL60 is for sale in France 15000 € reply |
| Manuel Calleja, e-mail, 04.04.2014 18:21 Hi everyone !
My name is Manuel, from Mexico. The writing is very nice and interesting.
In fact, I would like to ask for some help. I am the owner of a LASA-60, and several months ago I suffered an accident. The plane was damaged considerably but I have some hope in order to repair it.
Looking at the wing structure, I realized that some special parts (a rare tube for instance that runs inside the wing) are needed for the reparation, among others.
My interest is to find a non-flying LASA-60 and probably buy some spare parts.
Does some of you can help me with some information ??? I will really appreciate it. This is my email: skydivemexico@gmail.com
Best regards !!
Manuel reply |
| Roger purdue, e-mail, 19.02.2012 02:30 About 1970 a small commuter airline was started to provide service to the San Juan islands from Seattle. Five smaller lines combined to form puget sound airlines. One of these lockheeds was in their inventory and was placed on the mail run between the islands and anacortes. We monitored the unicom frequency. One afternoon ,headed for anacortes, Tommy Clark was headed for the barn when he radioed that the engine had shucker it's innards and he was going down. He made it into an old short hayfield intact. Tommy gave up flying for thirty years or so! He now owns a Franklin powered Stinson 108. reply |
| bill, 20.06.2011 14:22 Plane got off he ground pretty good but only climb due to the curvature of the earth.
One nice thing about the plane was a really big side door reply | | Dave Hall, e-mail, 03.05.2011 02:05 I went to work at Lockheed in 1962 and was placed in a training program for flight testing. Our class assignment was to run much of the CAA flight tests on the LASA 60. I spent a fair amount of time riding in it from Burbank to Palomar where we did a lot of the test flying. Not a bad GA aircraft, seemed to be a clone of the C-182. Good training for my later work on the Blackbird. reply |
| Lars, e-mail, 22.01.2010 05:01 The 3-view drawing used on this webpage here is bogus, I can supply a better one. I have a AL60B2, and am restoring it to its original paint when it was with the Rhodesian Air Force after the UDI. I am looking for ANY Color PHOTO of this type of Plane with The Rho.AF. ANY help is welcome.
Best regards,
Lars reply | | guy pere, e-mail, 12.09.2008 08:36 I owned one of these planes
I don't think it could go 158 mph straight down.
the cruise speed was around 90
Plane got off he ground pretty good but only climb due to the curvature of the earth.
One nice thing about the plane was a really big side door
(you could put a piece of plywood in the thing!) reply |
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Connie Thompson
Dear sir,
Your LA-60 still for sale?
Many Thanks
GP
bahiagliding@gmail.com
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