Looking for any MD3-160 Aerotiga Information

[Ralph Daetwyler 0]

Hello All,

My name is Ralph Daetwyler. I am the grandson of the designer and developer of the MD3-160 Aerotiga. My grandfather, Max Daetwyler designed and certified the "Swiss Trainer" and then sold the entire project SME to continue building the aircraft for military and civilian use. In the end, as far as I know there were only roughly 20 built and that is all that exists today. Someone noted in another posting on malaysianwings that they might be decommissioned. Is this true????? Does anyone know the current status of these airplanes and if they are still in service?

 

If anyone has any information on this topic please share. If they were decommissioned, I am curious what the fate of these airplanes might be as my family would be very interested in taking a few back to Switzerland at least for static displays or if possible, flying models, etc.

[Geoff R. 0]

Ralph

 

The MD3-160 Aerotiga was an interesting design that for reasons unknown to me didn't succeed beyond the production of 20 aircraft for the Royal Malaysian Air Force and two civil aircraft. Maybe there is someone on this forum that was involved in the project who can give some background. There were reports that 20 were sold to Indonesia and even some reports they were delivered but I have not found any evidence they were ever built or delivered.

 

For several years there were about 10 aircraft stored at Sungai Besi but when I visited last month only one remained in a dismantled state. See photo below. The airfield is due to close so this is probably the reason they have been moved.

 

IMG_5428 by helosrgreat

 

I did also see three parked at Subang Airport last month but I don't know if they are airworthy or not. The last reports of them flying I have seen were in early 2010 but others may know if there any that are still airworthy. Two are preserved at the TUDM Museum at Sungai Besi. Here is a photo of M42-12

 

IMG_0862 by helosrgreat, on Flickr

 

Here is list of aircraft built in Malaysia I compiled from various sources of information which would indicate 22 were built.

 

006 M42-02 TUDM

007 M42-01 TUDM Preserved TUDM Museum

008 M42-03 TUDM

009 M42-06 TUDM

010

011 M42-07 TUDM

012

013 M42-08 TUDM

014 M42-04 TUDM

015 M42-05 TUDM

016 M42-09 TUDM

017 M42-10 TUDM

018 M42-11 TUDM

019 M42-12 TUDM Preserved TUDM Museum

020 M42-13 TUDM

021 M42-14 TUDM

022 M42-15 TUDM

023 M42-16 TUDM

024 M42-17 TUDM

025 M42-18 TUDM

026 M42-19 TUDM

027 M42-20 TUDM

 

Aircraft 010 and 012 may be the two civil registered aircraft 9M-SMA and 9M-SME

 

I hope this is of interest and that somebody else can provide more information.

 

Geoff

[Ralph Daetwyler 0]

Geoff,

Thank you so much. Lets hope someone else that is perhaps involved in the program reads my post and can shed some more light on the subject. If you hear anything else please share. My heart sank when I saw the picture of the one mothballed covered in dust. Again thank you for the post!!

[MIR 2]

It is rumoured the last six is still flying with the air force. (M42-15 till M42-20). I saw one flying over Sungai Besi a few weeks ago but didn't manage to get its rego.

M42-12 and M42-01 are still at the RMAF Museum, M42-05 and M42-07 are probably bought by a GA company based in Subang.

 

Ralph, I suggest you contact the RMAF Museum. In the past, three CL-41G were sold to an enthusiast and one was exchanged for a Havard.

Edited September 1, 2012 by MIR

[Amirul Mazlan 0]

used for recurrent flights most of the time.

[Razerg 0]

7 of the MD3's are in Subang airport with Systematic Aviation Services (03,04,05,07,09,13). They are currently being refurbished to flying condition. I'm paint stripping 04 right now haha

 

*how to post pictures?

[Eric Haug 0]

I had the privilege of flying one of these for a few years in Florida. My understanding is that when SME was privatized the company decided to moth ball the type certificate and all the associated tooling because it was not a product the company wanted to move forward with. The 3 planes that were in Florida were disassembled and taken back to Malaysia.

[MIR 2]

I came across this MD3-160 Aerotiga at Hamid Yakoob Trading, Sungai Petani some time ago..