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The MS.893 Rallye Commodore 180 is a single-engined, low wing, four-seater. The aircraft is a further development of the basic MS-880
Rallye three seater that flew first on 10 June 1959. The MS.893 Rallye Commodore 180 is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming O-360 engine. Later
designated Rallye 180. Further redesignated SOCATA Gaillard or SOCATA Galérien (glider towing version). SA des Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier
was established in 1911 and had a long history of designing and
building aeroplanes. In response to a late 1950s French government competition for a light aircraft,
Morane Saulnier designed the Rallye, an all-metal side-by-side two-seat low-wing aircraft with fixed
tailwheel undercarriage. The prototype, the MS.880 F-WJDM powered by a 90 hp Continental C90-14F
engine, made its first flight on 10 June 1959. A second prototype, the MS.880A F-WJSE with swept fin
and 3-seats in a larger cockpit, was flown first on 12 February 1961. The Rallye entered production
as the MS-880B Rallye Club, after a definitive prototype, the MS-880B F-WJSF with a tricycle
undercarriage and powered by a 100 hp Continental O-200-A engine, was flown first on 24 May 1961.
Rallye production built up rapidly and next to the MS.880B Rallye Club, the MS.885 Super Rallye,
fitted with a 145 hp Continental O-300-A engine, entered full-scale production. By the end of 1962
the pressure of expansion of the successful Rallye family into high volume production had caused the
company to run into financial problems. Morane-Saulnier filed a bankruptcy petition on 19 November 1962
and on 6 January 1963 management control of the company passed into the hands of the
Etablissements Henri Potez. The company was reorganised and known as the Société d'Exploitation des
Etablissements Morane-Saulnier (S.E.E.M.S.). On 20 May 1965 the management of the company was taken
over by Sud-Aviation and the company was renamed in Gerance des Etablissements Morane-Saulnier
(G.E.M.S.). In 1966 Morane-Saulnier finally disappeared as the company became a full subsidiary of
Sud-Aviation with the new title Société de Construction d'Avions de Tourisme et d'Affaires (SOCATA).
In spite of the financial problems and management changes the Rallye design was developed further
and became Europe's most successful light aircraft. In 1964, the four-seat MS.890 Commodore with
heavier airframe was introduced and after the prototype, the MS.890A Rallye Commodore F-WJSG powered
by a 145 hp Continental O-300-B engine was flown first, this model entered, next to the MS.880B, full
scale production in 1964. Developments of the Commodore included the MS.893 Rallye Commodore 180,
which was intended as an agricultural aircraft, but was developed as a tourer instead with the 180hp
Lycoming O-360-A2A engine. The name Rallye was continued for the developments of the basic design
until 1979, when SOCATA introduced new names to the developments. More than 3500 airframes of the
Rallye design were built by Morane-Saulnier; S.E.E.M.S; G.E.M.S. and SOCATA when the production in
France ceased in 1983. The Rallye concept continued for some years in production in Poland with PZL as
the Koliber.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the MS.893A Rallye Commodore 180 is RALL. |
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On 5 September 1968, SOCATA MS.893A Rallye Commodore 180 s/n 10915 was registered D-EHSP in Germany and based at Augsburg first.
"Circus Flic Flac" SOCATA MS.893A Rallye Commodore 180 D-EHSP was seen during the Fly-in at the airfield
of Bielefeld. Equipped with special towing-equipment and flown by Kimberley Jane Marx "Die
schwarze Baroness" this aircraft is well known in Germany. The large
black "Zirkus Fic Flac" banner is towed over Germany since 1996. Next to
towing banners, Kimberly used the in 1968-built Commodore to provide
towing-services for gliders. On 9 November 2004, she was one of the
members of the team that started at Porta Westfalica in Germany for a
World-record flight, by which a glider was towed over 11.900 km from
Porta Westfalica in Germany to Naua Naua lodge in Namibia in Africa. Kimberly flew the Wilga D-EWBS on
this flight that was used as tower-tugger for the two-seat glider D3281. Next to the towing-services Kimberly is
active as test flyer for DEWALD-Leichtflugzeugbau on the Sunny and Skyboy ultralight aeroplanes. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
