The Atlas ACE is a South African turboprop trainer, that was designed by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation as a contender to replace the North American Harvard in service with the South African Air Force. The aircraft was not selected and only two examples were completed.

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The design originated as the 1986 Project Ovid by the government research agency Aerotek, as a composites technology demonstrator.^[1] In 1991 the design was entered into a competition to replace the North American Harvard by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation as the ACE (All Composite Evaluator).

The ACE is a tandem two-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop. It has a retractable nosewheel landing gear and a conventional tail unit. The aircraft is constructed from carbon fiber composites.^[1]

The prototype was first flown on 29 April 1991, but did not win the competition which was awarded to the Pilatus PC-7.^[1]

On 14 January 1995 the prototype was lost in a wheels up landing at Jan Smuts Airport.^[1] The second improved aircraft was scheduled to fly, but the design was not developed.

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 35 ft 5 in (10.8 m)
• Wingspan: 35 ft 5 in (10.8 m)
• Wing area: 193.75 sq ft (18 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,406 lb (1,545 kg)
• Gross weight: 4,850 lb (2,200 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25C , 750 hp (559 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 345 mph (555 km/h, 300 kn)
• Range: 1,266 mi (2,037 km, 1,100 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 33,000 ft (10,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,750 ft/min (838 m/s)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Pilatus PC-7
• PZL-130 Orlik
• Beechcraft T-6 Texan II