The RFB Fantrainer Turboprop Was Meant to Handle Like a Jet

While the model did meet the company’s goals in some respects, its performance was underwhelming.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 05:53 PM ET

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Intended to blend the handling and flying experience of a jet fighter with the operating efficiency of a turboprop, the RFB Fantrainer utilized a ducted fan in the empennage. [FanJet Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

In the 1970s, high jet fuel costs and the inability of conventional turboprop trainers to accurately mimic jet handling prompted German company RFB to design a more cost-effective advanced trainer.
RFB developed the Fantrainer, uniquely featuring a ducted fan integrated into the empennage to reduce fuel consumption and provide jet-like flight characteristics by eliminating propeller-induced turning tendencies.
Despite its innovative design and jet-like handling, the Fantrainer's performance was underwhelming due to structural complexity, and its proprietary systems led to maintenance challenges, resulting in limited production of only 50 units.
Attempts to revive the Fantrainer's production, as well as a smaller civil variant (Fanliner), have not been commercially successful, with no new orders emerging even after a company acquired its rights in 2010.

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In the 1970s, the jet age had firmly taken hold of most categories of aviation, and jet power was quickly becoming the norm. From airliners to fighters to private jets, nearly every category took advantage of the increased power, speed, and reliability of jet engines. But while the benefits were numerous, fuel consumption was quite high, and by the middle of the decade, the cost of jet-A had tripled.

The cost to train pilots in advanced jet trainers, therefore, was following suit. One company in Germany spotted an opportunity for a more cost-effective alternative. If it could design an advanced trainer that was drastically less expensive to operate, it reasoned it would be of interest to militaries around the world.