CS-102

The CS‑102 was a light‑utility aircraft developed in the early 1960s by the Czechoslovak State Aviation Works (CZAV) as part of a national program to replace aging trainer‑transport fleets. First flight took place on 12 April 1963 from the Vodochody airfield, and series production ran from 1965 to 1972, yielding 124 airframes for the Czechoslovak Air Force, civilian aero clubs, and export customers in the Eastern Bloc. Constructed of an all‑metal semi‑monocoque fuselage with a low‑wing configuration, the CS‑102 was powered by a single Avia M‑337B six‑cylinder horizontally opposed engine delivering 210 kW, driving a two‑blade propeller. Its cantilever wings incorporated split flaps and fixed leading‑edge slots, giving short‑field performance and a stall speed of 68 km/h. The cockpit featured dual controls, a fully instrumented panel and optional radio navigation equipment, making the aircraft suitable for primary training, liaison duties and light cargo transport up to 550 kg. The CS‑102’s reliability, low operating costs and straightforward maintenance earned it a reputation as a workhorse of the Warsaw Pact’s secondary aviation sector and influenced later Czechoslovak designs such as the L‑410 series. Its service continued into the early 1990s, later supporting Czech and Slovak flight schools.