The Short C-23 Sherpa is a small transport aircraft created by Short Brothers. The C-23A and C-23B variants was based on the Short 330. The Short 360 derivative was modified to become C-23B+ and C-23C variants.

Design and Development
The C-23A Sherpa entered USAF service in 1985

Variants

United States Air Force
United States Army Operators

Specifications

Crew: Three (Two pilots plus one cabin crew)
Capacity: 30 passengers
Length: 58 ft 0 in (17.69 m)
Wingspan: 74 ft 9 in (22.78 m)
Height: 16 ft 3 in (4.95 m)
Wing area: 453 ft² (42.1 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 63 series, modified
Empty weight: 14,200 lb (6,440 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 22,900 lb (10,387 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45-R turboprops, 1,198 hp (894 kW) each
Maximum speed: 218 mph (190 knots, 352 km/h) (at 10,000 ft, 3,050 m)
Cruise speed: 184 mph (160 kt, 296 km/h)
Stall speed: 85 mph (73 kt, 136 km/h) (flaps and landing gear down)
Range: 770 mi (915 nm, 1,239 km) (no reserves, passenger version, 1,966 kg payload)
Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
Rate of climb: 2,100 ft/min (60 m/s)
Wing loading: 50.6 lb/ft² (247 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.052 hp/lb (0.17 kW/kg) C-23A

Crew: Three (Two pilots plus one cabin crew)
Capacity: 18-20 passengers
Length: 58 ft 0 in (17.7 m)
Wingspan: 74 ft 10 in (22.8 m)
Height: 16 ft 5 in (5.0 m)
Wing area: 456 ft² (42.4 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 63 series, modified
Empty weight: 16,040 lb (7,276 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 25,600 lb (11,610 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AR turboprops, 1,424 hp (1,062 kW) each
Maximum speed: 276 mph (knots, km/h)
Cruise speed: 223 mph (240 kt, 444 km/h)
Range: 1,185 mi (1,030 nm, 1,907 km)
Service ceiling: 13,950 ft (4,252 m) C-23B/C

C-23 Sherpa page on Florida National Guard site
C-23 page on Global Security.org
C-23 page on theAviationZone.com
Short 330 page on Airliners.net