CAC CA-22 / CA-25 Winjeel — RAAF Primary Trainer Manuals Collection

The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) Winjeel — Aboriginal for "Young Eagle" — was Australia's purpose-built military basic trainer, designed and manufactured entirely in Melbourne by CAC for the Royal Australian Air Force. A three-seat, low-wing monoplane powered by the Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior radial, the Winjeel served as the RAAF's primary piston trainer from the mid-1950s through 1975, replacing the de Havilland Tiger Moth and shaping a generation of Australian military aviators.

This Living Collection brings together the primary-source RAAF documentation issued for the CA-22 prototype and CA-25 production variant — flight manuals, instructor handbooks, technical volumes, and spare parts schedules — exactly as issued by the Department of Air, Canberra.

Documents in This Collection

• AAP 952 — Flying Instructor's Manual, Winjeel (2nd Edition) — Royal Australian Air Force. Restricted. Issued by Command of the Air Board. Covers instructional techniques, exercise sequences, and dual-control procedures for the Winjeel trainer.
• AAP 7212.003-I — Flight Manual, Winjeel Dual Trainer — RAAF. Issued for the Management and Control of the Royal Australian Air Force. Standard pilot operating procedures, limitations, and emergency drills.
• AAP 960 — Flight Manual, Winjeel Dual Trainer (2nd Edition, Jun 63) — RAAF. Restricted. Updated operational flight manual covering the production CA-25 standard.
• AAP 721:85 — Winjeel Aircraft, Volume 1: General and Technical Information (Parts 1, 2 and 3) — Compiled by the Service Department, Aircraft Division, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Pty. Ltd., Melbourne. Covers airframe systems, powerplant installation, and technical data.
• AAP 721:85 — Winjeel Aircraft, Volume 3: Equipment Schedules and Scales, Part 1 — Schedule of Spare Parts — Compiled by the Service Department, Aircraft Division, CAC. Restricted. Comprehensive spare parts schedule for the Winjeel airframe and systems.

Aircraft Technical Reference

Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-2 Wasp Junior — 9-cylinder air-cooled radial, 445 hp at 2,300 rpm. Hamilton Standard 2-blade variable-pitch propeller. 69 Imperial gallons (approx. 314 L) internal fuel. Features a 4-panel hinged cowl for complete radial accessibility.

Airfoil: NACA 23015 (root) / NACA 23010 (tip). Aspect ratio 6.0:1. Early CA-22 prototypes underwent aerodynamic testing at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories (ARL), Fishermen's Bend, Victoria. Wind tunnel trials revealed exceptional stability — requiring tailfin and tailplane modifications to permit spin induction for training purposes.

Performance (CA-25 production standard): Max speed 186 mph (300 km/h) · Cruise 165 mph (266 km/h) at 8,500 ft · MTOW 4,340 lb (1,969 kg) · Service ceiling 15,800 ft · Range approx. 550 miles (885 km).

In the 1970s, the ARL conducted extensive safe fatigue life investigations and repeated load tests on the Winjeel airframe. Many CA-25s survive today as private warbirds, with airframe dossiers maintained through databases such as Aerial Visuals.

This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.

⚠️ Regulatory Notice: Under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13 and EASA Part-M, any mechanic performing maintenance on an active aircraft must use current, manufacturer-approved revision-controlled data. This archival document does not satisfy that requirement.

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