TYPE: Three-seat biplane.

PROGRAMME: Construction began March 1984 under type certificate of original, pre-Second World War Waco YMF-5; first flight of prototype (N1935B) 20 November 1985; FAA certification 10 March 1986; marketed initially as F-5, differing from original in having 300 modifications, including new throttle control, wheels, brakes, electrical system, starting system, engine and propeller, plus steerable tailwheel; modern constructional materials, and methods; MTOW 1,202 kg (2,650 lb). Recertified 28 January 1988 at 1,256 kg (2,770 lb) from 10th aircraft onwards.
YMF Super certified 24 June 1991 with stretched fuselage and further increase in MTOW; balanced rudder; designation F5C; introduced at 40th aircraft.

CURRENT VERSIONS: YMF Super: Fuselage stretched 15 cm (6 in); larger front cockpit than previous standard F-5 version for commercial pleasure flying; enlarged forward door; front and rear cockpits 10 cm (4 in) longer; front cockpit 6.3 cm (2½ in) wider.

CUSTOMERS: Total 103 (including F-5s) delivered by November 2003. Exported to Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland and the Caribbean.

COSTS: Standard equipped aircraft US$289,000 (2001).

DESIGN FEATURES: Single-bay biplane of 1930s vintage. Wings braced with N-type interplane struts, plus flying and landing wires, with double-N cabane. Elliptical wingtips. Cruss-braced landing gear. Helmeted engine cowling.
Wing section Clark Y; dihedral 2°, incidence 0° on upper and lower wings.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Interconnected ailerons on upper and lower wings; no tabs. Horn-balanced tail surfaces. Tailplane trim by screw-jack actuator; ground-adjustable trim tab on rudder. Control surface movements; ailerons ±25°; elevator +33°/-27°; rudder ±30°.

STRUCTURE: Modern construction techniques, tolerances and materials applied to original design. Steel interplane struts; streamlined stainless steel flying and landing wires; all-wood wing with Dacron covering; aluminium ailerons with external chordwise stiffening. Fuselage of 4130 welded steel tubes with internal oiling for corrosion protection; wooden bulkheads; Dacron covering. Braced welded steel tube tail surfaces with Dacron covering. Helmeted aluminium engine cowling.

LANDING GEAR: Tailwheel type; fixed. Shock-absorption by oil and spring shock-struts. Steerable tailwheel. Cleveland 30-67F hydraulic brakes on mainwheels only. Cleveland 40-101A mainwheels, tyre size 7.50-10; Cleveland 40-199A tailwheel, tyre size 3.50-10. Fairings standard on main legs and wheels; tailwheel fairing optional. DeVore Aviation PK3000 floats optional.

POWER PLANT: One 205 kW (275 hp) Jacobs R-755-B2M or -B2 air-cooled radial engine (remanufactured), driving a Sensenich two-blade, fixed-pitch, wooden propeller. Hamilton Sundstrand 2B20 constant-speed propeller with spinner optional. Fuel in two aluminium tanks in upper wing centre-section, usable capacity 182 litres (48.0 US gallons; 40.0 Imp gallons). Refuelling point for each tank in upper wing surface. Auxiliary tanks, usable capacity 45.4 litres (12.0 US gallons; 10.0 Imp gallons) each, optional in either or both inboard upper wing panels. Oil capacity 15 litres (4.0 US gallons; 3.3 imp gallons) standard; 18.9 litres (5.0 US gallons; 4.2 Imp gallons) when additional fuel tanks installed.

ACCOMMODATION: Three seats in tandem open cockpits, two side by side in front position, single seat at rear. Controls in both cockpits; toe brakes in rear only. Seat belts with shoulder harness, and pilot's adjustable seat, standard. Lockable front and rear baggage compartments. Front windscreen removable.

SYSTEMS: 24 V electrical system with two batteries, alternator and starter for electrical supply to navigation, strobe and rear cockpit lights. Hydraulic system for brakes only.

AVIONICS: Customer specified. Bendix/King and Garmin VFR and IFR packages available. S-Tec 30 autopilot optional.
Instrumentation: Compass, airspeed indicator, turn and bank indicator, rate of climb indicator, sensitive altimeter, recording tachometer, cylinder head temperature gauge and oil pressure and oil temperature gauges standard in rear cockpit. Front cockpit instruments optional. Other options include exhaust gas temperature gauge, carburettor temperature gauge, g meter, vacuum or electrically driven gyro system, Hobbs meter (engine-time recorder), outside air temperature gauge and manifold gauge.

EQUIPMENT: Instrument post lighting, heated pitot, three-colour paint scheme with choice of two designs, landing and taxying lights, front and rear cockpit heaters, also standard. Optional equipment includes ground service plug, flight-approved metal front cockpit cover, glider tow hook, deluxe interior with carpet, leather sidewalls and interior trim, and special exterior paint designs.