Helio H-295

4 aircraft

The Helio U-10 Super Courier, a specialized short takeoff and landing aircraft that became the "Swiss Army knife" of covert operations during the Vietnam War, first flew in 1958. This high-wing, single-engine monoplane could carry six occupants and featured an innovative array of slats, flaps, and spoilers that enabled operations from clearings the size of a football field. With a 39-foot wingspan and powered by a 295-horsepower Lycoming GO-480 engine, the Super Courier could fly as slowly as 25 mph while maintaining control. Helio Aircraft Corporation produced more than 500 Couriers between 1954 and 1974.