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Light utility aircraft
GAF Nomad is a light utility aircraft. It was built by Government Aircraft Factories. Reported operators include Philippine Air Force Australian Army (historical) Indonesian Navy (historical).
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
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Light utility aircraft
Government Aircraft Factories
In limited service
Philippine Air Force Australian Army (historical) Indonesian Navy (historical)
172
1975–1985
23 July 1971 (N-22) 5 December 1971 (N-24)
Royal Australian Air Force (1993)
12
18 ft 2 in / 5.52m
54 ft 2 in / 16.46 m
324 sq.ft / 30.1 m 2 , 9:1 AR , modified NACA 23018 airfoil
41 ft 3 in / 12.57 m
8,500 lb (3,856 kg)
4,730 lb / 2,150 kg
193 mph / 168 kn / 311 km/h
840 mi / 730 nmi / 1352 km, endurance 8 h at 161 mph / 140 kn / 259 km/h, FL50
25,000 ft (7,600 m)
The GAF Nomad is a utility aircraft produced by the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) of Australia in Melbourne .
The GAF Nomad is a twin-engine utility/commuter aircraft capable of Short Takeoff/Landing (STOL) operations. It was produced in two primary variants, the N22B and N24A, the latter being 5 ft 10 in (177 cm) longer than the N22B; the N24A also differed by its larger nose compartment and separated access provided for the main baggage compartment, which was located aft of the cabin. Key features of the Nomad's general configuration included its rugged and straightforward design, STOL performance, its compact and economic engines and its relatively unobstructed and flat cabin floor. It had been designed to meet or exceed established military requirements of the era, as well as in compliance with regulations set out in the Federal Aviation Administration 's (FAA) FAR Part 23 .
The Nomad was powered by a pair of Allison 250 B17B/C turboprop engines, capable of generating up to 400 hp (300 kW) each. Journalist Hugh Field observed the selection of this powerplant to be atypical, while its basic model had a strong reputation from its widespread use on helicopters , the Nomad was the first application of this engine model. GAF's design team, although reportedly having been initially hesitant about applying a new engine to a new airframe, praised the engine's behaviour upon the prototypes. In-flight, core engine operations could be controlled via a single lever, although additional controls are used for atypical actions such as feathering . For ease of maintenance, the nacelles were built for easy access, while the engines consist of sub-assemblies that can be individually overhauled or replaced without extracting the entire engine.
The Nomad's cockpit, while typically fitted with dual flight controls, is designed to be operated by a single pilot. All of the primary controls are either duplicated or of a fail-safe design; both the flaps and undercarriage are electrically actuated; to aid low-speed manoeuvring, an auto-flap button immediately selects 20° flap. For militarised models, the cockpit can be outfitted with Stanley Aviation zero-zero ejection seats , boron - carbide armour protection around the seats, forward bulkhead and side-panels, as well as bullet-resistant glass installed in the panels of windscreen. The cockpit reportedly possesses above-average external visibility in most directions.
Initial production version for 12 passengers for the Australian Army.
Cargo variant modified from N.22B with Maximum Takeoff Weight increased to 4,050 kilograms (8,930 lb).
Utility transport aircraft with a fuselage lengthened by 1.14 m (3.7 ft).
Improved version for 17 passengers, 40 built.
On 23 December 1979, a Nomad operated by Douglas Airways (P2-DNL) crashed on the airstrip (MRM) at Manari, a village on the Kokoda Track in the Central Province of Papua New Guinea , killing all 16 passengers and crew.
On 12 Mar 1990, a Nomad (A18-401) of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) crashed following an in-flight failure of the horizontal stabiliser, killing the test pilot who was the sole occupant. The aircraft had previously done 177 hours of single-engine ground running in tests performed by the aircraft manufacturer.
On 9 September 1991, an Australian Army N22B Nomad crashed near Drake in northern NSW with the loss of four people, including the pilot.
On 18 September 1998, two US Customs N22S Nomads collided over the sea between Puerto Rico and Curaçao. Both damaged planes attempted to return to Puerto Rico, however, one plane crashed into the sea one mile east of Mona Island. The pilot was killed while the copilot was rescued. The second plane was able to land safely in Aquadilla. Puerto Rico.
On 2 July, 2000, a Philippine Air Force GAF Nomad experienced possible engine trouble after takeoff from Cagayancillo Airport on Cagayancillo off Palawan in the Philippines . Its pilot attempted to return to the airport, but the plane overshot the runway and crashed into the Sulu Sea , killing 11 of the 12 people on board. Philippine governor Salvatore Socrates and Philippine Air Force Major General Santiago Madrid were among the dead.
On 10 February 2001, Gum Air ’s N24A Nomad (PZ-TBP) crashed on a flight from Paramaribo – Zanderij ( Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport PBM/SMJP ) to Njoeng Jacob Kondre Airstrip SMJK . The aircraft had fallen out of radio contact, and personnel at the airstrip in Jacob Kondre said it was flying low, and crashed into a mountain. All nine passengers plus the pilot perished.
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
GAF Nomad equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
PhilippinesAir Force exact named equipment holdings: N-22B Nomad. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: AIRCRAFT / Light. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.
Philippine Air Force Australian Army (historical) Indonesian Navy (historical)
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