CASA C.212

C-212 Aviocar
A CASA C-212 of the Spanish Air Force
Role	Medium STOL military transport aircraft
Manufacturer	Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA EADS CASA Indonesian Aerospace
First flight	26 March 1971
Introduction	May 1974
Status	In production
Primary users	Indonesia (70) United States (37) Spain (26)
Produced	1971–2012
Number built	478 + >100 (IPTN)
Unit cost	$5.2-8 million (2006)

The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium cargo aircraft designed and built by CASA in Spain for civil and military use.

During the late 1960s, the Spanish Air Force was still operating a number of outdated piston-engined transports, including the three-engined Junkers Ju 52 and two-engined Douglas C-47. In order to meet the Spanish Air Force's needs to modernise its transport force, CASA proposed the C-212, a twin engined 18 seat transport aircraft that would be capable of fulfilling a variety of military roles, including passenger transport, ambulance aircraft and paratroop carrier, while also being suitable for civil use. The first prototype flew on 26 March 1971. In 1974, the Spanish Air Force decided to acquire the Aviocar to update its fleet.

Airlines took note of the type's success with the military, so CASA developed a commercial version, the first examples of which were delivered in July 1975. In August 2006 a total of 30 CASA C-212 aircraft (all variants) remain in airline service around the world. The -400 was introduced in 1997 with a glass cockpit and more powerful engines.

In 2010, Airbus Military said it could no longer afford to produce the C212 in Europe and after production in Seville slowed to four in two years, the last C-212 produced in Spain was delivered in late December 2012 to the Vietnam Marine Police. Over 42 years, 477 aircraft have been produced for 92 operators.

IPTN and Nurtanio assembled the type under license at Bandung, Indonesia, during the 1970s and 1980s. In mid-2011 Airbus agreed to collaborate with their successor PTDI, which holds a license to sell the C212 in Asia. PTDI builds the NC-212, a further -400 upgrade, with new digital avionics and autopilot, and a cabin for up to 28 passengers.