The origins of the design of this aircraft lie with the engineering department of the Compañía de Aviación Faucett, a private air transport company originally organized in 1928. To meet its requirements to operate in the unique conditions of the Peruvian Altiplano the firm sought to construct a strong, powerful, single-engine aircraft capable of short takeoffs and landings. The inspiration of the design was the Stinson SM-1 Detroiter, an American-built aircraft already in service with the airline.
When the Compañía de Aviación Faucett was reorganized in 1938 as a part of Empresa de Transporte Aéreo del Perú (Aeroperú) the firm’s engineering department became the foundation of the Empresa Nacional de Aviación and development work continued. The first aircraft were delivered in 1939 to Aeroperú and is subsequently became the backbone of the Servicios Aereos de los Andes, the semi-military organization charged with assisting development in the Andean region. Others were acquired by the Fuerza Aérea del Perú itself for staff, liaison, and light transport duties.
Crew: 2, plus up to 6 passengers or freight
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney Hornet 9-cylinder radial engine rated at 875 hp (takeoff)
Wingspan: 17.8 meters
Height: 4.35 meters
Wing area: 40.50 square meters
Empty weight: 2,580 kg
Gross weight: 4,110 kg
Maximum speed: 290 kph
Service ceiling: 6705 meters
Range: 1,500 kilometers with maximum fuel load