It appears to be a name.

HTH


Sheila

Miles - Aircraft - M.57 Aerovan and HDM.105 - [ Traduzca esta página ]
M.57 AEROVAN. ... One unusual looking design which did made the grade was the Miles M.57
Aerovan, a twin-engine light freighter which flew first in January 1945. ...
www.miles-aircraft.com/M.57_aerovan_and_hdm105.html - 7k - En caché - Páginas similares

Aerovan | Aanhangwagens
www.aerovan.nl/aerovanindex.html - 2k - En caché - Páginas similares

Miles aircraft - [ Traduzca esta página ]
... Reg'n Type Number (of negs) G-AGOZ Miles Aerovan pistons 1 G-AGOZ Miles Aerovan turboprops
1 G-AGWO Miles Aerovan 1 G-AHXH Miles Aerovan 2 G-AIDI Miles Aerovan ...
www.ajjcollection.co.uk/m6.htm - 17k - En caché - Páginas similares

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Note added at 2003-03-12 09:54:42 (GMT)
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Miles was a prolific designer, and a mass of projects passed through the drawing office, though many of these came to nothing. One unusual looking design which did made the grade was the Miles M.57 Aerovan, a twin-engine light freighter which flew first in January 1945. In appearance the wings and tail unit were similar to those of the Messenger, but somewhat larger, while the fuselage was of pod and boom layout.
A number of UK and overseas orders were placed and the Aerovan entered production with a longer pod than the prototype, which was designated Aerovan Mk 1, and the second prototype the Aerovan Mk II. The first Aerovan Mk III production model was similar to the Mk II, and seven were built with 150 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major III engines, the standard Aerovan powerplant. The next version, the Aerovan Mk IV, differed in detail and 40 were built. One Aerovan Mk V with 145 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 engines and two Aerovan Mk VI aircraft with 195 hp Avco Lycoming O-435-4A engines were built; one of the latter was fitted with an experimental Hurel-Dubois high aspect ratio wing in 1957 when it became known as the H.D.M. 105. The last known surviving Aerovan was the first Mk VI, operating in Italy in 1968, although a pair of uncompleted airframes were around for some years.
At very low cost, Aerovans carried loads up to the size and weight of a family car.


http://www.miles-aircraft.com/M.57_aerovan_and_hdm105.html


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Note added at 2003-03-12 09:56:18 (GMT)
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List of negatives of MILES aircraft


Reg\'n Type Number (of negs)
G-AGOZ Miles Aerovan pistons 1
G-AGOZ Miles Aerovan turboprops 1
G-AGWO Miles Aerovan 1
G-AHXH Miles Aerovan 2
G-AIDI Miles Aerovan Air Contractors 1
G-AIHK Miles Aerovan 2
G-AILF Miles Aerovan 2
G-AILM Miles Aerovan 1
G-AISF Miles Aerovan Universal F/S 1
G-AISF Miles Aerovan no company marks 1
G-AISI Miles Aerovan Air Contractors 1
G-AISI MIles Aerovan no company marks 1
G-AISJ Miles Aerovan crash 1
G-AJKM Miles Aerovan East Anglian F/S 2
G-AJKO Miles Aerovan 1

http://www.ajjcollection.co.uk/m6.htm

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Note added at 2003-03-12 10:05:39 (GMT)
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A small twin-engined transport plane. Intended for short range flights, the Aerovan was made of wood and had an extra-large rear loading hatch. The plane was originally developed for transporting lobsters from Tunis to France.
The Aerovan was purchased on behalf of the IAF in England, by Imanuel Tzur, for £3,500. It was flown to Israel and joined the First Squadron in early June of 1948. Its short landing capability - as short as 300 meters - made it the right plane for transporting passengers and supplies to beseiged Jerusalem. These flights, which often carried members of the Provisional Government, were quite dangerous ones: the airstrip at \'Emek Hamatzleva was exposed to strong winds, as well as to enemy snipers. Its ungainly appearance earned the Airvan the nickname \'Pregnant goose\'.

http://www.iaf.org.il/iaf/doa_iis.dll/Serve/item/English/1.3...

The word is formed along the lines of equivalence of aeropuerto, aeroplano, that is, airport, airplane, etc.

You can see a picture and a description of an airvan at

http://www.awgnet.com/shownews/02asia1/airfrm08_3.htm

Cheerio,

Val