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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 0404.PDF
HAI REPORT XV-15 storms HAI ' ~~&~- 1 !!!! Urf I HI (|l-; jj ... 1 III III I "1 III • ,. 1 Hi : • '13 JO • -: ii ; "Vf" fci"j d Bell's XV-15 (ilt-rotor demonstrator arrives in Dallas . . . . and packs them in at HAI's HeliExpo (pictures Janice Lowe) Atilt-rotor in the parking lot may explain the high first- day attendance (7,500) at this year's Helicopter Association International HeliExpo in Dallas. Certainly the spectacular arrival of Bell's XV-15 demonstrator fo cused attention on the plight of the Bell-Boeing V-22 tilt-rotor transport. Bell Helicopter president Jack Horner says that foreign money could keep the tilt-rotor concept alive, after US defence secretary Richard Cheney again eliminated funding for the V-22. Congress is thought unlikely to save the project a second year running, after last year restoring $255 mil lion for V-22 development. Horner says that a further $150 million-$200 million would keep the programme alive, but adds: "If the Department of Defense terminated the V-22, I am con vinced that we could find the funding from around the world to put together a package to develop a tilt-rotor". Any such collaboration would be on a civil tilt-rotor, rather than the V-22 itself, but Horner says: "I think we have enough interest now around the world to get the funding now". An intensive public-relations offensive has been launched to save the programme. The XV-15 tilt-rotor research aircraft will be offered for evaluation. • Kamov picks Allison Following discussions begun at last year's HAI convention, Kamov has chosen Allison en gines to power a new twin-tur bine version of the Ka-126 utility helicopter. Allison has been cleared to export Model 250 turboshafts to the Soviet Union to power the new Ka-226, and test flying will begin this year. Two 310kW (420shp) Allison 250-C20Bs will replace the single Soviet-built 540kW (720shp) TV-0-100 turboshaft in the Ka-126, which will remain in production in Romania, says Kamov general designer Sergei Mikheyev. The Ka-226 will be distinguished by a revised upper deck and tail fins. The co-axial twin-rotor Ka-226 will have a 3.25t gross weight and a It useful load. An improved removable cabin sec tion will enable the Soviet heli copter to seat seven. US Federal Aviation Administration cert ification will be sought for the Allison-engined Ka-226, which will be offered for sale internationally. Allison's director of small tur bine engines, George Mayo, says that production deliveries could begin late in 1991 and that as many as 600 engines could be required over ten years. The engine being replaced is the latest Soviet turboshaft. The TV-0-100 has three compressor stages (two axial and one centrifugal) and two axial tur bine stages. The Ka-126 is the engine's first application, al though it will also power Kamov's new Ka-118 and B62 single-rotor machines. A second new Soviet gas tur bine was unveiled at HAI by an official of the country's CIAM aero-engine research establish ment. No application was re vealed for the 300kW (400shp) GTE-400, although Kamov gen eral designer Mikheyev says that a decision between single and twin engines for the tailrotorless Ka-118 has still to be taken. Soviet work on circulation- control anti-torque tailbooms was revealed as leading to a "heli copter combined powerplant" driving the main rotor and a fan to pressurise the tailboom for circulation control and forward thrust. This differs from the Mc Donnell Douglas Helicopters' NOTAR concept, where the nozzle is used for yaw control. Research into anti-torque circulation control began in 1974, the CIAM official revealed, and a modified Kamov Ka-26 co axial twin-rotor helicopter has flown with a NOTAR-type tailboom. The first result of his research is the Ka-118, which will fly in 1994. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14-20 Fehruarv 1990
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