FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1998
1998 - 0031.PDF
BERIEV BE-200 try to develop a locally produced package which would be equally acceptable on foreign markets. The aircraft's fuselage allows a range of options. Apart from purpose-built air-ambu lance and firefighting versions, a passengerver- sion can seat from 64 economy-class passengers at a tight 7 50mm pitch right down to a luxurious 18-seat business layout. In a cargo configura tion it could take up to 6t in LD1 or LD2 con tainers; or a combi arrangement, mixing cargo and passengers. Yavkin's design allows the Be-200 to land or take off from water depths of 2 m, and in Force 3 sea conditions, with waves of up to 1.2m. The aircraft has a two-crew cockpit, and has been designed to meet Russia's NLCiS AP 2 5 norms, equivalent to FAR-25 (US Federal Air worthiness Regulations) and JAR-25 (Euro pean Joint Airworthiness Requirements). Those approvals will be sought later, possibly working with Italy's Alenia in a TACIS (Tactical Assistance for the CIS) European Union-sup ported programme. Beriev expects the Be-200 programme to have cost $ 140 million by the time internation al deliveries begin (expected late in 1999 or early 2000). This is not an easy sum for Beta Air to absorb. For example, although the prototype was completed and rolled out in September 1996, it took until August 1997 for the partners to obtain finance to pav for its engines, and this has resulted in the first flight date slipping to "the first quarter of 1998 - probably March". LARGE POTENTIAL MARKET Beta Air has undertaken a market survey for the Be-200, and forecasts a potential of 411 sales by 2011, with 149 for the home market and 262 for export. In this, Beriev sees potential in Australia, Brazil, Canada and South-East Asia, and even operators of Grumman amphibians in the USA are considered possible buyers. Yavkin thinks mat die market could reach 500 aircraft. Russia's emergency situations ministry has expressed a requirement for 20, and has placed an order for the first seven. Beriev expects certi fication to be awarded in late 1998 or early 1999, and for first domestic deliveries to follow short ly afterwards. More significantly, negotiations are "well advanced" for an initial batch of four for a Western customer which requires a fire fighter with a 42t take-off weight. Deposits for these are expected "shortly*. Initial production rate is expected to be 25 a year, and the sales price is targeted at $25.3mil- lion, but, i)efore this, the certification pro gramme will require four prototypes - two for flight trials, plus one each for static and dynam ic tests to establish the aircraft's service life. Also required is the certification of IAPO's factory for the production launch of the aircraft and the development of an adequate after-sales net work. Beriev has already been approached by companies in die UK and the USA interested in marketing and supporting the Be-200. The Be-200 is intended to cruise at an alti- The Be-200 is an unusual example of a rare species - Beriev now has to persuade the world of its worth rude of 10,000m (33,OOOft) and to have a maxi mum cruise speed of 410kt (750 km/h), or an economic cruise of 345kt. Range with full pay- load is expected to be 2,2 00km for the passenger aircraft. The take-off roll at maximum weight is expected to be 950m from a runway or 1,400m from water in still conditions. FIREFIGHTERS FIRST The first aircraft to be delivered will be firefight ers, which, equipped with an under-hull loading device, will be able to pick up 12t of water in 12s. Beriev calculates diat, widi a water supply 5min flying time from a fire, up to 3 lOt of water could be dropped without the need to refuel. One factor which delayed the introduction of turbine engines to firefighting duties was their slow response time (up to 8s), compared to the almost immediate response of piston engines. This problem has been solved by now - Conair in Canada had found a solution for Fokker F27 Friendships by 1986 and, today, jet aircraft, including the llyushin 11-76, are regularly used on these duties. The time needed to reload such landplanes with water, compared with the quick scoop of a flying boat, will give the Be-200 a decided advantage, however. Beriev and Beta Air have come up with an unusual, but probably effective, answer to a question that is not often asked. Now, all diat needs to be done is to persuade the world mar ket that it needs the Be-200. • •^iilVIHtWKiittlii'MiiW GARETH BURGESS 97 Length overall Wing span overall 32.05m Maximum airborne weight 43,000kg Height overall 32.78m Maximum fuel weight 12.260kg 8.90m Maximum payload 8.000kg Powerplant Power (each) 2 x Lotarev D-436 turbofans Maximum take-off weight 37,200kg 70kN Range 900-3,850km FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 7 - 13 January 1998 29
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
