Paul Duffy/MOSCOW
Certification begins this quarter for Kamov's much delayed new Ka-226, which had its first flight on 4 September, 1997. Unusually, it was not really a test flight but a demonstration for Russia's Minister of Emergency Situations, Sergei Shoigu, whose new Ministry has provided the funding to bring the programme to life.
The Ka-226 is Kamov's second attempt at developing a successor to the Ka-26, a twin piston utility helicopter which was first flown in 1965 and which continues in widespread service in the CIS and former Soviet allies.
At the beginning of the 1980s, work began on development of a Ka-26 successor, labelled at first the Ka-26M. The idea was to replace the piston engine with a new turbine, the DTD-11, developed for the new helicopter. No money was available to fund the project, however, and it was cancelled.
POLITICAL CHANGE
Later in the 1980s, NPO Soyuz, then the Kobchenko Motor Design Bureau, developed the 537kW (720shp) TV-O-100. A total of 11 Ka-126s, effectively single turbine engined Ka-26s, were built in Russia and Romania before political change brought about the cancellation of the programme at the end of 1989.
Kamov general designer Sergei Mikheev had assigned the updating of the Ka-26 to Yevgeni Pak, Ka-226 chief designer, who looked on the period of perestroika which preceded the collapse of the Soviet Union as offering some opportunities. With the shutdown of the Ka-126 project, he began to assess how Western engines and equipment could benefit the design. Hampered by lack of money, his new ideas remained merely paper projects until 1995. Then funding began to become available from an unusual source - the Russian Government.
The geography of Russia, climate and poorly developed infrastructure resulted in a high emergency rate requiring rapid response. A special department to deal with these - the Ministry of Emergency Situations was set up which will soon have around 50 regional bases. Each of these will need a minimum of two or three locally based helicopters to meet requirements for the search and rescue, patrol and ambulance roles. The Ka-226 is intended to meet these needs.
Similar to the early Ka-26, the Ka-226 is twin engined, powered by two Allison 250-C20B turbines of 313kW each and has no tail rotor - balance is maintained by two co-axial main rotors which contra-rotate by means of a geared driveshaft. According to Pak, Kamov has been using co-axial contra-rotating systems since 1948 (the Ka-8 was the world's first helicopter on which one was used). The system allows precision approaches and landings to restricted areas such as ship decks. It also allows the rotor blades to be of smaller dimensions and increases manoeuvrability while improving operational symmetry.
The Ka-226 also resembles the Ka-26 in that it has a pressurised cockpit and detachable and easily replaced cabin. The cabin comes in four versions - a six-passenger, ambulance, search and rescue, or agricultural sprayer. It can also be used without the cabin, as a flying crane. As the format can be changed in minutes, its flexibility is obvious. The cockpit pressurisation is to minimise the crew's exposure to agricultural chemicals.
HOURS OF EXPERIENCE
Pak says that more than 110 million hours of experience has been accumulated with Allison's engine, so he expects few problems with it on the Ka-226.
"The biggest difficulty has been designing the main gearbox, but Kamov has considerable experience in this work on many different helicopters, and I didn't anticipate or experience any major problems," says Pak.
"We are now concentrating on building the Ka-226's service life to 18,000 flight hours. Our main rotors will start with a TMOH [time to major overhaul] of 2,000h and a life of 6,000h, but both of these will grow," he says.
New features include a new main rotor system with hingeless hubs and carbonfibre blades which Pak describes as "probably the most efficient among light helicopters". The opening borders allow him to offer either Russian avionics, or an AlliedSignal package including a Bendix/King KY196A radio with up to nine stored frequencies, a KN53 instrument landing/navigation system with an optional global positioning system, plus an automatic direction finder and a transponder which would leave the helicopter fully instrument flight rules (IFR) compatible.
By the end of 1997, two Ka-226s were completed and the third was 40% complete. They had been produced jointly by Kamov, the Strela Aircraft Production Factory (in Orenburg), the Komertau Aircraft Production Factory, and Ufa Motors, with final assembly taking place in Orenburg. The first three will go to Kamov for the certification programme, due to begin in the first quarter of 1998 - so far, two have arrived. Pak reckons that certification to Russian standards should be achieved by mid-1999, "in just over a year".
When certification is achieved, Pak says that the usual NLGS (the old certification rules for Russia and the Soviet Union) system will require the Ka-226 to fly Category B tasks (that is carrying no passengers and with no IFR operations) for one year while operational experience is built up, then the aircraft will be fully approved for all purposes. By the time certification is achieved, Pak expects up to 10 examples to have been rolled off the production line. He will later apply for US Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 29 certification.
Kamov and its partners are looking at marketing the Ka-226. One factor in its favour is that the factories which built the Mil Mi-2 and the Ka-26 have now almost finished producing spares for these ageing, but still plentiful, helicopters (more than 1,700 are still in service) and, with no alternative suppliers, operators will soon have to look elsewhere.
FIRST ORDERS
The Ministry of Emergency Situations has a huge need, however, with an expected requirement for around 250 or more. So far, it has placed orders for a first batch of 25 and allocated considerable development funds.
Moscow's Mayor, Yuri Lushkov, has also decided to order the Ka-226, with discussions under way for an initial 10 to 15 for the city's road police, anti-crime squads and ambulance services. Major Russian oil and gas supplier Gazprom, which operates 70 Ka-26s on pipeline inspections and other services, is discussing their possible replacement with the Ka-226. Many of the airline operators are also enquiring about the aircraft.
Pak says that these orders should keep production running adequately in the medium term. Ka-26s are in service in Germany, Japan and Sweden, and he sees a fair possibility of some international sales in due course.
The Ka-226 partners are working on building support for the helicopter. A centre is likely to be established at Kumertau, and will act as a store for support and supply. Initially, Kamov itself is working with Russia's Federal Aviation Service to develop a flight training programme. The first pilots and instructors will probably be trained by Kamov and, later, a training college will be appointed. Allison Engines, now part of the Rolls-Royce Aerospace Group, is working with Ufa Motors to produce the 250-C20B under licence in Russia for the Ka- 226, and will advise on support needs.
Pak is also offering the more powerful Allison 250-C20R engine. This offers 335kW, and will reduce fuel consumption by some 3%, increase the service ceiling, reduce exhaust gas temperatures (and thus improve serviceability) and will enhance single engined performance.Kamov describes the Ka-226 as accommodating six passengers in the cabin, plus one in the cockpit alongside the single pilot.
FIRST FLIGHT
The first flight, by Vladinir Labrov and Alexander Kniazev in September, lasted just 11min and included a 13ft hover, left and right turns, a 360° rotation and reverse flight. Up to the end of 1997, three more flights had taken place. No major problems have resulted, and the pilots report favourable handling results.
The second Ka-226 has a slightly different cabin design. Pak says that development to meet customer needs will continue.
Kamov's specialisation in co-axial rotors has allowed the design to stay compact; for use in many emergency situations, its rotor span of just 13m will be useful when combined with the precision offered by the co-axial system. For once, a new Russian design is starting life with a worthwhile home market and with reasonable funding.
Source: Flight International