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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 2243.PDF
BUSINESS & GENERAL AVIATION HELICOPTERS ANDREW DOYLE / SINGAPORE China approves re-engined Z-9 twin But Harbin faces tussle with Eurocopter over licence-production agreement for AS365 Dauphin variant Harbin Aircraft Industry has obtained Chinese certification for a re-engined version of its Z-9 light twin-turboshaft multipurpose helicopter amid a wrangle with Eurocopter over production rights. The latest Z-9, designated H410A, is equipped with more- powerful Turbomeca Arriel 2C turboshafts to improve hot-and- high performance. The Z-9 is itself an indigenous version of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, a large number of which were assembled under licence in China in batches between 1982 and the mid-1990s. Eurocopter is objecting to China Aviation Industry Corporation II company Harbin's decision to con tinue producing the Z-9 despite the expiry of the licence-production agreement, say industry sources. Talks aimed at resolving the issue are continuing. The issue is sensitive because Eurocopter parent EADS has numerous industrial co-operation deals in place in China and has secured a large number of sales of Airbus airliners in the country. Harbin also has a 24% stake in the Eurocopter EC 120 helicopter programme and is responsible for manufacture of the bulk of the air craft's fuselage. The company claims to have secured orders for eight H410As but has not revealed the customers' identity. Various armed versions of the Z-9 have been produced for the Chinese military. Eurocopter is supplying the rotor system for the new 5,500kg (12,0001b)-class, twin-engined Z-10 multipurpose/attack helicopter to be produced by Changhe Aircraft Industries in Jiangxi Province (Flight International, 3-9 April, 2001). AgustaWestland is providing the gearbox and Pratt & Whitney Canada has delivered the first shipset of PT6 engines. There are fewer than 100 gen eral-purpose helicopters in China, although numbers are expected to grow in the country as helicopter use is gaining momentum. FORECAST Gulfstream boosted by special-mission interest Gulfstream is predicting increased sales of special-mission variants of its business jet family despite inde cision by parent company General Dynamics over whether to perform the increasingly complex integra tion task in-house. Interest in special-mission appli cations is focusing on both the high-end Gulfstream V, because of its size and range, and the smallest aircraft in the product line, the mid size Gulfstream 100 (formerly the Astra SPX) because of its relatively low cost and high performance. In the past year, Gulfstream has sold three GVs to the Israeli air force for electronic and signal intel ligence and Israel is looking for additional aircraft as airborne early- warning platforms (Flight International, 20-26 November, 2001). Gulfstream also sold two search-and-rescue GVs to Japan's coast guard last year, and the Japanese Defence Agency is plan ning to acquire up to four multi- mission aircraft. A GV has been ordered by the USA's University Corporation for Atmospheric Research for modifica tion into a high-altitude instru mented platform, while a second medical evacuation GV is being prepared for delivery to the govern ment of Saudi Arabia. The US military and government agencies operate 12 GVs, desig nated C-37As, with four more air craft on order. One C-37A remains to be delivered to the US Air Force under a five-aircraft lease pro gramme to provide commander-in- chief transports. Gulfstream continues to propose an EC-37 derivative of the GV to the US military for special elec tronic missions including airborne early warning and battlefield sur veillance. The latest GV-SP will pro vide lOh on station 2h from base and a 51,000ft (15,555m) maxi mum altitude, the company says. An RC-20 variant of the GIV-SP is a candidate platform for the US Army's Aerial Common Sensor pro gramme to replace the RC-12 Guadrail, an electronic-intelligence platform based on the Raytheon King Air twin-turboprop. Two Astra SPXs, meanwhile-, are in service with the US Air National Guard as C-38A medical transports. The aircraft, which has a maximum speed of Mach 0.875 and altitude of 45,000ft, is being used for target towing in Taiwan and as an air ambulance in Austria. Gulfstream expects special-mission interest in its super mid-size G200, which combines the wing of the G100 with a larger fuselage. Europe has opened its doors to the Legacy, which awaits US approval CERTIFICATION Legacy aims for US certification after passing muster in Europe Embraer has received European approval for the Legacy super-mid-size business jet, with US certification expected by the end of the month. The Legacy is a variant of the ERJ-135 regional jet and the Brazilian manufac turer's first foray into the business jet market. Deliveries to European customers have begun and Embraer has orders for 74 aircraft and options for 94. The Rolls-Royce AE3007-powered Legacy sells for $20 million in the 15-seat executive version and $16.1 mil lion in the 19-seat shuttle variant. Embraer says performance has improved from that originally promised. Take-off distance has been reduced from a projected 1,950m (6,400ft) to 1,740m, bringing the Legacy within the key 1,830m runway length require ment and opening up 4,000 extra airports around the world. The Legacy has winglets, additional fuel and uprated AE3007AE1 engines, providing a maximum speed of Mach 0.8 and a range of 5,740km (3,100nm). Embraer's largest customer is US scheduled public-charter operator Indigo, which provides shuttle services between Chicago and New York. Indigo last year ordered 25 aircraft, plus options. The order was pushed back because of financing issues after 11 September, but remains in place and is now "moving forward", the company says. Indigo is expected to receive its first Legacy in October, a couple of months behind the original schedule. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 23-29 JULY 2002 43
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