Chinese-European transport helo project

tphuang · Feb 26, 2008

more news on EC-175, looks like it's had quite a nice introduction

AVIONEWS at the "Heli-Expo 2008" (9): in two days the EC-175 totalized 98 orders

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Houston, USA - The announcement has been given by Lutz Bertling
(WAPA) - The Eurocopter CEO, Lutz Bertling, has announced that in the first two days of the international exhibition the EC-175 helicopter has totalized 98 orders. The last order belonging to the Halvorson family with a contract for 10 helicopter (five firm + five options).

The EC-175 is born by a joint programme between Eurocopter and the Chinese aerospace industry AVIC II. It deals with an at least 6-ton civil aircraft belonging to the segment included between the Dauphin and the Super Puma. It is able to carry up to 16 persons besides its crew, according to forecasts, flying at a 280 km/h maximum speed and provided with a 200 miles range.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Troika · Feb 27, 2008

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

150 choppers over 10 years? The Sokol isn't bad, and fills a nice gap, maybe, but the Kania is getting a bit dated, it IS a Mi-2 knock off, after all, and I think the Z-9 has pretty much the same role, and superior performance. SW-4 is fine, but I don't think it offers anything materially better than Z-11 or HC-120.

kickars · Feb 28, 2008

Troika said:
150 choppers over 10 years? The Sokol isn't bad, and fills a nice gap, maybe, but the Kania is getting a bit dated, it IS a Mi-2 knock off, after all, and I think the Z-9 has pretty much the same role, and superior performance. SW-4 is fine, but I don't think it offers anything materially better than Z-11 or HC-120.

So what class is Sokol in? I always thought they are in the same class as Kania.

I mean it's always a good news to hear more choppers are coming into China. But I'm a bit confused with this purchase.

Troika · Feb 28, 2008

kickars said:
So what class is Sokol in? I always thought they are in the same class as Kania.

I mean it's always a good news to hear more choppers are coming into China. But I'm a bit confused with this purchase.

Sokol and Kania is about the same size, but Kania has inferior load, Sokol is almost double. I mean, Kania is 2 tonne helicopter in the Z-9 class, Sokol is more closer to a Mi-4.

Ryz05 · Feb 28, 2008

kickars said:
So what class is Sokol in? I always thought they are in the same class as Kania.

I mean it's always a good news to hear more choppers are coming into China. But I'm a bit confused with this purchase.

The Sokol should fit well as a stop gap before the Z-15 goes into service. It's in the same class as the latter. I'm not sure about the other two classes, as China already has comparable helicopters with Z-9 and Z-11.

adeptitus · Feb 28, 2008

The Sokol Kania was not a successful product, with only ~16 built. The Sokol fared better at ~150 built, and with pending license-contract for another 150 to China. It also uses licensed Russian engine, so less trouble than importing from P&W Canada.

I found a pic of the updated Sokol "Gluszec" military variant:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

But I'm pretty sure China is getting the civil and not military version. hehehe.

Deino · Feb 28, 2008

Just found at FlightGlobal.com:

Heli-Expo 2008: Eurocopter unveils EC175, names launch customers
By Graham Warwick

Bristol Group and VIH Aviation Group have become the first launch customers for Eurocopter's new 7t-class helicopter, the EC175. The 16-set turbine twin is being developed jointly with China's Harbin Aviation Industry.

Eurocopter announced the launch customers druing the unveiling of a full-scale mockup of the EC175 at the Heli-Expo show in Houston, Texas. More customers are to be announced during the show, it says.

Design of the EC175 was frozen at the end of 2007, and manufacture of the first prototype is under way, says Eurocopter. First flight is scheduled for 2009, with European certification expected in 2011.

While Eurocopter is leading the programme, development and production are being shared 50:50 with Harbin, which is part of China's AVIC II aviation industrial group.

The EC175 will be powered by digitally controlled Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67E turboshafts, and will feature a five-blade Spheriflex rotor, four-axis duplex autopilot and four flat-panel cockpit displays

Source:
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

tphuang · May 12, 2008

I don't think this is too much of a surprise, since we've been hearing about it for a while now, but the scope of this project seems to be large.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

MOSCOW, May 12 (RIA Novosti) - A manufacturing plant in southwest China has started to assemble Russian-designed Mi-171 transport helicopters, one of Russia's key arms exports, the Russian business daily Vedomosti said on Monday.

China plans to build at least 20 helicopters in 2008 with assembly kits supplied by a Russian plant in Ulan-Ude and later increase production capacity to 80 aircraft per year.

"We consider this project as the beginning of a trend to assembly Russian helicopters in China," the newspaper quoted a source in Oboronprom, which controls Russian Helicopters, a helicopter manufacturing group.

Mi-171 is an export version of the Mi-8 Hip helicopter, which is currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude, fitted with more powerful turboshaft engines.

According to Vedomosti, the Lantian Helicopter Company, based in Sichuan province, has already received orders worth $42.8 million.

"The Chinese are planning to export [Mi-171] helicopters to Pakistan and Africa, which may hurt Russian exports," the source said. "In addition, the successful implementation of the project could leave Russian manufacturers short of component parts."

In 2007, Russian companies only built 120 Mi-171 helicopters, although they had orders for 150 aircraft, due to a shortage of transmissions and rotors, and according to estimates, there are no plans in the future to increase production for these components.

At the same time, some Russian experts believe it is better to allow the Chinese to manufacture helicopters under license rather than sit and wait until China develops its own version, modeled on Russian designs, Vedomosti said.

Baibar of Jalat · May 12, 2008

^^^

I expect there would be an agreement not to export, unless they have Russian approval. And the Russians would be wise to keep the majority of components their own.

Infra_Man99 · May 12, 2008

Interesting articles. If the news is for true, then this shows that China's military industry is changing and China's military-related industry is changing. China in the past was mostly dependent on Russia for advanced military technology, but as time as passed by, China is becoming less dependent on Russia and more dependent on itself and on other nations.

I think this is why Russia is having military trade disputes with China. Russia really regrets losing China as a huge arms customer.

Based on these news, it seems Russia is learning it must build better military deals with China. Otherwise, China will just develop its own military technologies and work with other nations.

Russia should not be too concerned about this because Russia benefits from having a China with a good arms industry. Russia and China are watching each other's backs (and watching each other, haha), so the two nations benefit when both nations have good arms industries and good armies.

Chinese-European transport helo project

tphuang

Lieutenant General

Troika

Junior Member

kickars

Junior Member

Troika

Junior Member

Ryz05

Junior Member

adeptitus

Captain

Deino

Lieutenant General

Attachments

tphuang

Lieutenant General

Baibar of Jalat

Junior Member

Infra_Man99

Banned Idiot