Z-20 (all variants) thread

[Blitzo]

Unlike the J-20 saga same time 2 years ago, the Z-20 was only known to have first flown at an airfield at north eastern China, without knowing exactly where it's impossible to have other party to travel there and provide eye-witness account; and as you'd know, the only source is from the Chinese BBS sites and those few weibo sites, and if you try to ask around, it's only a waste of time because they're totally buying into the hype and stuff.

Heh, well typically only the good stuff percolates down though. You often tend to be very skeptical to all of these initial blurry photos, I've noticed. It's fine, of course, but you've been through enough unveilings to know when the aroma tastes right for something to be legit.

And certainly, nobody can tell you what powerplant this thing flew with, and there has been nothing when concerning the status of WZ-16 turboshaft engines, because that's the only domestic engine that potentially provides the needed weight-power ratio to make the Z-20 practical, yet nothing about its design certification is available.

There are few other high performance turboshaft engines other than WZ-16. WZ-9A, WZ-10.

WZ-16 is simply the highest profile one (and there actually has been a recent change in "status" regarding WZ-16 -- it made its first test run in late november). Turboshafts generally have a far lower profile than turbofans, and that's the same for the overall engine news we get from china.

Obviously a Z-20 powered by the vanilla WZ-9 engine wouldn't be the optimal performer, but it's not like the PLA haven't flown aircraft on interim engines before. I don't see how not knowing the Z-20 prototype's powerplant means anything.

Like I've said before, we've all heard about the Z-20 for a long time, in fact the project went about as far back as when they first imported those S-70, but the technology required was way out of China's league back then; and the project has been in the limbo for the past 20+ years with almost nothing solid about it, and now it flew?

I'm not sure I get you.

Do you believe the Z-20 picture is a fake (personally I believe it could be as well just to maintain healthy skepticism), or that the Z-20 didn't fly recently, or what? So what if the project has been in "limbo" for the last few decades? We've known they've been working on a ten ton helicopter since the early 2000s, and we've had rumours that they were nearing completion of the first prototype a while ago, and this year we saw the fuselage of the Z-20 travelling on the highway, the Z-20's first flight isn't exactly coming out of the blue you know.

"And now it flew?" you ask, well, yeah. Now it flew. I fail to see why this is a surprise.

 

[dingyibvs]

Considering the CCTV has already reported on the Z-20, I seriously doubt that it's fake. While the CCTV has been known to err often when it concerns rumors about future developments, when it displays a mug of the Z-20 with the caption "Our new multi-role helicopter successfully made its first flight today", I'd think that it's pretty legit.

 

[SteelBird]

A larger photo for you.

 

[superdog]

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Above is a finance news (in Chinese) reporting that a Chinese composite material company developed and supplied the meta-aramid honeycomb structures that were used in a "medium utility military helicopter that recently made a successful maiden flight". The company stock has been rising since the news of the Z-20 flight came out.

The news also mentioned that since 2009 the company and its affiliate has been involved in the "Applied research and engineering application of composite materials in helicopters" project, in that project they were responsible for developing meta-aramid materials. In July 2011 their product passed evaluation and functional tests after being installed on military helicopters. It was then used side-by-side with imported meta-aramid materials on some military helicopter. In 2012 the company got involved in a "composite material stability improvement" project for a new military helicopter. Eventually it became the only designated material supplier (no more imported materials) for this new helicopter.

Here is a similar US supplier describing the use of the material:

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[kwaigonegin]

A larger photo for you.

If they're going to navalize that bird they better move the aft landing gear a few feet forward and strengthen it with beefier struts and maybe dual wheels. It was definitely "inspired" by the blackhawk but wouldn't call it an exact copy though. I see enough changes to it to warrant it a totally new bird. The bulbous fuselage is probably the most significant change. Materials may be different as well.

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Seahawks do that to fold the tail.this birds tail is definitely fixed. Three possibilities on the naval option. One continue to use other birds. Kamov is still a very proven bird with lots to show for it, or Z15 or any of the others in PLAN inventory.two leave the tail alone. There is no rule that says one must fold the tail to fit it on a ship and presumably younger ships have the room besides the PLA's existing Blackhawks lack the tail fold. Redesign. Introduced the folding tail. Personally I feel option one. Use another bird for the navy keep this for the ground forces.but that's my opinion and we all know about opinions.

 

[asif iqbal]

Let's remember though this might just be prototype a naval version might may well be in the works, because Y-20 still doesnt have a rear ramp door but they are prototypes and we all know for sure they will add a rear cargo door

For the navy they could use a updated Z8, Z15 and Z20 plus they have Z9 and Kamovs so plenty of choice there not to mention naval varient of WZ-10 for a LHD

 

[Quickie]

The more one looks at the Z-20, the more different it looks from the S-70.

 

[i.e.]

, because Y-20 still doesnt have a rear ramp door but they are prototypes and we all know for sure they will add a rear cargo door

Y20 is initially designed at onset to have two versions, a special-missions/tanker version where a rear cargo door is deleted to save weight,

and

a airlifter version with a rear ramp door.

 

[supercat]

According to the central TV report, both the main rotor and the tail rotor has low noise design. It was specifically mentioned that the tail rotor was of the "scissors" type asymmetric design to reduce noise. Maybe the poster of the first pictures changed the configuration himself to avoid an invitation for tea?