Z-20 (all variants) thread

[Totoro]

Hi
In resent zhuhai, China unveiled of 1600kw(2140hp) turboshaft engine,
Z-20 use this engine?

Do you have a link to a piece of promotional material mentioning that engine and its power rating?

 

[Gloire_bb]

Family cars have not change much for 60 years, from the outside. But the inside are very different today. I guess we can see some similarities in "utility helicopters".

Problem is, Z-20 brings Blackhawk capability.
And this time around chances are high for FVL to bring results in foreseeable future.
It won't make Z-20 vertical envelop capability any less, but it is qualitative change.

For example:

 

[MwRYum]

haha, I forgot to say the biggest thing about the new photo. The PLAF insignia. I think it means Z-20 is in the LRIP or early adoption process in the hands of unit of writing "operation manual".

And the background indicted the photos were taken during the summer (2016?)

It only means it's a officially sanctioned project, not like FC-31 which is a private-venture.

To the uninitiated, they'd thought they saw a Blackhawk which the PLAAF / PLA Army Aviation has been operating for decades. Only to those like us would see the significance.

Couldn't find the details as to when and where those pics were taken, so my bet is that it's not some chance encounter, but a intended leak, as its full climate flight tests is close to completion perhaps? And I won't use the word LRIP until we see at least 2 samples side by side.

 

[MwRYum]

So the Z-20 is not a copy of black Hawk after all !

Well, for us it'd be like telling the difference between Formula 1 cars of various teams, for most others you can bet they'd immediately think it's either a variant of the Blackhawk or or, as I suspect the Americans going to do, to splatter the name "copyhawk" all over it.

 

[Deino]

haha, I forgot to say the biggest thing about the new photo. The PLAF insignia. I think it means Z-20 is in the LRIP or early adoption process in the hands of unit of writing "operation manual".

And the background indicted the photos were taken during the summer (2016?)

Indeed ... fits nicely to reports since around mid-2016.

 

[taxiya]

Well, for us it'd be like telling the difference between Formula 1 cars of various teams, for most others you can bet they'd immediately think it's either a variant of the Blackhawk or or, as I suspect the Americans going to do, to splatter the name "copyhawk" all over it.

Formula 1 cars are the best analoge, I would not be able to tell McLaren and BMW apart.

 

[taxiya]

It only means it's a officially sanctioned project, not like FC-31 which is a private-venture.

To the uninitiated, they'd thought they saw a Blackhawk which the PLAAF / PLA Army Aviation has been operating for decades. Only to those like us would see the significance.

Couldn't find the details as to when and where those pics were taken, so my bet is that it's not some chance encounter, but a intended leak, as its full climate flight tests is close to completion perhaps? And I won't use the word LRIP until we see at least 2 samples side by side.

I doubt it as you can see the photos were taken in a civilian military due use airport. One of the photos were taken inside a civilian airliner, you can see the red winglet. In such an airport, anyone has the equal chance of taking such photo as an intentional leaker.

 

[MwRYum]

I doubt it as you can see the photos were taken in a civilian military due use airport. One of the photos were taken inside a civilian airliner, you can see the red winglet. In such an airport, anyone has the equal chance of taking such photo as an intentional leaker.

If it's a chance encounter the source would've left some clue as to when and where it was taken, and if it was unintended, it'd have been pulled down by now - mind you, what set this case apart is that this time is about the first time Z-20 being photographed in such degree of clarity.

But none had happened. So it was more an intended one to show the Z-20 project is still well and underway.

 

[superdog]

Do you have a link to a piece of promotional material mentioning that engine and its power rating?

For reference the the T-700-701D used on newer Blackhawks are rated at 1279kw (continuous maximum) or 1491kw (contingency, can only run for 2.5mins). This engine appears to be considerably more powerful than the ones on a Blackhawk sized helicopter. Either they do this to achieve excellent high altitude performance on the Z-20, or it may be intended for some larger helicopters around the size of AW101.

 

[MwRYum]

View attachment 33893 View attachment 33892

For reference the the T-700-701D used on newer Blackhawks are rated at 1279kw (continuous maximum) or 1491kw (contingency, can only run for 2.5mins). This engine appears to be considerably more powerful than the ones on a Blackhawk sized helicopter. Either they do this to achieve excellent high altitude performance on the Z-20, or it may be intended for some larger helicopters around the size of AW101.

The critical issue would be how they rated the 1600kw, at continuous max or contingency output? And if this is indeed the model picked for Z-20?