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Week of September 29, 1997

KA-60 Helicopter And Tu-214s

Ka-60 Nears First Flight

Unusually for Kamov, the new helicopter does not feature a coaxial rotor design. Instead, it has a four-bladed main rotor (to be replaced with a five-bladed one) and a 11-bladed fenestron (shrouded tail rotor), which makes it look similar to the Eurocopter AS-356 Dauphine. Despite this resemblance, the Ka-60 is some 50% larger than the Dauphine. They have take-off weights of 6,500 kg and 4,250 kg respectively.

Currently, Russian Army Aviation operates only one universal helicopter in the shape of the Mi-8, which first flew in prototype form in 1961. Relatively heavy and old, the Mi-8 is employed in many applications, including fire support, transportation of troops and cargo, reconnaissance, etc. Reliable and popular with pilots, the long-life helicopter, however, does not always provide a good return-on-investment for specific applications.

With a maximum take-off weight of 6,500 kg, the Ka-60 is twice as light as the Mi-8. It can accommodate ten armed troops or, when used in the medical evacuation role, six wounded on stretchers and three medics. The new helicopter carries up to 2,750 kg of cargo or weaponry under its fuselage or up to 2,000 kg on detachable pylons on each side of the fuselage. The pylons may be used for suspending two B-8V-7 packs of 57-mm unguided rockets. Alternatively, 2,000 kg of various loads can be carried internally.

Kamov says the Ka-60 features reduced infrared, optics and radar signatures thanks to a special coating on the fuselage. The fuselage itself is made of light aluminium alloys (nose and central sections) and composites (tail unit). Silence is provided by anti-noise tips and relatively low angular speeds of the main rotor.

The helicopter has three retractable gears, two single-wheel under the forward fuselage and one dual-wheel under the rear fuselage. The undercarriage sustains 6g without destruction and saves the crew in the case of a hard landing at a descent rate of 10-12 m/s. The Ka-60 control linkage is able to withstand 7.62- and 12.7-mm bullets, whereas the main rotor blades remain serviceable after being hit with a 23-mm shell.

Ka-60 onboard equipment includes electronic warfare and autonomous navigation systems. Kamov says those allow the helicopter to be less vulnerable in battlefield service. Capable of night flying, the Ka-60 has two control posts, for both the right and left pilots. The Ka-60 is fitted with the Arbalet radar from NPO Phazatron. This unit is also installed on the Ka-52 combat-management helicopter.

The Ka-60 is powered by two 1,300-hp RD-600Vs from Rybinsk Motors. The helicopter will be able to maintain level flight and even climb with one of the two RD-600Vs shut down. With both engines intact, the Ka-60 develops a cruising speed of 245 km/h and maximum speed of 300 km/h. Its operating range is 615 km.

Development of the TVD-600V began in earnest in 1992. So far about a dozen development engines have been assembled. They have accumulated over 4,000 hours on ground stands, showing a specific fuel consumption of 218 g/hp/hour and a maximum power of 1,300 hp. Earlier this year Rybinsk Motors applied to the Interstate Aviation Committee for certification of the TVD-600V to AP-33 and AP-21 standards. Two engines have been delivered to Kamov and installed on the Ka-60 first prototype.

Production of the Ka-60 is to be set up at the factory in Ulan-Ude, now producing the Mi-8/Mi-17-family helicopters. The Ka-62, being a civil aircraft, can accommodate up to 14 passengers, differing from the basic Ka-60 chiefly in on-board equipment. Kamov plans to certify it to FAR-29 standards, in A category.

The Ka-64, being developed by the Kamov/Augusta joint venture, will have two General Electric CT-7 engines, each rated at 1,300 hp. Rybinsk Motors and General Electric have teamed up to set up a CT-7 production line in Rybinsk. The Ka-64 will have a cruising speed of 265km/h. Its range will be 780 km with standard fuel tanks or 1,050 km with additional ones.

Aeroflot Orders Four Tu-214s

Commenting on the deal, Valery Okulov, Aeroflot general director, said, "From our side the agreement with the KAPO factory and Tupolev design bureau has recently been signed. We have placed a firm order for four Kazan-built Tu-214 airplanes. They will come in two-class layout, but be convertible into a cargo variant. The most difficult question is when the delivery will take place - it is still under discussion."

Apparently, these four aircraft will have Perm Motors PS90A engines. In the future, however, Aeroflot wants its Tu-214s powered by Pratt & Whitney powerplants, already in service with the operator on the Ilyushin Il-96M/Ts and A-310s. According to Okulov, Aeroflot, Tupolev, KAPO and Pratt & Whitney had preliminary discussions on the subject a week ago.

The current Russian avionics suite is also to be replaced with a US product, the ARIA-200 integrated complex from AlliedSignal.

According to Lev Lanovsky, chief designer for the Tu-204 family, the Tu-214 slightly differs from the Tu-204 in production at Ulyanovsk. The major difference is that the Tu-214 has a take-off weight of 110t instead of 103t. The Tu-214 is estimated to cost below $30 million per unit. To help set up mass manufacture of the Tu-204, in May, MENATEP bank decided to grant KAPO a $540 million credit under guarantees from the Government of the Tatarstan Republic.

Okulov says that Aeroflot needs "at least 25 Tu-204-class aircraft." These will be used together with ten new Boeing 737-400s on passenger routes. Moreover, the Tu-214 is considered a probable replacement for the 13-strong Ilyushin Il-76 cargo fleet. By the year 2001, Aeroflot will have only 5 or 6 Il-76s for work with bulky cargo such as large tracked or wheeled vehicles. These aircraft will be supplemented by three Il-96Ts ordered from VASO factory in Voronezh.

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