Changhe Z-8 - Chinese multipurpose helicopter
Changhe Z-8 is a multipurpose helicopter of the PRC, which is a licensed copy of the French Sud-Aviation SA.321 Super-Frelon (Super-Frelon) helicopter. Currently, the helicopter is produced in anti-submarine, transport and rescue options. Today, the Z-8 is the heaviest helicopter designed and built in China based on the French Super Frelon helicopter, in close collaboration with the European company EUROCOPTER. The maximum take-off weight of the helicopter is 13 tons, while the helicopter can land and take off from the water surface. Multi-purpose helicopter Z-8 was awarded the prize "National Scientific and Technological Development." On the basis of the Z-8 helicopter, an army transport version of the Z-8A was created, making the first flight in 1995 and adopted by the army in 1998.
The original Z-8 of the Chinese assembly made its first flight in 1985. In August 1989, the car was put into service. aviation naval fleet, adopted by the armed forces in December 1994. The helicopter has a fairly powerful power plant and good operational and flight characteristics. The helicopter is widely used not only for military but also for civilian purposes: for fighting forest fires, carrying out installation works, laying cables, sanitary work, patrolling, organizing geological parties and other purposes. At present (in 2012), the PRC naval forces are armed with 26 Z-8 helicopters, another 15 Z-8 and 13 Z-8KA helicopters are in service with the PRC ground forces.
The helicopter is produced in the following modifications:
Z-8 - Basic anti-submarine helicopter modification;
Z-8A - military transport modification of the helicopter; can carry up to 39 soldiers or 27 paratroopers, as well as, if necessary, 15 wounded on stretchers;
The Z-8F is a transport helicopter featuring 3 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engines with a capacity of 1 hp. each, for the first time Z-940F took off in August 8;
Z-8K / KA - a search and rescue version of the helicopter, also powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engines, entered service in 2007;
Z-8JA / JH - the ship version of the multipurpose helicopter.
As early as the beginning of the 1970-s of China, China acquired the SA.13Ja Super Frelon helicopters in France. This modification has become quite a bizarre hybrid, which combined in itself a "land" (not amphibious) fuselage and "sea" anti-submarine equipment. In this case, "Super Frelony" became the largest of the existing Chinese naval aviation helicopters. Initially, these machines were based only on the coast using ground airfields, but on January 321, one of them first landed 3 and landed on the deck of a warship. It was the first deck landing of a helicopter in stories Chinese fleet. In May, the 1980 of the 4 Super Frelon helicopter, which was based on the auxiliary ships of the PRC Navy, took part in a trip to the South Pacific. This unit was involved in ensuring the test launch of the Chinese ICBM. After launch, the helicopters "fished out" the falling head of the tested ballistic missile.
In 1976, the PRC leadership decides on the establishment of a copy of the Super Frelon helicopter in the country of production. The Chinese version of the car, it was decided to call the Z-8. Work on the new helicopter was assigned to the Changhe Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG - Changhe Aircraft Industry Group). At the same time, work on the design of the local analogue was carried out with traditional Chinese slowness. Only 8 of December 11 of the year began testing the first Chinese Z-1985, almost 10 years after the launch of the entire production localization program. Shipments of the Chinese Navy helicopter began in the 1989 year, and in 1994, the helicopter finally received a national certificate of airworthiness. The Chinese version of the helicopter received as the power unit of the WZ-6 TVD, which was the licensed version of the Turmo IIIC3 engines. Helicopters that are in service with the Chinese Navy are operated in 3 variants:
- a transport assault helicopter, can carry up to 27 paratroopers or 15 wounded, placed on a stretcher;
- anti-submarine helicopter, equipped with a search radar with an antenna located in the fairing of the right float (there is a weather radar antenna in the nose fairing) and OGAS HS-12. On the armament of the helicopter are torpedoes Yu-7, which is a Chinese "pirated" copy of the American torpedoes Mk-46.
- helicopter minesweeper.
The Z-8 is a single-rotor helicopter with a rudder propeller, three GTE and a tricycle landing gear. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque type, all-metal, its lower part has a deadrise and peculiar cheekbones, it is made waterproof for the possibility of landing on water. Cabin pilots double. The cargo compartment has dimensions 7x1,83x1,9 meters and is equipped with a rear hatch with a loading ramp on a hydraulic control. In front of the cargo compartment on the right is a sliding door. In the antisubmarine version of the helicopter, the tail boom can be folded while parked. The stabilizer is installed on the right side of the tail boom. On the outside of the suspension, the Z-8 helicopter can carry up to 5 tons of cargo.
Helicopter chassis non-retractable, tricycle. All wheels - nasal and main are made dual. The main pillars of the helicopter chassis are air-oil dampers. The wheels of the main supports are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. In the marine version, the main landing gear can be equipped with special floats. The rotor of the helicopter has six blades with hinged mount. The blades are rectangular, all-metal, in the antisubmarine variant folding. The blades have a special sensor system that is designed to detect cracks. Possible to install the brake rotor.
The power plant consists of 3-x engines, which are located vertically above the fuselage: one engine is installed behind the main rotor gearbox and has a side air intake, and the other two have axial air intakes in front of the main rotor gearbox. The helicopter fuel system includes 3 soft fuel tanks with a total capacity of 4 000 liters, the fuel tanks are located in the central part of the fuselage under the floor. The helicopter has an autonomous power system for each of the three engines with the possibility of interchangeability. The Z-8 helicopter is filled with fuel either under pressure using a pump or by gravity flow. In the distillation version it is possible to install outboard fuel tanks with a capacity of 500 liters and additional fuel tanks with a capacity of 2 000 liters.
It is worth noting that the production of Z-8 helicopters is carried out at very low rates (it is assembled at 2-3 helicopters per year). By now, up to 60 helicopters of this type have been launched. It would seem that you can still squeeze out of a helicopter that was designed more than 40 years ago? However, the customs of China does not include the abandonment of technology that has been able to recommend itself well, because of its quite respectable age. An example would be the diversity of Chinese "derivatives" of the Soviet fighter MiG-21, and this is not the only evidence of Chinese military-technical policy.
While in France itself, the time of the “Super Frelon” is leaving, and the helicopter’s career rolls towards sunset, the Chinese engineers from CAIG continue to work on new versions of this rotary-wing machine. In particular, since the middle of 1990, work has been going on to create a transport-assault modification, which would be used in the interests of army aviation. This helicopter received an index Z-8A. The prototype successfully passed a series of tests, in February 1999, the machine received a certificate of airworthiness. In 2001, the army received two pre-production helicopters for conducting military tests, and in November, the first Z-2002A production helicopters began to receive 8. Although it is worth noting that the military is not happy with this car. They noted the insufficient quality and insufficient power of the Chinese engines WZ-6A. The Army placed an order for a very limited batch of these machines, deciding to issue an additional order for Russian Mi-17ВХNUMX helicopters. Perhaps the insufficient power of Chinese engines WZ-5 explains the fact that the civilian version of the Z-6F helicopter was used by Canadian PTD 8В-6А.
In 2009, there was information that China is developing an ARLO helicopter based on the Z-8. The reason for such conversations were photos of the car, on which experts saw the radome fairing, which was located behind the ramp of the helicopter cockpit. According to analysts, this is a sensor designed for early detection from medium and high altitude of enemy ships and aircraft. It is difficult to say what success the Chinese have achieved in the development of their DRLO helicopter based on the Z-8. But, most likely, not very prominent. An indirect confirmation of this is the fact that in the 2011 year, Russia fulfilled the contract for the supply of China 9 anti-submarine helicopters Ka-28 and 9 helicopters DRLO Ka-31.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the helicopter Z-8:
Dimensions: main screw diameter - 18,9 m., Tail screw diameter - 4,0 m. Length –19,4 m., Height - 6,76 m.
Helicopter mass: normal take-off - 10 500 kg, maximum take-off - 13 000 kg.
The type of power plant: 3 GTD Changzhou (CLXMW) Wozhou-6, power 1156 kW each.
The maximum flight speed is 250 km / h.
Cruising speed - 230 km / h.
Practical range - 700 km. with 27 paratroopers or 500 km with 3 tons of cargo.
Practical ceiling - 3 100 m.
Domestic fuel - 4 000 liters
The payload is up to 27 paratroopers, 15 stretcher with wounded, up to 5000 kg of cargo in the cabin or on an external sling.
The combat load is up to 2 000 kg., On 2's suspension units.
Crew - 2-3 person.
Information sources:
-http: //www.airwar.ru/enc/uh/z8.html
-http: //www.airwar.ru/enc/uh/sa321.html
-http: //ru-aviation.livejournal.com/2477939.html
-http: //www.military -informant.com/index.php/flot/1019--z-8aew.html#.UMSq8OQ3YqY
-http: //ru.wikipedia.org
The original Z-8 of the Chinese assembly made its first flight in 1985. In August 1989, the car was put into service. aviation naval fleet, adopted by the armed forces in December 1994. The helicopter has a fairly powerful power plant and good operational and flight characteristics. The helicopter is widely used not only for military but also for civilian purposes: for fighting forest fires, carrying out installation works, laying cables, sanitary work, patrolling, organizing geological parties and other purposes. At present (in 2012), the PRC naval forces are armed with 26 Z-8 helicopters, another 15 Z-8 and 13 Z-8KA helicopters are in service with the PRC ground forces.
The helicopter is produced in the following modifications:
Z-8 - Basic anti-submarine helicopter modification;
Z-8A - military transport modification of the helicopter; can carry up to 39 soldiers or 27 paratroopers, as well as, if necessary, 15 wounded on stretchers;
The Z-8F is a transport helicopter featuring 3 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engines with a capacity of 1 hp. each, for the first time Z-940F took off in August 8;
Z-8K / KA - a search and rescue version of the helicopter, also powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engines, entered service in 2007;
Z-8JA / JH - the ship version of the multipurpose helicopter.
As early as the beginning of the 1970-s of China, China acquired the SA.13Ja Super Frelon helicopters in France. This modification has become quite a bizarre hybrid, which combined in itself a "land" (not amphibious) fuselage and "sea" anti-submarine equipment. In this case, "Super Frelony" became the largest of the existing Chinese naval aviation helicopters. Initially, these machines were based only on the coast using ground airfields, but on January 321, one of them first landed 3 and landed on the deck of a warship. It was the first deck landing of a helicopter in stories Chinese fleet. In May, the 1980 of the 4 Super Frelon helicopter, which was based on the auxiliary ships of the PRC Navy, took part in a trip to the South Pacific. This unit was involved in ensuring the test launch of the Chinese ICBM. After launch, the helicopters "fished out" the falling head of the tested ballistic missile.
In 1976, the PRC leadership decides on the establishment of a copy of the Super Frelon helicopter in the country of production. The Chinese version of the car, it was decided to call the Z-8. Work on the new helicopter was assigned to the Changhe Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG - Changhe Aircraft Industry Group). At the same time, work on the design of the local analogue was carried out with traditional Chinese slowness. Only 8 of December 11 of the year began testing the first Chinese Z-1985, almost 10 years after the launch of the entire production localization program. Shipments of the Chinese Navy helicopter began in the 1989 year, and in 1994, the helicopter finally received a national certificate of airworthiness. The Chinese version of the helicopter received as the power unit of the WZ-6 TVD, which was the licensed version of the Turmo IIIC3 engines. Helicopters that are in service with the Chinese Navy are operated in 3 variants:
- a transport assault helicopter, can carry up to 27 paratroopers or 15 wounded, placed on a stretcher;
- anti-submarine helicopter, equipped with a search radar with an antenna located in the fairing of the right float (there is a weather radar antenna in the nose fairing) and OGAS HS-12. On the armament of the helicopter are torpedoes Yu-7, which is a Chinese "pirated" copy of the American torpedoes Mk-46.
- helicopter minesweeper.
The Z-8 is a single-rotor helicopter with a rudder propeller, three GTE and a tricycle landing gear. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque type, all-metal, its lower part has a deadrise and peculiar cheekbones, it is made waterproof for the possibility of landing on water. Cabin pilots double. The cargo compartment has dimensions 7x1,83x1,9 meters and is equipped with a rear hatch with a loading ramp on a hydraulic control. In front of the cargo compartment on the right is a sliding door. In the antisubmarine version of the helicopter, the tail boom can be folded while parked. The stabilizer is installed on the right side of the tail boom. On the outside of the suspension, the Z-8 helicopter can carry up to 5 tons of cargo.
Helicopter chassis non-retractable, tricycle. All wheels - nasal and main are made dual. The main pillars of the helicopter chassis are air-oil dampers. The wheels of the main supports are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. In the marine version, the main landing gear can be equipped with special floats. The rotor of the helicopter has six blades with hinged mount. The blades are rectangular, all-metal, in the antisubmarine variant folding. The blades have a special sensor system that is designed to detect cracks. Possible to install the brake rotor.
The power plant consists of 3-x engines, which are located vertically above the fuselage: one engine is installed behind the main rotor gearbox and has a side air intake, and the other two have axial air intakes in front of the main rotor gearbox. The helicopter fuel system includes 3 soft fuel tanks with a total capacity of 4 000 liters, the fuel tanks are located in the central part of the fuselage under the floor. The helicopter has an autonomous power system for each of the three engines with the possibility of interchangeability. The Z-8 helicopter is filled with fuel either under pressure using a pump or by gravity flow. In the distillation version it is possible to install outboard fuel tanks with a capacity of 500 liters and additional fuel tanks with a capacity of 2 000 liters.
It is worth noting that the production of Z-8 helicopters is carried out at very low rates (it is assembled at 2-3 helicopters per year). By now, up to 60 helicopters of this type have been launched. It would seem that you can still squeeze out of a helicopter that was designed more than 40 years ago? However, the customs of China does not include the abandonment of technology that has been able to recommend itself well, because of its quite respectable age. An example would be the diversity of Chinese "derivatives" of the Soviet fighter MiG-21, and this is not the only evidence of Chinese military-technical policy.
While in France itself, the time of the “Super Frelon” is leaving, and the helicopter’s career rolls towards sunset, the Chinese engineers from CAIG continue to work on new versions of this rotary-wing machine. In particular, since the middle of 1990, work has been going on to create a transport-assault modification, which would be used in the interests of army aviation. This helicopter received an index Z-8A. The prototype successfully passed a series of tests, in February 1999, the machine received a certificate of airworthiness. In 2001, the army received two pre-production helicopters for conducting military tests, and in November, the first Z-2002A production helicopters began to receive 8. Although it is worth noting that the military is not happy with this car. They noted the insufficient quality and insufficient power of the Chinese engines WZ-6A. The Army placed an order for a very limited batch of these machines, deciding to issue an additional order for Russian Mi-17ВХNUMX helicopters. Perhaps the insufficient power of Chinese engines WZ-5 explains the fact that the civilian version of the Z-6F helicopter was used by Canadian PTD 8В-6А.
In 2009, there was information that China is developing an ARLO helicopter based on the Z-8. The reason for such conversations were photos of the car, on which experts saw the radome fairing, which was located behind the ramp of the helicopter cockpit. According to analysts, this is a sensor designed for early detection from medium and high altitude of enemy ships and aircraft. It is difficult to say what success the Chinese have achieved in the development of their DRLO helicopter based on the Z-8. But, most likely, not very prominent. An indirect confirmation of this is the fact that in the 2011 year, Russia fulfilled the contract for the supply of China 9 anti-submarine helicopters Ka-28 and 9 helicopters DRLO Ka-31.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the helicopter Z-8:
Dimensions: main screw diameter - 18,9 m., Tail screw diameter - 4,0 m. Length –19,4 m., Height - 6,76 m.
Helicopter mass: normal take-off - 10 500 kg, maximum take-off - 13 000 kg.
The type of power plant: 3 GTD Changzhou (CLXMW) Wozhou-6, power 1156 kW each.
The maximum flight speed is 250 km / h.
Cruising speed - 230 km / h.
Practical range - 700 km. with 27 paratroopers or 500 km with 3 tons of cargo.
Practical ceiling - 3 100 m.
Domestic fuel - 4 000 liters
The payload is up to 27 paratroopers, 15 stretcher with wounded, up to 5000 kg of cargo in the cabin or on an external sling.
The combat load is up to 2 000 kg., On 2's suspension units.
Crew - 2-3 person.
Information sources:
-http: //www.airwar.ru/enc/uh/z8.html
-http: //www.airwar.ru/enc/uh/sa321.html
-http: //ru-aviation.livejournal.com/2477939.html
-http: //www.military -informant.com/index.php/flot/1019--z-8aew.html#.UMSq8OQ3YqY
-http: //ru.wikipedia.org
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