This aircraft adopts a variety of mature technologies such as a 4-axis digital automatic flight control system, a glass cockpit and highly integrated avionics equipment, a spherical flexible main propeller hub with 5 rotors, and a crash-resistant fuselage. The life of the rotor system and fuselage can reach 20,000 hours, and the transmission system. The engine overhaul interval is as high as 5,000 hours. Safety indicators such as damage tolerance and bird collision prevention are much higher than airworthiness standards. The noise level is better than airworthiness standards. The overall performance of the whole machine reaches the advanced level of similar international helicopters, and the fuel consumption is lower than that of foreign similar helicopters. The product has significant features such as high safety, strong reliability, large internal space, good comfort, long range, and excellent economy. It can be widely used in search and rescue, offshore oil operations, personnel transportation, and medical rescue.
1. The AC352 successfully made its first flight at the Harbin Airport located in the southern suburbs of Harbin
As one of the medium-sized helicopters representing the most cutting-edge level in the contemporary world, its advent has filled the lineage of my country's helicopters. There are vacancies in the 4 to 13 ton class. The AC352 adopts a conventional layout design with twin engines, a wide fuselage, and a single rotor with a tail. It applies a large number of mature and advanced technologies, complies with the latest international airworthiness standards, and has integrated overall design capabilities at the world's advanced technological level. Starting from December 2019, AC352 has fully entered the applicant's terms verification test flight stage, which lasted for 2 years and 5 months. In order to fully verify the compliance with the relevant provisions of CCAR-29, the R&D team overcame the epidemic and other unfavorable factors and successively conducted tests on AC352 in Harbin, Jiansanjiang, Liupanshui, Laicheng and other places, including high temperature, high cold, unavailable fuel volume, sub-plateau, and Night flight subject test flight and other verification work.
2. After AC352 successfully completed the last noise test flight subject, the applicant’s terms and conditions verification test flight came to a successful conclusion
The applicant’s terms and conditions verification test flight completed a total of 458 subjects, with a total flight count of 422.5 hours, and at the same time cooperated with the authority to complete more than 20 hours of "parallel test flights." The test flight results show that all performances of the AC352 meet the requirements of the relevant provisions of CCAR-29, taking a solid step towards obtaining airworthiness certification for the final model. The AC352 Administration Certification Test Flight Preparation Meeting was held at Jian Sanjiang Airport, marking the official start of the AC352 Administration's special certification test flight. The flight test subjects approved by the AC352 authority include hovering performance, Category A and B takeoff and landing performance, near-ground control characteristics, level flight/climb performance, airspeed indication system, static pressure and barometric altimeter system, visual/instrument static stability nature, communication and navigation systems, human factors, etc. The AC352 certification test flight was declared a successful conclusion. The test flight team is about to launch the final charge towards the target of model certification.
3. The AC352 performed a long-distance route flight at the Sanjiang Airport under construction, and then landed at Harbin Pingfang Airport, marking the successful completion of the special test flight for the function and reliability of this aircraft
The function and reliability test flight is to check the function and reliability of various components and equipment of the AC352 fuselage. The functional and reliability test flight project includes 8 flight missions including daytime long-distance flight, daytime jump flight and night-time long-distance flight, which are conducted in day and night environments respectively, focusing on test flight testing under visual flight rules and instrument flight rules. During the functional and reliability test flights, the AC352 underwent long-term flight tests every day, which fully proved that the helicopter is a high-quality model that is both reliable and durable. As one of the main models of domestic helicopters, the AC352 has reached the world's advanced level in terms of rotor system and power plant. In recent years, with the increasing economic strength and comprehensive national strength of China, the demand for helicopters in the domestic market has continued to grow. The aviation industry will also continue to enrich the helicopter spectrum in accordance with the national development strategy.
Except for the Type 055 and Type 052DL destroyers that can operate the Z-20, all destroyers and frigates of the Chinese Navy can only operate the 4-ton Z-9 or imported ones due to flight deck and hangar size. Ka-28, the former is too small (4 tons) and the latter is too old. If the physical size of the Z-15 is suitable, it may provide new possibilities for these old ships. It may greatly enhance the anti-submarine capabilities of the Chinese Navy's surface battleships. After all, it is a helicopter that is favored by the British Ministry of Defense. Of course, the British Ministry of Defense is interested in the H175 made by Airbus, and requires that the Chinese-made parts be removed. In other words, the Chinese military number of Zhi-15 is not for nothing. This is a dual-use model.
Of course, I personally look forward to the civilian version of AC352. The civilian market is the vast world with great potential. The Z15 (AC352) is the first helicopter in China to be based on the newly revised "Transport Rotorcraft Airworthiness Regulations" (CCAR-29-R2) and complete the corresponding design, testing and verification.
The Airbus Helicopters H175 (Airbus Helicopters H175) is a 7-ton medium-sized utility helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters (formerly known as Eurocopter). In mainland China, the H175 is produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China as the AC352. The H175 was originally called Eurocopter EC175 and Harbin Aircraft Z-15 when it was first launched. It was jointly developed by Eurocopter and Harbin Aircraft Industry Group. It was officially launched under the name of EC175 at the International Helicopter Expo in Houston, USA. The first EC175 enters service: Eurocopter changes its name to Airbus Helicopters EC175 changes its name to H175.