Privately-owned Novaer Craft’s 30-odd employees temporarily operate from rented offices in a rather rundown office park positioned at the very edge of the São José dos Campos aerodrome. The location – adjacent to Embraer headquarters – is appropriate. Founded and managed by ex-Embraer employees, Novaer trusts that its new side-by-side, twin-seat, aerobatic basic trainer design – dubbed T-Xc (for trainer, future, carbonfibre) – has what it takes to replace the 100+ Neiva Universal 40-year-old trainers still used in the Brazilian Air Force Academy.
If Novaer’s plans succeed, the military T-Xc trainer and a civil variant dubbed the U-Xc could make it Brazil’s second indigenous aircraft manufacturer after Embraer, but only if it passes through the gauntlet of economic and operational challenges facing any aviation start-up.
The internal Brazilian civilian and military markets have a history of instability, but Novaer president Graciliano Campos remains confident the T-Xc is crafted to survive. “We believe we have a market-oriented vision, this is why our first plane is [from scratch] a dual-purpose platform. Besides that, the conditions in both markets and the available technologies are substantially different today than they were in the recent past.
Privately financing a new military trainer is an exception to the market rule, which Campos acknowledges. “It is always up to the entrepreneur to face the market’s risks,” he says. “But in the end an air force that is preparing to adopt revolutionary new aircraft such as the Gripen NG and the KC-390 must be thinking of using a modern training system that is compatible with the technology level of these 21st century aircraft.”
In 1998, Embraer veteran engineer Luiz Paulo Junqueira started Novaer as a standalone aeronautical engineering services provider, having won a contract from Embraer for the development of the original Tucano trainer’s landing gear. This is a segment that is still relevant to the company with the Tucano fleet now undergoing mid-life updates in several countries.
Novaer was involved in a number of foreign programmes assisting in the development of the Eviation Jets EV-20 and US Aircraft’s A-67 Dragon.
Ten years later, management decided to make Novaer into a more traditional and integrated aeronautic industry by purchasing the rights to the existing wooden K-51 tandem seat-equipped aerobatic prototype developed independently in 1998 by engineer Jozséf Kovács.
Novaer, with Kovács now on board, proceeded to convert the K-51 to side-by-side seating and with carbonfibre construction, a new production-ready model to address both the military and general aviation markets. Despite these changes, the surface size and external dimensions are identical between both planes.
The detailed development and the construction of a single prototype was funded in 2009 by a reais (R) 10 million ($3 million) grant by the Brazilian government research and project development fund, FINEP. To date, around R30 million have been invested in this programme and another R30 million will be needed to implement the new 400-employee factory in Santa Catarina state.
In 2013, SCPar, the state’s holding for development, sealed this location by buying a minority stake in Novaer. That state’s government investment is closely related to its decision to create a new aerospace and defence industry hub there. The new factory is scheduled to open in 2018 and is contingent on Novaer having the needed funds to complete the U-Xc civilian certification process.
The full certification of T-Xc is funded by the FINEP grant and will be done in partnership with CTA, the Brazilian air force’s Technology Command also located in São José dos Campos. There will be both a military (CTA) and a civilian (ANAC) certification for this aircraft with certification expected for the end of 2017. Says Campos: “We can guarantee that [the production model’s] cost won’t be more than its competitors in the same market category”.
The use of sturdier composite structures promises that the T-Xc will have a service life much longer than the aluminium-built Neiva T-25s.
A single protoype was funded by the government in 2009
The T-25’s shortcomings today are mostly connected to its analogue avionics and a high power-to-weight ratio, which implies in a low climb-rate that, in turn, limits the number of training sorties. It is a robust and reliable aircraft that has served well in its mission, but a more modern platform can make the pilot training operation much more efficient. But the Brazilian air force has yet to issue a set of technical specifications for a T-25 substitute.
To grow its market opportunity, the company plans to simultaneously offer a five-seat civilian utility derivative, referred to in-house as the U-Xc.
The structure will be the same for both the T-Xc and U-Xc. The only difference would be the cockpit seat and display configuration. If an air force wishes to equip their trainer with lightweight ejection seats, like the Martin Baker Mk0/Mk10, a punch-through clear bubble canopy will need to be installed in place of the standard “gullwing” installation. Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the 2012 FIDAE show.
Two prototypes are currently planned. One will be dedicated for flight testing and the other for static ground testing. The second prototype will be completed in the U-Xc configuration and the first production aircraft deliveries are expected for the start of 2018.
The first prototype’s maiden flight took place in August 2014 and so far the flights have proven the aircraft to be better than expected. After 18 flight tests and 15 flight hours, minor problems have been fixed, such as the repositioning of the pitot tubes and a new engine oil cooling exhaust. The sales activity and order taking is due to start after final certification.
“We are currently in the process of planning our sales and post sales structure outside of Brazil, especially in the US market that we expect will take the lion’s share of our production,” Campos says.
Campos indicated that early contacts with the giant state-owned Brazilian National Economic and Social Development Bank have indicated that there will be funds available for the export of Brazilian-developed aircraft to export markets.
Campos says Novaer “understands that transfer of technology (ToT) programmes are a common requirement and we are ready to discuss very attractive programmes with any interested prospective buyers”.
The U-Xc has structural attachment points for the integration of ballistic recovery parachutes that are attractive to the civilian market but not on the military market.
Another opportunity identified by Novaer in Brazil is for the replacement of some 400 obsolescent air club basic trainers.
Currently, the plane’s construction is to happen completely in Brazil as well as all the previous engineering, design and development work. In the end, this adds up to about 60% Brazilian content because avionics, engines and propellers are to remain imports. The aeronautic grade carbonfibre fabric used in the airframe is also imported.
In terms of powerplant, the Brazilian air force has had a long experience with Lycoming engines. These were also used on the veteran T-25 trainer. Besides that, Brazilian general aviation is likely to grow in the near future. Nonetheless, the T-Xc design has planned for a turboprop-powered variant both as a trainer and as a general aviation type, demanding minimal modification beyond the shape and contour of the engine cowling.
Although it has no plans to purchase it, Brazil has been a key participant in Unasur-1, a regional trainer project headed by Argentina’s FADEA. This tandem-seat turboprop is being aimed at replacing the original Embraer Tucano. Novaer has been invited by the Brazilian government to be a part of this project where it would design and supply its landing gears and the hydraulic systems.
An AMX programme veteran, Campos says, “I’m a fan of cooperative programmes, smaller companies like ours need to partner up to succeed. You can’t fear competition. The end benefits will always be greater. We’ve even noticed that just by participating in this regional programme, the interest about Novaer amongst the press, manufacturers and suppliers in South America has grown. This opportunity may lead us to develop new partnerships with foreign suppliers”.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
