Kamov began certification flight testing of its much delayed Ka-226 coaxial-rotorutility helicopter on 26 March, nearly four years after the aircraft made its maiden flight.
Russian airworthiness approval of the twin-engined helicopter is slated within a year. The 10min flight was conducted from MARZ aircraft repair plant in Moscow and involved simple manoeuvres, says the Russian company.
Russia's Ministry for Emergencies has provided the bulk of the funding for the twin-boom Ka-226 programme and has ordered around 20 machines. Based on Kamov's earlier Ka-26 helicopter design, of which more than 850 examples were built, the Allison 250-C20B powered Ka-226 offers a cruise speed of 205km/h (110kt) and a range of 600km (325nm). The aircraft's price tag ranges from $1 million to $1.5 million depending on the choice of avionics .
Kamov is considering the Klimov VKS-800 and ZMKB Progress/Motor Sich AI-450 engines as low-cost alternatives to Allisons. The Ka-226 will be manufactured at Kamov's Strela Aircraft Production Factory in Orenburg.
Source: Flight International
