This month's
Rotor & Wing provides an update on the KC518 project. Excerpts:
Despite an emergency autorotation and ditching of its KC518 Adventourer into Auckland Harbor New Zealand in May last year, an incident caused by a deterioration of the aft isolation dampers, founder and director of Composite Helicopters Peter Maloney told Rotor & Wing that aircraft No. 3 is now in the test phase while aircraft No. 4 is currently being assembled. (The second KC518 airframe was built with the express purpose of being used as an exhibit at airshows and aviation gatherings around the world.)
The KC518 kit will come with 20 major components including airframe, cabin floor, internal beams and bulkheads. There are around 22 secondary components that comprise carbon fiber doors and bulk hatches.
According to the company there are numerous benefits to this type of kit helicopter: the manufacturing process is quick and the assembly is straightforward and sequential. The airframe itself is light, the holding fixtures are easily set up within the fuselage and there are no bolted joints. The basic price for the initial kit is $335,000 although a fully completed helicopter will come to just under $400,000.
The prototype KC 001 was fitted with aluminum MRBs using an 8-inch chord...however Maloney notes the design has always included on-condition carbon fiber main rotor blades with a 9.5- inch chord. "Ray Prouty, a recognized helicopter main rotor expert, recommended the choice of airfoil used for the MRBs. Along with the development of the new carbon-fiber MRBs, we are expecting a significant increase in performance. While this is not necessary for the entry-level KC helicopter, it is an important design factor with future higher-powered derivatives. These new carbon-fiber MRB’s are designed for a gross weight of 4000lbs and MCP of 450 shp.”
From the basic design of the original KC518, the plan moving forward will be to evolve new helicopters with an increased seating capacity and greater performance. However, the immediate need is to obtain FAA certification, which should take a further three years to complete.
I/C