DEFENCE
flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 23
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razil’s Embraer has provided
further details about the first
flight of its KC-390 transport and
tanker, and on its plans to put the
type’s technologically ambitious
fly-by-wire flight control system
to the test.
For its 3 February debut, the
aircraft’s flight-control system
was fully operational, but set to
direct-law mode, says Paulo
Gastão Silva, vice-president of
the KC-390 programme.
Its BAE Systems-supplied ac-
tive control sidesticks were also
not fully operational during the
2h flight, he says.
“The active control sticks are
part of the flight controls, so they
were there, but we start flying in
basic modes and then authorise
the function of higher modes pro-
gressively,” Gastão Silva says.
“For first flight we were not using
yet the full capability of the ac-
tive sticks.”
Over the course of the initial
part of its two-year test campaign,
Embraer will gradually enable
more complex aspects of the fly-
by-wire system, he adds. “During
the first phase we complete test
points needed to freeze the dy-
namic definition of the aircraft.
We will cover the initial envelope
with direct mode and then start
adding the other functions going
to higher modes for the system.”
The KC-390 will eventually be
flown in “normal” mode, where
its fly-by-wire controls will im-
prove efficiency and provide
flight-envelope protections that
prevent the crew from stallingS
eoul has been forced to re-
launch its process for award-
ing a developmental contract re-
lated to the KFX fighter
programme, after Korea Aero-
space Industries (KAI) was the
only company to submit a bid for
the requirement on 9 February.
Under South Korea’s procure-
ment laws, the sole-bidder situa-
tion has forced a retendering of
the programme, says a report by
state news agency Yonhap. The
country’s Defense Acquisition
Program Administration on 10
February posted a new tender for
the 8.5 trillion won ($8.3 billion)
programme, which is to run from
2015 to 2025, seeking responses
within two weeks.
The future KFX is envisaged as
being a twin-engined fighter that
will be more advanced than Lock-
heed Martin’s F-16, but not up to
the standard of types such as the
manufacturer’s F-35 Lightning II. It
will replace aged types in the Re-
public of Korea Air Force’s inven-
tory, namely the McDonnell Doug-
las F-4 Phantom and Northrop F-5,
with an expected 120-unit buy.
KAI would like to partner with
Lockheed on the project, in
which the Indonesian govern-
ment also has a 20% share. Jakar-
ta plans to buy 80 of the type.Local media indicate that the
other likely bidder would be Ko-
rean Air, through a partnership
with Airbus Defence & Space –
which has a 46% shareholding in
the Eurofighter consortium.
The Eurofighter Typhoon was
a failed bidder for Seoul’s earlier
F-X III fighter competition, which
was won by the F-35 in late 2013.South Korea – which also reject-
ed Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle –
plans to acquire 60 Lightning IIs
in the conventional take-off and
landing configuration.
Both KAI and Korean Air have
strong defence backgrounds, but
the former has more experience in
developing and manufacturing
fighters. Apart from collaborating
with Lockheed to develop the
T-50 family of trainer/light attack
jets, it also produces the forward
fuselage of the F-15, and has been
involved in the manufacturing
and re-manufacturing of other
military types.
Korean Air, for its part, provides
extensive maintenance, repair and
overhaul services for military air-
craft at its Pusan facility.
Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets
database records South Korea’s
air force as still operating 71
F-4Es, as well as a combined total
of 194 F-5E/Fs. ■Embraer
First flight results have not dampened company’s expectationsUS Air Force
South Korea needs to replace its aged fleet of 71 F-4E PhantomsSeoul renews KFX tender after lone bid frustrates
CONTRACT GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
DEVELOPMENT DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC
Embraer outlines
KC-390 test plan
Manufacturer intends to gradually ramp-up the complexity
of fly-by-wire system use over the course of next two years
the aircraft or performing overly
aggressive manoeuvres.
Embraer’s first of two proto-
types will continue flying until
the second example – which is in
the final stages of structural as-
sembly – comes online in a few
months, Gastão Silva says. The
lead asset also will continue to
undergo ground testing to inform
future test flights, he adds.
“Both prototypes will be fully
representative of the aircraft’s
final configuration,” he says. “We
don’t need to wait for the secondprototype for envelope opening
or to fly specific conditions. We
can do it with either one.”
The KC-390’s cargo handling
system was also installed but not
operational during the first flight.
The full fuel system for the aircraft
was installed, but not the under-
wing refuelling pods and internal
tanks that will be required for the
tanker duty. This left the aircraft’s
take-off weight “in the middle of
the envelope”, which Gastão Silva
says was “well within the weight
expected from our calculations”. ■