Aviation News - June 2016

First flight of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ X-2 advanced technology

demonstrator jet, 51-0001 was successfully carried out on April 22.

The jet took off from Komaki International Airport at 0847hs local time

and carried out a series of trials to confirm basic manoeuvres including

climbing, descent and circling operations. It then landed at the Japan Air

Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF’s) Gifu Air Base at 0913hrs.

After completing the maiden flight, the test pilot said: “Control of the

aircraft went exactly as in our simulated training sessions and, after

piloting the aircraft, I’m 100% positive the X-2 is magnificent and will

meet the Ministry of Defense’s requirements.”

As the prime contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has been

developing the aircraft’s airframe since 2009 with cooperation provided

by 220 domestic companies and guidance from Japan’s Acquisition,

Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA). Although the X-2 has been

built purely for research, the technology tested will pave the way for a

future indigenously-developed JASDF fighter.

Russian Helicopters successfully carried out the maiden flight of the

prototype Kamov Ka-62 multipurpose helicopter, OP-1, on April 28 at

the Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company plant in Russia’s Far East.

The manufacturer said the helicopter was lifted into a hover and

completed several manoeuvres during the ten-minute sortie.

It was flown by Kamov Design Bureau test pilots and followed

extensive ground testing. Development of the Ka-62 began in 1992,

but flight testing had been considerably delayed due to the high level

of new systems being incorporated.

Although designed primarily for the civilian market, the

manufacturer believes it is suitable for a wide variety of roles,

including medical evacuation and search and rescue.

Another EC225 Crash

UK and Norwegian authorities have

suspended all commercial EC225LP

passenger flights following a fatal crash in

Norway on April 29.

The CHC Helicopter’s aircraft,

registered LN-OJF, was flying from Gullfaks

B oil platform off the Norwegian coast to

Bergen when it crashed near the small

island of Turoey. It was carrying a crew of

two and 11 passengers (including a British

national) from Statoil ASA; Luftfartstilsynet,

the Norwegian civil aviation authority, said

there were no survivors.

The European Aviation Safety Agency

(EASA) issued an Emergency Airworthiness

Directive (AD), following the accident.

“The partial information available so far

indicates an in-flight separation of the main

rotor from the main gearbox (MGB); an

investigation is ongoing to identify the root

cause of the accident,” the agency said in

a statement on its website.

“EASA AD requires, as a precautionary

measure, to perform before next flight

certain inspections on the fleet of EC

helicopters, and to report any discrepancy

to both EASA and Airbus Helicopters. This

AD must be considered an interim action;

further mandatory action may follow owing

to investigation progress.”

While the Accident Investigation Board

Norway (AIBN) is continuing to recover

wreckage it has found the combined flight

data recorder and cockpit voice recorder,

and the data has been downloaded from

both for analysis.

CHC said on May 3: “To date the AIBN

have identified no anomalies pertaining to

the maintenance and airworthiness of the

aircraft.”

The helicopter’s manufacturer, Airbus

Helicopters, announced two days earlier

that its decision “is to not suspend flights of

any nature for the EC225LP”.

This accident follows two non-fatal

incidents in 2012 when EC225s were

forced to ditch in the North Sea, one

near Aberdeen, the other near Shetland.

Subsequent investigations showed both

these incidents were related to a problem

with the helicopters’ gearbox. The UK’s

Air Accidents Investigation Branch has

sent a small team to assist its Norwegian

counterparts.

The Kamov Ka-62 made its first flight on April 28 at the Progress

Arsenyev Aviation Company facility in Russia. Russian Helicopters

Ka-62 Takes to the Skies

X-2 First Flight

Chinook

Special

To commemorate the 100th anniversary

of the formation of 28 Sqn, Chinook HC

ZH777 has been given special centenary

markings. The RAF Benson-based unit

has also added these to Puma HC

ZJ954. Richard Hall/www.simplyplanes.

co.uk

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 5

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has successfully completed the maiden

flight of its X-2 advanced technology demonstrator. MHI

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