11:58 03.06.2016

DART-450 aircraft with Ukrainian engine to be exhibited at Farnborough Airshow 2016

2 min read
DART-450 aircraft with Ukrainian engine to be exhibited at Farnborough Airshow 2016

DART-450 twin-engine aircraft made by Austria's Diamond with Ukrainian AI-450S turboprop engine has been successfully tested and will be exhibited at Farnborough Airshow 2016, the press service of public joint-stock company FED (Kharkiv), a participant of the AI-450S engine project, has reported.

"DART-450 aircraft will be exhibited at the Farnborough Airshow in July 2016. The certification procedure will be finished by the end of the year," the press service said, citing FED Head Viktor Popov.

He said that this is the first case of using the gas-turbine engine in the airplanes of this class: earlier the gas-turbine engines for these aircraft were considered unviable, as they consume more fuel and diesel and petrol engines.

"Ivchenko-Progress, FED and Kharkiv Aviation Institute found proofs for applying gas-turbine engines to this kind of aircraft. FED produces the fuel control system. When the calculations were presented to top managers of Diamond they agreed to realize the project. AI-450S engine has been designed and manufactured in short terms. Last year single-engine aircraft was tested (DA20 with petrol engine) and this year twin-engine aircraft (DA42 with diesel engines). This is the first use of the gas-turbine engine in these aircraft," Popov said.

He said that the certification of the aircraft with the Ukrainian engine to meet EU standards would help to enter the quickly growing Asian aviation market.

"Today, the talks to sell licensed production of AI-450S engine to China are being held. The prospects of the project look great," Popov said.

The sum of the contract is not disclosed. The prices and shares of the project participants have been preliminary agreed.

The DART-450 (Diamond Aircraft Reconnaissance Trainer) is the worldwide first all-carbon fiber tandem, 2-seat civilian and military trainer with a sidestick and pneumatic ejection seats. The airplane has a maximum take-off power of 500 hp, is equipped with the Ivchenko-Progress/Motor Sich AI-450S turboprop engine, a 5-blade MT propeller, and a GARMIN avionic system. The fuel control system of the engine is made by FED.

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