Characteristic: How to perform a flight of the helicopter plateau

Beijing-with a snow-covered mountain in sight, helicopter designer Li Shengwei rose up and down at Lake Ninglang Lugu, with an altitude of 3,292.9 meters, carefully following an AC332 helicopter which was subjected Plateau flight test.

This new type of civil plateau helicopter took place and held the flight test at the plateau airport, located in the autonome Ninglang Yi county in Lijiang, Yunnan province -China Vest.

“AC332 can fly on the snow mountain there. It can also take off and land in the base camp of Mount Qomolangma to carry out diversified missions,” Li said, while showing to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with a peak. mainly, reaching 5,596 meters above sea level.

Special designed as a new type of helicopter that will be used for plateau missions, AC332 is a double -motor multifunctional civil helicopter, recently developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic).

“Testing a plateau helicopter on a platter. It is a tough test for both the helicopter and the flight test team,” said the young designer.

“Fortunately, he behaved well in the plateau’s flight test here. Larger goals are before,” Li added, while smiling.

Flying high for platter missions

Safety is the rescue line of an aircraft, and the flight test aims to confirm its safe operations in different conditions, including normal and those characterized by extremes such as heat and cold, heavy rains and snow.

Therefore, it is a critical challenge for each new type of civil aircraft to suffer and pass the flight test phase – which is also a mandatory process in obtaining a navigability certificate.

“China has independently developed this type of new helicopter. We are in a mission to check its capabilities,” said Wu Zhiyao, flight test technician at the Avic Haig Research and Research Institute.

AC332 is a helicopter “born for the use of the plateau”. It is able to take off and land in the plateau environment at 4,500 meters above the sea level and in 8 degrees Celsius. It is also designed to operate at a flight height of 6,000 meters above sea level, with a 600 km flight range and a useful load of 600 kg.

“The operation of a helicopter is based on air power and engines to generate the rapid rotation of its rotors. A plateau area normally has a high average altitude, low atmospheric pressure and low oxygen content. Such a thin air present challenges for a helicopter in terms of safe and stable operations under platter conditions, “Wu said while they bathed in the sun -dazzling sunlight.

In particular, the operational limits in which an aircraft can operate safely and efficiently – with parameters such as altitude, speed, height and stop speed during the flight, are called the flight envelope.

In the case of AC332, its plateau flight test serves to confirm the flight envelope in which this type of helicopter can operate safely under different atmospheric environmental conditions in a real set of platter.

Based on the information obtained by this flight test, the development team will calculate and draft a flight manual for future users to support the safe operation of AC332, according to WU.

Larger goals still before

The AC332 helicopter is designed with a flight ceiling of not less than 7,000 meters above sea level. Its purpose is to transport both people and freight transport over the mountains, while being able to carry out diversified missions in meadows, mountains and other environments, according to Li.

Directing the objective to operate in a plateau environment, a scientific and complete plateau test is a necessity for AC332 to check their performance and capabilities both under normal and extreme conditions.

“Look! He returns and we have to check the skid shoes. If they were abrasion to a certain extent on the track, we must replace them immediately,” he explained while looking at the helicopter that was walking over his head.

In fact, the skid landing tools, the wide rear door, the large rotor blades and many other models have been adapted for AC332 in response to the market requirements in China – a vast country with diversified helicopter requirements, especially when It is necessary for use in plateau and mountainous areas.

Compared to helicopters that have a wheel -land equipment, AC332 with its skid landing equipment makes contact with a larger surface on the ground, which is especially useful in wild environments, such as meadows, wetlands and mountains.

“This means that AC332 is endowed with the extended adaptability and safety of the environment, emphasizing its capabilities and adequacy for medical rescue and other emergency rescue missions,” Li said.

Given its huge dimensions and complex ground, China is experiencing harsh and complex challenges arising from natural disasters, especially those that happen in plateau and mountainous regions.

The country has constantly strengthened capabilities in the field of air emergency rescue. In this process, the great potential of helicopters and other types of air equipment is clearly obvious, as they can contribute a lot to China’s emergency response skills, thus improving people’s safety and well -being.

The AC332 helicopter has now successfully completed the plateau’s flight test. It made a total of 38 flight movements, worth 27 hours and 38 minutes of flight.

AC332 has checked its performance in categories such as hovering, take-off and landing, almost soil maneuverability, single-motor failure maneuverability and several other flight test requirements.

Hugging a new challenge to follow, the AC332 helicopter and his flight test team will continue their journey by performing an extreme cold flight test in the northern city of China, known for its hard climate, with an average temperature annual about three degrees of three degrees Celsius.

“Experience and trust are increased by actions. Looking forward, the bigger goals are in front,” Li said.