Composite Helicopters International Ltd of North Shore has produced two new all composite airframe 5/6 seat helicopters that they intend to type certify to FAA regulations: the KC 630 and the KC 650.
The KC 630 is powered by a Rolls Royce 300B1 engine of 285 continuous shaft horsepower and the KC 650 is powered by a Honeywell LTS 101 engine of 650 shp de-rated to 450 shp continuous.
The two helicopters were packed into a container at North Shore airfield in January for shipping to HELI EXPO 2015 in early March at Orlando, Florida.
And here is a photo of the KC 630 at HELI EXPO (I assume the lighting has produced the apparent colour change?). According to Peter Maloney of Composite Helicopters, the two helicopters will be returned to New Zealand for test flying and type certification.
This progress follows the loss of the second flying prototype ZK-HOL in November 2014 (See www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/11/adventourer-helicopter-zk-hol-accident.html ), and the earlier loss of the first flying protoype ZK-ICM in May 2013 (See www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/adventourer-down.html ), Both accidents were not attributable to the design of the helicopter but were caused by the failure of a two different small components, and both had the effect of demonstrating the strength of the carbon fibre-Kevlar composite airframe structure.
This progress follows the loss of the second flying prototype ZK-HOL in November 2014 (See www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/11/adventourer-helicopter-zk-hol-accident.html ), and the earlier loss of the first flying protoype ZK-ICM in May 2013 (See www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/adventourer-down.html ), Both accidents were not attributable to the design of the helicopter but were caused by the failure of a two different small components, and both had the effect of demonstrating the strength of the carbon fibre-Kevlar composite airframe structure.
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