Published: 8/21/1998

In an interview with ConCISe, Piotr Izotov, chief designer for helicopter engines at the Klimov company of St.Petersburg, revealed that the engine developer is working on a new basic model for general aviation aircraft, the VKS-800. It is rated at 800hp at take-off, and at 620hp at maximum cruise. Fuel consumption in the cruise would be between 200 and 260 g/hp/h. There are three main variations of the basic model: the VKS-800V for helicopters, the VKS-800S for fixed-wing aircraft and the GTP-0.5 power generation unit for mobile power stations on a wheeled chassis. The main features of the basic design are a two-stage single-rotor centrifugal compressor and single-stage non-cooled turbines. The VKS-800 would have a compressor pressure ratio of 12 and turbine inlet temperature of 1323 deg. C. The primary aircraft to be powered by this engine is the Kamov Ka-126 helicopter, a single-engine version of the Ka-226. Having certified the TV3-117VMA engine in use on the Ka-32A11BC helicopter in Canada to FAR33 standards, Klimov will now try to certify it in South Africa, Latin America and Central Europe. Izotov said that the Canadian certification bodies required much technical and financial effort from Klimov, especially to conduct full-scale tests on "throwing headless ducks and stones into the compressor", during which three engines were badly damaged and written off. Following requests from the Canadian authorities, Klimov modified some parts of the hot section to achieve certification. Izotov said that Klimov, ZMKB Progress and Motor-SICh have signed an agreement on the turboprop version of the Klimov TV3-117 engine. Klimov has agreed to hand over design documentation and all the rights to modify this version to the two Ukrainian enterprises. It believes that this agreement will not harm its commercial activities, because it now has a much more advanced engine in this class, the TV7-117, existing in both turboshaft and turboprop versions. The new model is lighter, but more powerful and economical, Izotov said. The turboprop version of the TV7-117 will be installed on the Kamov Ka-52 Alligator combat management helicopter, in place of the TV3-117VMA on the basic Ka-50 Black Shark. The TV7-117 has a type certificate for a TBO of 1000 hours and a lifetime until withdrawal of 2000 hours, and also a complimentary certificate, extending those lives to 1500 and 3000 hours, respectively. Klimov is now trying to increase these figures up to 3000 and 6000 hours. After the leading engines have amassed 6000 hours, Klimov will inspect them to understand whether they could be used further under 'on condition' principle, Izotov said.(IN898.1) (VK)

Article ID: 241