Kaman K-MAX Articles on aviation - Aircraft
airports worldwide
Other aviation articles
Airport photos
Aircraft photos
Spacecraft photos
Earth from airplane
Earth from space
Airports worldwide
Advertise for free!
Kaman K-MAX

By Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaman_K-1200_K-Max

K-1200 K-MAX
A HELOG Heliswiss Kaman K-Max
Role Medium lift helicopter
Manufacturer Kaman Aircraft
Status Active
Number built 38+

The Kaman K-MAX (Company designation K-1200) is an American helicopter with intermeshing rotors built by Kaman Aircraft. It is optimized for external load operations.

Development


Kaman K-1200
Kaman K-1200 "K-MAX" operated by Timberline Helicopters

The K-MAX series are the latest in a long line of Kaman synchropters, the most famous of which is the HH-43 Huskie. The first turbine-powered helicopter was also a synchropter.

The K-1200 K-MAX "aerial truck" is the world's first helicopter specifically designed, tested and certified for repetitive external lift operations and vertical reference flight, an important feature for external load work. Other rotorcraft used for these tasks are adapted from general-purpose helicopters, or those intended to primarily carry passengers or internal cargo. The aircraft's narrow, wedge-shaped profile and bulging side windows gives the pilot an unprecedented view of the load looking out either side of the aircraft.

The K-MAX relies on the two primary advantages of synchropters over conventional helicopters. The first of these is the most efficiency of any rotor-lift technology; the other is the synchropter's natural tendency to hover. This increases stability, especially for precision work in placing suspended loads. At the same time, the synchropter is more responsive to pilot control inputs, making it easily possible to swing a load thus to scatter seed, chemicals or water over a larger area.

For hazardous missions, an unmanned remote-control version of the K-MAX is planned, the K-MAX Unmanned Multi-Mission Helicopter. It could be used in combat situations to deliver supplies to the battlefield, as well as civilian situations involving chemical, biological or radiological hazards.

A total of 38 K-1200 K-MAX helicopters are known to have been built. As of May 2008, 13 of these were unairworthy or have been written off in accidents.


Operators


Superior Helicopter Kaman K-Max configured for aerial firefighting, showing the arrangement of the rotors
Superior Helicopter Kaman K-Max configured for aerial firefighting, showing the arrangement of the rotors
 Austria
Wucher Helikopter
 Canada
MacKenzie Heli Services, HeliQwest,
 Colombia
 Japan
Kyokuto Boeki (Japan Royal Helicopter), Akagi Helicopter
 South Korea
Lucky Air
 Liechtenstein
ROTEX
 New Zealand
Helico NZ
 Switzerland
Eagle Helicopter, Helog Heliswiss
 United States
Mountain West, Woody Contracting, Superior Helicopter, Timberline Helicopters, Rainier Heli-Lift

Specifications (K-MAX)

Data from {www.kamanaero.com}

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) external load
  • Length: 51 ft 10 in (15.8 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 48 ft 3 in (14.7m)
  • Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
  • Empty weight: 5,145 lb (2,334 kg)
  • Useful load: 6,855 lb (3,109 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
  • Powerplant:Honeywell T53-17 turboshaft, 1,800 shp ()

Performance

See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

External links




Text from Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply.


Published in July 2009.




Click here to read more articles related to aviation and space!














christianity portal
directory of hotels worldwide
 
 

Copyright 2004-2024 © by Airports-Worldwide.com, Vyshenskoho st. 36, Lviv 79010, Ukraine
Legal Disclaimer