China Aviation Industry Corp II (AVIC II) plans to pour more than 3 billion yuan (US$380 million) into the nation's fledgling civil helicopter industry.
The money will be spent on research and development (R&D) and co-operative projects with foreign counterparts during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10).
They will stick to a market-oriented approach, boosting the helicopter industry in terms of R&D and manufacturing capability, marketing and servicing.
Specific projects in AVIC II's five-year plan include a brand new 5.5 to 6-ton commercial helicopter, which will be entirely self-developed, and several joint programmes with international counterparts.
During the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-05), AVIC II made significant breakthroughs in mastering new key rotor, transmission and avionic systems technologies under the international China Medium Helicopter programme.
Those developments are now allowing the company to work on its new 5.5 to 6 ton multi-purpose commercial helicopter, which will fill a blank in the domestic market.
The new helicopter will be powered by the latest version of the PT6C-67C engine, produced by Canada's Pratt & Whitney. It is intended to fulfill domestic needs for passenger and cargo transport, offshore services, and corporate use.
AVIC II last year hammered out a deal with Eurocopter, an affiliate of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, to jointly develop a multi-purpose helicopter.
The Chinese national helicopter maker will invest 300 million euros (US$360 million) in the joint programme, which it is an equal partner in, during the 11th and 12th Five-Year Plan period.
The Chinese helicopter and light aircraft maker is busy negotiating with a Western counterpart on a new outsourcing manufacturing contract. The contract will produce the airframe of a helicopter for the Western company.
AVIC II already produces the airframe of the US Bell 430 helicopter under a sub-contract.
Besides the new helicopters AVIC II plans to make either by itself or in partnership with international counterparts, the company is also to redesign its existing products and produce more tailor-made new models catering for clients' specific demands.
The modifications and customization will involve AVIC II's flagship products, such as the Z-11, Z-11MB1, Z-9A and Z-9H425.
There will be a robust market demand for as many as 2,763 civil helicopters in China by 2026.
Source:佚名