CHI KC 518 Adventourer

The Composite Helicopters International KC 518 Adventourer is a composite fuselage, 5-6 place turbine kit helicopter.[1]

KC 518 Adventourer
Role Helicopter
National origin New Zealand
Manufacturer Composite Helicopters International
Designer Peter Maloney
First flight 8 May 2012
Number built 2

Design

The KC 518 is a composite fuselage helicopter kit for amateur construction. The airframe uses a carbon fiber and kevlar composite fuselage with a shrouded tail rotor. An auxiliary fuel system can be installed.[2]

Variants

Other versions with the same fuselage are KC630 with Rolls-Royce RR300 engine in 2017 (priced at US$970,000), KC640 with the RR250 in 2018, and KC650 with the Honeywell LTS101, expected to be certified by 2019.[3] The rights to the KC630 were acquired by Innova Helicopters in 2017.[4]

Specifications (KC 518 Adventourer)

Data from Manufacturer

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 5 passengers
  • Length: 8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)
  • Width: 1.46 m (4 ft 9 in)
  • Height: 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
  • Airfoil: MRB VR7b
  • Empty weight: 794 kg (1,750 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,542 kg (3,400 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,542 kg (3,400 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce RR250T63-700 Turboshaft, 240 kW (320 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: × 9.018 m (29 ft 7 in)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 250 km/h (155 mph, 135 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 300 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn)
  • Endurance: 3.6hr
  • Service ceiling: 4,300 m (14,000 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 5.1 m/s (1,000 ft/min)

Test flight crashes

At about 11:15am on 7 May 2013, while on a test flight Pilot Peter Maloney and his female passenger were rescued uninjured after ditching in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand.[5]

At about 9:30am on 8 November 2014, while on a test flight Pilot Peter Maloney and his co-pilot, Norbert Idelon were uninjured after a heavy landing near Silverdale, Auckland due to suspected mechanical problems.[6][7]

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References
  1. "KC 518 Adventourer". Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  2. "Kitplanes". Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  3. Head, Elan (April 2015). "Going for certification". Vertical Magazine. p. 41. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  4. "Is this the end of the New Zealand helo dream?". 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  5. "Rescued helicopter pilot feeling 'really good' after crash". TVNZ.
  6. "Lucky pilot survives his second crash". NZHerald.
  7. Composite Helicopters releases accident video, investigation findings archive
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