TAI Hurkus Basic Trainer Aircraft, Turkey

TAI Hurkus is a primary and basic trainer aircraft designed and manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). It is a two-seat, single-engine turboprop aircraft being developed from the KAI KT-1 trainer. It is being built principally to meet the requirements of the Turkish Air Force Command (TAF). The aircraft will be used to execute basic pilot training, instrument flying, navigation training, and weapons and formation training missions.

The Hurkus will also be exported as a civilian and military flight trainer aircraft. Its maiden flight, which was expected to take place in 2009, was delayed until mid-2011. Delivery of the first prototype is scheduled for 2011 upon completion of certification process.

Hurkus design

Hurkus has been designed to execute its missions day or night. It will be built adhering to the EASA CS 23 standards. In December 2006, the Secretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) approved the eight-month conceptual design of the Hurkus, which will last for 59 months. The critical design review of the aircraft was approved in April 2010 by the SSM and is currently undergoing component assemblies.

The aircraft has been designed to be fully operational in civil and military pilot training bases all over the world. TAI is planning to equip a Pratt & Whitney Canada engine that can produce 1,100hp of output power. The specific type of engine has not yet been finalised.

Development

The development programme of the Hurkus began in March 2006 as part of the contract signed between the SSM and TAI. Four aircraft will be designed, built, examined, verified and certified by TAI under the programme.

The aircraft was named after Turkey's first aviator Vecihi Hurkus. It was designated such during the eighth International Defence Industry Fair held in Ankara, Turkey. The indigenous design prototype of Hurkus was showcased at the 47th International Paris Air Show in June 2007.

Microtecnica was awarded a contract by TAI in April 2010 to supply the environmental control system (ECS) for the Hurkus trainer aircraft. The ECS will be equipped with three major subsystems including bleed air, temperature control and cooling. The system will use air discharged from the engine to pressurise, ventilate and heat the cabin. In contrast, cooling will be rendered by a separate vapour cycle compressor. The design of ECS will be certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Work on the first prototype of the ECS will conclude in the final quarter of 2010.

Tandem cockpit

Hurkus will feature a full glass cockpit with a tandem seat configuration for two crew - a student pilot and an instructor.

The cockpit will be equipped with zero-zero ejection seats, provide 11° outside view to the front pilot and 5° outside view to the pilot seated at the rear. It is also fitted with an all-digital avionics suite, cockpit pressurisation system, escape system and on-board oxygen generating system.

The cockpit will be fitted with a glass canopy for clear visibility. It will incorporate a primary flight display (PFD), which provides flight data to the pilot. A small multifunctional display is also installed on the left side of the PFD. The flight controls will be located on the left side of the displays.

Hurkus avionics

The avionics suite installed in the Hurkus will include a global positioning system, a mode S transponder, radar altimeter, attitude heading reference system and an emergency locator beacon. An air data computer will analyse the flight data and display it to the pilot in a readable format.

Performance

The Hurkus can climb at the rate of 3,000ft a minute. Its cruise speed is 463km/h.