Posted on 02/25/2011 7:23:55 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Inside Embraer's KC-390 Tanker/Transport
Posted by Graham Warwick at 2/25/2011 1:50 PM CST
Embraer has frozen the configuration of its KC-390 tanker/transport and plans to begin the joint definition phase in May, after the Brazilian air force - which is paying for development - has made the final decisions on the major suppliers.
Photos and graphics: Embraer
Myself, Steve Trimble of Flightglobal and John Reed of military.com got a chance on Feb. 22 to look over the full-scale cabin mockup in Hangar X-30 at the air force's CTA (Comando-Geral de Technologia Aerospacial), adjacent to Embraer's plant in Sao Jose do Campos.
The KC-390 is a big aircraft; the biggest Embaer has designed and bigger than the aircraft it is being developed to compete against - Lockheed Martin's C-130J. The cargo compartment is 17.75m long, compared with 16.9m for the stretched C-130J-30; 3.45m wide (vs 3.12m); 2.9m high forward of the wing (vs 2.74m) and 3.2m aft of the wing to make it easier to load/unload vehicles via the ramp.
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...
Looks like an old S-3 Viking on steroids.
That’s actually a good looking design. I like its lines.
It does an S-3 quality about it. The fuselage also reminds me a bit of the C-130 (save for the nose).
I agree. It is a sharp-looking craft.
Their is a lot of headroom in the cockpit to accommodate the new Brazilian “Carmen Miranda” Flight Helmet, which also contains crew snacks.
I like it to, sharp looking bird. I’ll bet with the engines tucked in close to the fuselage and near the middle (fore-aft)... If it has decent sized control surfaces I’ll bet it can be pretty nimble. (low moments of inertia in pitch and roll)
Cost savings right there!
USAF designation: Helmet: Flight, MRE*, AntiScurvy
* Military Acronym (MILACRO) for "Meal Resistant to Elimination," yet another long-flight benefit to this overseas procurement.
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