Huge Russian Amphib May Fly US Skies

Aero-News.net ^ | Fri, Jun 20 2003 | Editorial from LGI Inc. Press Release

[illumini]

Versatile Heavy Hauler Ideal for Firebombing, Remote-Area, Seaside Transport

From Paris, Liberty Group International showed their pleasure at the completion of a feasibility study by three major aerospace companies, that indicates there will be a way to fill a vast global demand for a version of the Russian-built Be-200 multipurpose amphibious jet aircraft -- they are now to be fitted with Rolls-Royce engines.

LGI, which conceived the idea more than four years ago for a version of the Be-200 that would be more-suitable for western markets, and initiated discussions between the manufacturers, has exclusive marketing rights for the Be-200 in the United States and the Caribbean.

Dean Breest, president and CEO of LGI, said that Irkut, EADS,and Rolls-Royce Deutschland completed their feasibility study on the Russian-made amphibious aircraft Be-200 and plan to offer a version of the Be-200 with BR715 engines in August 2003 during MAKS 2003 Air Show in Moscow.

The study identified a market potential for 320 aircraft in 25 countries over the next 20 years. Built initially as a fire-fighting aircraft with the capability of scooping 3,000 gallons of water in just a few seconds and delivering it quickly and accurately to a blazing area, the aircraft also can be configured to handle up to 70 passengers, deliver cargo, operate in air-sea rescue scenarios and many other uses.

"We first saw its potential as a means of providing additional passenger service to areas near waterways where there are no land-based airports or where existing airports have no room for growth," said Breest. "But the tragic fires in the western United States last summer and those that already are in the news this year re-enforced our belief that the Be-200 can be an important addition to the U.S. fire-fighting aviation fleet."

The version of the Be-200 that will be available at the Moscow show will be built in the fire-fighting configuration. The manufacturing and marketing partners are preparing for the introduction of the aircraft mainly in North America, Europe and Australia -- all of which have significant needs in fighting wildfires in forests and grasslands.

"The big hang-up has been getting the aircraft certified for U.S. operations," said Breest. "We're delighted that Rolls-Royce announced it will supply engines for the aircraft and that EADS will be involved in the certification. This is a major step forward."

Jan Zesewitz, senior vice president of marketing for EADS, said the agreement signed in 2001 between EADS and the Russian aerospace agency Rosaviakosmos in Moscow, includes Western certification and provisioning of a full product and customer support.

Stefan Zimmermann, head of business development for Rolls-Royce Deutschland, said the feasibility study confirmed LGI's early assertion that the addition of two modern Rolls-Royce BR715 engines to the splendid Be-200 construction would be an ideal configuration for the Western market.

The Be-200 can take off and land on water or a conventional airport. In the fire-fighting configuration for which it was originally built, it can either transport and dump chemical fire retardants that can be quickly pumped into tanks at a ground base, or scoop 12 tons of water in 17 seconds from any suitable body of water. Two prototypes are already flying, and the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has ordered seven for immediate fire-fighting needs.

FMI: www.lgiinc.us

[illumini]

FAR 21-23a has the text of Russia-USA aviation bilateral agreements. I have inspected and observed this plane at Moscow and at the Amphibious test center in Gelendzhik Russia. The potential and the quality are there. The problem is the will on part of beureaucrats to allow a truly open market. There is no other such aircraft with these capabilities in the world. One might note that the US Navy was also at Glendzhik last September, taking tons of photos... See December 16 2002 issue of Av Week & ST article titled "Thinking Outside The Box" for some thinking on new aircraft design.

Other related websites

WWW.LGIINC.US

WWW.BERIEV.COM

WWW.BETA-AIR>COM

WWW.IRKUT.RU

WWW.TEJAVIA.COM

[FastCoyote]

Great stuff, as a mechanical engineer you've got me excited.

[Barry Goldwater]

Do you think those Bell/Boeing helicopter-airplanes would be more suitable for fighting fires? They can hover to dump and scoop water and fly like a banshee to and from the fire.

[demlosers]

[Zavien Doombringer]

This is HUGH!

[Servant of the Nine]

So9

[historian1944]

I think the only thing bigger is either the C-130s we use, or the converted IL-76TD. http://www.waterbomber.com

[Jesse]

Interesting...Here's a link to a proposal from a company which wants to use surplus A-10 Warthogs as "Firehogs". Placement of engines on this jet reminds me of the Warthog.

http://www.firehogs.com/federal/fedbak.shtml

[Centurion2000]

That thing is just too damned cool. Perfect for flying expats out to South Pacific islands.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

The Osprey does seem to be a natural for this kind of thing, except amphibious landings, and it may be modified for that if desirable. Do you remember the old "Flying Wing" of the 1950s? Various sizes of those could easily be adapted to a variety of uses. Lots of lift and STOL capability, too. Would be easy to convert to amphibious.

[AppyPappy]

I've always wondered why they just don't bomb the burning forests.

[Barry Goldwater]

That airforce bomber, I think it's the B-2, may be a good test platform. Just add some pontoons to the flying wing airframe, change a few control laws in the computer and give it a shot. Back when Carter was president they put some JATO bottles on backwards on the wings of a C-130 to give it short landing capabilities. The films of the test were interesting, reminds me of the films of early aviation innovation.

[poindexter]

"The films of the test were interesting, reminds me of the films of early aviation innovation."

Maybe they could modify the wings to flap. Talk about short-field capability! ;-)

[af_vet_rr]

I want an airline to startup, that uses these things. Use the lakes around the countries as their landing strips, setup small terminals (run by private citizens). No big security/wand raping, people and pilots provide their own security (in the form of concealed weapons). No big federal bloatacracy running it, no union gate screeners, no hassling you for having toenail clippers.

My weird thought of the day.

[illumini]

I thinkn the price point gives advantage to BE-200. Prices published in vearious reports are between $15-27 Million USD. As a 64-seat airliner, the Be-200 needs only a Class A entry door at left front for terminal interface. It has two Class A entrances at the aft - normal for amphibs, plus required emergency exits all over. The Allied-Signal/Avionika EFIS cockpit has seen recent updates. The plane impresses everyone! I can send a video I shot at Gelendzhik once editing is completed. The plane landing and taking off etc. -But would need costs covered.

[illumini]

I want an airline to startup, that uses these things.

So do many people. You are not alone.

[Travis McGee]

That was exactly the state of aviation until WW2. The biggest planes around were the Pan Am China Clippers, which flew from Cali to Hawaii to Guam and on to Asia.

WW2 changed the course of aviation history, as thousands of long range bombers were built, and runways were built for them all over the world.

But today, runway space is not so easy to come by near large cities, so we may see a slight shift back to amphibs. I can see that plane hauling tourists from Miami (Biscayne Bay) to islands in the Caribbean with no jet capable runways.

[Snickersnee]

Saunders-Roe "Princess" ping!

[Barry Goldwater]

Flapping wings are a great idea! Believe it or not, they are being tried, though on a small scale. They're known as downdraft micro actuators. Next we'll see carbon-fibre feathers.

[wardaddy]

Chalk's?