Desastres.org, Peru
Oct 27 2006
Russia Develops Unique Seaplanes
Publicado – Published: 27/10/2006
MOSCOW, October 27(Yury Zaitsev for RIA Novosti).- Fire-fighting and
rescue operations, as well as cargo and passenger traffic in remote
areas, are very expensive and involve the use of airplanes,
helicopters, ships, hovercraft and other specialized equipment.
However, experience shows that flying boats are the best option
because they can effectively fight natural and man-made fires.
Their efficiency is enhanced by the ability to scoop up water from
local lakes and rivers and promptly pour it on the seat of the fire.
Russia`s newest Be-200 flying boat, which was developed at the
Taganrog-based Beriyev scientific-technical complex (TANTK) in the
early 1990s, is the last word in Russian seaplane construction and is
best suited for the job, because virtually every Russian forest has
large lakes, rivers and reservoirs.
This seaplane is a descendant of the Be-12 Mail and the A-40 Mermaid
(Albatross) ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) planes, which have proved
their worth in emergencies and do not require airfields to land and
take off.
TANTK, as the main national agency for implementing a joint seaplane
construction policy, planned to develop passenger airliners, cargo
planes and other versions on the basis of the Be-200.
The Be-200 project was not closed after the Soviet Union`s break-up,
but construction was delayed because of financial problems. The first
Be-200, which took off in September 1998, featured special equipment
for scooping up water.
In September 2000, it was first displayed in Gelendzhik on the Black
Sea coast and subsequently traveled to India, Myanmar, Malaysia and
South Korea.
The EU, the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, South
Korea, India and Australia are all interested in this flying
fire-fighter.
Indonesia is interested in leasing two Russian Il-76 fire-fighting
aircraft in the near future, and is negotiating the delivery of a
similar Be-200 seaplane.
The Be-200 was tested in Armenia, operated from a local airfield
located at the altitude of 1,580 meters and from Lake Sevan 1,950
meters above sea level.
The unique new seaplane can take off from 1,800-meter runways, from
lakes, rivers and inland seas. It can land in choppy seas among
1.2-meter waves and scoop up 12-13 tons of water in just 12-14
seconds at 150-190-kph aquaplaning speeds. The Be-200 has several
chemical tanks with a volume of 1.3 cubic meters each. Centrifugal
pumps spray their contents to fire sites together with water. The
seaplane can dump up to 270 tons of water during one fire-fighting
mission.
The seaplane`s ARIA-200 avionics, which were developed by Russia`s
State Research Institute of Aviation Systems and Allied Signals
Aerospace of the United States, ensure automatic fire-fighting
operations. Water can be dumped in salvos or from each separate tank.
The Be-200 has the following specifications:
Maximum ground take-off mass: 37.2 tons
Maximum speed: 610 kph
Service ceiling: 8,000 meters
Maximum range with 7,200-kg fuel load at 8,000 meters: 1,800 km
Ferrying range: 3,850 km
Maximum ground take-off run: 700 meters
Maximum water take-off run: 1,000 meters
Ground landing run: 950 meters
Water landing run: 1,300 meters
Fuselage length: 32.05 meters
Wingspan: 31.88 meters
Parked height: 8.9 meters
The world now operates over 120 fire-fighting aircraft, primarily the
obsolete Canadair Bombardier CL-215 and CL-415 seaplanes, which are
three times less efficient than the Be-200.
The Be-200 faces possible competition from Japanese-made Shin Meiwa
US-2 flying boats, a modified US-1 version. Due to the Be-200`s
faster cruise speed, both airplanes will deliver approximately the
same amounts of water to fire seats. Moreover, the Russian flying
boat`s greater climb speed is an advantage in mountain areas and over
forests and hills. The lighter Be-200 is nearly 100% faster than the
US-2, which has a higher power-to-weight ratio and an intricate
boundary-layer control system.
Production of Be-200-P fire-fighting planes will be sited in Irkutsk
and Taganrog.
The Be-200-T cargo plane can carry 19 passengers, whereas its
airliner version seats 72 people. The Be-200 patrol plane can search
and identify warships, merchant-marine and fishing vessels inside
200-km economic zones, land inspection teams and sink violators.
Each Be-200 has two to nine crew members; its Be-200PS
search-and-rescue version features state-of-the-art electronics and
rescue equipment.
TANTK may develop a Be-200 ASW plane.
The world`s largest flying boat, the Be-42, whose fire-fighting
version will have the capacity to carry 25 tons of water and double
the number of rescued people, is now being developed.
The light-engined multi-purpose Be-103 flying boat with a minimal
take-off mass of 2,270 kg is crewed by one pilot and carries five
passengers over a 550-km range. Its ferrying range is 1,180 km.
Holland, Spain, Malaysia, Turkey and several other countries have
expressed interest in buying it.
Russian designers want to use the more advanced foreign technologies,
avionics, materials and engines. The objective is to develop a
2,500-ton wing-in-ground effect (WIG) aircraft with a 1,000-ton
payload.
Yury Zaitsev is an academic adviser with the Russian Academy of
Engineering Sciences.
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