Turkey’s first indigenously manufactured primary and basic trainer aircraft, Hurkus, has successfully completed its initial test flight at the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) facility in Kazan, Ankara, Turkey.
The aircraft flew with open landing gear in accordance with the flight test plans, which was carried out following permission from the Transport Ministry’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM), Hürriyet Daily News reported.
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Piloted by test pilot Murat Özpala, the aircraft successfully landed after 33 minutes of flight.
Commenting on the flight test, Özpala said the aircraft reacted correctly during flight and also confirmed high-level performance of its 1,600hp powerplant during takeoff.
Hurkus underwent several tests that evaluated performance of its engine, takeoff, night flight and the fuel system prior to the maiden flight test, as reported by Daily Zaman.
The aircraft is now scheduled to undergo a comprehensive flight test programme before securing certification from Turkey’s Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication Ministry and the European Aviation Safety Agency.
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By GlobalDataPowered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 turboprop engine, Hurkus is a two-seat aircraft being developed by TAI to address the Turkish Air Force’s training requirements, as part of a contract signed with the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) in March 2006.
Built adhering to the EASA CS 23 standards, the aircraft is expected to be used for basic pilot training, instrument flying, navigation training, and weapons and formation training missions.
Besides pressurised cockpit and an on-board oxygen generating system (OBOGS), the aircraft also features an analogue and digital cockpit with a tandem seat configuration, enabling both a student pilot and instructor to be seated during training sorties.
Hurkus is being developed in three variants, a civilian-targeted Hurkus A, a B-model military trainer and a C-variant for close air support missions.
Image: Hurkus aircraft during its flight. Photo: file image.
