Kaman K-MAX

K-1200 K-MAX
A HELOG Heliswiss Kaman K-Max
Role	Medium lift helicopter
Manufacturer	Kaman Aircraft
First flight	23 December 1991
Status	Active
Number built	38+

The Kaman K-MAX (Company designation K-1200) is an American helicopter with intermeshing rotors built by Kaman Aircraft. It is optimized for external load operations, and is able to lift a payload of over 6,000 pounds, which is more than the helicopter's empty weight. A remote controlled unmanned aerial vehicle version is being developed.

Development

Kaman K-1200 "K-MAX" operated by Timberline Helicopters

The K-MAX series are the latest in a long line of Kaman synchropters, the most famous of which is the HH-43 Huskie. The first turbine-powered helicopter was also a Kaman synchropter.

The K-1200 K-MAX "aerial truck" is the world's first helicopter specifically designed, tested, and certified for repetitive external lift operations and vertical reference flight (Kaman received IFR Certification in 1999), an important feature for external load work. Other rotorcraft used for these tasks are adapted from general-purpose helicopters, or those intended to primarily carry passengers or internal cargo. The aircraft's narrow, wedge-shaped profile and bulging side windows gives the pilot a good view of the load looking out either side of the aircraft.

The transmission has a reduction ratio of 24 in three stages, and is designed for infinite life. The rotor blades are built with a wooden spar and fiberglass trailing edge sections. Wood was chosen for its damage tolerance, fatigue resistance and to take advantage of field experience and qualification data amassed from a similar spar on the HH-43 helicopter, built for the U.S. Air Force in the '50s and '60s.

The K-MAX relies on the two primary advantages of synchropters over conventional helicopters. The first of these is the most efficient of any rotor-lift technology;^{[citation needed]} the other is the synchropter's natural tendency to hover. This increases stability, especially for precision work in placing suspended loads. At the same time, the synchropter is more responsive to pilot control inputs, making it possible to easily swing a load thus to scatter seed, chemicals, or water over a larger area.

External media
Images
	RC version of K-MAX at Ft. Eustis
	Autonomous K-MAX at Yuma
Videos
	Unmanned K-MAX at Yuma
	K-MAX with wrecking ball

A K-MAX has been used for demolition work by having a wrecking ball as sling load.

Unmanned remote control version

An unmanned remote-control version, the K-MAX Unmanned Multi-Mission Helicopter, is planned for hazardous missions. It could be used in combat to deliver supplies to the battlefield, as well as civilian situations involving chemical, biological, or radiological hazards. A protype of this was shown in 2008 for potential military heavy-lift resupply use, and again in 2010. In December 2011 an unmanned K-Max was reported to be at work in Afghanistan. . On December 17, 2011, the United States Marine Corps conducted the first unmanned aerial system cargo delivery in a combat zone using an unmanned version of the Kaman KMAX. The unmanned KMAX moved about 3,500 pounds of food and supplies to troops at Combat Outpost Payne.

In December 2010 NAVAIR awarded a $46 million contract to Kaman for two aircraft, and in 2011 they completed a 5-day Quick Reaction Assessment.

38 K-1200 K-MAX helicopters have been built. As of May 2008, 13 of these were not airworthy or have been written off in accidents.^{[citation needed]}

Operators

Superior Helicopter Kaman K-Max configured for aerial firefighting, showing the arrangement of the rotors

Colombia

• Colombian National Army Aviation

United States

Swanson Group Aviation

Timberline Helicopters, Inc.

Germany

HELOG

Specifications (K-MAX)

Data from K-MAX Performance and Specs

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) external load
• Length: 51 ft 10 in (15.8 m)
• Rotor diameter: 48 ft 3 in (14.7m)
• Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
• Empty weight: 5,145 lb (2,334 kg)
• Useful load: 6,855 lb (3,109 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell T53-17 turboshaft, 1,800 shp ()

Performance

• Maximum speed: 100 knots (185.2 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 80 knots (148.2 km/h)
• Range: 267 nm (494.5 km)

See also

Related development

• HH-43 Huskie
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Kamov Ka-26
• Kamov Ka-226
  

External links

• Kaman Aerospace's K-MAX page
• Excellent picture and description
• Superior Helicopter K-MAX with Firemax system
• Austrian Wucher Helikopter
• Video of a K-MAX starting up