Changhe (CAIC) Z-8G (Gaoyuan)

Multi-Mission Transport Helicopter [ 2020 ]

The Changhe Z-8G is intended for hot-and-high operations, serving the modern PLA in a variety of airborne tasks.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/20/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense; Public Release.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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The Changhe Z-8G is a reworking of the existing, in-service Changhe Z-18 utility helicopter (detailed elsewhere on this site), itself based in the AviCopter AC313 series. In its original form, the helicopter went to the air for the first time in 2014 and saw service introduction in 2018 with the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The AC313 flew for the first time back in 2010 and was introduced in 2013. The revised G-model took to the air for the first time during 2014 and was spotted in active exercises with Chinese ground forces by mid-2020.

The Army utilizes the Z-8G for various operations including airborne assault and transport - where it can ferry up to thirty combat-ready personnel into battle or 11,000lb of cargo in their place, respectively. It is a "hot-and-high" variant intended for the country's plateau region and similar operating environments, given inherently good high-altitude performance where cold starts and achieving lift become more problematic. It carries terrain-following radar in the nose as well as SATCOM (Satellite Communications) in the tail and supports an Electro-Optical (EO) system to boot. When compared to the Z-18, the Z-8G is distinguished by its completely different, sloped down, nose assembly while all other physical characteristics of the helicopter appear to remain faithful to the original.

The helicopter has a conventional configuration with side-by-side seating for its cockpit crew of two. The cockpit is of all-digital design to help reduce the mission workload and is given extensive window coverage for excellent out-of-cockpit vision. The fuselage is lined with rounded-rectangular portholes for viewing and the trio of engines is fitted to the roof. The rear of the fuselage has a powered cargo door which sits under the tail stem. Sponsons are present at each side of the fuselage with each supporting a twin-wheeled main leg while the "chin" position is home to a twin-wheeled nose leg.

Power is from 3 x WZ-6C turboshaft engines driving a five-bladed main rotor over the fuselage and a five-bladed tail rotor offset to port side. This engine, produced under license locally as it is based in the French Turbomeca "Turmo", has also driven the SA321 "Super Frelon" and SA330 "Puma" French helicopters for decades.

This gives the helicopter a range out to 600 miles and a service ceiling of about 20,000 feet.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

2020

Origin

China

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

3

Production

100
UNITS

Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) - China

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

China

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Transport
General transport functionality to move supplies/cargo or personnel (including wounded and VIP) over range.

VERTICAL TAKE-OFF / LANDING (VTOL)

Series has a tactical capability to take-off and / or land vertically, a quality commonly associated with helicopters.

RADAR-CAPABLE

Houses, or can house (through specialized variants), radar equipment for searching, tracking, and engagement of enemy elements.

COUNTERMEASURES

Survivability enhanced by way of onboard electronic or physical countermeasures enacted by the aircraft or pilot/crew.

MULTI-ENGINE

Incorporates two or more engines, enhancing survivability and / or performance.

RUGGED AIRFRAME

Inherent ability of airframe to take considerable damage.

INTERNAL BAY

Fuselage volume includes space for internally-held weapons or special-mission equipment.

HIGH-ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE

Can reach and operate at higher altitudes than average aircraft of its time.

EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE

Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.

CREW-MANAGED

Beyond a pilot, the aircraft takes advantage of additional crew specialized in specific functions aboard the aircraft.

Length

75.6 ft
(23.05 m)

Width/Span

62.3 ft
(19.00 m)

Height

23.0 ft
(7.00 m)

Empty Wgt

19,335 lb
(8,770 kg)

MTOW

30,358 lb
(13,770 kg)

Wgt Diff

+11,023 lb
(+5,000 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Changhe Z-8G production variant)

Installed: 3 x WZ-6C turboshaft engines driving five-bladed main rotor over fuselage and five-bladed tail rotor offset to portside.

Max Speed

208 mph
(335 kph | 181 kts)

Cruise Speed

155 mph
(250 kph | 135 kts)

Max. Speed Diff

+53 mph
(+85 kph | 46 kts)

Ceiling

19,685 ft
(6,000 m | 4 mi)

Range

621 mi
(1,000 km | 1,852 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Changhe Z-8G production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

Typically none. 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) or simialr can be affixed to rear cargo ramp for the self-defense and infantry suppression roles.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft heavy machine gun

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Hardpoint Mountings: 0

Z-8G ("Gaoyuan") - Base Series Designation.

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Image of the Changhe (CAIC) Z-8G (Gaoyuan)

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense; Public Release.

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