Hongdu JL-8

JL-8 K-8 Karakorum

A K-8 Karakorum Trainer of Air Force of Zimbabwe at Ysterplaat Airshow, Cape Town
Role	Jet trainer Light attack
Manufacturer	Hongdu Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
First flight	1990
Introduced	1994
Status	Operational
Primary users	PLA Air Force Pakistani Air Force Egyptian Air Force
Number built	500+^[1]
Unit cost	3 - 3.5 million $^[1]

The Hongdu JL-8 (or Nanchang JL-8 and K-8 Karokorum) is a two-seat basic trainer and light attack aircraft built in joint-cooperation between the People's Republic of China (China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation) and Pakistan (Pakistan Aeronautical Complex). The contractor for this plane is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation. Export versions are designated K-8 Karakorum, after the mountain range that separates China and Pakistan.

1 History
2 Design
3 Main features
4 Variants
5 Operators
- 5.1 Current
- 5.2 Potential customers
6 Specifications (T-4)
7 References
8 External links
9 See also

History

The trainer was built through joint cooperation between the governments of Pakistan and the PRC. Initially, the aircraft was to feature many American parts, but due to political developments at the end of the 1980s, this plan was scrapped. The first prototype was built in 1989, with the first flight taking place at the end of 1990.

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) first received fourteen jets in 1994 after which it decided to order 75 more to replace its fleet of Cessna trainers. The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) received its first six jets in 1998. Later Chinese upgrades included indigenous engines. The PLAAF is anticipated to continue adding the trainer to its fleet in order to replace older trainers that are now obsolete.

Other nations have shown interest in the trainer, and it now also serves in the air forces of Egypt, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. While the plane primarily serves as a trainer, it can also be used in the ground-attack role.

Karakorum-8 (K-8), Basic Common Advanced Jet Trainer, is co-developed by Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, and China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC). Chinese designer of the aircraft was Mr. Shi Ping (石屏) and the chief test pilot was Mr. Yang Yao (杨耀).

The latest development in the K-8 family is the K-8P version, which currently is operated by the Pakistani Air Force .K-8P has much advanced avionics package of integrated HUD and MFDs. These aircraft are equipped with MFD integrated GPS and ILS/TACAN, which makes it much advanced than the original K-8. Pakistani Air Force is acquiring 12 more K-8Ps in its fleet which will make a total of 20 advanced K-8P fleet in 2009.

In 2008 Venezuela announced the purchase 24 K-8 aircraft "to train fighter pilots." The planes could be part of Venezuela's air force by 2009

Design

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Power plant: The K-8 is fitted with the Honeywell TFE731-2A-2A modular turbofan engine with DEEC & hydro-mechanical fuel control system. Because of U.S. sanctions against China, most versions were made with the AL-25 and Chinese WS-11 engines.

Cockpit layout: The cockpit is designed to meet the latest Military Specification of Aircrew Station Geometry and vision requirements. EFIS made by Collins is fitted in front and rear cockpits. UHF/VHF communication system, TACAN/RADIO COMPASS & ILS are available as per the customers requirement.

Egress system / escape system: A highly reliable escape system incorporating two Martin-Baker MK-10L fully-automatic rocket-assisted zero-zero ejection seats to ensure survival capability within the entire flight envelope.

Environmental control system (ECS): The incorporation of most effective AlliedSignal ECS provides a roomy cockpit environment with air conditioning capability even on ground under an ambient temperature of -40 °C to +52 °C.

Fuel system: The aircraft's fuel system consists of the fuel tanks and the fuel supply/transfer, vent/pressurization, fuel quantity measuring/indicating, fuel refuelling and fuel drain subsystems. The total fuel is contained in two fuselage bladder-type rubber tanks and a wing integral tank of 1720 lb. The capacity of each drop tank is 250 litres.

Flight control system: The aircraft is equipped with conventional flight control surfaces controlled by a rigid push-rod transmission system and are electrically or hydraulically operated. The aileron control system, of irreversible servo-control type, is composed of a hydraulic booster, an artificial feel device, a feel trim actuator and a rigid push-rod transmission mechanism. The elevator and rudder control system is of reversible push-rod type.

Main features

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Wide speed range and high manoeuvrability: The aircraft has satisfactory flying qualities in accordance with the requirements set forth in MIL-F-8785C IV requirements for highly manoeuvrable aircraft.

Vision: The aircraft has a good field of view and cockpit arrangement very close to a combat aircraft.

Engine: The aircraft has an advanced turbofan engine with low specific fuel consumption and minimum operation and maintenance costs.

Avionics: The aircraft has state-of-the-art equipment (including instrumentation, communication, navigation, etc.) satisfying the requirements of training pilots for the next millennium.

Highly reliable escape system: The aircraft has an advanced strap-on environmental control system capable of providing cockpit air conditioning, both on the ground and in the air.

Landing gear: The aircraft has hydraulically-operated wheel brakes and nose-wheel steering.

Mission: The aircraft has a multi-role capability for training. It may also be used for airfield defence with little modification.

Service life: The aircraft has 8,000 flight hours of service life for the airframe structure.

Performance: The aircraft has a long endurance and high service ceiling adequate for a wide range of missions.

Low life cost: The aircraft has a short turn-around time and a low maintenance workload.

Variants

JL-8/K-8: The basic variant of the JL-8 powered by one TFE731-2A turbofan engine.
K-8E: Developed for export to Egypt in 1999. The K-8E is built in Egypt from Chinese-supplied kits and features thirty three modifications in the airframe and avionics compared to the original JL-8. Production of eighty Egyptian built Chinese kits was completed in 2005. Egypt has since begun license building of an additional fourty K-8Es indigenously.
K-8V: Commisioned in 1998, the K-8V is described as an 'integrated flight test simulation aircraft'. The K-8V is equipped with an advanced flight control computer and analogue fly-by-wire (FBW) system to mimic the aerodynamic characteristics and flight profile of combat aircraft. Thus enabaling tests on aircraft designs before costly physical prototypes are needed to be built.
L-11: A further development of the JL-8 powered by the WS-11 turbofan engine, which is a Chinese copy of the Ukrainian AI-25TLK engine. The WS-11 is more heavy and more powerful than the TFE731-2A turbofan engine.