Kaman Aerospace Group, a division of Kaman Corporation (NYSE:KAMN), announced  that it has launched a composite blade development program for the K-MAX® helicopter.
The multi-year program consists of design, manufacture, test and qualification of an all-composite blade for Kaman’s intermeshing rotor system. The anticipated benefits of a composite blade include smoother airfoil, increased performance, reduced maintenance, fewer overhaul inspection requirements and extended blade life.
After certification, Kaman will incorporate the composite blade on new production aircraft and work with customers to retrofit the existing fleet. “The ability to provide state-of-the-art blade technology to our operators is another step in our efforts to improve the best-in-class performance of the K-MAX® aircraft,” stated Doug Perreault Executive Director, K-MAX® Programs.
Development of the K-MAX® was led by Kaman founder and former CEO, aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, and received Federal Aviation Administration certification in 1994. The single-engine, single-seat K-MAX® is a rugged low-maintenance aircraft that features a counter-rotating rotor system and is optimized for external load operations and designed specifically for vertical reference flight. The aircraft can lift up to 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg).