CHAIG Z-11
Changhe Aircraft Industry Group · China · first flew 1994 · helicopter
The Z-11 is a light single-engine multirole utility helicopter developed by Changhe, closely based on the Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil layout.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.01 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Compact single-engine light utility pod
- Slim tapering tail boom with small tail rotor
- Faired dolphin-nose cabin resembling the AS350
Spot it by its compact single-turbine cabin pod, the rounded dolphin nose, and a slim tapering tail boom carrying a small two-bladed tail rotor.
Specifications
- The CHAIG Z-11 has a length of 13.01 m (43 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.69 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 278 km/h (173 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed in the early 1990s to give China an indigenous light helicopter, the Z-11 first flew in December 1994 and entered production later that decade. It was the first Chinese civil helicopter developed largely to domestic standards.
Variants
The range includes the baseline utility Z-11, the militarised Z-11W light attack and reconnaissance version armed with rockets and missiles, and the upgraded Z-11WB with a more powerful engine and modern sensors.
Where you'll see it
It serves the PLA in training, liaison and light attack roles and appears in Chinese police and civil operations. There is no UK usage; for a British reader it is best framed as China's analogue to the widely operated AS350 family.
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