The Chinese helicopter industry faced a major crisis in the early 1980s, when a number of development and co-production projects were abandoned due to financial reasons. Jingdezhen-based China Helicopter Design Institute proposed a lightweight utility helicopter with relatively less complexity and difficulties as the first step to build an indigenous helicopter R&D capability. The proposal was finally approved in 1989, and the development of the helicopter began in 1991 using the designation Zhi-11 (Z-11). China helicopter Design Institute and Changhe Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), both located in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, were appointed as main contractors for the project.

中国直升飞机工业在1980年早期面临了一个主要危机，许多发展和联合制造计划由于资金原因停顿。位于景德镇的中国直升飞机设计研究院提议一种轻型通用直升飞机并相对减少复杂性和难度，去当作建立一个国产直升飞机研究与开发（R&D）能力的第一步。提议终于在1989年被核准，并且直升飞机的发展在1991年开始使用直-11（Z-11）命名。中国直升飞机设计研究院和昌河飞机工业集团（CAIG），两者都位于江西景德镇，指定为计划的主承包商。

The Z-11 was modelled after the successful design of the French AS 350B Squirrel helicopter, which first flew in 1974. However, the Z-11 was not simply a reverse-engineered copy of the AS 350B. According to the Changhe engineers, the Z-11 differs from the AS 350B in nose shape and certain internal structure. The Z-11 prototype made its maiden flight successfully in December 1994, and the initial small batch production began in 1997. The test flight of the helicopter for design finalisation was completed in 2000. The PLA Army Aviation Corps Training Regiment has received a total of 37 Z-11s in the Z-11J (military) model for training role since September 1998.

Z-11仿照法国成功设计的AS 350B“松鼠”型直升飞机，在1974年首飞。然而，Z-11不仅仅是一种反向工程仿造AS 350B型。据昌河工程师称，Z-11的前鼻样式和某些内部结构与AS 350B不同。Z-11原型在1994年12月成功地作了它的首次飞行，而且1997年开始小批量制造。直升飞机在2000年为设计定型完成测试飞行。PLA陆军航空兵训练团已经从1998年9月以后接收总数37架Z-11J（军用）型用于训练任务。

During the 2002 Zhuhai Air Show, Chenghe revealed that it was developing an armed variant of the Z-11 known as Z-11W for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, ground attack, and medical evacuation roles. Comparable to the U.S. OH-58D Kiowa in general performance and missions, the Z-11W employs an optical TV/IR sight mounted on the roof of the cockpit, and has external weapon pylons for four HJ-8 anti-tank missiles or four unguided rocket pods. It also has an improved cockpit featuring a colour LCD multi-functional display. The Z-11W armed helicopter made its first flight on 27 December 2004, but has yet received any order.

在2002年珠海航展，昌河透露它正在发展武装型Z-11也就是Z-11W型用于战场监视和侦察、对地攻击和医疗撤退任务。总体性能和任务方面类似于美国OH-58D“基奥瓦”，Z-11W在驾驶员座舱顶部安装装备一套光学TV/IR瞄准具支架，外部武器挂架用于携带四枚HJ-8反坦克导弹或四具非制导火箭吊舱。它也有一个改良的驾驶员座舱以一部彩色LCD多功能显示器为特点。武装型Z-11W直升飞机在2004年12月27日作了它的首次飞行，但是至今没有接到任何订单。

The Z-11 is 2,000kg class six-seat lightweight helicopter, powered by a Wozhou-8D (WZ-8D) turboshaft rated at 510kW. The three-blade main rotor is mounted above centre of fuselage. A single turboshaft engine is mounted inside the body with air intakes on top of the cabin and a blackhole exhaust. The fuselage of the helicopter is teardrop-shaped, which features a round, glassed-in cockpit and landing skids. The tail boom tapers from the main body to the swept-back, tapered fin with a rotor on the right. Two flats are mounted on the both side of the boom. The armed variant Z-11W has slightly higher landing skids compared to the basic variant to take off from grass field.

Z-11是2,000公斤级六座位轻型直升飞机，动力由额定510千瓦的涡轴-8D（WZ-8D）涡轴发动机提供。在机身中心上面安装一个三浆叶主螺旋桨。仅有的一台涡轴发动机安装在机身内部，进气口和排气口在机舱顶部。直升飞机的机身是水滴形，一个圆形、围玻璃的驾驶员座舱和登陆橇。尾梁从机身渐细到后掠尾垂翼，尾螺旋桨在锥形尾垂翼右侧，二个尾平翼被装在尾梁两侧。武装Z-11W型与基本型相比登陆橇稍高用于从草场起飞。

For combat missions, the Z-11W can carry four HJ-8 ATGM, or 4 unguided 57mm rocket launchers, or two 12.7mm machine gun pods under its external fuselage pylons.

用于战斗任务，Z-11W能携带四枚HJ-8 ATGM，或4具非制导57毫米火箭发射装置或在它的外部机身挂架下携带二具12.7毫米机枪吊舱。

By 2005, Chenghe had developed a number of variants based on the Z-11 design, including the military training variant Z-11J , armed variant Z-11W, French Arriel 2B1A engine-powered Z-11MB1, and Z-11ME1.

2005年之前，昌河已经发展基于Z-11设计的许多改型，包括军事训练型Z-11J，武装型Z-11W，采用法国Arriel 2B1A发动机的Z-11 MB1型和Z-11 ME1型。

Last update: 3 June 2007
最后更新：2007年6月3日