The Harbin Z-20 or Zhi-20 is a medium lift helicopter produced in the Northeast of China. Its first flight was on 23 December 2013.The helicopter has a maximum takeoff weight in the range of 10 tons,can drop troops at locations of up to 3,000 ft (910 m) altitude, and could operate from the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning.It is thought to be comparable to the US made Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, the civilian Sikorsky S-70C-2 variant of which has been used by the People's Liberation Army since 1984.Some sources suggest that the Z-20 is a copy of the Black Hawk and link the design to the Black Hawk that was abandoned by US special forces in Pakistan during the operation to kill Osama bin Laden on 1 May 2011.The sources say that Pakistan allowed Chinese officials to examine the Black Hawk wreckage.However, Aviation Week also points out that although some aspects of the design do appear similar, such as the tail wheel arrangement, there are also marked differences. For example, the Chinese Z-20 has a five blade rotor compared with the Black Hawks' four blades.

哈尔滨Z-20型或直-20型是一种在中国东北地区制造的中型直升机。其第一次飞行在2013年12月23日。直升机的起飞重量最大可达10吨，可以在高达3000英尺（910米）高度机降部队，并可以从中国“辽宁号”航空母舰操作。被认为与美国制造的西科斯基UH-60型“黑鹰”直升机相当，1984年以来人民解放军使用的民用西科斯基S-70C-2型号。有些消息人士认为，Z-20型是一个“黑鹰”仿造型，并且设计上与2011年5月1日在巴基斯坦美国特种部队刺杀乌萨马本拉丹行动中抛弃的“黑鹰”关联。消息来源说，巴基斯坦允许中国官员检查“黑鹰”残骸。不过，航空周刊还指出，虽然设计的一些方面确实出现了类似的，如尾轮安排，也有明显的差异。比如说，中国的Z-20型与“黑鹰”的四片旋翼相比采用五片旋翼。

 

Harbin Z-20

哈尔滨Z-20型

 

Role Medium lift helicopter

National origin China

Manufacturer Avicopter

First flight 23 December 2013

Status Flight testing

Primary user People's Liberation Army

角色    中型直升机

国家起源     中国

制造商    中航工业直升机公司（Avicopter）

首飞     2013年12月23日

状态     飞行测试

主要用户     解放军

 

补充资料：来源http://aviationweek.com网络

 

Chinese Military Utility Helo Makes First Flight

中国军用直升机进行了首次飞行

 

Dec 24, 2013 _Bradley Perret | AWIN First

 2013年12月24日_bradley佩雷| 航空周刊情报网首发

 

A Chinese military utility helicopter roughly equivalent to the Sikorsky H-60 made its first flight on Dec. 23, state media report.

中国的国家媒体报道，一架大致相当于西科斯基H-60型的中国军用通用直升机在12月23日首飞。

 

The helicopter, with the unconfirmed designation Z-20, is a 10-metric-ton (22,000 lb.) aircraft suitable for operation from high-altitude fields, China Central Television says. For almost three decades, China has relied on 24 UH-60 Black Hawks bought in the 1980s for such operations.

直升机，未经证实的Z-20型号，中国中央电视台称，是一种适用于高空作战的10吨（22,000磅）机型。近三十年来，中国一直依赖于20世纪80年代购买的24架UH-60型“黑鹰”。

 

The Z-20 is externally similar to the Sikorsky helicopter. The body is low relative to its height, and the undercarriage has a tailwheel arrangement.

Z-20在外型类似于西科斯基直升机。机身相对于其高度较低，起落架有一个尾轮装置。

 

It can be taken for granted that Chinese engineers, tasked with building an aircraft similar to the H-60 and having samples available, will have referred closely to the U.S. design as they drew up their own. Further, the Chinese military may simply regard the H-60 configuration as highly suitable for the military utility mission.

它可以理所当然的认为中国工程师，负责制造一种类似于H-60和与样品一样可用的飞机，在提出自己的设计时，将会非常重视美国的设计。此外，中国军方可能只是认为H-60型配置非常适合军事实用任务。

 

A notable difference is the five-blade rotor; the H-60’s rotor has four blades.

五旋叶转子显著差异于H-60型的四旋叶转子。

 

The first flight took place at in northeastern China, the television network says. That strongly suggests that the aircraft is a product of Harbin Aircraft, part of Avic rotary wing division Avicopter.

中国网络电视称，第一次飞行在中国东北部进行。这强烈地表明这架飞机是哈飞航空工业股份有限公司的产品，它是中航直升机有限责任公司旋转翼航空工业部的一个分支。

 

A 10-ton military helicopter should have much the same potential applications as the H-60 and NH Industries NH90 offer to Western users, including battlefield transport and antisubmarine warfare. Depending on how far the design is compromised by its primarily military functions, it may also be useful for Chinese civil operators, but cannot have airworthiness certification recognized by Western aviation authorities, limiting its salability abroad.

一架10吨级的军用直升机应该具有与西方用户的H-60型和NH Industries NH90型相同的潜在应用，包括战场运输和反潜战。取决于主要军事功能对设计的影响程度，对中国民用航空公司也可能有用，但没有西方航空机构认可的适航认证，从而限制了海外销售。

 

The 10-ton category has been a notable gap in Avicopter’s increasingly complete range of helicopters, which runs from 1 to 13 tons gross weight, including several types in development.

10吨级的飞机在中航工业直升机公司（Avicopter）日益全面的直升机系列中是一个显著空白，其直升机总重在1至13吨之间，其中包括几种类型的直升机。

补充资料：直-20 来源：百度百科

早在2006年10月31日举行的珠海航展上，中国航空工业公司的展台上赫然出现了10吨级通用运输直升机的模型 。

根据官方资料披露，直20于2010年立项，计划2014年首飞，2017年投放使用。未来，直20也可能像美军的黑鹰那样，经过改进的直20完全可能衍生出一个适用于各军种的庞大家族。