Aerospace

Meet Turkish Newest Helicopter T925 Utility Helicopter

Turkish TAI is one of the companies in the aerospace industry that is developing the fastest since it is releasing back-to-back aircraft for the defense industry. The KAAN 5th generation fighter, UAV, and other fighter jets were just recently launched. It is now getting ready to demonstrate its medium-capacity helicopter in competition with the Mi 17.

Turkish TAI will display their upcoming Heavy class helicopter at the Paris Airshow in 2023.(Opens in a new browser tab)

For the first time, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is displaying the T925 Utility Helicopter on a full scale. The remarkable TAI products ANKA, AKSUNGUR, T929 Attack Helicopter, and Unmanned Cargo Helicopter are shown alongside the helicopter, which has the tail number “TC-925,” in the static area.

The first flight is scheduled to take place after the T925’s manufacture is finished, which is expected to happen in 2024.

Turkey unveils new T929 heavy attack Helicopter(Opens in a new browser tab)

Temel Kotil, the general manager of TAI, had previously declared that the T925’s inaugural flight would occur on March 18 of that year.

Turkish Aerospace has spent many years developing its idea for a large helicopter. Prior to now, it was believed to be primarily focused on military requirements, possibly displacing larger helicopters currently in use by Turkey’s military.

Turkey is giving Tejas a tough battle while dealing with the Malasysian Fighter Jet proposal.(Opens in a new browser tab)

The Gökbey has a main rotor diameter of 13.20 m and is 15.87 m long, whereas the T925, also known as General Purpose II by Turkish Aerospace Industries CEO Temel Kotil, is 19.95 m long and has a main rotor diameter of 17.3 m. According to Temel Kotil, the General Purpose II actually fills a requirement for expanded transport capacity, notably in terms of passengers. Whereas the T625 can carry 12, the T925 will be able to carry 18.

Turkey’s future trainer jet conducts first flight(Opens in a new browser tab)

Performance-wise, the General Purpose II will be inferior to the Gökbey with a range of 370.4 km and an operational range of up to 3 hours. The service ceiling will be 20,000 feet (or 6096 meters).

transport of troops and equipment,
search, and rescue,
VIP transport,
firefighting,
medical transport.

TAI has got more attention from the industry and which is also served the best in class categories. Current plans call for the production of around 24 Gokbey helicopters per year in 2025 and ramping up to as many as 40 a year in 2027.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.