Turkish-Built Hurkus Passes EASA Test Flight

The Hurkus, an indigenous basic trainer built by Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), passed a critical flight test that may pave the way for its certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

TAI announced that two Hurkus prototypes, HUR01 and HUR02 were tested by EASA’s flighttest pilot and flight test engineer on March 22-25.

The company said the tests were performed successfully after six sorties of certification adaptation flights.

EASA’s test flight pilot and engineer “did not find any incompatibility” for certification, the company said.

TAI’s engineers started to design the Hurkus, a basic trainer aircraft, in 2004. TAI is busy designing the Hurkus C, a light attack (armed) version of the aircraft. The firm said the Hurkus C will look like the Super Tucano in its defined mission. It will have a 1,600 hp engine, an improvement from the Korean KT-1 basic trainer’s 950 hp.

TAI said it hopes to start deliveries of the Hurkus basic trainer in 2018. For the Hurkus program, TAI has signed two contracts with Turkey’s procurement agency: one for prototype development and the other for serial production.

Two Hurkus are now in the skies while two others are going through tests. Under the June 2014 serial production contract, TAI will deliver 15 aircraft with a follow on option for 40 more.