The Zhi-9 (Z-9) army utility helicopter licensed-built version of the Aérospatiale (now Eurocopter) AS 365N Dauphin II. The helicopter has been built by Harbin Aircraft Manufacture Company (HAMC) since the early 1980s. The Z-9 is probably the foremost created helicopter in China, with over 200 machines delivered to each military and civilian customers. The Z-9s in service with the PLA available in three variants: army utility, naval, and attack.
The Z-9 is mostly clone of the AS 365N Dauphin. The helicopter is of sunshine aluminium alloy (28%) construction with extensive use of composite materials (59%), like glass fibre, and Nomex for added strength and for weight reduction. The helicopter has a four-blade main rotor, with two turboshaft engines mounted side by side on top of the cabin with an air intake on side of motor hump and exhausts at the rear of the hump. The teardrop-shaped body features a tapered boom to the tail fin, a rounded nose and stepped-up cockpit.
The Z-9B is powered by two 550kW (739hp) Turbomeca Arriel-IC1 turboshaft, that is created by SAEC at Zhuzhou as Wozhou-8A (WZ-8A). The fuel capability is 1,140 litre, with possibility for a 400 litre ferry tank. The HAMC is developing a new variant H410A/425/450 powered by two improved 635kW (851hp) Arriel-II turboshaft engines.
