The Kish Trade Fair Fails to Realize Expectations

From ACIG.org

ACIG Special Reports
The Kish Trade Fair Fails to Realize Expectations
By Liam F. Devlin
Jan 21, 2005, 16:12

The much expected and once postponned "Persian Gulf Air Show 2005" - as Kish Air Show was re-named, failed to realize great expectations.

The presence of new developments at the show was minimal – if not by all means non-existent – and thus disappointing to many international press-representants who had come to see something at least like two years back.

The empty flight line consisted of two An-140 commuter aircraft (one Ukrainian and another Iranian Ir.An-140 belonging to the Safiran airlines), Fajr-3 all-composite light plane, Ava-202 light plane, several ultralights, IHSRC’s AB.212/Bell 214/AB.206 Long Ranger, Navid Air Co. Mil Mi-171 with cargo ramp, Kish Air Fokker F.50, National Iranian Oil Company’s Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil, and finally the only Iranian design of the show: the Shahed Industry’s Shahed 278 light helicopter with a “Death to America” slogan painted underneath it!

A late-comer was a KrasAir Tu-204 airliner, named after General Alexander Lebed.

The in-door spaces – although larger and better organized compared to the first show – were by no means comparable to contemporary air exhibitions, like Dubai Airshow. There was reportedly no press conferences or press releases, no daily publications, and apparently no significant contract (except an unconfirmed contract for Fokker 70s) or project announcement at the fair.

The Iranian Air Force was one of the major absentees of the show: it is reported that the IRIAF and IRIAA, which otherwise display their aircraft at any other opportunity, boycotted the show for unknown reasons. This is why this time we are not in position to to show any fancy F-5 or F-4 photos.

The only item related to the IRIAF shown was a model of the TF.30 engine, used to power the Grumman F-14 Tomcat.

The following is a photo review of the attention-worthy parts of the "Persian Gulf Air Exhibition".

HESA’a Ababil UAV in two colours. The significant addition to these designs are the rotating camera turret to Mohajer-2, and the transparent camera nose dome to Ababil.

Faraz Asia Technologies Company’s Faraz II surveillance mini-RPV with an endurance of 30 minutes. This private company had also brought in a pulse jet engine reminiscent of that of the German V-1 flying bomb from WWII!

Model of the original Vityazh/I-2000 light combat aircraft (called M-ATF in Iran) which later gave way to the Integral trainer concept. Note the more swept wing section.

The well-known model of the Shafagh. The Malek Ashtar University which now has inherited the project, hopes against hope that the Shafagh will at lat get airborne someday. However, it is not yet beyond mock-up stage.

Malek Ashtar University’s “Flying Boat” ground effect project. At least two prototypes have successfully been flown. It normally fles 0.5 to 4 metres above water, but a maximum 50m flight level is also possible. It enjoys a cruising speed of 140km/h.

Toloue-4 mini jet engine built at IACI’s engine industries (TEM). It is a reverse-engineered French design, and is currently being used on C-802/Noor anti-ship missiles, as well as a jet-powered UAV/target drone. It can produce 3.7kN of trust with an RPM of 29,500. Toloue-4 is a three-stage axial design with a length of 1.3m.

Ukrainian Antonov An-140 (UR-14006) beside a HESA-built Ir.An-140 (EP-SFE) operated by an Iranian airline – Safiran.

A Kish Airlines Fokker F.50. Kish Air operates six F.50s.

Fajr-3 full composite/low-noise light aircraft by Raht Aseman Co. it is powered by a Lycoming six-cylinder engine, delivering 300hp at 2700 RPM. Maximum cruising speed is 65 kts, with a range of 1300km.

Ava-202, light aircraft built by Iranian Aviation Industries.

Navid Air Co. Mil Mi-171 with cargo ramp. It flew once or twice during the show.

“Death to America” billboard or cross-hair magnet;) Shahed Industries Research Centre’s composite Shahed 278 is a relatively light helicopter with 682kg of empty weight. It is capable of hovering as high as 5430m, and has a maximum speed of 230km/h. although designed by the IRGC, this helicopter is scheduled to be produced by HESA.