Korea Aerospace Industries LTD (KAI) announced on the 5th that the company successfully performed the first flight ground test of the LCH (Light Civil Helicopter) at its headquarters.

The LCH showed off its first flight performances for about 20 minutes after take-off, vindicating its flight safety.

Setting out from development of the H155B1-based LCH on June 2015, KAI is applying state-of-the-art technologies to the main gear box, cockpit and canopy of the helicopter. Also it is equipped with a main rotor and tail rotor with low vibration noise.

The first prototype was manufactured in France by AH (Airbus Helicopter) in order to acquire the EASA certificate (European Aviation Safety Agency) and completed its first flight on July 2018 with the aim to acquire EASA's certificate in September 2020.

The second prototype is the first civil helicopter made in the domestic prodcution lines that were built in accordance with AH quality requirements to get EASA certification on the coming years through the serial helicopter manufacturing.

KAI will jointly manufacture the LCH with AH on export markets, raising export competitiveness of the inidigineous helicopter.

As the LCH can mount diverse equipment onto it, depending on its missions, the copter can be utilized for diverse purposes like firefighting, police, coastguard and forest agencies, and also in applications like an EMS, VIP transport.