Products & Services

Denel Aeronautics has an extensive and well-established Engineering and Flight Test capability within the Continued Airworthiness and System Integration department. The primary responsibility resides in the management as Original Equipment Manufacturer and the Design Authority of the Rooivalk Attack Helicopter, the Oryx Medium Transport Helicopter and the Cheetah Fixed Wing Tactical aircraft. This creation and development of specialist skill sets across a multitude of aviation categories and environments provides Denel Aeronautics to inclusively offer clients the capacity to develop aircraft (fixed and Rotary wing) and aircraft systems from concept or sub-system integration onto both Rotary and Fixed Wing platforms.

A robust System Engineering process is followed to ensure that all work performed complies with the latest international regulations and standards with an inclusive process from Requirements capture (including certification and qualification) to phase out and disposal. The approach utilises the skill set within Denel Aeronautics, Engineering Services to complement the System Engineering capacity. The development approach is enhanced with in house Integrated Logistic Support, Reliability, Availability and Maintainability engineering resources and integrated Logistics Information Management (Configuration Management and Technical Publication development) with and independent oversight though an Airworthiness function.

Over the years the Continued Airworthiness and System Integration department has integrated functional roles and complexities of both operations and testing seamlessly to produce an organisation that is flexible, agile and able to adapt, ensuring delivery to customers whilst meeting both the required design and operational parameters. The operation is adjacent to OR Tambo International Airport with the direct access to runways which places Denel Aviation in an ideal location. The facility is at an elevation of 5500ft above sea level and summer temperatures reaching 30°C, the capability offers unique for hot and high testing of rotary and fixed wing aircraft. Flight testing can also be supported from other sites including the Denel Overberg Test Range (DOTR) based in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Engineering Systems Integration and Flight Test Capability

• Airworthiness and aerodynamics for continued airworthiness
• Avionics and weapons systems integration for aircraft development and upgrades
• Aeromechanical systems integration for aircraft development and upgrades
• Software engineering and software development for airborne systems. Class A Certified secure software development environment compliant with RTCA/DO-178C
• Integrated logistic support (ILS)
• Reliability, availability, maintainability (RAM) engineering
• Information management (configuration management, technical publications and libraries)
• CATIA and CAD design and development tools
• Flight testing for development and maintenance:
  • On-board instrumentation and recording capability
  • World-class test pilots and flight test engineers
  • Proprietary airflow analysis software
  • Real-time data processing, formatting and display through open network data system
  • Mobile telemetry support of flight tests at remote sites
  • Full photographic and video facilities
  • Design, manufacturing and installation of flight test instrumentation
  • Support for aircraft modifications from Denel Aeronautics Design and Manufacturing organisations.
  • Pre-flight calibration of flight test parameters traceable to national standards, with all documentation under configuration control.