Sikorsky and its PZL Mielec affiliate are to begin a two-month, 13-city tour across the Caribbean and Latin America to demonstrate the short take-off and landing capabilities of its M28 twin-turboprop aircraft.

Planned to start by March, the flight and ground demonstrations will be held in Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Mexico.

Equipped with high-lift wing, thrust-reversing propellers and two 820kW Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-65B turboprop engines, the 7,500kg M28 turboprop can accommodate 19 passengers.

"The M28 twin-turboprop airplane is ideally suited for the Caribbean and Latin America."

The M28’s clamshell rear door can also be converted for paratroop, cargo and casualty evacuation missions.

Capable of taking off and landing on rough 345m-long airstrips, the aircraft can carry up to 2,300kg of cargo.

Sikorsky Latin America vice-president Adam Schierholz said: "The M28 twin-turboprop airplane is ideally suited for the Caribbean and Latin America.

"We are bringing this reliable and powerful aircraft to show prospective operators its extraordinary short take-off and landing capabilities, and the many ways to benefit from its exceptional range, payload capacity and multirole flexibility."

More than 100 M28 aircraft are currently being used worldwide in both commercial and military configurations, providing passenger transport, parachute training, border patrol and fisheries protection.

In addition, Sikorsky secured a deal for the third phase of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) aircrew labour in-cockpit automation system (ALIAS) programme.

The ALIAS programme aims to reduce pilot workload, boost mission performance, and improve aircraft safety and reliability.

Image: A Sikorsky M28 twin turboprop aircraft. Photo: courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corporation.