KHS-50:
The KHS-50 is the first domestic design produced by Kokunai after the license-building of the YS-11s. Aiming at providing a smaller and more affordable plane for small regional airlines, the mjanufacturer designed what could be considered as a domestic direct competitor for both the Fokker and Fairchild-Hiller 27s, which proved to be widely popular in Kokoan regional service. The KHS-50-100 is a low-wing monoplanre with a conventional tail that cas seat up to 48 passengers. Kokunai based the cockpit design on the YS-11 to offer more commonality to airlines already operating both the Japanese and license-built vrersions. The airplane is 23,76 meters long, has a wingpsan of 27,48 and a MTOW (maximum-takeoff weight) of 18.809kg. Fitted with two General Electric GE CT7 turboprops, each sporting four bladed propellers, it can reach a cruise speed of 460 km/h and a service ceiling of 7.714m. Operationalrange is up to 2.177km.
The model entered service in 1978 with launch customer Megami Koku (which initially ordered two). The first order from a foreign airline came in 1982. However, sales were quite lackuster: 50 were built until 1993, 23 for Kokoan airlines, 25 for foreign users and two after an order for the Kokoan Air Force.
As an effort to improve sales, KHS produced the improved 50-200 model. The airframe was stretched to 25,62 meters of length, allowing to carry 56 to 60 passengers with a MTOW of 19.868kg. Engine wise, two P&W Canada PW125B turboprops, fitted with six bladed propellers replaced the CT7, allowing for an increased speed to 478 km/h. The drawback was a reduced range of 1.923km. The new model sold fairly better: Air Tenji was th launch customer, with an order for 8, and introduced the 50-200 in scheduled service in 1987. By the time production ended, in 2001, 122 airframes had left the assembly line. 31 were built for domestic airlines by 1996, the fastest start of a Kokoan airliner into the Kokoan market (the late KHS/EAC-80-100 AND EAC-80-200 both outsold the 50-200, but did not sell that fast at first). 87 were delivered to foreign customers and four as transport aircrafts for the Kokoan Navy.
Overall, 172 KHS-50 turboprops were built, 77 (all of the 50-200 model) are still in service: 2 in kokoan service, 4 with the Navy and 71 with foreign operators.