MRO & Manufacturing
T625 GÖKBEY Helicopter Receives Civil Certification in Turkey
Turkey’s T625 GÖKBEY helicopter achieves civil Type Certificate, enabling civilian use and public service roles like air ambulances by 2026.
This article is based on an official press release from TUSAŞ (Turkish Aerospace Industries).
On March 16, 2026, the Turkish aerospace sector reached a historic milestone as the domestically developed T625 GÖKBEY multi-role helicopter received its civil Type Certificate from the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM). Announced via an official statement by TUSAŞ CEO Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu, the certification marks the first time Turkey has certified a domestically designed and manufactured rotary-wing aircraft for civilian passenger transport using its own national aviation authority.
This transition from a strictly military and defense platform into a regulated civil aviation asset opens the door for domestic public service applications, such as air ambulances, and significantly boosts the aircraft’s international export potential. According to the company’s announcement, the achievement represents the culmination of years of successful engineering, production, and testing processes.
The journey to civil certification was a rigorous 10-year process, with the initial application submitted on March 23, 2016, according to a comprehensive industry research report. The SHGM certificate officially confirms that the helicopter’s aerodynamic design, flight performance, engine architecture, and transmission systems meet international civil aviation standards, specifically aligning with EASA CS-29 standards.
The certification campaign involved extensive and meticulous testing. Industry data indicates the process required over 600 technical meetings, more than 180 certification tests, approximately 18,000 flight test points, and the submission of over 800 compliance documents. Notably, this complex process was managed entirely digitally using the KDM-ERP Certification Module, making Turkey one of the few countries globally capable of managing end-to-end aircraft certification on a national digital platform.
In his public statement, TUSAŞ CEO Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu congratulated the engineering teams and highlighted the strategic importance of the achievement, noting that the helicopter was designed with civil applications in mind from its inception.
“Obtaining civil certification positions GÖKBEY as a critical asset in Turkey’s aviation portfolio,” stated Dr. Demiroğlu in the research report.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu also emphasized the historical context during the certificate handover ceremony. According to the provided research, Uraloğlu noted that the milestone crowns TUSAŞ’s journey of independence.
“This certificate makes Turkey one of the few countries that can design, produce, and certify a civil rotary-wing aircraft… without foreign dependence,” Uraloğlu remarked.
Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, the GÖKBEY is a 6-ton class, twin-engine multi-role utility helicopter. According to technical specifications provided in the research report, the aircraft measures 15.87 meters in length and has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 6,050 kilograms. It is designed to accommodate two crew members and up to 12 passengers. The aircraft boasts a maximum cruise speed of 306 km/h, a service ceiling of 6,096 meters (20,000 feet), and a standard range of over 740 kilometers, which can be extended to 948 kilometers with the use of auxiliary tanks. It features a full glass cockpit equipped with advanced ASELSAN avionics, including wide touchscreen displays and a four-axis dual redundant automatic flight control system.
Currently, the GÖKBEY is powered by two LHTEC CTS800-4A turboshaft engines, each providing 1,024 kW of power. However, the research report notes that future production units are slated to utilize the indigenous TEI TS1400 engine, which successfully completed its first test-flights on the GÖKBEY platform in April 2023.
Following the baseline civil certification, TUSAŞ is moving rapidly to deploy the GÖKBEY in public service roles. The company plans to obtain a specific certification for an air ambulance configuration within the next three to four months. By the end of 2026, the first three GÖKBEY helicopters are scheduled to be delivered to the Turkish Ministry of Health for use as air ambulances, according to the research report.
Furthermore, TUSAŞ is leveraging the GÖKBEY’s technology to develop a larger, 10-ton firefighting helicopter capable of carrying four tons of water for the General Directorate of Forestry. First flights for this variant are expected by late 2026 or early 2027, with deliveries targeted to begin in 2028.
The civil certification of the T625 GÖKBEY represents a highly successful pivot of military research and development into the commercial and civil sectors. Originally conceived in 2013 to replace aging military fleets for the Turkish Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, the platform’s approval by a civil aviation authority demonstrates that Turkey’s defense ecosystem can produce commercially viable, regulated civilian products.
We view this milestone as a critical enabler for international exports. In the global aviation market, civil authority approval is a strict prerequisite for sales. By targeting European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification next, TUSAŞ is positioning the GÖKBEY to compete directly with established Western rotorcraft manufacturers. This aligns perfectly with Turkey’s broader “National Technology Initiative” (Milli Teknoloji Hamlesi), which aims to drastically reduce foreign dependency in critical aerospace sectors.
The T625 GÖKBEY’s Path to Civil Certification
A Decade-Long Digital Certification Process
Leadership Perspectives
Technical Specifications and Capabilities
Performance and Avionics
Engine Development
Future Outlook: Air Ambulances and Firefighting
Expanding the Fleet
AirPro News analysis
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The T625 GÖKBEY is a new-generation, twin-engine, 6-ton class multi-role utility helicopter developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ). It is designed to carry two crew members and up to 12 passengers.
Issued by the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM), the Type Certificate confirms the helicopter meets international civil aviation standards (EASA CS-29), allowing it to be used for civilian passenger transport and public services.
According to industry reports, the first three GÖKBEY helicopters are scheduled to be delivered to the Turkish Ministry of Health for use as air ambulances by the end of 2026.Sources
Photo Credit: TUSAŞ