Mi-8/17, Μi-38, Mi-26: News

Mi-8 'Terminator' Crews Begin Extreme Survival Training in Siberia



Mi-8 AMTSh "Terminator" and Mi-26 helicopter crews at the Khabarovsk army aviation base began multi-day exercises to test their survival skills in the harsh Siberian winter.

Mi-8 AMTSh "Terminator" and Mi-26 helicopter crews in stationed Khabarovsk began "survival training" exercises in extreme winter conditions, the head of the Eastern Military District's press service, Colonel Aleksandr Gordeyev announced on Monday.

"During the special training, each crew of the air base, instructed by the head of the airborne search and rescue service, will test itself in the extreme conditions of the Far Eastern winter," Gordeyev said.

According to Gordeyev, crew members will be forced to leave their helicopters in a simulated crash landing scenario in an uninhabited area. From there they will have to move to a point assigned by the commander, build a fire and equip the area for possible night lodging using parachutes and improvised materials.

From there, crews will have to find and mark a landing zone for a helicopter, practice giving emergency first aid and figure out food and water supplies before search and rescue crew arrive.

The Khabarovsk Army Aviation base was named the best base in the Russian Armed Forces in 2014. Its crews conduct combat training not only in mainland Russia, but also in the Arctic and Russia's Pacific Islands.

The Mi-8AMTSh "Terminator" helicopter is an armored assault modification of the Mi-8 transport helicopter. Its main role is to carry cargo and troops and support them with firepower. For this task, it is equipped with Shturm-V or Ataka-V anti-tank guided missiles, Igla air-to-air missiles and two 7.62 mm machine guns. The helicopter can carry 36 troops or 4,000 kg of payload in its cargo compartment in addition to 4,000 of cargo externally.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150209/1017989968.html#ixzz3RG3AR9xK

Rostvertol to Produce 8 Mi-26 Helicopters in 2015

Russia’s Rostvertol plans to manufacture seven or eight Mi-26 helicopters of various modifications for domestic and foreign customers in 2015. This information was presented by a source in the Russian military-industrial complex.

“In 2015, Rostvertol will produce the Mi-26s for the Russian Air Force, the upgraded Mi-26T2 for a foreign customer, as well as the fourth Mi-26TS for China. A total of seven or eight Mi-26 helicopters of various modifications will be manufactured in 2015,” the source stated, noting that the company may produce additional Mi-26s for the Russian Air Force in the short run.

In accordance with the long-term state contract, Rostvertol shall provide the Russian Defence Ministry with 20 Mi-26 helicopters. In 2011-2013, more than 10 helicopters were delivered to the Russian Air Force. In addition, it was planned to complete development work for creating modifications based on the Mi-26T2 for the Russian Air Force in 2016.

https://rostechnologiesblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/rostvertol-to-produce-8-mi-26-helicopters-in-2015/

TV7-117V engine for the Mi-38 will be certified in May

Assembly of a fuselage for Arctic version of Mi-8 helicopters is being completed
Russian Aviaton » Friday April 24, 2015 17:29 MSK

Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (part of Russia Helicopters Holding Company) is developing Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopter designed for operation in the Arctic Region, Voenno-Promishlenniy Courier reports.

«The fuselage assembly is being completed. We are receiving documentation for installation of systems. The helicopter should be transferred to the final assembly workshop in April. The work (including testing) should be completed in October or November,» a source said.

He noted that the Arctic version of the helicopter differs from the traditional vehicles: it has upgraded navigation system, special flight preparation system, which uses TA-14 auxiliary power unit, as well as additional equipment designed to make the crew more comfortable.

«Taking into account the aspects of flights performed in the North above the featureless terrain, the decision was made to equip the helicopters with inertial navigation system in addition to satellite navigation. Such systems are installed on Tu-95MS bombers,» the source said.

He added that TA-14 auxiliary power unit after the start under temperatures of around -50 Celsius allows bleeding hot air (+100 Celsius) and heating the main engines and cockpit in order to carry out flight preparation.

In order to improve the life-support system, ventilation and heating systems have been upgraded. In addition, the crews must wear immersion suits during flights; the suits are designed to help pilots survive in case of emergency landing in the Arctic Region.

Mi-8/17 helicopters developed by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant are one of the most successful programs of the national helicopter industry. The most important advantages of these vehicles, which helped them gain confidence of operators all over the world, are: outstanding aircraft performance, reliability, ability to be operated at air temperatures varying from -50 to +50°C, versatility and ease of operation.

The field of application of Mi-8/17 Family helicopters is constantly expanding thanks to constant upgrade and ability to carry a vast nomenclature of additional equipment.

Mi-26T completes unique transport mission
Russian Aviaton » Thursday May 14, 2015 14:21 MSK

The world's heaviest-lifting commercial helicopter, the Mi-26T, produced by Russian Helicopters (part of State Corporation Rostec) has successfully completed a mission to transport the 14-tonne fuselage of a Mi-26 military transport helicopter from Yoshkar-Ola to Rostov-on-Don. The Mi-26(T) helicopter is the only model able to fly while carrying cargo this size and weight. The fuselage was transported by Rostvertol-Avia for repair work as ordered by Experimental Design Bureau Rostov-Mil.

“The operation to transport the fuselage took nine days,” Rostvertol-Avia Airlines’ crew commander Valery Chumakov said. “The route passed through Cheboksary, Ulyanovsk, Saransk, Penza, Saratov, Kamyshin, Volgograd, and Volgodonsk. There were various weather conditions along the route – from winter to summer – but that did not cause any difficulties. I have been working on Mi-26Ts for over 15 years and can say with confidence that this helicopter is ideally suited to operations like this.”

Similar operations, to transport several helicopter fuselages to Rostvertol locations for further repair work, were carried out in 2009. Thanks to these and other operations the Mi-26T has proved to be the most effective, and in some cases the only possible, way to transport large cargo boasting complex dimensions internally in its internal cabin or on its external sling from a range of remote locations.

Mi-26 helicopters are also used to transport paratroopers, the sick and injured, to deliver fuel and extinguish fires. Preparatory work is currently underway at Rostvertol for the series production of the upgraded Mi-26T – the Mi-26T2 helicopter with reduced crew and the latest avionics. These modernisations significantly increase flight safety, improve its ergonomics, and facilitate the work of the helicopter crew.

The Mi-26T was designed based on the military transport Mi-26 helicopter. Work to design the initial model by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (now part of Russian Helicopters) started in the 1970s and it was first unveiled to the global public at the Paris airshow in 1981, after the USSR Defence Ministry recommended serial production be launched. It enjoyed such international success that the decision was taken to develop a commercial model, the Mi-26T. Serial production was launched on that in 1985. Unlike its predecessor, the helicopter was fitted with additional radio communications, avionics, and navigation systems, and an automatic hover system. It was also stripped of its military counterpart's arms and armour. This new commercial model quickly found a broad range of commercial uses, and a number of different configurations of it started to appear on the market.

In 1996, flight tests began on the re-fuelling variant of the Mi-26T, and in 1997 the fire-fighting model took to the skies. Thanks to the Mi-26T's outstanding characteristics, it has been used in a number of unique missions. In Krasnoyarsk Territory in 1999 it was used to carry a mammoth encased in a block of ice. In 2001, the Mi-26T helped restore the cupola and cross to the church in Pavlovskaya settlement, Krasnodar. In 2002 and 2009 it helped evacuate 11-tonne fuselages from US Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters that had crashed in Afghanistan. In 2009, the Mi-26T transported a 27-metre Alinghi 5 catamaran, and a Tu-134 passenger plane. No helicopter in the history of the helicopter-building industry has ever carried out operations of this scale.

This year marks 30 years since serial production was launched on the Mi-26T. This anniversary of the production of these helicopters, which can lift up to 20-tonnes of cargo, was marked by Rostvertol (part of Russian Helicopters), which produces this model.

Russian Helicopters launches series production of the new heavy Mi-26T2 helicopter
22.05.2015 / Moscow

Russian Helicopters (part of State Corporation Rostec) has launched series production on the heavy Mi-26T2 helicopter at Rostvertol. The Mi-26T2 is a modernised version of the Mi-26T, equipped with the latest avionics, making it possible to cut the number of crew required and also to operate the helicopter during night-time.

“We announce the start of production on the modernised heavy Mi-26T2 helicopter,” said delegation head, deputy CEO of Russian Helicopters Andrey Shibitov. “Mi-26 helicopters are unparalleled in terms of their flight capabilities, and this modernisation significantly expands their potential operational use. I am confident that the Mi-26T2 will be popular in Russia and internationally.”

Creating heavy helicopters poses particularly complex design challenges, and Russia has immense, unique experience developing and producing these machines. For example, it was Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant that developed the Mi-6 heavy helicopter, which was produced at Rostov on Don from 1959 to 1980. The Mil Moscow Design Bureau also developed the unique V-12 (Mi-12) heavy helicopter, which was not put into series production for economic reasons. The military Mi-26 helicopter and its commercial variant Mi-26T have been produced at Rostvertol from 1980 right up until the present day, and these machines have proven themselves in all areas of their operation. The helicopter has set cargo transportation records – the Mi-26T can carry a cargo of 20 tonnes inside its cabin or on an external sling.

Complex modernisation of the Mi-26T into the Mi-26T2 was implemented by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant jointly with Rostvertol, under Russian Helicopters auspices. The preparation of design and operational documentation for the helicopter concluded in 2010. Rostvertol was simultaneously developing an improved Mi-26T in the form of the modernised prototype Mi-26T2. In December 2010, the Mi-26T2 prototype was transferred from the final assembly workshop at Rostvertol to the flight test centre for delivery acceptance and final ground and flight tests, which concluded in 2011.

On 17 February 2011, the modernised Mi-26T2 helicopter completed its first flight at Rostvertol. That March, ground and flight demonstrations of the Mi-26T2 were given for international delegations. In August 2011, the helicopter was showcased at the MAKS-2011 airshow and sparked significant interest among visitors and potential customers.

In 2013, a major delivery contract for the Mi-26T2 was concluded with a foreign country, and Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant started developing design documentation to meet this customer's particular requirements. Throughout 2014, Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant carried out preliminary and special flight tests on the Mi-26T2 prototype. The necessary working design documentation is currently being prepared ahead of launching series production of the Mi-26T2. The modernised Mi-26T2 helicopter meets the latest standards in international aircraft construction. Crew numbers are reduced from 5 to 2-3 people.

The Mi-26T2's design, equipment, and systems mean that it can be operated at any time of day or night, in regular or difficult weather conditions, over even ground or in mountainous areas. Like the Mi-26T, this new helicopter does not need to be maintained or serviced at an airfield, and can be based autonomously for long periods of time.

The Mi-26T2 is equipped with a glass cabin, five multifunction LCD displays, control board, duplicate electromechanical instruments, and an upgraded digital communications suite. On-board video displays offer clear visuals of the cargo on the external sling during the day.

The Mi-26T2's navigation suite significantly increases the extent of flight control automation, easing the crew's role. The Mi-26T2 boasts enhanced safety. Its early ground proximity warning systems alert crew if the helicopter is nearing the ground. The in-flight situation, obstacle and collision warning system identifies possible collisions and gives clear control over airspace to a radius of 9-11 km around the helicopter, sending requests to all aircraft in this area.

For in-flight comfort at low or high temperatures, the helicopter is equipped with air conditioning and heating systems in the crew and cargo cabins.

The helicopter is equipped with special features to ease the loading and unloading of the transport cabin. Like its predecessor, the Mi-26T, the Mi-26T2 can be used to transport large sized cargo and equipment in the cargo cabin or on an external swing, to transport paratroopers, or the wounded. This helicopter can be used to carry out a variety of construction and assembly work, and can also be used to deliver fuel (kerosene, diesel fuel), for the autonomous ground-based refuelling of a range of aircraft and other vehicles, in addition to its fire-fighting capabilities.

http://www.russianhelicopters.aero/en/press/news/Mi-26T2_serial_production_starts/

Russian Helicopters successfully conclude flight tests on the Mi-171A2 flying laboratory
Russian Aviaton » Tuesday May 26, 2015 21:58 MSK

The Mi-171A2 flying laboratory has concluded the second phase of preliminary flight tests. A total of 67 ground runs and 72 flights were carried out at the flight test centre at Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, a Russian Helicopters enterprise (part of State Corporation Rostec).

During phase one, 43 flights were conducted on the helicopter, which was kitted out with its rotor system comprising modified components – the new main polymer composite main rotor blades and X-shaped tail rotor. The second phase of tests saw the installation of VK-2500PS-03 engines and BARK-6V7S digital regulation and control systems, a modified stabiliser and antitorque. The tests were designed to review the VK-2500PS-03 engines, stabiliser, antitorque, and main rotor with a view to carrying out additional certification testing on the Mi-171A2.

The report compiled based on the results of the preliminary flight tests was in line with the positive reviews provided by test pilots. The tests confirmed the helicopter's aircraft performance characteristics met those specified in the design documentation.

Currently the flying laboratory is being re-equipped for tethered ground testing – the helicopter will be installed on-site after the Mi-38 concludes relay testing. This phase of tests will focus on the rotor transmission and control mechanisms, establishing whether they meet flight regulation AP-29.

The first prototype of the Mi-171A2 will simultaneously undergo preliminary tests, with 42 out of 178 flights already concluded. The second prototype of the Mi-171A2 is currently undergoing final preparations and will soon be incorporated into this flight test programme.

Unlike the flying laboratory, the first and second Mi-171A2 prototypes are equipped with a integrated digital KBO-17 avionics suite developed by Ulyanovsk Instrument Design Bureau (part of Radioelectronic Technologies). This system is built to a 'glass cockpit' design and makes it possible to cut crew numbers to two people. The KBO-17 suite makes it possible to carry out flights day and night in regular and difficult weather conditions – delivering a qualitatively new level of crew performance. This equipment meets the latest requirements relating to communications, navigation, and control. Thanks to the on-board controls monitoring the condition of the helicopter's various systems and components, the helicopter can be operated in line with its technical condition.