Mi-8/17, Μi-38, Mi-26: News

Plans for the creation of a promising helicopter turboshaft engine PD-8V
August 13th

The Zhukovsky Vesti web resource in Yuri Ponomarev's article "Changing Horses at the Crossing" reported that there were changes in the remotorization program for a heavy transport helicopter: instead of the PD-12V engine, it is planned to install a promising PD-8V turboshaft engine.

For more than forty years, serial heavy transport helicopters of the Mi-26 family have been equipped with Ukrainian turboshaft engines (TVD) D-136 (power in takeoff mode 10 thousand hp) manufactured by Motor Sich. After the adoption of sanctions in 2014, it was decided to develop and test a domestic PD-12V engine with a takeoff power of 11.5 thousand hp in a short time. for the remotorization of the Mi-26 rotorcraft.

In 2017, the stage of preliminary design of the PD-12V engine was completed. A year ago, the development of the PD-12V motor was at the stage of development work (R&D). The PD-12V engine was developed at the Perm JSC UEC-Aviadvigatel based on the gas generator of the PD-14 turbofan engine for the MS-21-310 airliner. The start of flight tests of the Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter with the PD-12V engine was scheduled for 2023. Their completion and approval for the production of an experimental batch of PD-12V were planned for 2025.

In the Comprehensive Program for the Development of the Air Transport Industry until 2030, adopted at the end June of this year, there is a mention of the production of 5 Mi-26T2 / TS helicopters for civilian customers until 2030, there is not a single line about the serial production of the PD-12V engine for a helicopter.

Work on the remotorization of the Mi-26 was initiated by the Russian military. The largest part of the Mi-26 family of helicopters is operated by the Russian military. However, Russian commercial operators currently operate 17 machines of this type.

In the spring of this year, information appeared that instead of the PD-12V TVD, during the remotorization of the Mi-26 helicopter, the PD-8V TVD, a version of the PD-8 engine for helicopters, will be installed on the machine. The PD-8 engine is based on technical solutions implemented in the certified PD-14 engine. Created on the basis of the gas generator of the PD-14 engine, intended for installation on the short-medium haul aircraft MS-21-310, the derated PD-8 engine will have a thrust of 7.9 tf.

The first prototype of the new domestic PD-8 engine passed bench tests in the spring of this year, now the next step is flight tests of the engine at the LII. M.M. Gromov at the end of 2022 - the beginning of 2023. The PD-8 motor is created using Russian materials and modern technologies, including 3D printing. The work involves a wide cooperation of enterprises of the United Engine Corporation (UEC). Work on the PD-8 engine is carried out by five structural divisions of the corporation at once. The lead developer and integrator is the UEC-Saturn enterprise (Rybinsk).

To improve the performance of the PD-8V TVD, it will be equipped with an electronic control system of the FADEC type.

The remotorized helicopters of the Mi-26 family will also receive a new auxiliary unit (APU) TA18-100 instead of the current APU TA-8V.

In the civil sector of the domestic aviation industry, after the events of 2014, import substitution programs were not implemented to the required extent. Based on the example of the replacement of the PD-12V engine with the PD-8V on Mi-26 family helicopters, it can be concluded that defense industry enterprises cannot cope with the “surging” volumes of urgent import substitution.

The first modernized Mi-26T2 helicopter was handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia
28.12.2022

In accordance with the agreement on the supply of Mi-26T2 heavy helicopters for the Russian Emergencies Ministry, which was signed during the Army-2020 International Military-Technical Forum, the Russian Helicopters holding handed over the first helicopter to the customer. This was reported in the press service of the holding.

The Mi-26T2 heavy class helicopter is an upgraded version of the Mi-26T. Thanks to modern avionics, the crew of the updated vehicle has been reduced from five to three people. The new radio-electronic equipment (avionics) and the system for indicating the main indicators of instruments on electronic displays - the "glass cockpit" - significantly expand the operational capabilities of the helicopter, increase piloting comfort, reduce the load on the crew and allow flights at any time of the day. The Mi-26T2 is also equipped with an early warning system for the proximity of the ground. At the same time, almost all systems are duplicated to ensure a greater level of security.

“This is the first helicopter from the Mi-26 line that was delivered to the Russian Emergencies Ministry in this configuration. Now there are six such large helicopters in the fleet of the department. It will be deployed in the Southern Aviation Rescue Center and provide security for the Southern and Central federal districts. But if necessary, it can be transferred to any region outside these districts. We will involve an aircraft both for the transfer of airmobile groups, the evacuation of the injured, and for extinguishing natural fires, ”said Alexander Kurenkov, head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry.

The avionics includes a flight and navigation system, an inertial navigation system, and a GLONASS navigation system. On-board radio-electronic equipment with a digital autopilot can not only guide the Mi-26T2 along the route, but also provide it with an automated landing approach hovering at a given altitude. In one flight, the vehicle is capable of evacuating up to 82 people from the scene of a disaster, and in the sanitary version, it can transport up to 60 victims and three accompanying medical workers. In addition, the Mi-26T2 is capable of carrying 20 tons of cargo of any configuration.

The maximum takeoff weight of the helicopter is 56 tons with a weight of 20 tons of cargo. The Mi-26T2 can climb to a height of up to 4600 meters, cruising speed is 255 km/h (maximum is 295 km/h). Range - 800 kilometers with a normal load (1905 kilometers - ferry range).