to20 by avia lduo

june 2011 • Special edition for Paris Air Show 2011

Aircraft family with expanded operational capabilities and a new level of economic efﬁciency 12–15% operational cost reduction in comparison with existing analogues. Innovative design solutions for airframe. Optimal fuselage cross-section to increase the comfort level or to reduce the turnaround time.

SSJ100 launches operations

Expanded operational capabilities.

[p.24]

[p.42]

Cooperation with the world leading suppliers of systems and equipment. Matching future environmental requirements.

Yak-130 more trainers for RusAF

PAK FA two prototypes flying already

MiG-29UPG deliveries soon

[p.22]

Be-200 production moves to Taganrog [p.20] www.irkut.com

Russian helicopter industry on the rise [p. 6, 8, 10, 14, 30, 31, 35]

[p.36]

june 2011 Editor-in-Chief Andrey Fomin

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vladimir Shcherbakov

Editor Yevgeny Yerokhin

Columnist Alexander Velovich Artyom Korenyako

Special correspondents Alexey Mikheyev, Victor Drushlyakov, Andrey Zinchuk, Valery Ageyev, Natalya Pechorina, Marina Lystseva, Dmitry Pichugin, Sergey Krivchikov, Sergey Popsuyevich, Piotr Butowski, Alexander Mladenov, Miroslav Gyurosi

Design and pre-press Grigory Butrin

Translation Yevgeny Ozhogin

Cover picture Alexey Mikheyev

Publisher

Director General Andrey Fomin

Deputy Director General Nadezhda Kashirina

Marketing Director George Smirnov

Business Development Director Mikhail Fomin

News items for “In Brief” columns are prepared by editorial staff based on reports of our special correspondents, press releases of production companies as well as by using information distributed by ITAR-TASS, ARMS-TASS, Interfax-AVN, RIA Novosti, RBC news agencies and published at www.aviaport.ru, www.avia.ru, www.gazeta.ru, www.cosmoworld.ru web sites Items in the magazine placed on this colour background or supplied with a note “Commercial” are published on a commercial basis. Editorial staff does not bear responsibility for the contents of such items. The magazine is registered by the Federal Service for supervision of observation of legislation in the sphere of mass media and protection of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Registration certificate PI FS77-19017 dated 29 November 2004

P.O. Box 7, Moscow, 125475, Russia Tel. +7 (495) 644-17-33, 798-81-19 Fax +7 (495) 644-17-33 E-mail: info@take-off.ru http://www.take-off.ru

Dear reader, You are holding another issue of the Take-Off magazine, the special supplement to Russian monthly aerospace magazine Vzlet, timed to the air show in Le Bourget. The event is considered the most authoritative and prestigious display of the latest achievements of the world’s aerospace industry, with virtually all aircraft manufacturers being eager to participate in the show. By tradition, the Le Bourget air show has been held in high esteem by Russian aerospace companies. It is also regarded as an excellent place to bolster international aerospace cooperation. A graphic example of such cooperation is the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 advanced regional airliner programme pursued by a close-knot team of Russian, French, US and several other foreign companies. This year Sukhoi SuperJet 100 takes part in the Paris Air Show for the second time, but now in a new status – of a production airliner which already started its operation. In April 2011 the first production SSJ100 had entered service with Armavia airline while Aeroflot got its first aircraft of the type in early June. Another programme Russia cooperating heavily with its European and American partners is the Irkut MC-21 prospective short/medium-haul airliner which will be presented by a full-scale mock-up of a 20-m-long fuselage section housing pilots cockpit and passenger cabin for the first time at Le Bourget. Beriev Be-200 amphibian that was certified by EASA last autumn will become one more Russian participant of the flight display programme of this Paris Air Show. By the way Russian-made helicopters are still in great demand in the world market. Last year Russian helicopter industry produced 214 machines and the plan for this year stands for 260 with a future increase up to 300 in 2012. Now our country ranks third in helicopters production and its aim is to win not less than 15 per cent of the world market in the nearest years. Russian Helicopters holding company uniting most of the country’s rotorcraft developers and manufacturers recently has started some new programmes and is now intensifying helicopter production. That’s why Russia’s rotorcraft industry and its main programmes have become the important topics in this issue. As usual Take-Off offers you also a brief review of the other recent most important events in the Russian aerospace industry, commercial and military aviation. I wish all the participants and visitors of this air show in Le Bourget interesting meetings, useful contacts and lucrative contracts and, of course, the pleasure of unforgettable demonstration flights of aircraft from all over the world. Sincerely, Andrey Fomin, Editor-in-Chief, Take-Off magazine

contents

INDUSTRY June 2011

Tu-204SM kicks off certification tests in Zhukovsky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mi-26T2 trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mi-34C1 snags first orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tu-214-ON for Open Skies programme has flown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ka-62 to take to the air in two years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 6 6 8 8

Alexey Samusenko: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Mi-38 may well be called a 21st century helicopterâ&#x20AC;? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Mi-38: successor to legendary Mi-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Amphibian changes its place of origin Be-200 series production in Taganrog kicks off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

MILITARY AVIATION PAK FA: two prototypes in trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Advanced Yaks for RusAF Borisoglebsk Air Force Training Centre receives five Yak-130s . . . . . . . . . . 24

22 24

Su-34 completes official trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Force accepting new Su-27SMs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First Su-35S has flown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mi-28N production on the rise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ka-52 being learnt in Torzhok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26 26 28 30 31

CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES More MiG-29K/KUBs delivered while Vikramaditya kicks off trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Myanmar receives new MiG-29 batch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . India got its third A-50EI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Two Il-76MF freighters ready for Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaveri tests on Russian flying testbed carry on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rostvertol steps up Mi-35 exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

32 32 33 34 34 35

Upgrade of Indian MiG-29s kicks off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Russian An-148s launching operations to Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 An-158 gearing up for new orders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 MC-21 has got 190 orders and waiting for more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

First Sukhoi Superjet launches operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Rysachok: for flying schools and commuter airlines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

FLIGHT SAFETY

46 2

take-off february 2011

Cause of incident: counterfeit parts In the wake of a Mi-26 crash in India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

www.take-off.ru

industry | news

Yevgeny Yerokhin

take-off june 2011

Sergey Alexandrov

The upgraded Tupolev Tu-204SM airliner prototype powered by advanced PS-90A2 engines co-developed by the Aviadvigatel joint stock company and Pratt & Whitney and manufactured by the Perm Engine Company was unveiled to the public on 22 April during the International Air Transport Forum in Ulyanovsk. On the same day, the aircraft flew to Zhukovsky in the Moscow Region, where the main segment of its certification tests began in May. Prior to that, the first Tu-204SM had flown 33 test sorties under the preliminary test programme during December 2010 through April 2011. The airliner’s presentation included a meeting of the leaders of Tupolev and its Ulyanovsk-based affiliate and representatives of Russian airlines that might be interested in Tu-204SM acquisition with the Red Wings, Transaero, Polyot, Volga-Dnepr, Aviastar-TU, Continent and several other Russian carriers among them. During the meeting, special attention was paid to the upgrade of the airliner’s avionics, which made possible the transition to a crew of two. The guests also were shown the manufacturing of other Tu-204SMs in the final assembly shop of the Aviastar-SP close corporation, housing two more airliners at various degrees of completion. The second aircraft (c/n 64151) could be rolled out to the in-house flight test facility come June and the third one (c/n 64152) in November. A tentative schedule of the future full-rate Tu-204SM production by Aviastar-SP in 2012–2016 was

Tupolev JSC

Tu-204SM kicks off certification tests in Zhukovsky

presented at the forum. According to the diagram displayed, the first production-standard airliner (c/n 64153) could be made in July next year, with 2012 to see four production-standard aircraft made and two prototypes to be groomed for delivery (first, 64152 and then 64150). The Tu-204SM annual out-

put is to total eight aircraft in 2013, with c/n 64151 to get up to snuff at the same time. The manufacturer is prepared to make 10 and 11 production aircraft in 2014 and 2015 respectively, with the six final airliners to follow in 2016 (the final plane, c/n 64191, is slated for production in July 2016).

However, the future of the Tu-204SM programme remains hazy. In spite of the governmental decision to support the programme, Alexander Lebedev, a co-owner of the Red Wings airline, the launch customer for the advanced airliner, Vnesheconombank has failed to craft a Tu-204SM leasing mechanism and decisions on the plane’s price, delivery dates, penalty provisions, depreciation value, maintenance and spares have not been made yet. To cap it all, a key driving force behind the programme, the Ilyushin Finance Co. leasing company, is withdrawing from the programme. Ilyushin Finance Co. Director General Alexander Rubtsov himself has commented on the decision: “After the Ilyushin Finance Co. had worked out the project and proposed the terms of its funding to the government and Vnesheconombank, a number of meetings have taken place, which have resulted in the government’s position that the project is very complicated and difficult and has many factors calling for clarity and supervision. All of the parties have decided that a risky project like that should better be entrusted lock, stock and barrel to a governmental entity, which VEB-Leasing is.” Thus, the future of the programme of production and delivery of 44 Tu-204SM hinges on the government-owned VEB-Leasing company. Time will tell if it is able to disentangle the web of problems still facing the programme.

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industry | news

www.take-off.ru

take-off june 2011

industry | news

crystal displays (MFD), control panels, integral digital computer, NAVSTAR/GLONASS-capable satellite navigation systems and a digital flight suite. Optional gear includes night-vision goggles (NVG). To keep an eye on the externally slung cargo in daytime, there is an integral TV device

Andrey Fomin

Flight tests of the first upgraded Mil Mi-26T2 heavylift helicopter continue at Rostvertol JSC’s flight test facility in Rostov-on-Don. The machine is a derivative of the production Mi-26T, from which it differs in having an up-to-date digital avionics suite allowing effective roundthe-clock operation and a flying crew reduction down to two. In addition, provision has been made for use of upgraded D-136-2 (AI-136T) turboshaft engines featuring enhanced power under hot-and-high conditions. The Mi-26T2’s advanced avionics suite is wrapped around the NPK-90-2 flight/navigation system comprising an electronic display system of five multifunction liquid-

Rostvertol PLC

Mi-26T2 trials

feeding full-colour imagery on to the multifunction display in the cockpit. At night, visual control of the cargo can be exercised by means of the extra TSl-1600 searchlight installed in the fuselage nose section. In addition to the standard mode, the searchlight has the infrared mode for use of NVGs. The Mi-26T2 helicopter hauls outsized cargo and vehicles weighing a total of 20 t both inside the cargo cabin and on the external sling. The troop carrier variant carries 82 troops, with its casevac version airlifting up to 60 casualties or sick personnel. The machine can be used for civil and erection works of various degrees of complexity, fire-suppression operations and fuel delivery, including self-contained refuelling of vehicles on the ground, and other operations.

The Mi-26T2 upgrade is a contender in the tender issued by the Indian Defence Ministry for 15 heavylift helicopters. A Mi-26T performed a successful series of demonstration flights in India, including some of them in mountainous terrain, and Indian pilots have tested a Mi-26T2 prototype in Rostov-on-Don recently. The potential customer has not spared praise for the aircraft, and experts rate the Mi-26T2’s chances for coming up on top in the Indian tender high enough. The Russian Defence Ministry is eying the Mi-26T2 too. Following a long lull, it has resumed acquisition of a new Mi-26 batch recently. The first new helicopter for the Russian Air Force was rolled out to Rostvertol’s airfield and kicked off its flight test programme in May this year. The Russian military is expected to order the upgraded Mi-26T2 in the future.

the launch customer UTair had placed an order for ten Mi-34C1 helicopters for its training centre. The deliveries are slated to kick off in 2012. In addition, the show saw an agreement signed by the French company Aero Progress, the latter intent on promoting the Mi-34C1

on the European market. The signatories believe the helicopter can be needed in the West, since it features a number of advantages over the popular Eurocopter EC120. The first two Mi-34C1s are planned for delivery to the French company in 2013.

The key current light helicopter programme being pursued by the Russian Helicopters holding company is the resumed production of the heavily upgraded Mil Mi-34C1 by the Progress aircraft company in the town of Arsenyev. New helicopter features the advanced M9FV piston engine, an up-to-date avionics suite and a number of design and systems improvements aimed at enhancing the operating efficiency and reliability as well as extending the service life of the aircraft. This, coupled with a reasonable price, is going to help the Mi-34C1 to get a good niche on the market.

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Russian Helicopters Mi-34C1 programme manager Dmitry Rodin told Take-off that Mil Helicopter Plant now completing two Mi-34C1 prototypes. One of them, the OP-1, is slated for the maiden flight in June to be followed by the other, the OP-2. Both Mi-34C1 prototypes will be displayed during the MAKS 2011 air show in August, one to be demonstrated as part of the flight programme and the other as a static display. The Mi-34C1 is to complete its certification programme by year-end. On 19 May, during the HeliRussia 2011, the Russian Helicopters holding company landed its first order for the advanced machine after

Andrey Fomin

Mi-34C1 snags first orders

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industry | news

United Engine Corporation (UEC) is the leading Russian industrial group in production of engines for aviation, launch vehicles, electric energy sector and gas pumping.

United Engine Corporation is a part and a subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom. UEC integrated more than 80% of assets of the Russian aviation engine-building industry.

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take-off june 2011

industry | news

1 June saw the maiden flight of a new Tupolev Tu-214-ON specialpurpose aircraft at the Kazan Aircraft Production Association’s (KAPO) airfield, with the aircraft manufactured in support of the Open Skies programme. The crew under command of Tupolev’s test pilot Nikolay Kapelkin flew the aircraft (RA-64519) on its first mission that lasted 1 h 22 min. The plane was developed by Tupolev team led by Chief Designer Igor Kabatov and made by KAPO on order of the prime contractor under the Open Skies programme, the Vega radio-electronics corporation. Once the tests have been complete, the aircraft will be delivered to the Russian Defence Ministry. The Treaty on Open Skies, which is aimed at strengthening trusts among its signatories by means of mechanism of monitoring military activities and compliance with the existing arms control treaties through flying over the territories of the signatories, was signed by OSCE member states in Helsinki on 24 March 1992.

Ildar Valeyev

Tu-214-ON for Open Skies programme has flown

The Russian Federation ratified it on 26 May 2001. To date, as many as 34 states have signed the treaty. Russia has used two types of aircraft for inspection missions – Tupolev Tu-154M-LK1 to fly over North America and Antonov An-30B for missions over Europe. According to the Vega corporation, the special equipment carried by the aircraft includes various photographic cameras. To perform more effective monitoring under the Treaty on Open

Skies, Tupolev was tasked with developing a special version of the Tu-214 airliner, fitted with an airborne surveillance system from Vega. According to official statements by the developer of the system, the Tu-214-ON is “the first plane among the planes of the 34 signatories to the treaty, equipped with all means of observation allowed by the treaty – four photographic and three TV cameras, synthetic aperture radar and a linear-scanning infrared sensor”.

The first Tu-214-ON is to undergo the development trials and monitoring equipment tests, after which it will kick off its official test programme. The aircraft will have to pass international certification prior to starting its monitoring flights. A Vega news release reads that the plane’s delivery is slated for late 2011 and that another Tu-214-ON is being built by KAPO in support of the government’s commitments under the Treaty on Open Skies.

Ka-62 to take to the air in two years powered by Ardidens

Andrey Fomin

In spite of the AW139 licence production programme being run by Russian Helicopters and AgustaWestland in Tomilino, Moscow Region, the Kamov Ka-62 advanced medium multirole helicopter remains high on the holding company’s priority list of helicopters with a takeoff weight of 6–7 t. Initially the Ka-62 was conceived as a civilian version of

take-off june 2011

the Ka-60 military multirole helicopter, which first prototype flew its maiden mission as far back as December 1998. The second prototype was made in the Ka-60U trainer version in 2007. Ka-60 was improved repeatedly, but its main weakness was its RD-600V engines and powertrain that never met the reliability requirement. As a result, the Russian Defence

Ministry cut the financing of the Ka-60 programme last summer. Nevertheless, it remains interested in buying helicopters in the class. The military has made a decision that it will buy, further down the road, the militarised version of the commercial Ka-62 that is under development now to meet the most stringent commercial helicopter certification standards. Kamov’s Ka-62 programme manager Alexander Vagin has told Takeoff that the Progress aircraft company in the town of Arsenyev begins to make parts of Ka-62 prototypes this year. In all, three flying prototypes, a static tests prototype and an ‘Iron Bird’ integrated full-scale test rig to test the avionics suite and aircraft systems are to be manufactured. The type of the engine to power the Ka-62 – the Turbomeca Ardiden 3G – has been selected finally. Russian Helicopters and Turbomeca made a long-term contract for 308

Ardiden engines in April this year and the two companies signed a firm contract for the first batch of 40 engines on 19 May, during the HeliRussia 2011 show. The first Ardidens are to be delivered to the Ka-62’s developer late in 2012. Compared to the Ka-60, the Ka-62’s reduction gearbox and powertrain will be from a different supplier too, while KumAPP JSC will continue to make the composite main rotor blades to equip the Ka-62. Development of the avionics suite has been vested in the Transas company. The Progress plant will make the airframe and handle the final assembly of all Ka-62 helicopters. The Ka-62 prototype is to start its flight tests in the first half of 2013. Two more flying prototypes are to be made in the same year. The certification programme is supposed to be complete by mid-2015, with deliveries of production-standard Ka-62s to begin in 2016.

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take-off june 2011

industry | interview At the HeliRussia 2011 show in May this year, Russian helicopter makers unveiled to the public and experts their helicopters in various classes ranging from the light to heavylift ones. The Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters holding company, is a world leader in helicopter development and a most important asset of the holding. Several Mil machines including the advanced Mi-38, were presented to the exhibitors and public. Takeoff’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vladimir Scherbakov has seen Mil Designer General Alexey Samusenko and asked him to speak about the Mi-38 and other ongoing programmes as well.

ALEXEY SAMUSENKO: “The Mi-38 may well be called a 21st-century helicopter”

At the HeliRussia 2011 show, the Russian Helicopters unveiled a programme, which priority is very high to the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, – the Mi-38. What has been done under the programme, and when will the market be able to receive the production-standard helicopters? The Mi-38 development programme is important not only to our company but also to Russia as a nation. The Mi-38 is being developed with governmental support, and, therefore, the status of the programme is good for a whole number of reasons. Firstly, the government has made up its mind about the funding of the programme. Secondly, we have got positive responses from representatives of potential Mi-38 operators, who have seen a real machine and learnt the advanced technical solutions implemented in the helicopter to make it easier for pilots and ground crews. Thirdly, according to our calculations, the innovations introduced as part of the programme could heavily influence the cost of the flight hour of the new helicopter, which is a key competitive edge under the current economic conditions. The Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant is running the factory tests of the Mi-38. They involve the second prototype, the OP-2, embodying virtually whole of the configuration of the future production-standard helicopter. We plan the OP-2 will complete the factory flight tests programme in 2011 and kick off its certification tests. At the same time, we plan to use the TV7-117V-powered OP-1 for the factory development flight tests and

take-off june 2011

pass over to the certification trials next year. Also, we are waiting for completion by Kazan Helicopters of the third prototype powered by Russian-built engines and fully outfitted with flight navigation gear. The machine could become the standard for full-scale production further down the road. On the whole, we plan to complete the flight test programme during 2012–2013 and wrap up all the development segment of the programme and launch full-rate production of the advanced helicopter in 2014. What may be the Mi-38’s flight hour cost, in your opinion? How superior could the new helicopter be in these terms to the in-service Mi-8/17 machines so that it prompts keen interest of potential customers? The issue of the flight hour cost is not as simple as it may seem on the face of it. The cost of the flight hour is generated mostly from the expenditure on the remuneration of flying and ground crews and the cost of fuel. The cost of maintaining the hardware itself has a very insignificant influence on the flight hour cost. As to the second question, I can tell you that the Mi-38 should be on a par with the Mi-8 in terms of the flight hour cost, which will result in potential customers opting for the Mi-38, given the strengths of the advanced helicopter. Strictly speaking, Mi-38 deliveries to operators may result in a drastic change in the approaches to operation. The thing is that the Mi-8’s main rotor blades have to be replaced every seven to eight years, while we are going to do it much more seldom as far as the Mi-38

is concerned. Under the Mi-38 programme, a new resources policy is being implemented along with introduction of other up-to-date engineering and technological solutions. This is one of the reasons that a decision was taken to display the Mi-38 during the HeliRussia 2011 show. The public managed to see the second prototype, the OP-2, participating in the flight tests, carrying an up-to-date avionics suite from Russian Helicopters partner – Transas company in St. Petersburg. Is the ‘twin-engine’ concept of the new helicopter still on the table and how could it influence the helicopter’s demand by Russian customers, particularly, uniformed services? The Mi-38 programme provides for two variants of the machine – one powered by engines from Pratt&Whitney Canada and the other by Russian-made TV7-117Vs developed by Klimov and being productionised by Chernyshev. This is the ideology of the programme. If all goes to plan, the Mi-38 will have two versions of the powerplant. We presume this will be able to influence the price of the production-standard helicopter and woo Russian operators – both civilians and uniformed ones. I would like to emphasise that uniformed services have been rather keen on the Mi-38 owing to the need for machines of such dimensions. The advanced helicopter is among the best in terms of lifting capacity. Unlike the Mi-8, it carries 5 t of cargo, rather than 3 t, internally and 7 t slung externally. In addition, the Mi-38 has a low vibration level, a reduced extraneous noise level and can be flown by a crew of only two. www.take-off.ru

Mi-38 second flying prototype arrives at HeliRussia 2011 airshow at Moscow's Crocus Expo, 18 May 2011

I believe the Mi-38 may well be called a 21st-century helicopter, since we have succeeded in implementing cutting-edge design solutions, including up-to-date avionics and materials. By the way, composites make up over 30% of the materials used in the helicopter. Such sensitive design elements as main and tail rotor blades and parts of the fuselage are made of composites. The advanced machine is planned to feature an extended service life. We assume that it is possible that the Mi-38 will have no service life limits, but will be subject to on-condition maintenance. What about the simulator for the Mi-38? As is known, today, successful market promotion of any helicopter is regarded by potential customers from the viewpoint of availability of training aids as well, particularly simulators. The Mi-38 programme is one of the few, under which the development of the helicopter ran parallel to the development of its simulator. The task was given to the Transas company, the manufacturer of the flight navigation suite to fit the Mi-38. A Mi-38 helicopter simulator was displayed in Zhukovsky, Moscow Region, during the MAKS 2009 air show. The Mi-38 simulator, which we are going to offer to potential buyers of our advanced helicopter, is expected to simulate the cockpit and agility of the helicopter, responding to the controls and simulating the outside view. Mil and Transas are looking into the feasibility of developing a specialised Mi-38 helicopter simulator centre. www.take-off.ru

Mi-8MTV during highland trials

What is the prospect of the Mi-8/17 helicopter family? The Mi-8/17 family has been upgraded repeatedly, but we believe it has not exhausted its upgradeability yet. As far as the Mi-8 is concerned, we are running the so-called reversed modernisation by applying some of the solutions embodied in the leader, the Mi-38, to the older machines. In the near future, change can be made to the main rotor that we are going to borrow from the Mi-38. If all goes to plan, this will enable the Mi-8 to fly faster and higher and will offer a novel approach to the service life of the rotor system, though no considerable modification of the airframe is planned. The Russian Helicopters holding company has cleared a heavy upgrade programme for

helicopters of the type, with the resultant machine to be dubbed Mi-171A2. The holding management has approved the requirements specification for the upgrade of the Mi-171A1 version certificated in line with the up-to-date air worthiness standards and recognised internationally. A priority of the upgrade is to retain the current market share in this niche and enhance the machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety. The model is to mount a main rotor with all-composite blades. The tail rotor will be composite too. This will ensure a very long service life. The main and tail rotors are to feature an advanced aerodynamic configuration building on the latest scientific advances and TsAGIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealth of experience. As a result, we managed at the modeling stage to attain a speed of 280 km/h take-off june 2011

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant

Alexey Mikheyev

industry | interview

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant

Mi-28N during high-altitude tests in the Caucasus

Mi-34C1 upgraded light helicopter

with power and control margins remaining, another feature will be an increase in range, which could total 800 km in the baseline model. We also are looking into the feasibility of the helicopter upgrade to extend its range further. The upgraded helicopter is going to carry a flight navigation suite similar to that of the Mi-38 in terms of the tasks handled. Could you describe the status of the Mi-34 programme? This is one of the best programmes in the light helicopter segment of the Russian helicopter industry. We are working proactively on a new, commercially attractive version, the Mi-34C1, as part of the Russian Helicopters holding company. The updated version is supposed to have an extended range, hydraulic controls and the up-to-date M9FV engine in addition to a high degree of comfort for the pilot and passengers. The certification tests are planned to begin this year, to be more precise, we will have to confirm the latest modifications within the framework of the current certificate. Potential customers, including foreign ones, have shown interest in the Mi-34C1. We expect the Mi-34C1 to meet the requirements of most stringent customers both in Russia and

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abroad. We studied the best world helicopters in this class. This has furnished us with a welldesigned machine with high design flight and operating characteristics that, hopefully, will be proven by tests. Add here a rather attractive price that is one of the objectives.

We plan to unveil the upgraded Mi-34C1 at the MAKS 2011 air show in August â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both on the ground and in the air. This will enable us to attract potential customers. The Mi-34C1 certification programme is to be completed by year end. This will allow the Progress plant in Arsenyev to launch full-scale production and early deliveries in 2012. The upgraded Mi-26T2 heavylifter has flown for the first time recently. How is the programme going? Under the Mi-26T2 upgrade programme, the helicopter is to be re-engined and fitted with an advanced flight navigation suite, and its main rotor hub is to be improved. The military version of the machine is to be equipped with an advanced defensive aids suite capable of duping heat-seeking missiles. The Russian Defence Ministry has showed the interest in the upgraded Mi-26. The helicopter also is a contender in the competition held by the Indian Defence Ministry. It was shown to its customer last year, with its mountainous terrain operating capabilities demonstrated. What stage is the Mi-28N programme at? The Mi-28N is being upgraded to refine its components. The upgrade is being done in the support of the Russian Defence Ministry and on its initiative. The result sought is supposed to increase the combat capabilities of the machine by far. Rosoboronexport is taking proactive marketing measures to woo foreign customers. The configuration of the export variant, the Mi-28NE, is similar to that of the Mi-28N, but the export version has got no mast-mounted radar yet.

Rostvertol PLC

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant

industry | interview

Mi-26T2 upgraded heavy-lifter prototype

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Kazan Helicopters

industry | programme

Mi-38

Andrey FOMIN

successor to legendary Mi-8 The advanced Mil Mi-38 multirole medium transport helicopter made its debut at the HeliRussia 2011 show at the Crocus Expo exhibition centre in Moscow. Made by Kazan Helicopters last year, the second Mi-38 prototype (OP-2) had landed in front of Crocus Expo and sat by the entrance to the pavilion, receiving all exhibitors and guests of the forum. The Mi-38 programme dates back quite a while. Conceived as far back as three decades as a successor to the Mi-8, which remains the most popular machine in the world, the new medium transport helicopter of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant has traversed a long path from the development of early projects, which were essential upgrades of the production Mi-8, to its current configuration, having gained weight and been given a better lifting capacity. In its day, during the stormy 1990s, the Mi-38 programme became one of the first Russian helicopter industry programme, in which foreign colleagues – famous Eurocopter and Pratt&Whitney Canada – took part. The first Mi-38 prototype (OP-1) took to the air in December 2003, but the programme actually has been given a kick-start only recently, after the emergence of the Russian Helicopters holding company that has incorporated key assets of the Russian helicopter industry. The holding has set the Mi-38 as its promising project in class of medium transport/passenger helicopters with a lifting capacity of 5–7 t. The machine is to rival the best foreign helicopters in the class – the AgustaWestland EH101 (AW101) and Sikorsky S-92 – and there are grounds for optimism, since the trials of the first Mi-38 produced a number of outstanding results, Kazan Helicopters manufactured the second, upgraded prototype, and a third machine is to join the tests this year. Two Mi-38 prototypes are slated for demonstration during the MAKS 2011 air show in August this year, with the first of them to have been powered by Russian-made TV7-117V engines by then.

Background At the turn of the 1980s, the Soviet Armed Forces started taking delivery of upgraded Mi-8MT multirole helicopters powered by advanced TV3-117MT engines, while civil aviation continued to put up with the ordinary Mi-8Ts fitted with less powerful TV2-117As. However, the aircraft, which had been in service for almost two decades, began to grow obsolete and needed upgrade to meet the

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new requirements. As a result, the government issued a resolution on 30 July 1981, in which it authorised development of the Mi-8M upgraded medium transport/passenger helicopter that has gradually evolved into today’s Mi-38. A principal requirement to the advanced helicopter was an increase in traffic profitability. Therefore, the Mi-8’s upgrade was based on replacing the TV2-117 engine with the

more advanced and efficient TV7-117, which design was offered by the Leningrad-based engine design bureau led by Sergey Izotov (now the Klimov company). In addition, the development of the improved helicopter was to include replacement of the mixed-design rotor blades with fibreglass ones, improvement of the fuselage aerodynamics and shifting of the fuel tanks to the bay under the cargo cabin floor. Then, a decision was taken to introduce a number of more advanced technical solutions to the design of the machine. The solutions included an elastomeric main rotor hub, retractable landing gear, X-shaped tail rotor, up-to-date flight/navigation suite, etc. The improvements led to the emergence of a new helicopter dubbed Mi-38 in 1983. Later on, the Mi-38 underwent numerous modifications aimed at enhancing its reliability, efficiency and components/systems weight reduction and, in the end, at improving the technical and economic characteristics of the helicopter and honing its competitive edge on the global market. Naturally, implementation of the advanced solutions delayed the design process, to which the economic turmoil in this country in the later ‘80s and the ‘90s contributed. Overall, the Mi-38’s configuration had matured by 1990s, when the draft design was prepared. Compared to the initial Mi-38 design, the draft design had undergone quite a change. The design normal takeoff weight had grown from 12.5 t to 13 t and the maximum weight from 14 t to 14.5 t, while payload www.take-off.ru

industry | programme

Kazan Helicopters

had accounted for 5 t. An increase in the powerplant’s emergency rating had boosted flight safety when flying with one engine down. A technical and economic analysis had proven that the Mi-38 would be far superior to the Mi-8 by 1.8 times in payload weight, by 2 times in performance capacity and by 1.7 times in fuel efficiency. Civil aviation leaders approved the draft design, and the Kazan Helicopters began to gear up for productionising the Mi-38.

on cooperation in December 1992 and set up their Euromil joint venture in 1994 including the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Kazan Helicopters, Klimov plant and Eurocopter company. Under the work sharing agreement between the partners, the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant was to design and test the advanced helicopter, the Kazan Helicopters was tasked with making prototypes and production machines and with their after-sales support and the Klimov plant was responsible for the development of the TV7-117V helicopter engine rated at 2,500 h.p. (3,750 at the emergency rating) and, a bit later, offered an even more sophisticated next-generation engine TVa-3000 rated at 2,800 h.p. Eurocopter undertook the development of the flight/navigation suite, flight control system and cockpit and cabin interiors. It also promised to facilitate the Mi-38’s international certification, promotion on the global market and after-sales support. The helicopter’s development by an international team was supported by the Russian government that included it into the Russian Civil Aircraft Development Programme for

the Period through 2015. However, the funding of the programme by the government proved to be scarce. The problem was further exacerbated by the crisis of the late ‘90s and a number of federal laws that limited the amount of foreign capital in the Russian aircraft industry and, hence, banned foreign partners from managing joint venture in that branch of economy. This led to the Klimov plant’s pullout from the Euromil joint venture due to Klimov’s dire financial situation. Then, Eurocopter followed suit, having been stripped of incentives to keep on participating in the programme. Only two companies, Mil and Kazan Helicopters, had stuck to the programme by 2003 when Kazan Helicopters completed the first Mi-38 prototype (OP-1). After Klimov’s withdrawal from the programme, the Mi-38 project was tailored for use of Canadian PW127TS turboshaft engines with a takeoff power of 2,500 h.p. (3,750 h.p. at the emergency rating). A two-engine set was provided to the Mi-38 developers by Pratt & Whitney Canada anticipating the future market success of the programme and subsequent lucrative orders.

Mi-38 first flying prototype (OP-1) in its maiden flight, 22 December 2003…

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Yevgeny Yerokhin

Together with foreign partners The Mi-38 transport/passenger helicopter was designed to carry passengers and cargo, cargo handling, civil and erection works, search and rescue operations, forest engineering, geologic exploration, ambulance services, medical evacuation and operation as a VIP wagon. From the outset, the aircraft was designed for operation under various weather and climatic conditions. It is also important that the Mi-38 became essentially the first Russian helicopter, whose designing provided from the outset, its certification in line with the Russian and foreign air worthiness standards. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union disrupted the existing industrial links. Many of the Mi-38 programme participants found themselves in different former Soviet states or switched to different products. At the same time, Russian helicopter makers found new opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners. Major European helicopter maker Eurocopter took interest in cooperation with the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, with the Mi-38 out of all of Mil’s development programmes attracting its attention. The two companies made a preliminary agreement

… and at MAKS 2007 airshow, August 2007

take-off june 2011

Kazan Helicopters

industry | programme Mi-38 second flying prototype (OP-2) during its first hoverings, 3 November 2010

Powered by such a powerplant, the first Mi-38 conducted its maiden flight in Kazan on 22 December 2003, flown by a Mil crew of Vladimir Kutanin and Alexander Klimov.

From first flights to upgrade Late in October 2004, following the preliminary factory trials at the airfield of Kazan Helicopters, the first Mi-38 prototype was ferried to Mil’s flight test facility in the Moscow Region. It was unveiled at the MAKS 2005 air show in Zhukovsky in August 2005 and demonstrated as part of the flight demonstration programme. In autumn 2006, Mil reported that the Mi-38’s tests had produced results exceeding the specifications requirement, in particular, design flight speed and altitude. For instance, during a flight under the factory test programme on 27 September 2006, a Mil aircrew made up of pilot Vladimir Kutanin, co-pilot Sergey Barkov and project engineer Igor Klevantsev climbed to a record-setting altitude of 8,170 m, with the takeoff weight being 11,100 kg on that mission. Earlier, the Mi-38 had climbed to 5,900 m with a takeoff weight of 14,200 kg and to 5,450 m with a takeoff weight of 15,600 kg. The static ceiling tests were a success too. With the aircraft weighing 14,300 kg at take-off, it managed to climb

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to an altitude much higher than 3,000 m. In addition, the Mi-38 proved to be able to hover out of ground effect with its takeoff weight equalling 16,350 kg. The tests also produced a maximum speed of 320 km/h. The first phase of the Mi-38 OP-1 (reg. RA-38011) development test programme, during which 86 successful sorties were flown, was complete in October 2007. The helicopter was partially disassembled for analysis of the state of the systems after four years of trials and improvements. Meanwhile, an adjusted programme of further Mi-38 development work aimed at the soonest market entry of the advanced helicopter was devised. In so doing, a decision was taken to fit the Mi-38 the cutting-edge avionics suite from the Transas company in St. Petersburg. As part of the HeliRussia 2008 show on 15 May 2008, Russian Helicopters company, UMPO and TsIAM, on the one hand, and Pratt&Whitney Canada, on the other, signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in developing and manufacturing the PW127TS engine to equip the Mi-38 helicopter. Under the agreement made, the Canadian company was to complete the development of a turboshaft variant of the PW127 turboprop engine for use on the Mi-38, have it cer-

tificated and launch delivery of its knockdown kits to Russia for final assembly of production engines, which assembly was to be handled under licence by UMPO. However, Pratt&Whitney Canada later decided to suspend its participation in the programme. The Mi-38 again had to switch to the TV7-117V earmarked for the machine almost three decades ago from the outset. Georgy Sinelschikov, Mi-38 programme Director and Mil deputy chief designer, said at the presentation of the updated Mi-38 design in May 2009 that, though the switch to a different engine would delay the pace of the programme by two to three years, it will, nonetheless, allow a hike in several characteristics of the helicopter and an increase in its applications, e.g. the future medium troops carrier, which acquisition is being looked into by the Russian Defence Ministry. For instance, the more powerful Russianmade TV7-117V engine will increase the Mi-38’s maximum takeoff weight up to 16,200 kg (the PW127TS-powered first Mi-38 prototype had that of 15,600 kg) and the maximum cabin cargo weight up to 6,000 kg (7,000 kg on the external sling). Given the 14,200-kg normal takeoff weight, the helicopter will have a maximal speed of 310 km/h and a cruising speed of 285 km/h, with its static ceiling to www.take-off.ru

Mi-38 (OP-2) cockpit

Sergey Lysenko

Alexey Mikheyev

industry | programme

Mi-38 first prototype (OP-1) under upgrade and re-engining at Mil facilities in Panki, May 2010

account for 3,840 m and its service ceiling for 6,400 m. Its endurance with a 30-min. emergency fuel reserve will be 880 km (1,000 km without the emergency fuel reserve). At the same time with the modification of the design owing to the replacement of the powerplant (the modifications will not be too substantial, because Mil developed the TV7-117Vpowered Mi-38 versions – the cargo/passenger Mi-382 and Mi-383 troop carrier – a long time ago), Transas launched the development and debugging of the advanced IBKO-38 integrated avionics suite. The IBKO-38 suite allows round-the-clock operation in various geographic and climatic conditions in the automatic, director and manual control modes. It has modular open architecture and comprises five new-generation 12.1-inch TDS-12 multifunction displays that show all relevant flight and navigation data, the status of the helicopter equipment, digital terrain map and imagery generated by the 38A-813 weather radar. In addition, the suite includes the redundant TNC-1G air navigation computer system with an integral GLONASS/GPS receiver, a mapping server, a helicopter system and engine data gathering and monitoring system, the TTA-12N terrain collision avoidance system, up-to-date radar www.take-off.ru

and comms gear. The suite has the optional SVS collimator synthesised-vision head-up display. The suite’s open architecture allows the use of extra radio-technical and optronic equipment and introduction of new data display modes as well. It is important that the key components of the IBKO-38 integrated avionics suite are commonised with the IBKV-17 suite designed for upgraded versions of the Mi-8 (Mi-17). This ensures optimisation of the operation and MRO and enables aircrews to convert to a new type easily.

Productionising The IBKO-38 suite was first installed on the second Mi-38 prototype (OP-2) assembled by Kazan Helicopters in August 2010. The second prototype is equipped with a pair of Canadian PW127TS turboshafts, as the first prototype (OP-1) was in its day. At the same time, unlike the OP-1, the OP-2 embodies a number of design improvements, such as the modified hydraulic and fuel systems, redesigned main rotor blades and standard feel-spring mechanisms introduced to the helicopter control system. This has resulted in a better controllability and stability.

The Mil crew of test pilots Vladimir Kutanin and Salavat Sadriyev and flight test engineer Igor Klevantsev put the advanced machine into a hover for the first time on 30 October 2010. In all, the second Mi-38 prototype had logged seven missions to test its hovering capabilities and fly slowly over the runway. Finally, Vladimir Kutanin’s crew performed a pattern flight in Kazan on 22 November on the helicopter with registration number RA-38012. Overall, there were three sorties on that day, on which speed was gradually increased up to 260 km/h. On 16 December, the Mi-38 OP-2 flew from Kazan to Tomilino in the Moscow Region where Mil’s flight test facility is. The first Mi-38 prototype (OP-1) is now being fitted with advanced Russian-made TV7-117V engines here. It is to fly soon. Meanwhile, Kazan Helicopters has been assembling the third Mi-38 prototype (OP-3) and which is intended to be powered by TV7-117V engines too. The time the third Mi-38 prototype joins the trials hinges on the preparedness of Klimov to supply the second set of TV7-117Vs. This is expected in 2011. The OP-3’s airframe is at a high degree of completion, and the second IBKO-38 suite has been ordered from Transas. The Mi-38 certification programme is planned for completion in 2014, after which the helicopter will be fit for full-scale production and subsequent deliveries. It certification tests will kick off this year, with the second prototype powered by Canadian engines in the lead to be followed by the TV7-117V-powered first prototype and then the third one. Thus, if all goes to plan, deliveries of production-standard Mi-38s may well begin in four years. As far back as 2008, Russian Helicopters was reported to have had tentative orders for 75 Mi-38s from several Russian air carriers. The Mi-38 has a good prospect on the global market as well. With about a hundred Mi-17s (Mi-171s) exported annually, there is a good chance for the cutting-edge medium transport from Mil to succeed the legendary Hip. The Mi-38 programme is a key element of the long-term strategy of Russian Helicopters. No doubt, production of various variants of the Mi-8MTV (AMT) and Mi-17 (Mi-171), including the heavily upgraded Mi-8M (Mi-17M, Mi-171A2) version, by the plants in Kazan and Ulan-Ude will continue for years to come, because demand for them will persist in the coming years, especially after they have been upgraded. But anyway the market will demand new-generation medium transport helicopters, and the Mi-38 may well become the best offer of the Russian helicopter makers in the class starting from the middle of the decade. take-off june 2011

industry | company and other passenger and cargo aircraft powered by cruise engines of D-436 family. It is intended to start cruise engines and supply compressed air and electric power to airplane onboard systems, with cruise engines inoperative. High AI-450-MS AGTE efficiency is attained through low specific fuel consumption that is a result of high thermodynamic cycle parameters, high efficiency of subassemblies, as well as a result of selecting air bleed from an ancillary compressor; and through low operation costs. Currently, efforts are undertaken to develop An-158 99-passenger airplane derived from An-148 regional jet with its maiden flight performed on 28 April 2010, An-168 corporate

of Mi-2 helicopter fleet opens good prospects for AI-450M engine manufacture, with re-motorising a substantial part of the fleet being profitable. To increase helicopter performance and operational efficiency when operating at higher altitudes and higher temperatures, Motor Sich JSC has developed a new TV3-117VMA-SBM1V helicopter engine that possesses extended life limits: time before the first overhaul and time between overhauls (TBO) are 4,000 hours/cycles, total life is 12,000 hours/cycles. TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engine has the same weight and dimensions, overall and fitting to fit the engine to helicopter fitting D-436-148

Vyacheslav BOGUSLAYEV Chairman of the Board, Motor Sich JSC Motor Sich JSC trade mark is a symbol of cost-effective, reliable, and competitive products that are a part and parcel of aviation industry of Ukraine. The company offers state-of-the-art multipurpose aero engines operated all over the world in more than 120 countries. To expand its presence in the market of aeronautical propulsion systems, Motor Sich JSC is undertaking efforts to develop and commercialise manufacture of a variety of new promising aero engines and to upgrade commercial ones, with D-436-148, AI-450-MS, AI-450M, TV3-117VMA-SBM1V and MS-500V among them.

An-148

MOTOR SICH ENGINES FROM SMALL UAVs TO HEAVY LIFTERS

D-436-148 engine has been developed around the best design solutions; it is intended for An-148 passenger family airplanes. An extensive package of design-and-research works related to the engine combustion chamber and enhancement of engine acoustic performance make it possible to provide emission and noise levels substantially lower than ICAO standards. In terms of its performance, this commercially manufactured engine is as good as its foreign competitor products being developed currently. Motor Sich JSC has developed AI-450-MS two-shaft auxiliary gas turbine engine (AGTE) for various An-148 modifications

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aircraft with its range being up to 7,000 km, cargo and military-cargo aircraft able to carry 20 t of cargo to a distance of up to 2,000 km or 15 t to a distance of 3,200 km. The company pays great attention to manufacturing engines for utility helicopters. AI-450 is the smallest helicopter engine developed by Motor Sich JSC along with Ivchenko-Progress design bureau. Various engine modifications can provide takeoff power at the range of 370 to 730 hp. AI-450M engine modification is intended to re-motorise Mi-2 helicopters previously manufactured, wherein it is to replace GTD-350 gas turbine engine. We hope that a huge world commercial

points, like the engines that power Mi and Ka helicopters. TV3-117VMA-SBM1V series 1 engine modification with FADEC automatic control system is developed for new helicopter projects. Using this automatic control system will result in further enhancement of engine and helicopter performances. Upgraded Mi-24 helicopter powered by TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engines has been introduced into service by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Mi-24 helicopter powered by TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engines showed record rate of climb earlier in the course of previous tests: it climbed at the altiwww.take-off.ru

п р о м ы iшn лd еu нs нt rо yс т | ь c |o mи pт оa nг иy tude of 5 km for 9 minutes only, which means 2.5-time increase in rate of climb. On 19 May 2010, Mi-8MTV helicopter powered by TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engines took off from the airfield of Konotop aircraft repair and overhaul plant. The helicopter climbed to the altitude of 8,100 m for 13 seconds in the course of tests, with the world’s record set up. Taking into consideration changes of the world helicopter market conditions, the company is undertaking efforts to develop a new generation of MS-500V family engines of 600–1,000 hp power class, which are intended for utility helicopters whose take off weight is 3.5-6 t. As experts predict, the market sector of this class helicopters is going to be one of the most promising one in the coming up years due to helicopter versatility. A leading version of MS-500V model line is going to be an engine of takeoff power of 630 hp designed according to requirements specification by Kazan Helicopters JSC for Ansat type helicopter. Simple and effective design of MS-500V family engine is typical for engines of this class currently available. The core engine includes a one-step centrifugal compressor with high compression ratio, an annular reverse flow combustor, and a one-step turbine. Power developed by the one-step free turbine is transmitted to the main helicopter reduction gear through an integrated intermediate reduction gear. The engine possesses an advanced electronic control and monitoring system with hydromechanical redundancy. Currently, development efforts are undertaken by Ivchenko-Progress design bureau within AI-8000V engine project that is to be implemented along with Motor Sich JSC.

AI-136T

Mi-26T The engine power is 8,250 hp at takeoff power setting and 9,300 hp at emergency power setting. The engine is intended for heavy cargo helicopters and utility helicopters of Mi-46 type. D-136 engine is the largest helicopter engine by Motor Sich JSC. It provides power of 11,400 hp at takeoff power setting at environment temperature of 15°С and it has an unrivalled position in the world in terms of this parameter. D-136 engine is operated at Mi-26, the world’s largest heavy-lift helicopter. Currently, Ivchenko-Progress design bureau is designing D-136 engine upgrade project. A new engine has been designated AI-136T1, and it is to provide power of 11,650 hp at maximum takeoff power setting; the power specified is to be kept up to envi-

Mi-24

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V

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commercial

ronment temperature of 50°С. Emergency power setting has been introduced to provide power of 12,500 hp. AI-136T1 engine is intended to upgrade Mi-26 helicopters and to power new heavy-lift helicopters. A wide range of helicopter engines manufactured and prospective ones makes it possible to implement virtually any project of developing a new helicopter or re-motorising the ones available. Developing multipurpose unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is considered one of the most prospective trends in the development of military aviation. Motor Sich JSC manufactured engines make it possible to develop UAVs and missiles of various types and purposes: from small UAVs powered by MS-100 engine to unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) powered by versions of AI-25TL and AI-222 engine families, as well as strategic UAVs powered by AI-22 type engines. To summarise, it is pertinent to say that aeronautical propulsion industry of Ukrain can offer a wide range of engines that meet requirements of the international regulations. Developed and introduced by Motor Sich JSC, its advanced technical and design solutions are based on state-of-the-art achievements of science and technology. Close collaboration with designers and multiple partners allows the company to develop engines that assure the future of air transport. Motor Sich JSC 15, Motorostroiteley av. Zaporozhye 69068, Ukraine Tel.: +38 (061) 720-48-14 Fax: +38 (061) 720-50-05 E-mail: motor@motorsich.com, eo.vtf@motorsich.com http://www.motorsich.com

take-off june 2011

Andrey Fomin

industry | report

Alexander MANYAKIN, Andrey FOMIN

AMPHIBIAN CHANGES ITS PLACE OF ORIGIN Be-200 series production in Taganrog kicks off Among the displays at the current Le Bourget air show, there is to be the Be-200ChS amphibian aircraft brought to Paris by its developer and manufacturer Beriev company. The full-rate production and sales of the Be-200 amphibian is a priority for Beriev, even more so that new prospects are facing the programme now. In September 2010, the Be-200ES-E was issued its long-awaited type certificate by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which paved the way to the Western market for it. Very recently, on 25 May 2011, the Russian Emergencies Ministry awarded Beriev a long-term order for six more Be-200ChS amphibians, with the aircraft to be built in Taganrog this time. Beriev launched manufacture of parts for its own production-standard Be-200ChS amphibians. The baseline model of Beriev Be-200 is designed to put out forest fires using water or flame extinguisher liquid. It has spawned the Be-200ChS derivative for the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the launch customer for the amphibian. Under the contract awarded by the Emergencies Ministry, the Irkutsk Aircraft Plant, a subsidiary of the Irkut corporation, made and delivered four production amphibians from 2003 through 2006, while the fifth aircraft made in 2007 was exported a year later to Azerbaijan where it has been in service with the Azeri Emergencies Ministry ever since. In the wake of the forest fires raging all over Russia last summer, the Russian government decided to beef up the air arm of the Emergencies Ministry with more Be-200ChS amphibians. An agreement on delivery of eight more Be-200ChS’s to the ministry was signed in a ceremony during the Gydroaviasalon show in Gelenjik in September 2010. The agreement provided at Phase I for Beriev to bring the two previously-ordered final aircraft under construc-

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tion in Irkutsk up to snuff with the requirements specifications and deliver them and then launch deliveries of Be-200ChS of its own make. The sixth production-standard Be-200ChS (c/n 301) made its maiden flight in Irkutsk in July last year and was ferried to Taganrog last August. Now, it is sitting in a Beriev assembly shop, receiving customerapproved improvements that were applied to the previously-acquired Emergencies Ministry amphibians as part of scheduled overhauls after they had kicked off their operations. The final, seventh Irkut-built Be-200ChS (c/n 302) was completed this spring: its maiden flight took place in the city of Irkutsk on 3 April, and the aircraft was ferried to Taganrog the same month to be given the same improvements Aircraft 301 is being given prior to the delivery. Both aircraft are to enter service with the Emergency Ministry’s air branch until late November 2011 under the governmental contract signed last November.

Construction of the remaining Be-200ChS’s will be handled by Beriev that has since April this year been a single company uniting the previously independent TAVIA production plant and Beriev company proper situated on the same premises. For the purpose of construction, part of the production tools has been moved from Irkutsk to Taganrog, new assembly jigs have been made and cutting-edge processing centres and other high-tech gear have been imported. The governmental contract for six production Be-200ChS amphibians to be made and delivered to the Emergencies Ministry prior to 2014 was signed on 25 May 2011. The aircraft shall be fielded with air units of the Siberian and Far Eastern regional centres of the Emergencies Ministry. The first Taganrog-built aircraft is to be complete in the second quarter of 2013. Overall, Beriev is to manufacture three Be-200ChS’s in 2013, according to Director General – General Designer Victor Kobzev. Three more aircraft are to be made in 2014 under the order the Emergencies Ministry placed recently. The first export Be-200ES-E is to be completed at the same time. Victor Kobzev said the plans provided for an increase in the Taganrog output up to six Be-200ChS aircraft a year with a possible subsequent increase up to 10–12 units per annum. According to the Beriev head, there may be demand for 30–35 aircraft of the type in Europe alone, www.take-off.ru

Andrey Fomin

industry | report

Wing centre section panel for the first Be-200 of Beriev company production in assembly rig

the Be-200), the Be-300 can operate from unpaved airfields to handle a wide range of missions in the regions lacking a developed airfield network. The common aerodynamic configuration and flight performance similar to that of land-based aircraft provided the Be-200 with a high degree of upgradeability. This offers excellent opportunities for deriving a whole range of Be-200 versions, both amphibian and land-based, to accomplish a variety of civilian and military missions in an effective manner. The Be-210 passenger amphibian has been derived from the Be-200 and provision has been made for developing a cargo/ passenger and patrol derivatives. In addition,

the Be-200 and its Be-300 land-based version could be of interest as a versatile platform for specialist aircraft for military and civilian roles. Last spring, the Be-200ChS amphibian has proven its top-notch characteristics yet again during the FIDAE 2010 international air show in Chile, after which it toured several Latin American countries and the United States for the demonstration purpose. Overall, the aircraft covered upwards of 56,000 km within a total of 121 flying hours. The Be-200ChS flew over 14 countries on three continents. Earlier this year, the Be-200ChS has performed a series of demonstration flights in India and Israel. Andrey Fomin

with potential customers including France, Spain and Greece. High expectation also is pinned on the Asian market, particular, India, where the Be-200 is bidding in several tenders at once. Also important is that the assembly jigs set up in Berievâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shops to make the Be-200 amphibians are fit for manufacturing the non-amphibian Be-300 plane as well. According to Victor Kobzev, both aircraft have 75â&#x20AC;&#x201C;85% commonality. Essentially, the Be-300 and Be-200 differ only in the shape of the lower fuselage that has the conventional aeroplane shape, rather than that of a boat. Owing to the engines mounted on top of the wing (a solution borrowed from

The last Irkut-production Be-200ChS c/n 302 arrived in Taganrog for outfitting before delivery to Russian Emercom due to take place before late November 2011

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take-off june 2011

Sukhoi

military aviation | event

PAK FA The second flying prototype of the T-50 fifth-generation fighter, built by the Sukhoi company under the PAK FA Future Tactical Fighter programme, took from the airfield of the Komsomolsk-onAmur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO) on 3 March 2011. The 57-min. maiden flight was performed by Honoured Test Pilot Sergey Bogdan, who had taken the first prototype to the skies just over a year ago, on 29 January 2010. According to Sukhoi, the flight was a success and in line with the mission scenario, with the operation of the systems, powerplant, stability and controllability assessed. “The plane performed well throughout the flight programme”, the developer’s news release reads.

By now, as many as four prototypes of the advanced aircraft are used under the PAK FA test programme, of which two are flying prototypes. The so-called ‘zero’ static test prototype (T50-0) has been undergoing endurance tests at a dedicated facility of Sukhoi in Moscow since summer 2009. The T50-KNS integrated full-scale testbed is used for ground trials of onboard systems, including the fuel and hydraulic systems, powerplant, control system, etc. In 2009, it was moved to KnAAPO’s airfield where it performed its first taxiing and high-speed runs. Then, it was airlifted on 8 April last year by an An-124 transport to Zhukovsky along with the first flying prototype and has carried on with the ground tests at

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TWO PROTOTYPES IN TRIALS

Sukhoi’s flight test and debugging facility in the Moscow Region. The first flying prototype, T50-1, has been undergoing the flight tests in Zhukovsky since 29 April 2010, having logged six acceptance test sorties in Komsomolsk-on-Amur from 29 January to 26 March 2010. It had had about 40 flights under its belt by late autumn 2010, including several demonstration sorties when it was shown to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on 17 June 2010 and an Indian delegation on 31 August 2010. Sukhoi’s March news release reads: “36 flights have been performed on the first flying prototype in support of the flight test programme” and “the preliminary ground and flight test programme has been completed in full”. Early in February this year, the T50-1 resumed flight tests after it had undergone a planned improvement programme that had begun last autumn. This done, its check flight took place on 10 February. The first flying prototype of the T-50 plane first broke the sonic barrier in the Moscow Region on a test flight on 9 March, with Test Pilot Sergey Bogdan, Sukhoi’s project pilot under the PAK FA programme, at the controls. The T-50 started flying at supersonic speed owing to the prototype’s operating envelope expansion based on the results produced by the preliminary test phase, during which its stability, controllability and other characteristics were evaluated against the backdrop of the gradually dwindling g-load, speed and altitude limits inherent in the phase of the initial

flight tests characteristic for any newly-developed aircraft. The way the aircraft behaved at supersonic speed was pronounced satisfactory, which allows another expansion of the maximal authorised flight speed and altitude range. Meanwhile, the acceptance tests of the second PAK FA flying prototype were wrapped up in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in early March. Overall, Sergey Bogdan had flown four missions from 3 to 5 March, after which the aircraft was sent to be painted and prepared for the transfer to Sukhoi’s flight test and debugging facility in Zhukovsky. An Antonov An-124 heavylifter hauled the T50-2 from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the Moscow Region on 3 April. Once brought to Zhukovsky and subjected to relevant assembly, debugging and checkouts, the second flying prototype joined the PAK FA flight test programme alongside the T50-1. Several Sukhoi test pilots fly the PAK FA prototypes now. Project pilot Sergey Bogdan recently awarded with a title of the Hero of Russia has flown most of the sorties. However, other Sukhoi test pilots have been prepared for the PAK FA’s trials due to the increasing scope of work under the programme, for instance, Roman Kondratyev and Yuri Vaschuk conducted their first flights on the T50-1 last September. Roman Kondratyev has been taking an active part in the continued tests of the first PAK FA prototype in Zhukovsky. Other pilots are gearing up for the test programme too. The third flying prototype is sitting in KnAAPO’s assembly shop and components www.take-off.ru

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Sukhoi

Andrey FOMIN

of the fourth one are being manufactured. Thus, “we will have generated the core that will ensure a positive preliminary report”, said Mikhail Pogosyan, Sukhoi Director General and UAC president. The third PAK FA flying prototype is supposed to be equipped with a prototype active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that Tikhomirov-NIIP has been developing. The developer has made and conducted numerous tests of three AESA radars, with the third of them earmarked for fitting the PAK FA prototype. At the same time, the third and fourth aircraft will be furnished with a number of other avionics systems, which tests are not supposed to be carried out by the first and second prototypes. “We will use two more aircraft for the tests in 2012, as we planned”, Mikhail Pogosyan said during the Bangalore air show in February. Probably, he meant the fifth and sixth flying prototypes to be equipped with the complete avionics and weapons suites. As is known, Vladimir Putin set the task of having the early PAK FAs of the low-rate initial production (LRIP) batch delivered to the Russian Air Force centre in Lipetsk in 2013 for their operation evaluation and launching deliveries of production-standard fighters to RusAF combat units in 2015. As the then Deputy Defence Minister and armed forces armament chief Vladimir Popovkin told the media during the PAK FA’s unveiling in Zhukovsky in June 2010, the draft governmental armament programme designed to cover throughout 2020 stipulated acquisition of “more than 50 fifth-generation fighters” from 2016. PAK FA flying prototype is slated for the public unveiling during the MAKS 2011 international air show in August this year. T50-2 landing after its maiden flight, 3 March 2011

Sukhoi

Sukhoi's test pilot Sergey Bogdan reports the results of the second T-50 prototype speed taxi tests, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 2 March 2011

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ADVANCED Yaks FOR RusAF Borisoglebsk Air Force Training Centre receives five Yak-130s Five advanced Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainers arrived at the Air Force Training Centre in the town of Borisoglebsk, Voronezh Region, from the Sokol aircraft plant in the Nizhny Novgorod Region in early April. The Borisoglebsk training centre provides basic and advanced flying training to cadets of the Krasnodar Air Force Academy (now an affiliate of the Prof. Zhukovsky & Gagarin Air Force Command and Staff Academy), who then are posted to attack and tactical bomber units of the Russian Air Force. As is known, the first four Sokol-built Yak-130s were delivered to the Air Force Combat and Conversion Training Centre in Lipetsk just over a year ago, during February through April 2010, and participated in the Victory Day parade over Red Square in Moscow on 9 May 2010. Unfortunately, one of the Yak-130s (serial 93) crashed on takeoff in Lipetsk on a routine training sortie, which led to temporary grounding of all aircraft of the type operated by the Air Force.

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Although the immediate cause of the crash was not a design or manufacture defect, rather pre-flight errors mostly, the developer decided to use the lull in the flight operations of production planes to refine the aircraft control system. In particular, an advanced software package for the integrated flight control system was introduced, which allowed full-fledged use of the reprogramming modes enabling the Yak-130 to simulate the specific features of controlling both light and heavy or highly manoeuvrable planes. To test the upgraded control system and improved display system, the first production Yak-130 made by the Irkutsk Aircraft Plant of the Irkut Corp. was used as well. It was serialled 134 for the duration of the tests. Mention should be made that the flights of the Irkutowned prototypes and production-standard Yak-130s were not grounded in the wake of the crash in Lipetsk, with all of them carrying on with various test programmes. Under the circumstance, the Sokol plant was unable to fulfil the government-award-

ed contract for delivery of the first 12-ship Yak-130 batch for the Air Force last year (Sokol Director General Alexander Karezin said in May last year that the contract was to be fulfilled in November 2010). At present, the delivery of the whole batch of advanced combat trainers under the first governmental contract is slated for completion before mid-2011. The Yak-130 serialled 23 was the first of the four planes to touch down at the airfield in Borisoglebsk half an hour before noon on 6 April 2011. Serials 24, 25, 21 and 22 followed it to the runway at an interval of 5 to 10 minutes. The new productionstandard Yak-130s were ferried from Nizhny Novgorod to Borisoglebsk by the crews made up of test pilots of the Sokol plant, the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representative office at Sokol, and Chkalov State Flight Test Centre. The Borisoglebsk Air Force Training Centre dates back almost 90 years. The establishment of the 2nd Red Air Fleet Flying School in Moscow was ordered in December 1922, and the school was moved www.take-off.ru

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Yevgeny YEROKHIN Photos by author

to its permanent station, Borisoglebsk, on order of the Red Air Fleet’s chief of military educational institutions in early April 1923. The flying school was named after legendary Soviet pilot Valery Chkalov later on. It was converted into the Borisoglebsk Air Force Academy after WWII. In summer 1970, it started training its cadets on the L-29 jet trainer. The academy underwent another change on the verge of the 1990s, when it was reformed into the 1080th Air Force Training Centre named after Valery Chkalov and fielded with advanced fourth-generation MiG-29 fighters and, in February 1994, Su-25 attack aircraft. The 1080th Air Force Training Centre comprised as many as six air bases in Borisoglebsk, Buturlinovka, Bagai-Baranovka, Lebyazhye, Tonkoye and Uprun. Its purpose was theoretical and practical conversion of air force academy graduates from the L-39 trainer to RusAF’s up-to-date tactical aircraft – MiG-29, Su-24 and Su-25. In 2000, the 2nd Tactical Aviation Department of the Armavir Military Aviation Institute, which trained personnel for tactical bombers and ground attack aircraft was established in Borisoglebsk. Flight training was given on the L-39 and Su-25 in the 160th Training Air Regiment that was activated as far back as 1971 as part of the Borisoglebsk Air Force Academy. www.take-off.ru

Lately, the Air Force aircrew training system has been changed as part of the reform of the Russian Armed Forces. A decision has been made to form the 786th Air Force Training Centre for aircrew conversion training (it absorbed the military posts in Borisoglebsk and Michurinsk) and reforming the 2nd department of the Armavir Military Aviation Institute. Under the governmental resolution dated 10 May 2001, the department of the disbanded Armavir Military Aviation Institute was assigned to the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute as the 3rd Tactical Bomber and Attack Aircraft Department. Its cadets learnt to fly at training air regiments in Borisoglebsk and Michurinsk. Thus, there is a training air regiment stationed in Borisoglebsk these days, providing flying training to future attack air-

craft and bomber pilots – cadets of the 3rd department of the Krasnodar affiliate of the Prof. Zhukovsky & Gagarin Air Force Command and Staff Academy. After the Borisoglebsk instructor-pilots have completed their conversion, cadets flight training on cutting-edge Yak-130s shall be launched here. The Sokol plant has promised to complete the construction, testing and delivery of three production aircraft more not later than June. “The Nizhny Novgorod-based Sokol aircraft plant plans to deliver three Yak-130 combat trainers to the Russian Air Force and, thus, fulfil the contract for 12 aircraft of the type awarded by the Defence Ministry”, Nizhny Novgorod Region Industry and Innovation Minister Vladimir Nefyodov told the RIA Novosti news agency late in March. take-off june 2011

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In mid-April, Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Col.-Gen. Alexander Zelin signed the report on completion of the official test programme by the Sukhoi Su-34 multirole tactical bomber. The tests themselves were fulfilled successfully in January this year. In this connection, the InterfaxAVN news agency reported: “The near future will see the signing of the Phase two official tests report expected to pave the way for the Su-34 tactical bomber to the Russian Air Force’s inventory”. The Russian government will issue a special resolution to authorise the plane’s service entry in line with the current practice.

The Su-34 official tests involving a total of six prototype and preproduction aircraft and two production warplanes had been conducted since 1996. The flight programme designed to obtain a preliminary report on feasibility of full-rate production and operational evaluation had been completed by April 2003, and Phase One of the official test programme, conducted under the refined specifications requirement, was over in September 2006. Phase Two of the official trials, designed to test advanced weapons and tactics, had taken place from late 2006 to January 2011. The operational evaluation of the Su-34 kicked off in the Lipetsk-

Sergey Chaikovsky

Su-34 completes official trials

based State Aviation Personnel Training and Operational Evaluation Centre in 2007, with the Centre having been given three productionstandard bombers serialled 02, 04 and 05 before December 2009. Late last year, the centre received four more production planes (serials 06

through 09) under the December 2008 five-year contract for 32 Su-34 bombers earmarked for fielding with the RusAF air base in Voronezh further down the line. This year, RusAF expects delivery of six production-standard Su-34s more under the contract.

Nikolay Anisimov

In mid-February, the Russian Air Force took delivery of the first four out of an order of 12 Sukhoi Su-27SM multirole single-seat fighters, which delivery had been stipulated by the deal clinched by the Sukhoi company and the Russian Defence Ministry during the MAKS 2009 air show in August 2009. The warplanes completed a long flight from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the air base in Krymsk, Krasnodar Region, which had taken delivery of a pair of two Su-30M2 twin-seat multirole fighters last year. Unlike the Su-27SMs delivered to RusAF in 2003 through 2009 and derived from in-service Su-27 fighters by KnAAPO by means of upgrade, the newly delivered aircraft are brand-new and just out of the assembly shop. Probably, the new Su-27SMs were made using the backlog of Su-27SK airframes that KnAAPO

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retained from the suspended licenceproduction contract with China. The aircraft are powered by advanced Salut AL-31F-M1 (AL-31F Series 42) turbofans with thrust enhanced up to 13,500 kgf, extended service life as well as upgraded avionics and weapons suites that are even more sophisticated than those fitting the upgraded Su-27SMs that have been supplied until recently. Last autumn, Tikhomirov-NIIP Director General Yuri Bely told Take-off in an interview: “Late September saw the first launch of a new medium-range air-to-air missile by a Su-27SM3 prototype, with the missile hitting its target. To ensure the use of the missile at an extended range, the antenna, emitter and radar updates datalink of the fighter’s radar had been upgraded. The Su-27SM3 kicked off its official test programme”. In

Nikolay Anisimov

Air Force accepting new Su-27SMs

all probability, the four Su-27SMs delivered in February were made in this particular version. At the same time with improving the fire control radar and beefing the weapons suite with upgraded medium-range missiles, the cockpit management system was refined, with the cockpit goes ‘all-glass’. The first four Su-27SM3s were ferried from KnAAPO’s factory airfield to the south of Russia by

a group of pilots with the Lipetskbased Air Force State Aviation Personnel Training and Operational Evaluation Centre, who were led by Lt.-Col. Yuri Spryadyshev, honoured military pilot and sniper pilot. The group took off from Komsomolskon-Amur on 15 February and made their first stopover at Domna Air Force Base vic. Chita, where the Defence Ministry was giving a press tour to the Russian media. Their further itinerary included Novosibirsk and Perm to be completed in Krymsk successfully. With three stopovers, the four new fighters covered upwards of 7,000 km from the Russian Far East to the Krasnodar Region in the country’s south. Meanwhile, KnAAPO is gearing up for delivery of the remaining eight aircraft under the contract. They may well enter inventory of the Air Force this year.

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suite, set by the requirements specification. The tests had involved two prototypes of the export version of the plane before the first aircraft for the Russian customer has joined them. Now the new fighter has been furnished for the official trials. The results to be produced by their first stage’s

results will yield a preliminary report on the fighter’s compliance with the customer’s basic requirements and feasibility of its full-rate production for subsequent fielding with combat units of the Russian Air Force. The Su-35S-1’s acceptance tests at KnAAPO’s airfield, which included seven test sorties, had been completed with success by midMay, after which the preparation of the aircraft for handover to the Defence Ministry for the official test programme began. The programme will be pursued mostly at the Defence Ministry’s State Flight Test Centre in Akhtubinsk where the plane was ferried in late May. The Su-35’s key features setting it aside from other aircraft of the Su-27 family are a drastically innovative

avionics suite, wrapped around a digital information management system, and the cutting-edge Tikhomirov-NIIP Irbis phased array radar featuring the unique aerial target acquisition range and enhanced multiple-target simultaneous tracking and engagement capability (it tracks 30 and engages eight aerial threats or four and two ground targets respectively). The fighter is powered by advanced, NPO Saturn 117S thrust vector control turbofan engines. The Su-35 will pack a wide range of up-to-date and future weapons in all classes. The contract for the development and delivery of 48 Su-35S fighters to RusAF by 2015 was signed in August 2009. The production and delivery are supposed to continue afterwards.

KnAAPO

3 May saw the first productionstandard advanced Sukhoi Su-35S multirole fighter built under the contract awarded by the Russian Defence Ministry take off from KnAAPO’s airfield for its maiden flight. During the sortie, which lasted an hour and a half, various operating modes of the integrated control system and powerplant of the aircraft and its stability and controllability were tested. The engine, systems and avionics operated without fault. Honoured Test Pilot Sergey Bogdan was at the controls. He had taken the Su-35’s first flying prototype (No. 901) to the air on 19 February 2008 and the second prototype, Su-35-2 (No. 902), on 2 October the same year. According to a Sukhoi spokesperson, the Su-35 preliminary trials have been complete. At this stage, testers have proven the stability, controllability, powerplant performance and basic characteristics of the avionics

KnAAPO

First Su-35S has flown

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under the contract awarded in 2005. However, this is only the first phase, and the current contract is to be followed by others, since RusAF’s total Mi-28N helicopter requirement stands at 300 machines at the least, as was repeatedly stated by the service’s brass. The helicopter’s developer, the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant,

and manufacturer, Rostvertol, are making efforts to refine the machine further, in particular, the Mi-28UB combat trainer with twin controls is gearing up for construction, and work on the Mi-28N’s upgrade is under way in line with the helicopter’s official test programme report. Since late 2009, line units have been fielded with Mi-28Ns powered by advanced VK-2500-02 engines (the earlier-build machines are powered by TV3-117VMAs). Rostvertol Director General Boris Slyusar told the media in April that the company would productionise the upgraded version designated as Mi-28NM. It remains yet unknown what it will differ from the current production-standard aircraft in, but probably, it will mount a radar, more sophisticated electro-optical

systems, an effective defence aids suite (DAS) and latest weapons. Boris Slyusar also said the company planned to launch Mi-28NE deliveries for export from 2012. It had been reported previously that Algeria, Venezuela and several CIS countries (e.g. Belarus and Kazakhstan) had been keen on the type. In addition, the Mi-28NE is a contender of the tender for 22 combat helicopters, issued by the Indian Defence Ministry. Last autumn, the helicopter took part in the demonstration and test flight programme in India and won approval of the potential customer. In February this year, there were media reports that talks in 2010 had resulted in the first export contract for 12 Mi-28NEs, but who is the buyer remains unknown for the time being.

Andrey Fomin

Another production-standard Mil Mi-28N combat helicopter made on order from the Russian Defence Ministry completed its first flight from the airfield of Rostvertol JSC in Rostov-on-Don on 8 April 2011. It is the 40th aircraft of the type manufactured by Rostvertol, including the second prototype and seven preproduction Mi-28Ns built by Rostvertol during 2004 through 2007 and subjected to official trials. The Mi-28N entered service under the Presidential decree dated 15 October 2009. During 2010, the first RusAF air squadron stationed in Budyonnovsk converted to the Mi-28N (Rostvertol had made a total of 16 helicopters for it, of which 10 were delivered in 2009) and a second RusAF unit stationed in Korenovsk, started taking deliveries. According to the Russian media, the first five Mi-28Ns were shipped there in October 2010, with three more having followed before year-end 2010. According to the Russian press, Rostvertol is to deliver 67 Mi-28Ns in the near future

Andrey Fomin

Mi-28N production on the rise

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Ka-52 being learnt in Torzhok

Having assembled and prepared the machines after their delivery from the manufacturer plant and having trained flying and ground crews, CCTC in Torzhok launched flight operations on the Ka-52s early in February this year. To date, military pilots have flown new helicopters not only in daytime but also at night and under adverse weather conditions as well owing to the cutting-edge avionics suite equipping the Ka-52. It includes a gyro-stabilised electrooptical system, night vision goggles (NVG) and a radar that ensures the helicopter’s 24-hour all-weather combat capability. To facilitate and speed up the conversion of aircrews to the

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Ka-52, the Dinamika scientific and technical services centre in the Moscow Region has developed the KTE-52 full-mission crew simulator, the company reported in a news release late in March. Kamov’s order for developing the simulator was landed last year. In addition to the KTE-52 simulator, the complex, allowing the full cycle of air and ground crew training, includes an automated basic ‘ground school’ system. The KTE-52 allows training and conversion training of aircrews for the Ka-52 as far as all basic flight, navigation and weapons use tasks are concerned. It enables aircrews to hone their skills in routine operating

modes and in an emergency, e.g. a materiel failure, a piloting error and foul weather. The Progress-made simulator mock-up is a dead ringer for the real cockpit of the production helicopter in terms of internal dimensions and position of the controls, control panels, consoles, etc. The Ka-52’s real controls are used to simulate the control stations. The simulator’s visual system a six-channel projector and partial dome display complex. It provides angles of view ranging from -90 deg. to +90 deg. in azimuth and from -30 deg. to +53 deg. in elevation. To simulate night vision modes and the use of NVGs, there is a software/ hardware complex comprising a computer and outside-world image generation software tailored to the peculiarities of the NVG imagery, and virtual reality (VR) goggles and a laser tracker as well. The simulator also includes an onboard acoustics simulation system. The KTE-52 simulator was developed by Dinamika in cooperation

with Kamov, which provided it with the data package, and Konstanta Design LLC, which furnished the outsideworld image generator. The company has launched assembly a second Ka-52 full-mission simulator, and the Russian Army Aviation will now receive a sophisticated training aid along with advanced combat helicopters. “Ka-52 simulators will become a key component of the programme on training pilots to fly latest combat helicopters of the Russian Air Force that took delivery of its four first production-standard aircraft in 2010”, reads Dinamika’s news release. “Progress is slated to deliver 10 more production-standard Ka-52s in 2011, with the output expected to be maintained in 2012–2013 as well. Overall, construction of 36 Ka-52 helicopters is stipulated by the contract awarded by the Russian Defence Ministry in 2009”. Fielding of production-standard Ka-52s with a RusAF’s Chernigovka air base in the Russian Far East started in May.

CSTS Dinamika

Alexey Mikheyev

As was reported by Take-off in its February 2011 issue (p. 33), fielding of the advanced Kamov Ka-52 roundthe-clock multirole combat helicopters with the Russian Army Aviation kicked off in December last year. Their series production was launched by the Sazykin Progress plant in Arsenyev. The first four productionstandard aircraft were delivered to the Russian Army Aviation Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in the town of Torzhok, and the acceptance ceremony took place on 28 December 2010.

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More MiG-29K/KUBs delivered while Vikramaditya kicks off trials ers were firmed up last spring. The first batch of six production-standard MiG-29K/KUBs were headed for India in December 2009 and entered service with the Indian Navy in February last year. The next five aircraft were delivered in May 2011. To date, the first batch of 16 MiG-29K/KUBs has been almost complete, but the customer has requested the delivery of the remaining aircraft of the batch to be put on the back burner until some

time closer to the delivery date of the Vikramaditya, from which they are being bought to operate. Under the additional agreement signed last spring, the upgraded Vikramaditya is to be delivered in late 2012, and then Indian naval pilots will be able to start operating their MiG-29K/KUB fighters off the carrier. The Russian Defence Ministry also is looking into acquisition of a MiG-29K/KUB batch for operation

off the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia’s only aircraft carrier so far. Considering that the production of the Admiral Kuznetsov’s Su-33 fighters had been discontinued a rather long time ago, the advanced MiG fighters may well complement the CAG of the Russian carrier, as they carry a more sophisticated avionics suite and a formidable array of guided weapons of all classes.

Alexey Mikheyev

In March, the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk launched the mooring trials of the Vikramaditya multirole aircraft carrier being developed through overhauling and upgrading the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft-carrying cruiser previously in service with the Russian Navy. “The most difficult and important tests will be those of the propulsion plant. The second priority is to test the radio-electronic systems, including Indian-made systems, and the carrier’s aviation component as well. The final objective of the mooring tests is to prepare the systems and equipment to the next phase, the factory sea trials, during which the aircraft carrier will put to sea. This phase is slated for late 2011”, said a Sevmash spokesperson. The deal on the delivery of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy was clinched in January 2004. It was accompanied by a deal on development and delivery of 16 MiG29K/KUB multirole carrierborne fighters to make up the carrier air group (CAG). The 29 options for such fight-

Myanmar receives new MiG-29 batch

M Radzi Desa

The MiG Corp. has delivered the first batch of MiG-29 fighters to the Republic of Myanmar. The Russian media reported the readiness of the planes for shipping as far back as early March. The contract for 20 MiG-29 fighters for Myanmar was landed in late 2009. According to the Burmese press, it provides for delivery of 10 MiG-29B fighters (the baseline export variant also known as type 9-12B), six MiG-29SE (9-13SE, a version with a slightly increased fuel load and improved avionics) and four MiG-29UB two-seat combat trainers to the tune of $550 million.

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Since the MiG Corp. several years ago has switched to production of a commonised family of advanced versions of the fighter (MiG-29K/KUB, MiG-29M/M2, MiG-35), it used its backlog of earlier versions of the MiG-29. The singleseaters were manufactured by the MiG Corp.’s production facility in Moscow and the twinseaters by the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The MiG-29 is well known in Myanmar. The country awarded the MiG Corp. the first contract for 12 aircraft of the type (10 MiG-29B singleseaters and two MiG-29UB

twinseaters) in 2001 and the delivery took place in 2002–2003 (see the photo). Once the new deal has been fulfilled, Myanmar’s air force will beef up its fighter fleet considerably: Flight International has reported that it had comprised 12 MiG-29s and 24 obsolete F-7M (the Chinese upgrade of the clone of the MiG-21, a second-generation Soviet fighter), by the beginning of this year. The latter were delivered to Burma as far back as the 1980s and are said to have seen the termination of their active operation in anticipation of replacement with more advanced MiG fighters. At the same time with fulfilling the Burmese contract, the MiG Corp. carries on with a major order from the Indian Navy for MiG-29K/KUB carrierborne fighters. In addition, the early MiG-29M/M2 single- and twinseaters are in construction under the 2007 contact with Syria, and upgrade is underway of the first batch of the Indian Air Force’s 62 MiG-29 fighters

under the MiG-29UPG programme stipulated by the 2008 contract. The situation is a bit more complicated as far as the prospect of the heavily upgraded MiG-35 fighter (the two-seat variant is designated as MiG-35D) is concerned. The Indian Defence Ministry is known to have published in late April the short list of contenders in the tender for acquisition and licence production of 126 MMRCA medium multirole fighters, with the short list comprising the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale. Nevertheless, acquisition of a considerable number of MiG-35s is stipulated by Russia’s governmental armament acquisition programme for the period until 2020. Belarus has mentioned the feasibility of buying such planes recently too. “There are plans for buying MiG-35 or Su-30 aircraft as well”, said Sergey Gurulyov, chairman, State Military Industrial Committee of Belarus, during a press conference in Minsk on 4 May.

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Yevgeny Yerokhin

The first trilateral contract on three Beriev A-50EI airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for the Indian Defence Ministry was fulfilled with success this spring. In March, the third aircraft of the type, serialled KW3553, flew to IAF’s air base in Agra, having been fitted with the radar system and subjected to relevant trials in Israel. As is known, the Beriev A-50EI AEW&C system was developed under the Russo-Indo-Israeli contract signed in 2004 as a derivative of the Ilyushin Il-76TD airlifter made by TAPC (Uzbekistan), powered by Beriev-installed Aviadvigatel/ Perm Engine Company PS-90A-76 engines and equipped with Israeli radar system MSA Phalcon that was installed by its manufacturer ELTA. In addition, a datalink from Russian corporation Vega is mounted on the aircraft. The first plane built under the contract on the basis of the airframe of Il-76TD c/n 94-02 first flew in Taganrog on 29 November 2007 and entered service with IAF two years ago, in May 2009, serialled KW3551. The second unit, based on the airframe of Il-76TD c/n 94-03 and serialled KW3552, conducted its maiden flight from Beriev’s airfield on 11 January 2009 and was delivered in March 2010. The final, third aircraft derived from the airframe of Il-76TD c/n 94-04 performed its first flight in Taganrog on 9 June last year and was ferried to Israel on 8 October.

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Yochai Mossi

India got its third A-50EI

With its delivery this spring, the 2004 contract has been fulfilled. Nonetheless, the parties are gearing up for making another contract for three more aircraft. In particular, Rosoboronexport Deputy Director General Victor Komardin mentioned this at the Bangalore air show this February. He said the delivery of the third A-50EI “will be followed by another three”. “We are waiting for the request”, Mr. Komardin said in February. To manufacture next three A-50EIs, there is a plan to use TAPC’s backlog of Il-76TD airlifters that will be refined, completed and fitted with PS-90A-76 engines by Beriev and

then equipped with the radar system and tested in Israel as it was done under the first contract. However, a final configuration of the deal will hinge on TAPC’s preparedness and the Uzbek government’s decision to take part in fulfilling a new export contract. As is known, to avoid dependence on Uzbek suppliers, the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk launched the productionising of an upgraded Il-76 version (Project 476) in line with the Russian governmental directive dated 20 December 2006. The first Russian-built flying protoype of the Il-76-TD-90A (c/n 01-02) is to be completed before the end of this

year. Aircraft like that are supposed to be made not only in the military airlifter and commercial freighter versions, but also as a platform for deriving a tanker plane, an AEW&C aircraft and other applications. For instance, at the late-April International Air Transport Forum in Ulyanovsk, a model of such a promising AEW&C aircraft based on the Project 476 airframe was unveiled to the participants in the forum and the public. The aircraft featured an advanced wing design, PS-90A-76 engines and other design peculiarities of the future Aviastarbuilt Il-76s. The aircraft has all of the properties of the A-50 AEW&C plane and its subsequent versions and upgrades – the radar with the antenna in the disc-shaped radome on top of the fuselage, other extra antennae and equipment cooling air intakes in various sections of the airframe, fuselage nose section devoid of the navigator’s station characteristic of the transport versions of the Il-76, in-flight refuelling system, etc. Obviously, the unveiled model has the purely presentational purpose to demonstrate the prospect of Programme 476. However, it makes sense to assume that it is such a platform that this country will use further down the road to make advanced AEW&C aircraft both for its own military and for export.

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contracts and deliveries | news

for outfitting and acceptance tests prior to the delivery. In April this year, TAPC assembled the second aircraft (c/n 94-01, test registration 76953) under the Jordanian order. It made its maiden flight in Tashkent on 12 May and ferried to Zhukovsky for acceptance tests on 31 May. Both aircraft are expected to be delivered this summer following the completion of acceptance trials and customer’s crews training.

Ivan Kirillov

In April, the first production Ilyushin Il-76MF transport built by Tashkent-based TAPC corp. last year under the contract signed by Rosoboronexport and Jordan in August 2005 completed its tests at Ilyushin’s testing facility in Zhukovsky and was painted in the customer’s colours prior to delivery. Now, the aircraft has Jordanian registration JY-JID and the logos of the Royal Falcon and JIAC (Jordanian International Air Cargo) carriers. JIAC was set up in Jordan in 2005. It hauls freight in the Middle East, Afirca and Asia, using Il-76, An-32 and Boeing 737-200F transports. Set up in 2007, its sister company Royal Falcon is a specialist in charter and, since 2009, scheduled passenger operations with the use of Boeing 737-400, 767-200/300ER and A320 aircraft (four units in all). The first Jordanian Il-76MF c/n 96-02 (test registration 76954) first flew in Tashkent on 30 September 2010 and went to Zhukovsky on 29 October

Alexey Mikheyev

Two Il-76MF freighters ready for Jordan

Kaveri tests on Russian flying testbed carry on

Alexey Mikheyev

The tests of Indian turbofan engine Kaveri on Russian flying testbed Il-76LL (serial 76492), which began at the Gromov Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky on 3 November 2010, were stepped up in April. Only four sorties had been flown by early March, at the first stage of the tests. The pace of the trials was hindered by

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problems experienced by the engine. During a March press conference, the Gromov Flight Research Institute Director, Honoured Test Pilot and Hero of Russia Pavel Vlasov, said the tests were to resume after the customer had provided new examples of the Kaveri. Finally, in mid-April, the Russian flying testbed began to

fly in earnest, logging several sorties a week. According to Indian newspaper Frontier India, the Il-76LL carrying the Kaveri turbofan had logged 11 flights by May, with its total flying time having accounted for about 20 h. The engine had been tested in various operating modes at an altitude of up to 12,000 m

and a speed of Mach 0.7. According to Pavel Vlasov, 43 missions are to be flown under the Russian-Indian contract signed on 2 August 2007 with Rosoboronexport’s assistance. The GTRE Gas Turbine Research Establishment, a laboratory of India’s Defence research and development Organisation (DRDO), has been developing the Kaveri turbofan since 1989. Initially, it was planned for use on Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, but the production LCA is powered by US engine F404-GE-IN20. In the mid-decade, the Indian Air Force is to begin to take delivery of upgraded Tejas Mk.2 fighters yet again fitted with US engines F414-GE-INS6. At the same time, India hopes for an indigenous engine to emerge as part of the powerplant of the Indian fifthgeneration fighter being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. It is due to take to the air late in the decade.

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contracts and deliveries | news

Rostvertol steps up Mi-35 exports

Mikhail Mizikayev

Rostvertol

The Rostvertol joint stock company has shipped two new Mil Mi-35P attack helicopters to Peru this spring (right photo). According to a Rosoboronexport spokesperson, the contract for two brand-new Mi-35Ps and six Mi-171Sh multipurpose medium troop carriers from UlanUde plant was signed in Lima on 22 July 2010. “This helicopter contract was lightning-fast indeed”, Rosoboronexport Director General Anatoly Isaikin commented on the deal at the time. “The contract was signed only a month and a half after the Peruvian side had made its request”. The new helicopters are to be used on counternarcotics

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Mi-35M. The first order for Mi-35Ms was awarded by Venezuela five years ago. 10 helicopter of the type were delivered from 2006 to 2008. In October 2008, a contract was signed for 12 machines of the type for Brazil (photo below). The first three of them were delivered on December 2009 and three more followed last summer. Thus, a third Latin American nation gets sophisticated Rostvertol helicopters. Mi-35P deliveries to Indonesia resumed last year after a sevenyear lull (left photo above). The first two machines were shipped in September 2003, and 2007 saw Russia and Indonesia make an intergovernmental agreement on a major loan to Indonesia for acquisition of various types of combat gear. A contract for three Mi-35P attack helicopters was signed as part of the agreement. They were assembled by Rostvertol last year and airlifted to Jakarta by an An-124 Ruslan on 23 September 2010.

The Republic of Myanmar became another buyer of Rostvertol’s Mi-35Ps last year (right photo above). A deal for such machines was part of the December 2009 package of contracts for advanced Russian aircraft designed for Myanmar. Rostvertol shipped the first four Mi-35Ps to the customer in August last year, and the remaining four had been prepared for shipping by February this year. The Mi-35M and Mi-35P shall remain an important part of

Rostvertol’s production programme for the near future. According to Rostvertol Director General Boris Slyusar, the orderbook for aircraft of the family is full until 2015. The media report that the talks with potential customers from a dozen countries have resulted in contracts for 28 Mi-35Ms and 30 Mi-35Ps. The major of them, probably, is the contract for 24 Mi-35Ms awarded by Azerbaijan last autumn. Rostvertol is poised to kick off the assembly of these machines in the near future.

Andrey Fomin

operations and in support of the Peruvian military fighting the rebels of the Sendero Luminoso extremist organisation. The deliveries under the contract are due for completion before year-end. Russian military aircraft appeared in Peru as far back as the 1970s. The Latin American country acquired 12 Mi-25 combat helicopters (the export variant of the Mi-24D) from the Soviet Union in 1982. Seven machines more are said to have been bought from Nicaragua in 1992. According to Flight International, the Peruvian Air Force had operated 16 aircraft of the type by late last year. The newly acquired Mi-35Ps differ from Peru’s Mi-25s in packing the formidable fixed gun mount with the 30-mm GSh-30K twin-barrel automatic gun instead of the swivelling 12.7-mm four-barrel machinegun and the sophisticated Shturm-V antitank guided missile (ATGM) system and the latest avionics as well. The Mi-35P is in production by Rostvertol concurrently with the modernised

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RSK MiG

contracts and deliveries | programme

UPGRADE OF INDIAN

MiG-29 G-29ss KICKS OFF Tests of the first upgraded MiG-29UPGs are under way in Zhukovsky, Moscow Region, with the upgrades designed and performed by the MiG Corp. at the request by the Indian Defence Ministry. The first IAF MiG-29UPG serialled KBU3301 flew its maiden mission after the upgrade at the airfield of the LII Gromov Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky on 4 February 2010. The aircraft remained airborne for about an hour and its flight was as planned. The MiG Corp.’s chief of flight operations, senior test pilot Mikhail Belyayev, flew the plane. Two more upgraded aircraft including one twin-seater joined it in May when all three aircraft were demonstrated to Indian Air Force delegation headed by IAF’s Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik at LII airfield in Zhukovsky on 23 May.

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The MiG Corp. has been implementing the MiG-29UPG programme under the contract signed on 7 March 2008 for integrated upgrade of the whole of the MIG-29 fleet of the Indian Air Force. In all, 62 aircraft, including several MiG-29UB two-seat combat trainers, are subject to upgrade. They are to be given more up-to-date avionics, with their weapons suite to be beefed up with advanced weapons. In addition, airframe and powerplant improvements will extend the fighters’ service life by far, and the aircraft will switch to on-condition maintenance. The fuel load will increase owing to a conformal spine fuel tank aft of the cockpit. At the same time, the fighters will get the mid-air refuelling capability. Overall, the concept of upgrading the IAF MiG-29s corresponds to that of the MiG-29SMT that has been in service with

the Russian Air Force since 2009 and mastered by Russian pilots. At the same time, there will be a high degree of avionics and weapons commonality with the MiG-29K/ KUB carrierborne fighters that entered service with the Indian Navy on 19 February 2010. At the customer’s request, systems from various foreign manufacturers are integrated with the avionics suite of the upgraded MiG-29UPG (the so-called international avionics suite). Similar experience has been gained from the fulfilling of the RussianIndian contracts for upgrade of the IAF’s MiG-21bis to MiG-21UPG Bison standard and for development and manufacture of the Su-30MKI and MiG-29K/KUB fighters. The experience has showed itself to good advantage. The upgraded MiG-29UPG’s fire control system is wrapped around the advanced www.take-off.ru

contracts and deliveries | programme passive radar homing antiradation missile, KAB-500Kr TV-homing bombs, etc. The MiG-29 has been in IAF’s inventory since 1987. Overall, 80 aircraft of the type had been delivered from the later 1980s to the mid-‘90s, including about 70 MiG-29 singleseaters (version B, or MiG-29B) and 10 MiG-29UB twinseaters. The delivery of the first batch of 44 fighters commenced in 1987, the second batch of 26 aircraft was delivered in 1989 and the third one (10 units) in 1994. Three IAF air squadrons operate the MiG-29 fighters – the 28th and 47th since December 1987 and the 223rd since November 1989. According to Indian warbirds.in website, at least 11 IAF MiG29s, including a MiG-29UB, had been lost from 1994 to 2008 (at least four fatal accidents and seven incidents are known). According to Flight International, IAF had operated 69 fighters of the type by early 2011.

Sergey Lysenko

The first MiG-29UB UPG upgraded twin-seater fulfilled its maiden flight at Sokol plant airfield, Nizhny Novgorod, on 19 May 2011

Phazotron-NIIR Zhuk-M2E slotted-array radar and OLS-UEM IRST with the laser, thermal-imager and TV capabilities from the NIIPP Precision Instrument Research Institute (now Precise Instrument System Scientific and Production Corporation, NPK SPP). The same radar and IRST fit the MiG-29K/KUB. The cockpit management system is based on colour multifunction liquid-crystal displays. The international segment of the avionics suite includes inertial/satellite navigation, communication and electronic warfare systems being produced and supplied by companies from France, India and some other countries. In addition to the conformal fuel cell behind the cockpit and the mid-air refuelling boom on the portside, visual differences between the MiG-29UPG and the baseline MiG-29 include the underwww.take-off.ru

Sergey Lysenko

Andrey FOMIN

The second MiG-29UPG single-seater first flew in Zhukovsky on 20 May 2011

wing chaff/flare dispensers from Bharat Dynamics and advanced antennae of the defence aids suite under wing and in the root of the right fin. The basic weapons carried by the MIG-29UPG are the same as those carried by the MiG-29SMT and MiG-29K/KUB. Unlike the weapons suite of production MiG-29s, they also include the RVV-AE medium-range active radar homing air-to-air missiles and such precisionguided air-to-surface weapons, as the Kh-29T general-purpose TV-homing missile, Kh-31A active radar homing antiship missile, Kh-31P

Under the contract, the first six IAF MIG-29s (four singleseaters and two twinseaters) shall be upgraded and tested in Russia, where they arrived from India in 2008. The remaining 56 aircraft will be upgraded in India at the production facilities of the IAF 11th Repair Base, using knockdown kits supplied from Russia. Mikhail Pogosyan, MiG Corp. Director General/ Designer General and UAC President, said at the Aero India 2011 air show that the first MiG-29UPG would be returned to the customer this year following the completion of the tests. take-off june 2011

commercial aviation | news

Russian An-148s launching operations to Europe

Alexey Mikheyev

Antonov An-148-100B of the Rossiya airline performed its first international service on 16 March: RA-61705 regional jet brought passengers from St. Petersburg to Berlin. Prior to that, Russian An-148s had flown domestic services only. Rossiya began scheduled operations of its An-148s in December 2009, and now it has as many as six aircraft of the type, leased from the Ilyushin Finance Co. Talks on turning the nine An-148 options into firm orders are under way. If all goes to plan, all Rossiya’s An-148 fleet could be beefed up with three more aircraft of the type by year-end.

Alexey Filatov

Meanwhile, later March saw Voronezh-based VASO plant completing the assembly of and rolling out, for ground tests, the first An-148-100E (c/n 41-40) built for the Polyot airline in Voronezh. Sberbank-Leasing is the lessor under this contract for 10 planes. Late in April, the aircraft was given Polyot’s paintjob and RA-61709 registration. The delivery of the first An-148-100E to the Polyot airline is slated for June, and the carrier might take delivery of one or two more aircraft of the type before year-end.

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Alexey Boyarin/Julia Lokteva

An-148 regional jets scheduled operation in Russia is being carried out for a year and a half. The first An-148-100B airliner built in the summer of 2009 by the VASO plant in Voronezh and leased by the Ilyushin Finance Co. to the launch customer, the Rossiya airline, commenced its scheduled services in late December 2009. The aircraft with RA-61701 registration hauled its first passengers from Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg to Domodedovo airport in Moscow on 21 December 2009. The second An-148-100B (RA-61702) arrived at Rossiya’s base airport in late December 2009 and launched its operations in January 2010. Four more aircraft of the type (RA-61703, 61704, 61705, 61706) were delivered to Rossiya airline under Ilyushin Finance Co. lease contract in 2010.

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commercial aviation | news

by the aircraft plants in Voronezh and Kiev. In the single-class configuration, it carries 99 passengers out to 2,500 km, while the two-class configuration version seats 86 passengers on services out to 3,100 km (compare that to the An-148-100B that flies economyclass 75 passengers to a distance of 3,500 km). The An-158 prototype (UR-NTN) derived from An-148-100 c/n 01-02 first flew in Kiev on 28 April 2010. The An-158 logged 79 test sorties with their total duration of 147 flying hours under the certification test programme that included high-alpha, Category III landing and takeoff/landing performance tests, external and internal noise measurements, stability

Andrey Fomin

Sergey Popsuyevich

The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) of the CIS has completed the certification of the modified Antonov An-158 regional airliner by having issued Supplement to Type Certificate ST264-An-148 that had been issued for the An-148-100 on 26 February 2007. IAC Chairwoman Tatyana Anodina handed the document to Antonov President and Designer General Dmitry Kiva in a ceremony in Kiev on 28 February. At the same time, Ukrainian deputy Transport and Communication Minister Anatoly Kolesnik gave Antonov’s boss a similar certificate issued by the Ukrainian State Aviation Administration. The An-158 is a 1.74-m-stretched version of the An-148-100 in production

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Antonov

Sergey Popsuyevich

An-158 gearing up for new orders

and controllability tests, emergency passenger disembarkation, etc. In addition to the flight test programme, a sizeable part of the certification efforts was made as part of ground tests, which included the use of the Engineering Flight Test Bench. Antonov production plant in Kiev will handle the manufacturing of the An-158, with a considerable part of the components to be supplied by Russia’s VASO Voronezh Aircraft Production Association. Russian leasing company Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC) became the An-158’s launch customer in July last year, having awarded Antonov 10 firm orders with 10 options. IFC has declined to name the end user of the An-158s the company has ordered yet. Last autumn, Antonov’s head, Dmitry Kiva, said that Russia had ordered 20 An-158s, and there were 87 options, including 12 for Russia, five for Ukraine, six for Cuba and 64 for Iran.

Actually, Iran could become a major customer for the Ukrainian An-148 and An-158 regional jets. A memorandum to that effect was signed with the Iranians as far back as 31 October 2008. It provides for delivery of up to 80 aircraft, with 60 may be licenceproduced by Iranian company HESA in Isfahan. The afore-said number may include 16 standard An-148-100s and 64 An-158 stretches. However, only Ilyushin Finance Co. has made firm orders for the An-158 so far, the company that has made the decisive contribution to the launch of the An-148’s production in Russia and that is the launch customer for the plane of VASO’s assembly. Despite its plans to diversify its business (IFC plans to start leasing foreignmade aircraft), the company remains committed to pursuing its programme of acquisition of the An-148 and An-158 to lease them to Russian carriers and for export.

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commercial aviation | news

According to the developer, the MC-21 will one-up its closest foreign rival, the Airbus A320, in better efficiency, since its direct operating costs are expected to be 12–15% less, fuel efficiency 25% higher and maintenance costs 30% lower. This is to be achieved through using cutting-edge equipment and systems from major foreign manufacturers and a number of ingenious design and layout solutions. For instance, a large part of the airliner’s design, 35–37%, is composites, of which, in particular, the wing and empennage will be made in full. The most important component of the MC-21’s competitive edge concept is the comfort unprecedented for aircraft in the class. The MC-21’s cabin is 3.65 m wide, which is 12 cm more than that of the A320 and 19 cm of the cabin of the Boeing 737. This allows either using wider and more comfortable seats or increasing the width of the aisle, which will expedite boarding and disembarkation and enable passengers to pass clearly of service trolleys easily. Like the Dreamliner, the MC-21 will have larger passenger windows.

Irkut President Oleg Demchenko estimates that the MC-21 programme can win the company up to 10% of the global 150–200-seat narrow-body airliner market. Leading Western companies, which joined the MC-21 programme, agree with him, believing the MC-21 output may exceed 1,000 aircraft. UAC President Alexey Fyodorov said, “The MC-21 is UAC’s priority as far as civil aviation programmes are concerned. The plants in Ulyanovsk and Voronezh are coming on board; they will join UAC’s division being established on the basis of Irkut. The government is doing its best to facilitate the programme. Pursuing the MC-21 programme, we are developing a new-generation passenger plane and, hence, high-tech branches of Russia’s economy”. There is little time left before the airliner’s maiden flight. Irkut plans that the first MC-21 will take to the skies in late 2014. If all goes to plan, its certification tests will have been complete by 2016 and then deliveries of early production-standard airliners to the launch customer will kick off. Andrey Fomin

two options, and a customer, who requested anonymity, ordered the same number of airliners. Overall, these deals clinched at Farnborough 2010 generated a good orderbook for the MC-21 developer, totalling 140 aircraft. Later on, in September, an agreement on delivery of 50 airliners to the Russian Technologies state corporation that manages assets of a number of major Russian air carriers was signed. The planes are to be delivered between 2016 and 2022. So, by 2011, the MC-21 orderbook has grown up to 190 units.

Andrey Fomin

Irkut Corp. is going to display a full-scale mock-up of a 20-m-long section of the fuselage of its prospective MC-21 new-generation short/medium-haul airliner at Le Bourget for the first time. An impressive mock-up includes pilots cockpit and passenger cabin. By now Irkut has already got 190 orders for MC-21 airliner. Malaysian investment company Crecom Burj Resources became the launch customer of the MC-21 at Farnborough airshow last summer and placed 50 firm orders (25 MC-21-200s and 25 MC-21-300s designed for 168 and 212 seats in the singleclass tourist layout respectively). The contract is valued at $3 billion in list prices, with the delivery slated for 2016–2020. Russia’s Ilyushin Finance Co. leasing company ordered 28 airliners with 22 options. Another Russian aircraft lessor, VEB-Leasing, made an agreement for 15 planes with 15 options. Two letters of intent were signed by air carriers as well: Russian tourist charter carrier Nordwind ordered five MC-21s plus

Irkut

MC-21 has got 190 orders and waiting for more

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commercial aviation | news

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take-off june 2011

Sergey Lysenko

commercial aviation | event

Grigory ARONOV

FIRST SUKHOI SUPERJET LAUNCHES OPERATIONS The first Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner was delivered in a ceremony at Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport to Armenian air carrier Armavia on 19 April 2011. The lead production airliner (c/n 95007) was named after the Earth’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and given registration number EK95015. The aircraft has a single-class configuration for 98 seats. A day after having been ferried to the operator’s airport, the new airliner commenced regular services. Russia’s Aeroflot is to start flying its Superjets this summer, too. “The delivery of the first production plane is a landmark in the implementation of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 programme”, said UAC President and Sukhoi Director General Mikhail Pogosyan during the ceremony in Yerevan. “Today’s event marks a new phase of the programme – the beginning of the commercial operation and fullrate production. I am certain that the new Russian airliner will prove itself as part of the aircraft fleet of the Armavia airline and that our colleagues in Superjet International will provide comprehensive support to Armenia’s flag carrier at the SSJ100’s ser-

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vice entry stage and provide quality timely aftersales support”. The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company (SCAC) and Armavia airline signed the contract for Russian-built airliners SSJ100/95B on 14 September 2007. The first production airliner (c/n 95007) designed for the Armenian customer performed its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 4 November 2010, and its technical acceptance demonstration took place here on 12 April this year following the completion of the tests and presales preparation. Just a day after the delivery ceremony at Zvartnots, the SSJ100 went on its first passenger flight, having brought 90 passengers from Yerevan to Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow early in the morning on 21 April. The aircraft had logged 24 flights from Yerevan to Moscow, Athens, Donetsk, Aleppo (Syria), Tehran, Tel Aviv and Simferopol in only first 10 days in service, and scheduled Superjet services from Yerevan to Venice kicked off on 1 May. At the initial stage of operation, Armavia pilots supported by Superjet International instructor-pilots Leonid Chikunov and Sergey Korostiyev. “The plane is excellent in terms of operation. Flights are conducted without signifi-

cant delays. All flights take place in automatic mode at an altitude of 10,700–11,900 m and a speed of Mach 0.78–0.8”, the Superjet’s pilot Aram Yegoyan said upon arrival to Venice. “The SSJ100 has excellent flight-deck ergonomics and handling qualities. It is easy and comfortable to fly an aircraft”. The first two production Superjets for Armavia and Aeroflot being preparing for delivery, April 2011

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SuperJet International

commercial aviation | event

The first SSJ100-95B for Aeroflot and next production Superjets in the SCAC's assembly hall, December 2010

a total of 66 flights for the overall distance of 85,800 km carrying 2,885 passengers. The second SSJ100 earmarked for Armavia (c/n 95009) is nearing its completion by SCAC in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. According to the carrier’s head, Mikhail Bagdasarov, “the second SSJ100 shall join Armavia’s fleet in June”. In May, SCAC also was preparing the lead Superjet for delivery to Aeroflot. The aircraft c/n 95008 flew for the first time on 31 January this year and had been given the colours of the customer and registration number RA-89001 late last year. Its delivery flight from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Moscow's Sheremetyevo took place on 9 June. In accordance with SCAC’s plans, at least 10 out of the 30 Superjets ordered are to be

delivered to Aeroflot this year with two aircraft are slated for Armavia. The Aeroflotintended SSJ100s are to be performed by the VEB-Leasing company, VTB-Leasing supports the fulfilling of the contract awarded by Armavia, and the yet-to-beclinched deal with Yakutiya was supposed to be fulfilled under a contract between SCAC and the Financial Leasing Company dated 17 August 2005. In addition, a firm order of 24 SSJ100s is to be placed by the UTair carrier, UTair Director General Andrey Martirosov has said recently, with Perm-based Aviaseasing, which awarded the contract for those aircraft to SCAC in June 2009, to act as a lessor. SuperJet International

“The SSJ100 fights nicely Armavia’s strategic plans of developing its network of routes between the Middle East and Europe, using Zvartnots airport as a hub”, stressed Armavia President Mikhail Bagdasarov. Established in 1996, Armavia is the leader of the Armenian air transport market, conducting over a hundred scheduled operations a week on 40 routes to 20 countries. In 2010, it carried about 800,000 passengers. Prior to receiving its first Superjet, its aircraft fleet comprised three Airbus A320s, three A319s, a Bombardier CRJ-200 and a few Il-86s and Yak-42s (some of the latter two have been decommissioned of late). During the first month of regular services with Armavia Sukhoi Superjet 100 has made

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commercial aviation | project

RYSACHOK

FOR FLYING SCHOOLS AND COMMUTER AIRLINES On 3 June, the Gromov LII Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky witnessed the arrival of a new light twin-engined turboprop airplane named Rysachok (Russian for ‘little trotter’). The aircraft that made its maiden flight on 3 December 2010 in Samara is under development on order from the Russian Ministry of Transport for civil aviation flying schools, but it may be used for commuter passenger services, flying club parachutist airdrop, medevac, patrol and other operations as well. The aircraft manufactured by Samara-based TsSKB-Progress State Scientific Production Space Rocket Centre was developed by the team led by Chief Designer Vyacheslav Kondratyev, the unchallenged leader of the Technoavia company known for its light multirole planes. Early in 2007, the Russian Ministry of Transport issued tenders for an advanced twin-engine trainer for civil aviation flying schools. Until recently, cadets of Russia’s major civil aviation flying school in Ulyanovsk (UVAUGA) had to take their graduation exams on the Antonov An-26 and Yakovlev Yak-40, which has cost the flying school an arm and a leg. The growing obsolescence of aircraft and the latter’s expiring service lives have resulted in UVAUGA retaining only two or three serviceable aircraft like that. Cadets of a flying school in Buguruslan (BLUGA) have to take their final exams on a rarity An-2 piston-engined biplane. An attempt at making the Myasischev M-101T Gzhel single-engine turboprop manufactured by the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod has failed for a number of reasons (seven aircraft of the type were delivered to UVAUGA and BLUGA in 2006–2007). Against this backdrop, nine

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Diamond DA-42 light twin-diesel-engine glass-cockpit planes were bought in Austria in 2009 to provide basic training to cadets. However, the Diamonds still will be unable to meet fully all of the requirements in a multiengine graduation exam plane for future commercial pilots. Therefore, development of a domestic turbine-powered twin-engine trainer remains on the agenda. According to the Kommersant daily, the contenders for such an aircraft in the Ministry of Transport tender were Yakovlev, Myasischev and Technoavia, with the latter’s proposal having been preferred. According to the official websites of the State Procurement Agency and Federal Treasury, on 25 June 2007 UVAUGA and Technoavia signed a 740-million-ruble ($25 million) governmental R&D contract for “development and manufacture of a multiengine plane for final exams with a subsequent delivery of at least 30 aircraft

to educational institutions of Russian civil aviation for training of commercial airlines pilots”, with the deadline in December 2009. The plane dubbed Rysachok was given by Kondratyev the cantilever all-metal low-wing monoplane with a high aspect ratio wing, sophisticated high-lift devices, classic empennage, retractable tricycle landing gear with the nosegear, and two wing-mounted M-601F turboprops from Czech company Walter. The crew (the cadet and the instructor pilot or the pilot and co-pilot if the plane is used in the multirole manner) are seated in the cockpit with individual doors on both sides of the fuselage. Access to the cockpit is also possible via the cargo/passenger cabin fitted with a wide portside sliding door in the fuselage tail section. Thus, provision has been made for multirole operation of the Rysachok. In addition to its trainer role for flying schools, it can carry 10 passengers out to 2,000 km at a speed of 400 km/h and at an altitude of 6,000 m or various cargo up to 1,570 kg, six patients on stretchers accompanied by a medic or 15 parachutists jumping out of the sliding door. It also can fly land and maritime border patrols, monitor roads, oil and gas pipelines, high-power lines, conduct search and rescue operations, including airlanding and airdropping of Emergencies Ministry rescue teams to www.take-off.ru

Rysachok’s cockpit

TsSKB-Progress

commercial aviation | project

TsSKB-Progress

Rysachok first flying prototype in its maiden flight, 3 December 2010

Andrey FOMIN

austere airstrips pinpointed from the air, and perform aerial photography, environmental monitoring and other missions. The cockpit has combined instrumentation, including three colour multifunction displays and a number of electromechanical instruments and indicators. The Rysachok’s maximum takeoff weight equals 5,700 kg, with its good power-to-weight ratio (the two M-601F turboprops produce 750 hp each) ensuring excellent take-off and amending performance. Even taking off with the maximum takeoff weight, the aircraft needs a runway of within 1,000 m, and when its maximum take-off weight stands at 5,000 kg, a 500-m-long unpaved airstrip is enough for take-off. The aircraft can operate from airfields sitting up to 2,000 m above sea level. Unlike the previous aircraft designed by Vyacheslav Kondratyev, manufacture of prototype and production Rysachok planes will be handled by the TsSKB-Progress in Samara. Over the past five decades, the company has been a specialist in development and production rocket-and-space hardware. It has been making all versions of the Soyuz launch vehicle and developing advanced rockets and spacecraft. However, the plant in Samara (Kuibyshev at the time) had been a major player of the nation’s aircraft industry before 1960, when it switched to developing and www.take-off.ru

making space-related products. The plant had built over 42,000 planes from 1909 to 1960. Thus, TsSKB-Progress, a rocket-andspace developer and manufacturer, is using the Rysachok to regain its aircraft-making competences. Construction of five pre-production Rysachok planes began during 2008–2010 under the contract signed. The static tests plane (c/n 00-02) was built first. It was followed last autumn by the first flying example (c/n 00-01). After a number of ground tests of the powerplant and systems and test taxiing and runs, the aircraft had been prepared for its maiden flight by winter. On 3 December 2010, pilot Vladimir Makogonov and co-pilot Mikhail Molchanyuk took the Rysachok to the air. Having climbed to 400 m and completed two patterns over the Bezymyanka airfield situated on the eastern outskirts of Samara, the new aircraft landed safely 15 minutes later. The first Rysachok was painted at the nearby Aviakor plant in January. In March, US engine manufacturer GE Aviation reported that Technoavia had ordered from it H80 turboprops for 30 Rysachok planes with 30 more as options. The H80 is an upgraded version of the Czech-made M601, with power increased up to 800 hp and reduced fuel consumption. The GE Aviation and Technoavia agreement also provides for

cooperation in certificating the US engine in Russia and providing its after-sales support. In late January 2011, TsSKB-Progress Director General Alexander Kirilin said that the company was to make two more Rysachok planes this year. “There are 30 options designed for flying schools in the first place. In the long run, we will launch line assembly. The productionising we have completed will enable us to make six planes a year. If the project becomes successful, the company’s facilities allow production six planes a month to provide such planes for all airports that sit idle now”, Mr. Kirilin said. The launch order by the Ministry of Transport, which cannot objectively be very big, may well be followed by new orders by regional airlines, flying clubs and uniformed services, and the Rysachok, its developers believe, is facing good prospects in this respect. For instance, the air arm of the Emergencies Ministry has been keen on the Rysachok. “A plane in the An-2 class is needed by the country”, opined Ravil Akhmetov, first deputy Director General, TsSKB-Progress. “Just like the famous agricultural plane, it will be in high demand. The Rysachok is an up-to-date twin-engined aircraft. It is relevant for pilot training, inter- and intraregional operations, agriculture and airlifting of ill persons”. take-off june 2011

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CAUSE OF INCIDENT: COUNTERFEIT PARTS In the wake of a Mi-26 crash in India There was an incident at Satwari airport in Indian state Jammu and Kashmir on 14 December 2010, involving a Mi-26 in service with the Indian Air force (IAF). The helicopter crashed onto the ground from an altitude of about 5 m due to a malfunction in the lateral control system. None of the nine persons on board died, but the machine proved to be beyond repair. In spite of the Mi-26 being covered by a guarantee of the manufacturer plant, which had overhauled it, no claim was raised with the Russian side. It turned out that on the eve of the fatal flight the operator had replaced a helicopter control system part without having it cleared by the guarantee team, with the origin of the substitute being unknown. Today, the factual background is known. The facts indicate that the December crash cannot besmirch the Russian-made Mi-26 in the run-up to summing up outcome of the IAF tender for 15 heavylift helicopters no matter how much someone wants it to. As is known, the advanced Russian Mi-26T2 and US CH-47 Chinook are rivals in the IAF tender.

Mi-26 in India IAF bought its first two Mi-26 heavylifters in May 1986. The machines serialled Z2897 and Z2898 were fielded with the 126th helicopter unit activated at the same time. Two more aircraft (serials Z3075 and Z3076) were fielded with the air unit in February 1989. The four Mi-26s have been used proactively in India for over two decades to carry heavy cargo and conduct unique transport operations. For instance, an externally slung pontoon bridge was airlifted in February 1989 in a unique operation. Indian Mi-26s carried MiG-21 fighters from the crash sites to their air bases at least twice, in 1999 and 2002. In July 2002, a Mi-26 airlifted a Beechcraft passenger plane from the site of its incident at the Kangra airport, with the operation being unique also due to the duration of the flight with cargo on the external sling – 3 h 25 min. Mi-26s hauled Mi-17 helicopters from hand landing sites at least twice, in February 2006 and September 2007. Last year, the Indian Mi-26s were widely used to airlift heavy

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equipment required for construction of a railway in the Srinagar valley.

The way it was The Mi-26 serialled Z3076 (c/n 14-10) was made by Rostvertol plant in November 1988 specifically for IAF. It underwent another overhaul in March 2008 at the manufacturer plant, after which its assigned life was extended up to 27 years and eight months (until June 2016), its time between overhauls was set at 900 h and service life until next overhaul was set at eight years, while the manufacturer’s guarantee for three years of 500 flying hours (deadline in March 2011) was provided. At the time of the incident, the helicopter had logged 484 flying hours and 705 landings after the latest overhaul and 1,815 h and 2,994 landings since the beginning of its operation, with the remaining time before overhaul standing at 415 h or 5.5 years. The operation and routine maintenance had been in line with the current documentation.

On 6 December 2010, the Mi-26 (Z3076) departed its air base in Chandigarh to Jammu and Kashmir to take part in airlifting heavy cargo as part of the construction of the railway there. At its destination, a 13.5-tonne tractor and long 1.7-tonne metalwork were loaded on board. Prior to the flight, the ground crew had spotted hydraulic system oil dripping from the KAU-140 combined control unit responsible for lateral control of the helicopter. The operator decided to replace the unit with a similar one from its own backup pool of components, which was done right at the Satwari airport on 12 December, the manufacturer’s guarantee team in Chandigarh was not informed and a certificate of damage was not issued. Following the replacement of the KAU-140, the replacement unit was tested from the NS-46 onboard hydraulic power unit and then, once the engines were started, in line with the operating flow chart. The control system operated normally. After www.take-off.ru

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that, the helicopter with its cargo took off and performed a test hovering. All was well. The problems began piling up when the crew started climbing and accelerating at the same time. The machine started rolling to the portside while starting veering off the runway’s centerline. Attempts to offset the roll were futile. According to the pilot, the controls became hard to move about and would not go to the right. In the end, the helicopter hit the ground first with the main rotor blades and then with the cockpit at a high angle of roll and a negative angle of pitch about 50 m away from the runway. The fuselage nose section with the cockpit was torn off, the machine rolled on its portside, the main and tail rotors disintegrated completely, and fractures of the tail boom and tail rotor pylon emerged. The crew of five, two flight operators and two official personnel were injured. www.take-off.ru

Conclusions To probe into the crash, IAF set up an investigating committee who considered several versions, e.g. piloting error, helicopter overloading and technical failure. The probe revealed that the cargo had been fastened well and its shift could not facilitate the incident. The helicopter’s load (14.5 t of cargo and 5 t of fuel), takeoff weight (48.4 t) and centre-of-gravity location were within the limits. The flight recorders and analysis of the helicopter’s structure and systems on site showed that the aircrew had not been the cause of the crash, but also indicated that the newly replaced KAU-140 combined lateral control unit, which had operated well enough, had started responding in a strange way to the inputs from the controls after the helicopter started accelerating. This was in the form of ‘biting’ the rod of the actuator

of the unit, with the rod then moving at will and finally getting stuck in the fully extended position. This resulted in the loss of lateral control and the helicopter hitting the ground. The rest of onboard systems had operated well until the impact. A request to the manufacturer of the KAU-140 (Gidroagregat JSC in Pavlovo, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia) revealed that the serial number on the case of the unit and its technical certificate had been doctored. The entry in the faulty KAU-140’s technical certificate on its delivery to the operator in 2009 indicates that the KAU140 had been bought by IAF from a former Soviet republic. This relieves Russia of any responsibility for the incident. Thus, the problem of counterfeit parts showed up again. Trying to save on original spares and components, the operator lost much more – a whole helicopter that could have been operated for at least five years more. Luckily, the incident suffered by the Mi-26 in Jammu and Kashmir did not involve any loss of life. Unfortunately, the incident is not the first one caused by the use of counterfeit units and components. The fatal accident of the Kamov Ka-32T (RA-31575) of the Avialift Vladivostok carrier during logging operations on Kalimantan in Malaysia made quite a stir on 17 April 2004. The investigation found out that the cause had been the failure of the TV3-117VK engine due to the fatigue failure of the compressor turbine disks installed during an overhaul by UZGA and being counterfeit. Another wellknown crash is that of UTair’s Mi-8MTV-1 (RA-27411) in Liberia on 2 November 2007 due to the disintegration of the tail rotor fitted with counterfeit blades, as the probe discovered. These are only a couple of examples widely known and pertaining to helicopters operated by Russian carriers, but there are more such incidents involving Russian-made helicopters in service with foreign operators. Usually, their true causes are kept under wraps, because nobody wants to won up to losing a helicopter to a failure of second-hand units or components bought on the cheap or to unauthorised repairs or service life extension not authorised by the manufacturer. Hopefully, the lessons learnt from the crash of the IAF Mi-26 will persuade operators both in Russia and abroad be more careful with selecting suppliers. The use of original parts and components, coupled with strict compliance with technical maintenance and flight operation standards, ensures flight safety, while Russian helicopters have reliability and ruggedness in spades. take-off june 2011

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