Russian Helicopters, part of the Rostec State Corporation, together with representatives of the State Research Institute of Civil Aviation has started testing Mi-171A2 and Ansat helicopters.
Within two months, the Mi-171A2 will first make a series of flights in the Astrakhan region, and following this it will be tested for operation at an ambient temperature of up to 122 F (50 C).
The next stage will be tests of airborne equipment in the conditions of the mountainous relief, which will be held in Nalchik. Ansat at this time will be tested on Elbrus.
The results will confirm the possibility of operating a helicopter in the mountainous terrain at heights of up to 2,500 meters.
“As the holding plans to certify Ansat and Mi-171A2 in a number of countries, it is important for us to check and document the maximum capabilities of these helicopters now and in addition, the results of the forthcoming tests will help determine the ways of further modernization of both machines and reduce the time for their modification, taking into account the specifics of operation by specific customers,” said the general director of Russian Helicopters, Andrei Boginsky.
He also noted that the test results of the helicopters will be used for their further promotion in key markets and as part of presentations to potential customers, including at the upcoming China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in November 2018.
The multipurpose Mi-171A2 helicopter is one of the most anticipated novelties of the Russian helicopter industry — the result of a profound modernization of the Mi-8/17 helicopters.
More than 80 changes were made to the design of the Mi-171A2. The helicopter is equipped with the VK-2500PS-03 engine (civil version of engines mounted on combat helicopters Mi-28) with a digital control system.
One of the most important differences between the Mi-171A2 and the helicopters of the Mi-8/17 family is a new carrier system. The helicopter has a more efficient X-shaped steering screw and a new rotor with integral composite blades of improved aerodynamic configuration. Thus, only due to aerodynamics, the propensity of the Mi-171A2 rotor increased by more than 700 kilograms, which had a positive effect on the entire range of flight performance.
In August 2017, the helicopter received a Type A certificate from the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Federation, which fulfills the highest safety requirements for civilian helicopters.
In January 2018, the Mi-171A2 successfully confirmed the possibility of operating the newest multipurpose Mi-171A2 helicopters in difficult climatic conditions at an ambient temperature of -58 F (-50 C).
Ansat is a lightweight, twin-engine, multipurpose helicopter, with serial production deployed at the KVZ.
According to the certificate, the design of the helicopter allows it to be quickly transformed into both cargo and passenger versions with the possibility of transporting up to seven people. Ansat is certified for use in the temperature range from -49 to 122 F (-45 to 50 C).
