Russian Helicopters, part of Rostec State Corporation, presented for the first time to the public the light, multi-purpose helicopter VRT500 at HeliRussia 2018. The helicopter was developed by BP-Technologies Design Bureau in cooperation with an international team of engineers.
The VRT500 will be the first helicopter in the company’s segment of light vehicles with a take-off weight up to two tons. Aircraft of this type currently constitute 18 percent of the world’s fleet of helicopters.
“We note interest in the project from both Russian and foreign operators, and today we have signed agreements on strategic partnerships within the framework of the helicopter promotion program for international markets,” said Andrei Boginsky, general director of Russian Helicopters.
“According to our estimates, by 2035 we [will] sell about 1,000 machines, which will allow us to take up to 15 percent in the world segment of light helicopters weighing up to two tons. The analysis of the market shows that this class of helicopters will become the most massive in the future.”
To date, specialists from the company have completed strength tests of the helicopter carrier system, and plan to start aerodynamic tests in the near future.
“For the first time in many years, we have entered the light helicopter market with a mass of up to two tons,” said Anatoly Serdyukov, industrial director of the aviation cluster of Rostec State Corporation. “This market is highly competitive, which dictates higher requirements for quality, reliability and technology [with] machines not only in the domestic [markets], but also in foreign markets.”
The VRT500 has take-off weight of 3,500 pounds (1,600 kilograms). The aircraft will have the largest cargo cabin in its class with a total capacity of up to five people, and will be equipped with a modern complex of avionics. The aircraft’s flight specifications allow it to reach speeds of up to 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour), fly to a range of up to 530 miles (860 kilometers), and take on board up to 1,600 pounds (730 kilograms) of payload.
The helicopter is planned to be in passenger, multi-purpose, cargo, training, VIP and medical evacuation configurations. At the same time, in the segment with a take-off weight of up to two tons, the VRT500 will be the world’s first medical evacuation helicopter with the ability to load and unload a unified wheeled trolley through the rear doors of the cabin, which simplifies the process and saves time.
