Mi-38

Preparations to Lift New Mi-38 Multirole Helicopter into Air Being Completed

Source: 14.10.02, Interfax-AVN

Preparations for the first flight of the new medium payload Mi-38 multirole helicopter, being built by the Moscow Helicopter Plant together with the Western European Eurocopter company, the Kazan’ Helicopter Plant and the Pratt-Whitney firm, have reached the final stage.

“It is planned to lift the aircraft into the air in December 2002 or in January 2003,” the general director of the Euromil’ company, Vladimir Yablokov, reported to Interfax-AVN.

According to him, at the present time service life tests of the helicopter’s main reduction gear are being performed in the Mil’ MVZ bench-test laboratory.

“The main reduction gear should undergo a definite volume of tests on the bench, and only after this will it be accepted for installation on the helicopter and first flight,” V. Yablokov said.

The agency source reported that in accordance with production plans, construction will be started next year of another two Mi-38 helicopters. These aircraft also will take part in flight and certification tests, which it is planned to complete in 2005.

V. Yablokov noted that the program for the construction of the Mi-38 is a the largest domestic aircraft building program being realized jointly with Western partners. In 2003, a wide-scale agreement (contract) should be signed between the Euromil’ firm, the Eurocopter company, the Kazan’ helicopter plant and the Pratt-Whitney company (Canada) for the final part of the scientific research and experimental design work and the building of an experimental group of helicopters.

The Mi-38 will be equipped in series variant with two PW127T/S engines rated at 2,500 h.p. each (emergency power conditions – 3,600 h.p.) The helicopter’s maximum takeoff weight will be 15,600 – 18,000 kg with a commercial payload inside the cargo bay up to 6 tonnes and suspended externally up to 7 tonnes. The maximum flight speed is 285 km/hr, and the maximum range is 820 km.