In this configuration, the aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight is 13 tons, and its range with ten passengers and luggage is 850 km. These parameters make the aircraft an optimal choice for long-distance flights, ensuring maximum comfort.
Russian Helicopters also intends to install a unique panoramic window on the luxury model.
The cutting-edge helicopter conducts search and rescue operations in the open sea and transports individuals and cargo to offshore platforms. In the offshore class, the Mi-171A3 provides distinctive transportation capabilities. This rotorcraft is capable of transporting up to 4 tons of cargo or 24 passengers for a distance of 800 kilometers, with a maximum launch weight of 13 tons. Additional fuel tanks extend the helicopter’s flight range to 1,000 kilometers.
The Mi-171A3 helicopter was developed in a record-short amount of time. The design work commenced in 2018. Two years later, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia signed a government contract with the “Russian Helicopters” holding company to develop rotorcraft. The first flight of the Mi-171A3 prototype occurred on June 30, 2022, thus starting the certification test cycle. It is a significant event to obtain a type certificate for the cargo transport helicopter configuration in late 2022, as it confirms the emergence of a new, distinctive domestic helicopter.
A domestic digital avionics system equips the chopper. This system allows the helicopter to operate in either automatic or manual mode, regardless of the time of day. Concurrently, the helicopter does not require external landmarks. This ensures the safety of the flight in the event of low clouds or dense fog in the mountains.
The helicopter is completely compliant with the high safety standards for over-water flights and the IOGP (International Association of Oil and Gas Producers) standards. The choppers’ onboard radio-electronic equipment package also guarantees safe flight above the sea in the absence of natural landmarks and satellite signals, even in low visibility. The helicopter adheres to enhanced safety standards when operating above the water’s surface. Inflatable shock-absorbing airbags and an emergency landing system equip the aircraft. Emergency landings on the water will sustain the helicopter’s flotation. Two inflatable rafts, each capable of accommodating up to 27 individuals, are used to evacuate passengers and personnel members.
Modern navigation equipment, a digital autopilot, and a mid-air collision warning system are also features of the Mi-171A3. The fuselage of the helicopter is now significantly more robust due to the extensive use of composite materials. The upgraded rotor system comprises a main rotor and a high-performance X-shaped tail rotor, both of which feature composite blades with an enhanced aerodynamic configuration. The bottom fuselage modules, beneath the cargo and passenger compartment floor, house crash-resistant fuel tanks, thereby enhancing the helicopter’s safety.
The United Engine Corporation (UEC) developed the newest domestic VK-2500PS-03 turboshaft engines that power the chopper. The BARK-6V-7C automatic control system equips them to operate at a higher capacity in emergency mode, ensures mode maintenance across a wider range of outdoor temperatures, and improves fuel efficiency.
According to Sergey Kayumov, the chief designer of the National Center for Helicopter Engineering Mil and Kamov, the helicopter is in high demand. It will be indispensable in the oil and gas sector and will enhance the efficiency of servicing offshore drilling platforms that are remote from the shore as a result of its flight and technical specifications. Furthermore, the chopper will enhance the capabilities of search and rescue operations in the Arctic and at sea by virtue of its capacity to operate in low-visibility conditions in the absence of natural landmarks and ground-based radio navigation support.
Sikorsky S-92 is its nearest competitor. Other Western competitors in this class might include the AgustaWestland AW189 or the Airbus H175.
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