HeliRussia – Russia-Peru certification agreement opens up opportunties for Helisur
Source: UTair, 17-May-13
[electronic translation] Signed May 16, 2013 agreement on “mutual recognition of airworthiness documents” between the General Administration of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Peru and the Interstate Aviation Committee enables the company Helicopteros del Sur (Helisur), a member of the group, “UTair”, to begin commercial operation 20 Russian helicopters of “Mil “based in Peru. [...]
UTair South Africa becomes official supplier to UN
Source: UTair, 14-May-13
[electronic translation] Airline UTair South Africa (South Africa), part of the air group, “UTair”, registered as an official supplier of aviation services to the United Nations. Registered preceded by the successful completion of the airline technical audit for compliance with ICAO aviation and UN standards. Since 2004, UTair South Africa performs a series of air services [...]
LOM Praha awarded with $1.3M contract for Mi-17 pilot training
Source: LOM Praha, 29-Apr-13
LOM PRAHA, Czech Republic, has been awarded with a contract valued at (maximum) $ 1,3M for Mi-17 flight training of Polish Air Force pilots from 33rd Air Transportation Base in Powidz. The agreement focuses mainly on mastering of advanced operations including flying under IFR conditions at night. This contract is a result of the successful cooperation [...]
Russian Helicopters launches South Africa service centre with Denel Aviation
Source: Russian Helicopters, 03-Apr-13
Russian Helicopters, part of state defence holding Oboronprom and a leading global designer and manufacturer of helicopters, and Denel Aviation of South Africa have opened a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre in South Africa for Russian-built helicopters, strengthening Russian Helicopters’ position in the African market. The MRO centre was launched on 26 March 2013 [...]
UTair wins multi-type contract with oil producer Bashneft
18-Feb-13
UTair Ufa, part of the UTair Group, has won a tender for the performance of complex of air transport operations for passengers and cargo for Bashneft. UTair Ufa will be the general contractor and organizer of air operations conducted by UTair Group companies: UTair-Helicopter Operations, UTair-Passenger Operations, UTair Express and UTair-Cargo. Transport operations for Bashneft [...]
Colombia’s Vertical de Aviacion adds three Mi-171s
Source: HeliHub.com, 08-Jan-13
Vertical de Aviacion has added three Mi-8s to its fleet, believed to be part of its ongoing support flights in Afghanistan. In the last three years, US Dept of Defense has contracted the company to the value of $498 Million – see details. The three Mi-8s have been acquired pre-owned, one from South Africa and [...]
Rwanda provides six helicopters for UN efforts in Sudan
Source: UNMISS, 01-Jan-13
Boosting the mission’s ability to airlift personnel and supplies in South Sudan, 120 Rwandan aviation troops arrived today to join UNMISS (United Naitons Mission in Southern Sudan) in the capital Juba. The contingent brings with it six helicopters. Three arrived yesterday with 18 personnel, while the remaining helicopters are expected in coming days. Rwanda has [...]
Kazakhstan asks French satellite experts to help find missing Mi-8
Source: TengriNews, 28-Nov-12
Kazakhstan has applied to French experts asking them to help in the search for the missing helicopter with 8 crew members on board – which was patrolling an oil pipeline (see full story) HeliHub.com has a safety data page at 24-Nov-12 Mil Mi-8 Kazakhstan where we will add other details as they emerge
UTair staff and helicopters flee Congo conflict zone
Source: UTair, 25-Nov-12
Staff and helicopters of “Airline” UTair »(UTair Aviation) were evacuated from the airport of Goma (DRC) due to a conflict in the region. Within a few hours after taking off from Goma Mi-8AMT “UTair” and Mi-8 MTV of “Nefteyugansk United Air” (part of “UTair”), the city was seized by armed rebels. Helicopters and crew made a stopover [...]
BASF Basotect reduces noise in VIP Mi-8
Source: BASF, 30-Oct-12
Hearing protection is no longer needed thanks to Basotect®, the open-celled melamine foam from BASF: Passengers can leave hearing protection behind when boarding a luxurious version of the Russian Mi 8 helicopter. The helicopter, which is over 25 meters long and is used for passenger transport, has been equipped with an improved sound insulation system [...]
Aviakon to repair five Mi-8s for Ukrainian Army
Source: Interfax, 15-Oct-12
The Aviakon Aircraft Repair Plant (Konotop, Sumy region) will conduct major overhaul of five Mi-8 multi-purpose helicopters for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (see full story)
Motor Sich hopes for Russian certification of Mi-8MSB by year end
Source: Helihub.com, 08-Oct-12
Engine manufacturer Motor Sich has already achieved certification of a re-engined Mi-8 in the Ukraine and is now targetting Russian certification by the end of December 2012 – the company announced at the recent Aviasvit XXI-2012 International Aerospace Show in Kiev. He said that the Ukrainian certificate could be validated by the Russian certificate body [...]
Russian Helicopters to showcase in-demand models at ILA 2012
Source: Russian Helicopters, 12-Sep-12
Russian Helicopters, part of state defence holding Oboronprom and a leading global designer and manufacturer of helicopters, announces its participation in the ILA Berlin Air Show 2012, which runs from 11-16 September in Berlin. The Company’s display will be located at Booth 1305 in Hall 1. Russian Helicopters will showcase its current line-up of helicopters [...]
Russian Mi-8AMT helicopter wins Mil Cup helicopter race
Source: Russian Helicopters, 12-Sep-12
A Russian-made Mi-8AMT helicopter belonging to the Vertical-T air company and representing Russian Helicopters has won the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant Cup race from Moscow to Gelendzhik in southern Russia. The competition was held on 4-5 September as part of the opening of the ninth international Gidroaviasalon exhibition. Seven teams took part, flying machines made [...]
UTair Engineering renews Peruvian MRO certificates
Source: UTair, 29-Aug-12
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) of the Republic of Peru issued a “UTair-Engineering” certificate of approval for the next four years. The inspection team of aviation authorities of the Republic of Peru has inspected repair production company to meet its requirements of aviation regulations Peru RAP-145NE. As a result of a positive opinion issued a [...]
UTair Engineering renews Russian MRO certificates
Source: UTair, 29-Aug-12
According to the results of inspections of the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Federation and the Aviation Register of Interstate Aviation Committee confirmed certification of “UTair-Engineering” to meet its repair production requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation for Civil Aviation and Aviation Rules AP-145, respectively. Extended for another two-year term compliance [...]
New helicopter maintenance base in Kyrgyzstan
Source: Helihub.com, 28-Jun-12
A helicopter service centre has been opened in Bishkek, the Kyrgyzstan capital. The base will both maintain and upgrade Mil helicopters and provide warranty services. The new centre has been set up by Novosibirsky Aviaremontnyi Zavod, part of the Russian Helicopterscongolmerate. Local operations of Mil helicopters are centred on Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry for Emergency Situations, the [...]
Sierra Leone to compensate families of Togolese accident victims
28-May-12
Sierra Leone’s transport minister said Friday that relatives of 19 Togolese football fans who died in a helicopter crash in 2007, including Togo’s sports minister, would receive compensation (see full story)
Russian Helicopters increases stake in Ulan-Ude Aviation to 100%
Source: Russian Helicopters, 20-Mar-12
Russian Helicopters, JSC (hereinafter the Company), one of the global leaders in helicopter production, announced today its intent to increase its stake in Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, JSC (hereinafter UUAP) to 100% through a squeeze-out procedure. By sending the squeeze-out demand notice to the remaining UUAP minority shareholders, the Company has exercised its right under the [...]
Polish Air Force disbands 36SPLT VIP unit
Source: HeliHub.com, 05-Jan-12
In a ceremony on Tuesday at Warsaw’s Okecie Airport, the Polish Air Force VIP squadron 36SPLT (Specjalnego PuÅ‚ku Lotnictwa Transportowego = Special Air Transport Regiment) was disbanded. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Defence Czeslaw Mroczek, Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army General Mieczyslaw Cieniuch, Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. pil. [...]
EC funds two Mi-8s for UN World Food Program
Source: ECHO Nairobi, 08-Dec-11
Quick and safe access to humanitarian crises is at times difficult and often altogether impossible when infrastructure such as roads and bridges are destroyed or conflict makes them too dangerous to use. This means that assistance cannot reach people in need fast enough and such a delay may lead to loss of lives. The European [...]
Flight safety body denies Mi-8 grounding order
Source: RIA Novosti, 28-Oct-11
Russian flight safety authority Rosaviatsia denies it has any plans to temporarily ground the nation’s fleet of Mil Mi-8T helicopters, the watchdog said on Wednesday following media reports that a ban was being considered. (see full story)
Ulan-Ude sells 40 Mi-171s and 39 Mi-8s
Source: Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, 25-Aug-11
At MAKS-2011 International Aviation and Space Salon Russian Helicopters holding company signed two macrocontracts for delivery of Mi-171 helicopters produced by JSC Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (JSC U-UAP). According to the agreements achieved, 40 helicopters of Mi-171 type are planned to be delivered to JSC UTair Aviation, 39 helicopters of Mi-8 type – Gaspromavia Aviation Company [...]
Finland gives two Mi-8s to Hungary
Source: HeliHub.com, 22-Aug-11
Finland is donating their last two Mi-8s to Hungary for use in crisis management duties, after the introduction of the NH90 has now made them surplus to requirements. The last pair, serialled HS-11 and HS-13, have been maintained airworthy at Utti Air Base with about two hours flown on each one every month. Both have [...]
Ulan-Ude delivers batch of Mi-8AMTSh to Russian military
Source: Ulan-Ude, 15-Jun-11
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, JSC (UUAP), a part of Russian Helicopters holding, made a scheduled delivery of a batch of Mi-8AMTSh helicopters to the Russian Ministry of Defence. As announced previously, the Plant delivered the first batch to the military department in December 2010. The new delivery falls under the Government Defence Order (GDO) 2011. All [...]
Russia, NATO to set up trust fund for Mil helicopter maintenance
Source: RIA Novosti, 06-Jun-11
Russia and NATO will sign an agreement on setting up a trust fund for maintenance of Mil helicopters in Europe by the end of 2011, according to a deputy director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation
SkyBooks now supports Mi-8s and Mi-17s
Source: SkyBooks, 20-Apr-11
SkyBOOKS, Inc., a Textron, Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, and affiliate of Bell Helicopter, announced the expansion of its electronic maintenance tracking capability for Russian Mi helicopters. SkyBOOKS now provides maintenance tracking coverage for the MI-8 and MI-17 series helicopters to meet the ever expanding needs of its global customer base. “SkyBOOKS allows customers to spend [...]
Finland to donate two Mi-8s to international crisis management
Source: HeliHub.com, 24-Feb-11
Finland is donating its last two Soviet-built Mi-8s to international crisis management activities, and discussed options with several other countries. The likely recipient is Hungary, which is expected to deploy the helicopters in Afghanistan. The Finnish donation would be part of the Multinational Helicopter Initiative (MHI), which was set up three years ago by the [...]
Operator Vertical-T meets Russian and Afghan business communities
Source: Vertical-T, 11-Feb-11
Air Company VERTICAL-T has taken part in negotiations between Russian and Afghanistan business communities’ representatives of the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry, involving the Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. During negotiations, the main point was the cooperation development in trade and economy between Russia and Afghanistan. The following branches of the Afghanistan economy were [...]
CSTS Dinamika completes two Mi-8MTV-5 simulators for Russian military
Source: AEX, 22-Dec-10
CSTS Dinamika completed assembly of two full flight simulators crew multipurpose transport helicopter Mi-8MTV-5
US GAO denies Sikorsky protest over Afghan Mi-17s
11-Nov-10
The US Government Accountability Office has denied a protest by Sikorsky that the US Navy unfairly excluded it from competing for a multi-billion dollar helicopter contract
Poland offers its own upgrades to Mi-8 and Mi-24
Source: AVE, 19-Oct-10
Warsaw Institute of Technology Air Force has developed its own version of the upgrade cockpit in multi-purpose Mi-8 and Mi-17 as well as the Mi-24
Abandoned Mi-8 wreck found on mountain top
Source: Gizmodo, 07-Oct-10
Mountaineers have very recently found the wreck of a Russian military Mil Mi-8 at the peak of Mount Elbrus, nearly 16,000ft tall. This strikes the HeliHub.com team as being similar to the story of thousands of empty oxygen tanks at various points up Everest. Does the human race really care that little about our environment [...]
Mi-8 from Chukotka across Bering Strait to Alaska targets new tourism options
Source: AVE, 29-Jul-10
For the first time in the history of aviation representatives of the Russian airline “Vertical-T” on the MI-8P flew from Chukotka to Alaska.
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant awarded “Best Exporter to the CIS Countries”
Source: Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, 23-Jun-10
Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, part of the Russian Helicopter Industry holding, three consecutive years was recognized by the Russian Federation Ministry for Industry and Trade Russia’s Best Exporter. This time UUAP won the contest as Russia’s Best Exporter to CIS in the aircraft industry. Over the past three years, plant won an exporters contest in all [...]
Russian Helicopters define the technical profile of the updated Mi-171M
Source: Russian Helicopters, 08-Jun-10
The project for the development and initiation of serial production of the Mi-171M was launched in 2009. It is planned that all test and design, flight testing and certification activities will be over by the end of 2012 and serial production will start at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, a part of Russian Helicopters industry holding, in [...]
Russia plans 400 new military helicopters in next 5 years
Source: IVA, 25-May-10
The Air Force will buy Mi-28, Ka-52 and significantly upgraded Mi-8
Re-engined Mi-8MTV claims new time-to-climb record
Source: HeliHub.com, 25-May-10
Ukraine company Aviakon has recently been conducting some flight tests of a the Mi-8MTV fitted with the new TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engine model, in association with engine manufacturer Motor Sich. The TVZ-117VMA-SBM1V is based on turboprop engine TVZ-117VMA-SBM1 used by the Antonov AN-140 regional aircraft, and adapted for helicopter use – the “V” suffix relates to the [...]
Finland may hand old Mi-8s over to humanitarian aid use
Source: Helsingin Sanomat, 14-Apr-10
Other alternatives include donation to museums, or scrapping – the disposal being brought about by the acquisition of NH90 helicopters.
UK’s Helicopter Museum takes delivery of Mi-8 from Poland
07-Feb-10
The Helicopter Museum (THM) at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset has secured another rotary-wing coup with the acquisition of the first Russian Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter to go on display in the country. The 18m (60ft) long aircraft, previously in service with the Polish Air Force, arrived at the museum by road on 5th February. THM Chairman [...]
Polish Air Force VIP Flight Mi-8 due to arrive at UK Museum this week
Source: The Helicopter Museum, 30-Jan-10
The Helicopter Museum have put out the following advance notice:- A Russian Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter, once used by the Polish Air Force VIP Flight is due to arrive at The Helicopter Museum for permanent display next Friday (5th February) for unloading on the Saturday Morning (Starting circa 9am). Much used by military and civil [...]
Haiti – Vostok Airline already in-country with two UN contracted Mi-8s
Source: http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14719416&PageNum=0, 15-Jan-10
The crews of two Mi-8 helicopters belonging to the Khabarovsk-based airline “Vostok” are evacuating Haitians hurt in the devastating earthquake; they are also bringing medical supplies, the company’s directorate told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
Russian Helicopters and Uzrosavia boosting maintenance in Central Asia
Source: Russian Helicopters, 07-Dec-09
Russian Helicopters, JSC, and UZROSAVIA (Uzbekistan) have signed an agreement on the principles of cooperation in service and maintenance of Russian rotorcraft. The 5 year agreement was signed in Moscow and will coordinate the cooperation of the two companies on service and maintenance of Russian rotorcraft in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries.
Russian Helicopters to Start Taking Orders for Modernized Mi-8M in 2010
Source: Defense Aerospace, 26-Sep-09
Russian Helicopters, JSC, the managing body of the consolidated Russian helicopter industry holding, is planning to start taking orders for the deeply modernised Mi-8M helicopter. First deliveries of Mi-8M are scheduled for 2013. After serious modernisation this model will retain its popularity on the global market at least till 2020.
Pall’s Centrisep® Air Cleaners Chosen for Mil Mi-8 and Mi-17 Helicopters
Source: Pall Corp, 04-Sep-09
Pall Corporation, a global leader in filtration, separation and purification systems and technologies, announced that it has signed an agreement with Russian Helicopters, JSC to provide Centrisep® air cleaner filters for Mil Mi-8 and Mi-17 civil transport helicopters.
Russian Helicopters and Pall Europe start cooperation on M-8/17 modernization program
Source: Russian Helicopters, 22-Jun-09
UTair continues to receive new Mi-171s
Source: Aviaport, 15-May-09
OJSC “Airline” UTair “continues to receive new Mi-171 helicopter production of Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAZ) under contract for the supply of 40 vehicles, said at a press conference CTO airline” UTair “Meyramhan Bekmuhanbetov.
