OREANDA-NEWS. March 18, 2014. Russian Helicopters, a subsidiary of Oboronprom, part of State Corporation Rostec, has delivered a Mi-8AMT helicopter (also known as the Mi-171 for the foreign markets) to the Russian company UTair Aviation.

The delivery took place under a contract signed in 2011 between Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, a Russian Helicopters company, and UTair Aviation.

“UTair Aviation is a longstanding partner of Russian Helicopters, and one of our largest customers,” said Managing Director at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant Leonid Belykh. “We take operators’ views into account during helicopter production and aim to offer them the freshest solutions. For example, we are currently working on a new multirole Mi-171A2 helicopter. It incorporates the latest technological developments, significantly improving its technical specifications and flight capabilities. In the near future we would be glad to offer this new model to UTair Aviation and to our other partners.”

“Today the aviation company’s helicopters operate successfully under commercial contracts with Russia and internationally, and are deployed in UN missions. Most of the work that is carried out, especially in difficult climates, is carried out by Russian-made helicopters,” UTair Helicopter Services President Alexei Vinogradov said. “Thanks to their reliability, ease of maintenance, and ability to operate in a wide range of temperatures, from -50°C to +50°C, Russian-made helicopters are ideally suited to these missions. We hope this successful cooperation with Russian Helicopters will continue, and are looking forward to expanding our fleet with new Russian-made helicopters.”

In 2008-2011 the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant supplied UTair Aviation with 44 helicopters under two contracts. Currently the aviation firm is operating over 50 Mi-171/Mi-8AMT helicopters produced by the plant.

The Mi-8AMT passenger helicopter delivered to UTair is equipped with the latest avionics, which expand its operational potential. Its onboard multifunctional GPS/GLONASS and early ground proximity warning systems and passenger oxygen supply ensure maximum possible in-flight safety. Additional heat insulation sound-proofing, heating, ventilation, and comfortable chairs ensure that passengers have a comfortable time on board.

The Mi-8AMT was developed at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, a Russian Helicopters company, and is a thoroughly updated version of the Mi-8/17. The multirole Mi-8AMT can fly a wide range of missions, from cargo and passenger transportation in hard-to-reach places and difficult terrain to routine patrols and firefighting, surveillance and SAR. to. The helicopter’s capabilities are continually being upgraded to allow them to handle an ever more complex and varied range of tasks. More than 12,000 helicopters of the Mi-8/17 family have been produced and delivered to 110 countries worldwide.