Russian Helicopters Holding Company and Vertical de Aviacion (Columbia) signed a contract for delivery of 5 Mi-171A1 and 5 Ka-62 helicopters at MAKS-2013 airshow, the company’s press-service reports.
It is planned that Mi-171A1 helicopters will be operated by a Mexican subsidiary of Vertical de Aviacion. Ka-62 helicopters will be operated in Colombia on behalf of the oil industry. The deliveries of Mi-171A1s should be started in 2015, while the first Ka-62 will be delivered to the customer in 2016.
«Latin America is a promising fast-growing market. Russian Technologies State Corporation (Rostech) has seven representative offices in the region: in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Cuba. And we keep expanding our presence in the region, - Deputy Director General of Rostech, Dmitry Shugaev, explained. – South America is the longstanding customer for Russian-produced helicopters. The signing of new contracts demonstrates that our civil and military vehicles are in demand on the competitive market of Latin America».
In addition, in the network of signed contracts Russian Helicopters and Vertical de Aviacion will be working in close cooperation on certification of Mi-171A1 and Ka-62 helicopters – in Mexico and Colombia respectively. The aviation authorities of Colombia successfully validated the Mi-171A1’s type certificate (issued by the Aviation Register of the Interstate Aviation Committee) in 2012. Vertical de Aviacion took an active part in the process.
«Ka-62 prototype is demonstrated at the static display of Russian Helicopters at MAKS-2013. The testing of Ka-62 will be started in2013. Russian Helicopters intend to complete the vehicle’s certification for international operation in 2015-2016. At present over 50 Russian-produced helicopters are operated in Colombia in public and private sectors», - the company noted. South America is one of the key regions in terms of development of helicopter business. The holding company is ready to meet the demand of Latin America’s market for advanced helicopters.
