Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAP), part of Russian Helicopters Holding Company, has produced the 750th Mi-8AMT helicopter (the export designation is Mi-171), the holding’s press-service reports.

The Mi-8AMTSh helicopters are operated by the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD). “According to the customer’s representatives, the helicopters have approved themselves thanks to their ruggedness and reliability. These helicopters have saved the lives of their crew and passengers time after time, delivered essential cargo and evacuated wounded people. The helicopter has proved to be a versatile machine, which has earned the trust of pilots”, - the press-service noted.

“It is symbolic that this anniversary helicopter has been delivered to the MoD, our long-standing partner”, - Managing Director of UUAP, Leonid Belykh, said.

Russian Helicopters noted that “at present Mi-8AMT helicopters are fitted with additional equipment allowing expanding the vehicle’s functional area: a spotlight with IR filter, a FLIR system, hoists and additional fuel tanks, which help increase the helicopter’s range. State-of-the-art flight and navigation equipment and a ditching system increase the flight safety, while air-conditioning system increases the comfort level”.

Nowadays the holding company is developing a new model of the Mi-8/17 Family: the multirole Mi-171A2 helicopter. The first prototype fitted with advanced avionics and powered by VK-2500 engines will be demonstrated at MAKS-2013 airshow held at Zhukovsky (Moscow Region) on August 27th – September 1st.

“At present a number of key components of the rotor system are being tested onboard the flying test bed: a new rotor with blades made of composites, an X-shaped anti-torque rotor, an upgraded hub and swash plate. About 100 changes will be made in the helicopter’s design. It is expected that the vehicle’s certification will be completed by the end of 2014 and the deliveries will be started in 2015”, - Russian Helicopters said.