The holding company Russian Helicopters has delivered another batch of three military transport Mi-171Sh helicopters to the Defense Ministry of Peru. The helicopters were built at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. After their delivery to Peru, the new helicopters took part in an annual military parade.
The delivery of the three helicopters continued the supply that began last year. In December 2014, the Peruvian military received 8 Mi-171Sh helicopters. A contract signed in 2013 with the Russian state special exporter Rosoboronexport guarantees the delivery of 24 helicopters.
The multifunctional Mi-171Sh helicopters created for Peru are equipped with modern navigation equipment that enables pilots to fly safely at any time and in any weather conditions. For longer flight in the highlands, the aircraft has been outfitted with more powerful engines and additional fuel tanks.
The new Mi-171Sh helicopters have greater efficiency during rescue operations because of winches with a towing capacity up to 300 kg and hospital equipment that can evacuate 12 injured people in a prone position. Two sliding doors and an electric ramp enable groups of up to 26 people quickly to parachute from the helicopter in less than 8 seconds.
To effectively manage and operate the helicopters, Peruvian specialists have been trained at the Aviation Training Center of Ulan-Ude Aviation Plan. There, crews learned the techniques and rules for piloting the helicopters in different conditions on the latest training systems for the Mi-171 helicopters. Peruvian technicians have also been trained to effectively service the helicopters.
For decades, the Peruvian armed forces have used Mi-8/17 and Mi-24/35 Russian helicopters. In the near future the country will open a certified service center for the maintenance of Russian helicopters, which will keep the country's helicopter fleet in constant operational readiness and ensure the effective deployment of the Russian aircraft in operations to combat drug trafficking and terrorism, especially in remote areas of Peru.
Russian Helicopters equipment helps fight fires
Mi-26, Mi-8, and Ka-32 helicopters have been assigned to around-the-clock duty due to the risk of fires in southern Russia. The helicopter crews are ready to fly out at a moment’s notice to extinguish fires and eliminate the effects of these emergencies.
“The equipment currently in service enables us to carry out all firefighting tasks, as well as delivering necessary forces and equipment for search, rescue, medical assistance to the emergency area, and transporting Ministry of Emergency Situations operational teams,” said Andrey Bazaly, head of the air-rescue center for Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.
The Mi-26T is the world’s largest helicopter and also has the greatest lifting capacity, capable of carrying up to 20 tons of cargo on an external sling or in the cargo compartment. The fire-fighting version of the helicopter has a hose device on the external sling that can be used to extinguish and localize fires in steppe, forest, and mountainous areas, as well as to extinguish and localize both industrial and household fires.
The fire-fighting version of the Mi-26T is unique among performance helicopters. During one run it can dump up to 15 tons of water on a fire. At a flight speed of 60 km/h and a height of 30 meters, the fire-fighting coverage area measures 233 meters long and 16.7 meters across.
This helicopter can do more than extinguish forest fires and protect populated areas. In Moscow, it was used to put out a fire in one of the towers in the Moscow City complex. The helicopter successfully extinguished the fire on the 67th floor in spite of difficult weather conditions.
The Mi-26T has helped extinguish fires in China, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Cyprus. In France, these helicopters are respectfully known as “water bombers.”
