Russian Helicopters holding company, a member of Rostec state corporation, presented the Mi-171A3 offshore helicopter at IDEX-2023, held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. This aircraft is designed for offshore service and is of great interest to oil and gas companies.
The helicopter, Russia’s most modern, is designed to carry people and cargo to offshore platforms, and can also be used for search and rescue operations. Its maximum take-off weight of 13 tons allows it to carry up to 4 tons of cargo or up to 24 passengers. Its range, equipping additional fuel tanks, reaches 1000 km.
Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation spoke about the work required for the development of the helicopter, noting that «the Mi-171A3 was designed in record time. The first steps began in 2018 and on June 30, 2022, the prototype made its first flight.» Sergey Chemezov, Rostec CEO, added that «interest in our helicopters is traditionally high in the Middle East. Because of this, I believe the Mi-171A3 has great export potential.»
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Chemezov added: «This equipment should be of interest to the United Arab Emirates because most of the Emirati oil is produced in offshore fields. This equipment should easily meet the needs of the sector. It is also worth noting that it meets the standards of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers.» Anton Korolev, deputy general director for civil helicopter sales at Russian Helicopters, added, «The use of modern materials and advanced technologies made it possible to make this helicopter the new flagship of the Mi-8/17 family. Serial production will be carried out at the Ulan-Ude plant, where parts and assemblies for the first batch are already being manufactured.»
Safety for offshore navigation
The Mi-171A3 is equipped with a state-of-the-art avionics system that ensures safe flight over the sea in the absence of natural landmarks and without requiring a satellite signal, even in poor visibility conditions. The machine is equipped with an emergency landing system with inflatable balloons. This allows the equipment to remain afloat in the event of an emergency water landing.
Passengers and crew are evacuated in two inflatable rafts, each with a capacity of up to 27 people. It also has modern navigation equipment, a digital autopilot, and a collision avoidance system. The helicopter has a reinforced fuselage that makes extensive use of composite materials.
Two domestic VK-2500PS-03 engines with a BARK-6V-7S automatic regulation and control system, manufactured by Klimov, power the Mi-171A3. The design of the powerplant ensures its performance in all weather conditions. The propulsion system, meanwhile, incorporates a highly efficient tail rotor and a main rotor with composite blades and improved aerodynamic design. Impact-resistant fuel tanks are located in the lower fuselage compartments below the cabin floor, increasing the helicopter’s safety level.
