Wednesday
August 18, 1999 :
A Feasibility Demonstrator for the MI-38 Heavy Twin-Engine Helicopter
MOSCOW ( Eurocopter Press Release ) - Today Mil , Kazan
Helicopters and Eurocopter - the three companies forming EUROMIL, a
company incorporated under Russian law - signed a contract in Moscow for the construction of a feasibility demonstrator for the MI-38 heavy twin in the 15 ton class. Pratt & Whitney Canada will supply the PWC 127 engines.
This first ever international cooperation program between Europe and Russia was initiated in 1994 when Euromil was set up. Some momentum was lost in the past because of economic difficulties but this demonstrator phase will breathe new life into the project and will make the joint construction of a prototype possible.
The next six months will be decisive for setting up the operational conditions and the legal regime environment, to implement an operational organization in Euromil capable of running the program, of obtaining the necessary design and certification approvals and, last of all in agreement with the Russian authorities, of receiving the exclusive rights of the partners over the
programme.
Today the three Euromil shareholders in the MI 38 project - Mil, Kazan Helicopters and Eurocopter - each hold a one-third share.
In this first phase directed by Euromil, each partner will be assigned part of the work:
Mil will handle the general design, the drawings, the component testing and the flight testing.
Kazan Helicopters will be responsible for the manufacture of the fuselage and blades and for final assembly.
Eurocopter will be in charge of the design of the cockpit, avionics, equipment and fittings of the different versions.
Major Russian subcontractors will supply the vital components such as, among others, the main drive system (Krasni-Okiabr Plant) and the main rotor (Stupino Moscow Plant).
A second phase will start up in two years time based on economic and engineering studies. It should pave the way to the joint production of a multi-mission civil and military helicopter for the Russian and international markets.
The helicopter will benefit from the combined experience of three world class helicopter manufacturers, particularly in the SAR, military and civil transport sectors and in certain naval application fields.
Ultimately this helicopter will also be utilized by the Russian operators whose announced future needs are substantial.
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