Day: November 24, 2020

Russian Helicopters delivers first Ansat to a client in Europe

Leave a comment

The Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec State Corporation) has delivered a first Ansat helicopter to a client in Europe. The operator of the rotorcraft, which is equipped for medical operations, is the Ministry of Interior of the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). This is the first of three helicopters under the delivery contract.


Ansat for Republika Srpska comes with a medical module equipped with a stretcher and a medical shelf. The helicopter cabin has place for transporting one patient and two chairs for accompanying doctors. Equipment configuration includes a system for artificial lung ventilation, tele-ECG allowing to monitor cardiac activity in real time, and various other equipment for the evacuation of patients of varying severity. The delivery set includes five seats, which can be installed instead of the medical module and carry 7 passengers in the helicopter cabin. The helicopter also comes with active vibration control system.


“This delivery testifies that Ansat is competitive on the European market, and we see potential for new orders. I am confident that European operators will appreciate the favorable cost of operating the helicopter, its versatility and reliability. Two more Ansats will be handed over to the law enforcement agencies of Republika Srpska in 2021 and 2022. They will be additionally equipped with searchlights, fast-rope deployment system, a winch and an external sling”, said the Director General of Russian Helicopters holding company Andrey Boginsky. 
The delivery contract of three helicopters to the Republic of Srpska also included the training of three technicians and two pilots of the customer in the Kazan Helicopters Aviation Training Center. The program included training in the design and maintenance of the airframe, power plant and systems of Ansat helicopter for aircraft technicians, as well as theoretical training, classes on the new Ansat simulator and practical flight training for pilots. The cadets successfully passed the exams and received documents that confirm their qualifications. The Aviation Training Center will provide further multi-stage training of flight and technical personnel as more helicopters are delivered. During the next 2 years, 4 more pilots and 6 technicians will go through training.


Ansat is a light multipurpose twin-engine helicopter. Its serial production is deployed at Kazan Helicopters. Its design allows converting it into a cargo version or into a passenger rotorcraft that can lift up to seven people. Ansat is certified for use in the temperatures ranging between -45°С and +50°С, and in high mountains. In 2019, the Federal Air Transport Agency certified an increase in the airworthiness of Ansat’s fuselage to 16,000 flying hours. In 2020, the Russian aviation authorities certified Ansat for installation of an emergency floatation system and isolation units for transporting patients with coronavirus disease, it also received a more advanced and ergonomic medical module. Several main components of the helicopter received approval for the increase of their airworthiness restrictions.


 JSC “Russian Helicopters”, a part of Rostec State Corporation, is a leading player in the global helicopter industry, the sole Russian designer and manufacturer of helicopters. The Holding Company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Moscow. We operate five helicopter assembly plants, two design bureaus, component production and maintenance enterprises, aircraft repair plants and one helicopter service company providing after-sales support in Russia and abroad. The customers of the Holding Company are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, EMERCOM of Russia, and other state customers, Gazpromavia, UTair Aviation company, large Russian and foreign companies.


State Corporation Rostec is one of the largest industrial companies in Russia. It unites more than 800 scientific and industrial organizations in 60 regions of the country. Its key areas of activity are transport engineering, electronics, medical technology, chemistry and innovative materials. Rostec holdings form three clusters: electronics, weapons and aviation. The corporation’s portfolio includes such well-known brands as AvtoVAZ, KAMAZ, Kalashnikov, Russian Helicopters, Uralvagonzavod and others. Rostec is active in the implementation of all 12 national projects. The company is a key provider of Smart City technology, it is engaged in the digitalization of public administration, industry and social sectors, and it is developing plans for the development of 5G wireless technologies, an Industrial Internet of Things, big data and blockchain systems. Rostec partners with leading world manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Daimler, Pirelli and Renault. The corporation’s products are delivered to more than 100 countries worldwide. Almost a third of the company’s revenue comes from the export of high-tech products.

IATA Travel Pass Key to Reopening Borders Safely

Leave a comment

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that will support the safe reopening of borders.

Governments are beginning to use testing as a means of limiting the risks of COVID-19 importation when re-opening their borders to travelers without quarantine measures. IATA Travel Pass will manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories and travelers.

IATA is calling for systematic COVID-19 testing of all international travelers and the information flow infrastructure needed to enable this must support:

  • Governments with the means to verify the authenticity of tests and the identity of those presenting the test certificates.
  • Airlines with the ability to provide accurate information to their passengers on test requirements and verify that a passenger meets the requirements for travel.
  • Laboratories with the means to issue digital certificates to passengers that will be recognized by governments, and;
  • Travelers with accurate information on test requirements, where they can get tested or vaccinated, and the means to securely convey test information to airlines and border authorities.

“Today borders are double locked. Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share and verify test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements. That’s the job of IATA Travel Pass. We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

IATA Travel Pass incorporates four open sourced and interoperable modules which can be combined for an end-to-end solution:

  • Global registry of health requirements – enables passengers to find accurate information on travel, testing and eventually vaccine requirements for their journey.
  • Global registry of testing / vaccination centers – enables passengers to find testing centers and labs at their departure location which meet the standards for testing and vaccination requirements of their destination.
  • Lab App – enables authorized labs and test centers to securely share test and vaccination certificates with passengers.
  • Contactless Travel App – enables passengers to (1) create a ‘digital passport’, (2) receive test and vaccination certificates and verify that they are sufficient for their itinerary, and (3) share testing or vaccination certificates with airlines and authorities to facilitate travel. This app can also be used by travelers to manage travel documentation digitally and seamlessly throughout their journey, improving travel experience.

IATA and International Airlines Group (IAG) have been working together in the development of this solution and will undertake a trial to demonstrate that this platform combined with COVID-19 testing can reopen international travel and replace quarantine.

The airline industry demands a cost effective, global, and modular solution to safely restart travel. IATA Travel Pass is based on industry standards and IATA’s proven experience in managing information flows around complex travel requirements.

  • IATA’s Timatic is used by most airlines to manage compliance with passport and visa regulations and will be the base for the global registry and verification of health requirements.
  • IATA’s One ID initiative was endorsed by a resolution at its 75th Annual General Meeting in 2019 to securely facilitate travel processes with a single identity token. It is the base for the IATA Contactless Travel App for identity verification that will also manage the test and vaccination certificates.

“Our main priority is to get people traveling again safely. In the immediate term that means giving governments confidence that systematic COVID-19 testing can work as a replacement for quarantine requirements. And that will eventually develop into a vaccine program. The IATA Travel Pass is a solution for both. And we have built it using a modular approach based on open source standards to facilitate interoperability. It can be used in combination with other providers or as a standalone end-to-end solution. The most important thing is that it is responsive to industry’s needs while enabling a competitive market,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security.

The first cross-border IATA Travel Pass pilot is scheduled for later this year and the launch slated for quarter one 2021.