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.

AMAC Aerospace is pleased to announce that a wide-body aircraft of an esteemed client has recently entered AMAC’s facility. The technicians of AMAC will install an onboard connectivity system on the aircraft. In addition, a Boeing BBJ737 will be equipped with a Ka-band antenna and will undergo a due maintenance. 

AMAC Aerospace recently opened its hangar doors for a wide-body aircraft of an esteemed client in Basel, Switzerland. AMAC’s Boeing team will install a Gogo 2Ku Inflight System on the aircraft. The connectivity solution from Gogo delivers more bandwidth with significantly more high-speed internet in the entire cabin and superior performance connectivity in the sky. The system comprises two antennas, one for the forward link, which transmits data to the aircraft, and another antenna for the return link, which receives the data. 

“We realize that a perfect onboard connectivity is very important for our customers. With our existing STC capabilities, we are happy to offer our customers an incomparable and high-speed internet experience on their aircraft”, said Eric Hoegen, Director Completion Sales & Key Account Management.

AMAC also welcomed a privately-owned Boeing BBJ737 for a 12-year inspection in mid-October. The so-called D-check is by far the most comprehensive and demanding check for an aircraft – more or less the entire aircraft is taken apart for inspection and overhaul. A second privately-owned Boeing BBJ737 is expected for a due maintenance. The aircraft will be equipped with a Ka-band antenna. Alexis Ott, Director Maintenance Sales & Key Account Management, confirms the continuous demand: “More and more customers want to enjoy the same connectivity on board as they are used to their homes. We are happy to make it happen.”

Two additional new awarded maintenance projects

AMAC was awarded a new maintenance project on an Airbus aircraft. An Airbus ACJ319 recently arrived in Basel to undergo a 4C-check including a detailed inspection of the aircraft structure and a thorough test of the systems. A privately-owned Gulfstream 550 arrived early November for a C-check. 

Air Arabia’s Group Chief Executive Officer Adel Al Ali received the 2020 Laureate Award from Aviation Week Network for Air Arabia’s ‘Airline Strategy.’ Aviation Week editors honoured winners of this year’s Grand Laureates – the best of the best in Business Aviation, Commercial Aviation, Defence and Space from around the globe – in a virtual event where winners were announced and interviewed during an online presentation.

The honour from the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace, and defence industries, is for Adel Al Ali’s and his team extraordinary achievement in introducing low-cost air travel to the Middle East and North Africa while building and pioneering a sustainably profitable business model.

Commenting on the recognition, Adel Al Ali said: “This honour is dedicated to everyone at team Air Arabia and showcase how far the company has come since we first introduced low-cost air travel to the region. The recognition further inspires us to bring even more innovative services to our customers while remaining committed to adding exceptional value to their travel needs”.

On Adel Al Ali’s recognition, Aviation Week Network noted that “under his leadership, Air Arabia has grown sustainably and profitably for many years and is now looking at adding new longer-haul markets and placing a large aircraft order to enlarge its footprint.”

Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (U-UAP) as part of Russian Helicopters holding company (State Corporation Rostec) launches Mi-8/171 type helicopter test operation program, which is aimed at the assessing of all the advantages of helicopters real operation in conjunction with all available corporate support tools and implemented aftersales services of Russian Helicopters holding company. The pilot project is being implemented in Indonesia, where two Mi-8AMT helicopters are already involved in firefighting operations.

Helicopters sent to the Republic of Indonesia with crew and technical staff of U-UAP were relocated to the island of Kalimantan almost immediately upon arrival to extinguish forest fires. In the future, the rotorcraft will be on operational duty on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
«A contract with PT. National Utility Helicopters (PT. NUH), a utility helicopter operator in Indonesia with 50 years of experience in providing services for Indonesian Government as well as private companies, has become the pilot project of this program. The main task under the contract is to carry out firefighting operations in the region, as well as provide consulting services regarding the formation of its own air fleet of Indonesian operators for annual firefighting operations” said Leonid Belykh, Managing Director of U-UAP.

In the process of temporary use of helicopters, the customer gets the opportunity to consult the company’s specialists in 24/7 mode, access to a replacement fund and a fund of additional equipment.

It is worth noting, that one of the first Mi-171A2 helicopters manufactured by the enterprise, since 2018 has been participating in a test operation program at UTair-VU airline, where it successfully fulfills the tasks facing the operator and demonstrates high flight performances. The experience of the joint work of the manufacturer and the customer was reflected in the U-UAP helicopter test operation program for Indonesia.

Mi-8/171 helicopters for a long time have been involved in the disaster relief operations not only in Russia, but also abroad. They have proved themselves as one of the most effective tools in the firefighting, medicine delivery and casualty evacuation operations, as well as in passenger and cargo transportation to hard-to-reach areas.

JSC Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant  is one of the manufacturing enterprises of Russian Helicopters holding company. Modern production and technological capacity of the plant allows to organize quickly production of new types of aircrafts, to combine creation of prototypes with aircraft serial production. During the 80 years of existence the plant have produced more than 8000 aircrafts. Today the plant specializes in production of the Mi-8AMT (Mi-171E), Mi-171 and Mi-8AMTSh (Mi-171Sh) helicopters.

JSC Russian Helicopters (a part of the state owned corporation Rostec) is one of the world leaders of the helicopter production industry, the only developer and manufacturer of helicopters in Russia. The holding is established in 2007. The head office is located in Moscow. The holding company includes five helicopter plants, two design offices, and also the enterprises on production and service of vendor items; the aircraft repair plants and the service company providing after-sale support in Russia and beyond. Buyers of holding production – the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, EMERCOM of Russia, other state customers, “Gazpromavia” and UTair airlines, the large Russian and foreign companies.

Rostec State Corporation is the Russian corporation established in 2007 for assistance in development, production and export of hi-tech industrial production of civil and military purpose. It includes more than 700 organizations from which nowadays established 11 holding companies in military-industrial complex and 4 in civil industries, and more than 80 organizations of direct control. Such known brands as AVTOVAZ, KAMAZ, the Kalashnikov Concern, “Russian Helicopters”, VSMPO-AVISMA, Uralvagonzavod etc. enter a portfolio of Rostec. The organizations of Rostec are located in the territory of 60 territorial subjects of the Russian Federation and deliver production on the markets of more than 100 countries. The consolidated revenue of Rostec in 2017 has reached 1 trillion 589 billion rubles, consolidated net profit – 121 billion rubles, EBITDA – 305 billion rubles. The average salary in the corporation in 2017 was 46,800 rubles. According to the strategy of Rostec, the main objective of Corporation is ensuring technological advantage of Russia in the highly competitive world markets. One of the key objectives of Rostec is implementation of new technological mode and digitization of Russian economics.

In the last 12 months, food security has been under serious threat from devastating swarms of locusts, destroying crops from East Africa to the Arabian Gulf. With experts warning of a “rolling emergency”¹ that could endanger harvests across the regions for the rest of the year, governments and international organizations face a herculean challenge in controlling the infestations. Aircrafts from Bell, the U.S.-based helicopter manufacturer, have been playing a key role in the joint efforts to fight this ancient plague.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), desert locusts – whose destructive infestations cause major crop damage – are a species of grasshopper that live largely solitary lives until a combination of conditions promotes breeding and leads them to form massive swarms.

The region’s current crisis began in October 2019 as swarms formed along the Red Sea coastal plains in Yemen Saudi Arabi, Eritrea and Sudan, spreading eastwards across the Arabian peninsula and further south in Africa in the following months².

By January, Kenya, one of the countries hardest hit by the crisis, was already experiencing its worst outbreak of desert locusts in 70 years. To target this problem, authorities contracted South African helicopter operator BAC Helicopters, who had recently purchased three Bell 206L-4 helicopters, to carry out the Emergency Desert Locust Survey and Control operation in an effected part of Kenya.

The helicopters were tasked with surveying vast areas throughout the Marsabit and Turkana counties in Northern Kenya, locating and mapping the locust swarms which were threatening food security through the region. The 206L-4’s were each equipped with specialized Agricultural Survey Equipment, an FDC Barrier Filter and Satellite Tracking System. Essential data gathered by the survey helicopters was then transferred to both fixed wing and helicopter spraying aircraft, allowing them to accurately target specific areas where the locust swarms were present.

Sameer Rehman, Managing Director of Africa and the Middle East, Bell, commented: “With a number of countries in eastern Africa and some parts of the Middle East at ongoing risk, the FAO has estimated that a locust control plan would cost $76 million to secure agriculture in the affected region. Bell understands the need to protect the food source of these regions and we’re pleased our products can be essential tools in the collective mission to eradicate the problem.

“When it comes to food security, the stakes are very high so the reliability and capability of every tool used in the fight against locust swarms is paramount. The Bell 206, and newer light aircraft like the Bell 505 have shown time and again that they can be trusted to operate in high temperatures and with heavy payloads, providing a capable defense wherever the swarms may be present.”

In most years, desert locust swarms tend to die out during dry season. However, with unusually high rainfall in 2020 in certain regions, the exponential growth in the populations has not abated, creating the specter of further swarms over the coming months.

The FAO states that countries most affected by the locust situation are Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia in Africa as well as Yemen, Saudi Arabia and parts of the UAE and Oman in the Middle East.

Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Etihad Airways concluded testing on the aerospace company’s 2020 ecoDemonstrator programme last week with a cross-country flight using a 50/50 blend of sustainable and traditional jet fuel.

Flying from Seattle to Boeing’s manufacturing site in South Carolina, Etihad’s newest 787-10 Dreamliner used the maximum sustainable fuel blend permitted for commercial aviation. The transcontinental flight also demonstrated a new way for pilots, air traffic controllers and airline operations centers to communicate simultaneously and optimize routing.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Aviation Group Chief Operating Officer, said: “Together with Boeing and the national airline’s sustainable aviation fuel partners World Energy and EPIC, Etihad used 50,000 gallons of a 50/50 blend of sustainable aviation fuel on the final flight of our ecoDemonstrator 787-10 flight tests. This is a monumental step forward for the sector to prove the viability of producing a 50/50 blend of sustainable aviation fuel [SAF] at a high volume, an important moment for the industry.”

Al Bulooki added: “This is a prime example of industry collaboration towards sustainable aviation and innovation. Etihad’s collaboration with Boeing in the ecoDemonstrator programme has been a unique opportunity to lead the aviation industry’s drive for a sustainable future.”

Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator programme takes promising technologies out of the lab and tests them in the air to accelerate innovation. This year’s program evaluated four projects to reduce emissions and noise and enhance the safety and health of passengers and crew. All of the 787-10 test flights used a blend of traditional jet fuel and sustainable fuel produced from inedible agricultural wastes to minimize emissions, with the final flight operating at the maximum 50/50 commercial blend.

“Sustainable aviation fuels are proven and work in airplanes flying today and those that will fly tomorrow, but there’s a very limited supply,” said Sheila Remes, vice president of strategy at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “World Energy is making commercial-scale volumes of sustainable fuel at competitive prices, leveraging government low-carbon incentives to accelerate production and use in an industry that relies on liquid fuels.”

The fuel from World Energy and supplied to Boeing by EPIC Fuels has been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials to reduce carbon emissions by more than 75% over the fuel’s life cycle.

“We congratulate Boeing and Etihad for their industry leadership in helping push the technical and sustainability boundaries of SAF,” said Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer at World Energy. “This 50/50 blend demonstrates the maximum achievable greenhouse gas reduction commercially available today for aviation fuel.”

The partnership between Boeing and Etihad Airways represents a longstanding collaboration to make flying more sustainable. The two companies were among the founding partners that created the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium in 2010. Based at Khalifa University near Abu Dhabi, the pilot project for a unique desert ecosystem produces sustainable fuel from plants that grow in the desert, irrigated by coastal seawater. Etihad used the initial batch of fuel from the pilot project in January 2019 on a passenger flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam.

In January 2020, Etihad took delivery of its signature green 787-10 using a fuel mix comprising 30% SAF produced by World Energy.

Boeing has been a leader in industry efforts to develop sustainable aviation fuel since before the first test flight on a commercial airliner in 2008. Along with others in the industry, the company worked to gain certification of sustainable fuel for commercial use in 2011 and collaborates around the world to create regional production roadmaps.

For more than a decade, World Energy and EPIC Fuels have produced and supplied SAF to Boeing for flight testing. Boeing offers airlines the option of using sustainable fuel for their airplane delivery flights. The first of these occurred in 2012 with an Etihad 777-300ER delivery flight from Everett, Washington, to Abu Dhabi.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 160,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched IATA ONE Source, an online platform which helps the air cargo industry match shipping needs with the availability of infrastructure capabilities and certifications of service providers across the value chain.

This is particularly timely amid the COVID-19 crisis when shippers of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals need accurate information for time- and temperature-sensitive shipments. ONE Source lists the latest operational information on airlines, airports, cargo handling facilities, freight forwarders, ground handlers, shippers, and trucking companies. All critical information contained on ONE Source has been verified by IATA to help ensure its accuracy. IATA ONE Source is free for all service providers across the air cargo supply chain.

“Air cargo has been essential in the global fight against COVID-19, transporting vital equipment and medicines to those who need them most. However, with over 3,500 differently sized cargo handling facilities worldwide, the industry until now has lacked visibility on the capacities and services these facilities can offer. The need for greater transparency is even more critical in the current context. ONE Source addresses this by providing a single reference point for up-to-date infrastructure and certification data, helping save time and keep air cargo moving,” said Glyn Hughes, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.  

The ONE Source platform offers:

• Single source of up-to-date certification and infrastructure data
• Streamlined information per aviation service provider type  allowing for direct capability comparison
• ONE Source API providing a direct data feed to company systems.
• Increased audit efficiency by complementing risk analysis data for a more accurate evaluation of auditing needs
• Reduced audit complexity, focused on Unique Selling Points and security aspects
• Details on IATA Certifications
  • CEIV Pharma
  • CEIV Live Animals
  • CEIV Fresh
  • Smart Facility Operational Capacity
  • IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA)
  • United for Wildlife

ONE Source is part of the IATA Smart Facility program, an initiative to create transparency in cargo handling services and enhance essential cargo operational capabilities to a consistently higher baseline level across the industry.

For more information or to register, visit http://onesource.iata.org/

The Russian Helicopters holding company (part of Rostec) will for the first time present upgraded Mi-171SH “Storm” military transport helicopter at the International Military-Technical Forum ARMY-2020. The helicopter, featuring enhanced protection and unique strike capabilities, was manufactured at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant.

The first flying prototype of the helicopter will be demonstrated at the forum. The presentation will also include the IBKV-17VP “glass cockpit” avionics suite and model of the new target sight system.

“Upgraded Mi-171Sh provides superior level of protection for both the crew and transported troops, thanks to titanium and kevlar armor protection, and the vehicle’s strike capabilities have been expanded to include guided missile weapons, noted the Director General of the Russian Helicopters, Andrey Boginsky.Mi-171SH is prepared for the most demanding combat and climatic conditions, which is why we named it “Storm” for our foreign customers. The name symbolizes its readiness to fight the elements, and on the other hand speaks of the helicopter’s flexible assault capabilities.” 

Mi-171Sh “Storm” is equipped with upgraded engines, new rotor system with an improved profile composite main rotor and X-shaped tail rotor, as well as latest version of the President-S on-board aircraft defense system. The armoring effectively protects the crew and the most parts of the helicopter, as well as the troop compartment. Two sliding doors on the sides and a ramp enable ultra-fast troop deployment.

In addition, the helicopter comes with improved armament, including 12.7 mm caliber machine guns and mdoern guided missile weapons with the OPS-24N-1L target sight system, which allows to engage against various ground and air targets.

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.