The Mi-38's development was carried out by Kazan Helicopters since early 1980s[3] and a mockup was first shown during the 1989 Paris Air Show. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazan Helicopters went into collaboration with Eurocopter that was to adapt the Mi-38 for international market. In September 1994, Euromil JSC was established and funding of the programme began a month later. Sextant and Pratt & Whitney Canada were also to participate in the programme as suppliers of Mi-38's avionics and powerplant equipment. Initially, the helicopter was to be first flight tested in 1999, but only on 18 August 1999 a contract was signed for completion of the first demonstrator. In 2001, testing of Mi-38's rotor blades was carried out on a Mi-17 helicopter. The first Mi-38 demonstrator (PT-1) performed its maiden flight above the Kazan Helicopters plant on 22 December 2003.[1]
The second prototype (OP-2), powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127/TS engines, made its first flight on 2 December 2010. The prototype is also equipped with the IBKO-38 or IBKV-38 aviation complex, developed by Transas Aviation, which implements a concept of a glass cockpit for the Mi-38.[6] The same month, OP-2 performed its first long-haul flight from Kazan to Moscow, which covers more than 800km.[8]
In March 2013, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale has confirmed the Mi-38 prototypes have already set five records in the E1h class. The second prototype aircraft set an altitude record by reaching 8,620 meters (28,280 feet) without a payload. The second and third records were for climbing speed; the Mi-38 reached a height of 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) in six minutes, then followed this to reach 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) in 10 minutes and 52 seconds. Two further records were altitude records: the first was set at 7,895 meters (25,902 feet) with a 1,000-kg (2,205-lb) payload, the second at 7,020 meters (23,031 feet) with a 2,000-kg (4,409-lb) payload.[9]
The third prototype (OP-3), began its flight tests on 17 December 2013. The helicopter is equipped with a pair of Russian Klimov TV7-117V turboshaft engines,[10] which produce about 2,100kW (2,800shp) as opposed to 1,900kW (2,500shp) for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127/TS.[11]
The fourth and final prototype (OP-4), first took off on 16 October 2014. Same as the OP-3, it is powered by Klimov TV7-117V engines but differs from the third prototype by its impact-resistant fuel system and enlarged portholes.[12]
An Mi-38T of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
On 30 December 2015, Rosaviatsiya certified the Mi-38, completing the testing and certification program and allowing for the delivery of the first production model. Certification was based on the third and fourth flight-test prototypes with 1,900kW (2,500shp) Klimov TV7-117V engines.[13]
In July 2017, a contract for delivery of first two serial Mi-38s to the Russian Defence Ministry was signed.[4] The Kazan Helicopters plant launched the serial production of the helicopter on 10 January 2018. In total, the Russian Defence Ministry planned to purchase about 15 helicopters until 2020.[14]
On 23 November 2018, military variant, Mi-38T, performed its maiden flight.[15][16] The new variant was developed to meet the Russian MoD's new requirements for the helicopter and due to international sanctions imposed on Russia, all of its components, including engines and avionics, are Russian-made.[11] Deputy Managing Director at Kazan Helicopters Vadim Ligai stated that the Mi-38 can now carry up to 40 passengers.[17] The Russian Defence Ministry took delivery of the first two serial Mi-38s in December 2019.[2][4] In January 2020, Russian Helicopters announced that it had received orders from an unspecified export customer (reported by Russian media sources to be in the Middle East) for Mi-38Ts in "transport and increased comfort cabin configurations", with delivery from 2021 to 2022.[18] The RF Defense Ministry ordered 2 more Mi-38s in increased comfort cabin configuration in August 2020 and the Ministry of Emergency Situations ordered 9 in August 2021.[19][20]
In March 2024, Kolyma Aviation received two Mi-38 helicopters for operating commercial flights connecting Magadan Oblast.[26][27] The aircraft were liveried in a distinctive orca pattern.[28]
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s and introduced into the Soviet Air Force in 1968. It is now produced by Russia. In addition to its most common role as a transport helicopter, the Mi-8 is also used as an airborne command post, armed gunship, and reconnaissance platform.
The Mil Mi-2 is a small, three rotor blade Soviet-designed multi-purpose helicopter developed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant designed in the early 1960s, and produced exclusively by WSK "PZL-Świdnik" in Poland.
The Kamov Ka-27 is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy, and currently in service in various countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India. Variants include the Ka-29 assault transport, the Ka-28 downgraded export version, and the Ka-32 for civilian use.
The Yakovlev Yak-24 is a Soviet twin-engine, tandem rotor, transport helicopter developed by Yakovlev in the 1950s. The Yak-24 saw limited use in the Soviet Air Force, and the exact number produced and duration of service are unknown due to inconsistencies in data.
The Mil Mi-28 is a Soviet all-weather, day-night, military tandem, two-seat anti-armor attack helicopter. It is an attack helicopter with no intended secondary transport capability, better optimized than the Mil Mi-24 gunship for the role. It carries a single gun in an undernose barbette, plus external loads carried on pylons beneath stub wings.
The Mil Mi-17 is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family introduced in 1975 (Mi-8M), continuing in production as of 2021 at two factories, in Kazan and Ulan-Ude. It is known as the Mi-8M series in Russian service. The helicopter is mostly used as a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter, as well as an armed gunship version.
The Mil Mi-14 is a Soviet shore-based nuclear-capable amphibious anti-submarine helicopter derived from the earlier Mi-8.
The Mil V-12, given the project number Izdeliye 65, is a prototype helicopter designed in the Soviet Union and the largest helicopter ever built. The designation "Mi-12" would have been the designation for the production helicopter and did not apply to V-12 prototypes.
The Mil Mi-10, given the product number izdeliye 60, is a Soviet military transport helicopter of flying crane configuration, developed from the Mi-6, entering service in 1963. While most versions had been retired by 2009, the short-legged Mi-10K was still in service as of 2014.
The Mil Mi-6, given the article number izdeliye 50 and company designation V-6, is a Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopter that was designed by the Mil design bureau. It was built in large numbers for both military and civil use and was the largest helicopter in production until the Mil Mi-26 was put in production in 1980.
The Mil Mi-1 was a Soviet three- or four-seat light utility helicopter. It was the first Soviet helicopter to enter serial production. It is powered by one 575 hp (429 kW) Ivchenko AI-26V radial piston engine. It entered service in 1950 and was first seen on the 1951 Soviet Aviation Day, Tushino and was produced for 16 years. More than 1,000 were built in the USSR and 1,594 in Poland, as SM-1.
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-110 was a proposed Russian passenger/cargo aircraft that began development in 1995 but was not built. It would have been a high-mounted cantilever monoplane with a pod-and-boom configuration with a beavertail rear fuselage, to be powered by two Klimov TV7-117 turboprop engines.
The Mil Mi-26 is a Soviet/Russian heavy transport helicopter. Its product code is Izdeliye 90. Operated by both military and civilian operators, it is the largest helicopter to have gone into serial production.
The Kazan Ansat is a Russian light, multipurpose helicopter manufactured by Kazan Helicopters.
The Boeing Vertol XCH-62 was a triple-turbine, heavy-lift helicopter project designed for the United States Army by Boeing Vertol. Approved in 1971, one prototype reached 95% completion before it was canceled in 1975. The prototype was scrapped in 2005.
The Sikorsky S-60 helicopter, a prototype "flying crane", was derived from the S-56 in 1958. Proving to be underpowered, the development of the S-60 led to the larger, turbine-engined Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe military transport helicopter, and its civil S-64 Skycrane variant, which were already on the drawing board by the time the sole example of the S-60 crashed on 3 April 1961.
The Kamov Ka-115 Moskvichka is a light multi-purpose helicopter designed for many uses, including passenger and cargo transportation, emergency service, SAR and patrol, or charter flights.
The Klimov TV3-117 is a Soviet gas turbine aero engine. It is used in most medium lift, utility, and attack helicopters designed by the Mil and Kamov design bureaus. The TV3-117 turboshaft engine was developed in 1974. Later the Klimov TV3-117 was installed on 95% of all helicopters designed by Mil and Kamov Engineering Centre. The engine has been produced in many variants.
The Klimov TV7-117 is a Russian turboprop engine certified in 1997 to power the Ilyushin Il-114 regional commuter aircraft. The new engine features enhanced reliability, fuel economy and greater service life compared to its predecessors produced in the former Soviet Union. The engine has a modular design. The nine modules can be replaced in the field, which dramatically reduces costs and accelerates repair and maintenance. The engine has an electronic-hydromechanical control system.
JSC Russian Helicopters is a helicopter design and manufacturing company headquartered in Moscow, Russia. The company designs and manufactures civilian and military helicopters. The company's principal shareholder is Rostec. It is the world's 24th-largest defence contractor measured by 2012 defence revenues, and the second-largest based in Russia.
↑ Peskov, Aleksey (30 August 2019). "Третий день МАКСа. В чем сила, Пратт?"[The third day of MAKS. What's the power, Pratt?]. Военно-промышленный курьер[Military Industrial Courier] (in Russian). Vol.46, no.909.
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