Roy's Russian Aircraft Resource

Date Posted 25 February 2011

Interavia to Resume Production of Airplanes

GIST.

Interavia manufactures the I-1 and I-3 lightweight multipurpose airplanes. The I-3M is especially in demand. It can be purchased either as a single-seat or twin-seat airplane for aerobatics and training. The second seat can quickly be removed for aerobatics. So far 34 or 35 I-3 and I-3M have been manufactured.

The I-1L is certified as a normal category airplane under AP-23. More than 120 have been built in various modifications. Approximately 70 I-1 and 18 I-3 have been delivered to the United States.

Under development are the I-5 and I-10. The I-5 is equipped with an American PT-6 motor and is an all-metal monoplane with high-mounted wing. It can carry 8 passengers or 700 kilograms of freight. The documentation for it is nearly 90-percent complete.

The I-12 is a twin-motor all-metal monoplane with high-mounted wing and retractable landing gear. It uses two PT6A-21 engines. It was developed to replace the An-2 and some helicopters. It would compete with the Caravan and Beaver. It would have seats for 8 passengers and carry 1,000 of freight.

Founded in 1989, Interavia began production of the I-1 in 1992 at the Lukhovitsy Machine Building Plant with the I-1M3 airplane which had an M-3 engine. There were 72 I-1M3 and 12 I-1R airplanes produced, the latter of which had the VAS-4311 rotary engine. Later the SL-39VM-1 with the 140 horsepower M332 engine was built in five or six examples.

The I-3 sports airplane has one M-14P piston engine rated at 360 horsepower. It can use aviation or automobile fuel of 91 octane or greater. The prop is a V530 or an MTV-9-8S. Maximum takeoff weight for a ferry flight with two pilots is 1,063 kilograms; takeoff weight in training variant with two pilots is 981 kilograms. Takeoff weight with one pilot for competition is 881 kilograms. Top speed is 450 kilometers per hour; maximum speed is 350 kilometers per hour. Ferry range is 700 kilometers; rate of climb at sea level is up to 11 k/s ((sic, possibly should be meters per second). Takeoff run on a concrete runway is 200/452 meters and on sod it is 262/477 meters; G-loading in training variant is +10/-8 and in aerobatic variant +12/-10. Service life is 2,000 hours or 15 years of service.

The single-engine I-1L has an American Lycoming 0-320-E2A engine rated at 150 horsepower. Fuel consumption is 25 liters per hour. Maximum takeoff weight is 880 kilograms; maximum payload is 113 kilograms; maximum allowed flight speed is 200 kilometers per hour; cruising speed is 150 kilometers per hours; landing speed is 110 – 115 kilometers per hour; flight range at 500 meters with maximum payload is 450 kilometers.

Source: 25.02.11, AviaPort.RU, Correspondent: Dmitriy Kozlov

Date Posted 24 February 2011

First Flight of Second PAK FA Prototype Refuted at OAK

The Unified Aircraft Building Corporation has refuted reports the second prototype of the Russian T-50 (PAK FA) fifth generation fighter has made its first flight, Lenta.RU reports.

According to information of late Wednesday evening, 23 February, ground tests of the airplane are coming to an end; it still has not lifted into the sky.

Media had been reporting earlier on 23 February that the T-50 (PAK FA) had made its first flight, lifting into the air from the runway of the Komsomol’sk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association.

It also was being reported that honored test pilot of Russia, Sergey Bogdan, had been piloting the airplane and that the flight went normally.

Source: 24.02.11, Avia.RU

The Long Decline of the Mikoyan Fighters

((This very long article speculates on what happened to the Mikoyan bureau since the break-up of the Soviet Union and points out the sale of MiG-29K and MiG-35 to India remains the famous builder’s last hope. It is not translated here.))

Source: 24.02.11, Voenno-Promyshlennyy Kur’er, Correspondent: Il’ya Kramnik

Date Posted 22 February 2011

Tests of First TV3-117VMA Series 02 Helicopter Engine End Successfully

Tests of the first TV3-117VMA Series 02 engine assembled using components of a Russian manufactured overhaul generic set ((GRUPPOVOY KOMPLEKT)) (RGK) have ended in success at the Klimov Joint Stock Company. The tests were performed within the framework of the realization of a Unified Engine Building Corporation (ODK) project for the creation in Russia of its own manufacture of helicopter engines.

The engine was assembled using RGK components manufactured in close cooperation with ODK enterprises. The Klimov JSC, UMPO JSC, the MMP V.V. Chernyshev JSC and Krasnyy Oktyabr’ JSC are carrying out work within the framework of the staged mastering of series production of TV3-117/VK-255 engines.

<>Production training was performed and a pre-production batch of RGK components was assembled in 2010 at ODK enterprises for tests in the engine structure, tests were begun in the beginning of 2011 and successfully completed at 14:00 on 20 February.

The engine confirmed a between overhaul service life (until the first major overhaul) of 2,000 hours according to a program of equivalent cyclic tests.

As a result of the evaluation of the engine’s technical condition, in the second quarter of 2011 organizational documents about permitting RGK components into service for the TV3-117/VK-2500 engines manufactured at ODK enterprises will be executed.

Source: 22.02.11, Aviation Explorer

Date Posted 21 February 2011

Sukhoy Transfers New Su-27SM Fighters to Russian Air Force

The Sukhoy company transferred four new Su-27SM fighters to the Russian air force in the middle of February 2011, Lenta.RU reports.

The airplanes completed a flight from Komsomol’sk-on-Amur to an airbase in the Crimean Krasnodarsk Kray. Delivery of the Su-27SM was realized within the framework of a contract for the transfer to the Russian air force of 12 such fighters. The corresponding contract was signed between Sukhoy and Russia's defense ministry in August 2009.

Earlier, the Russian air force obtained regular Su-27 fighters upgraded to the SM version. The four fighters transferred to the air force have not been in flying service previously and were assembled by the Komsomol’sk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association (KnAAPO). The Su-27SM has received new AL-31F-M1 engines and also renovated equipment and weapons complexes.

The exactly version of the new fighters is still unknown. In the fall of 2010 it was reported that the first upgraded Su-27SM3 had entered flight tests. It has not been ruled out that the four fighters transferred to the Russian air force are the new SM3 version. At the present time preparations are under way at KnAAPO for transfer to the customer of eight more Su-27SM fighters which may be adopted into the inventory as early as before the end of 2011.

It earlier had been reported that the Russian air force received some number of new fighters, attack aircraft and helicopters in 2010. In particular, the air force has been increased by four Su-27SM squadrons and also Su-25SM attack aircraft, Mi-24PM helicopters and the “Ansat-U.” Deputy Russian air force commander-in-chief, General-Lieutenant Igor’ Sadov’ev declared at the end of 2010 that the air forces would receive nearly 2,000 airplanes and helicopters before 2020, of which only 400 would be upgraded examples.

“In the very near future, in accordance with the state defense order for 2011, the purchase and delivery to the troops is planned of Su-27SM, Su-30M2, Su-34, Su-35S and Yak-130 airplanes. The delivery of Ka-42, Mi-28N, Mi-8AMTSh, Ka-226 helicopters and the ‘Ansat-U’ helicopter is planned for army aviation in 2011,” Mr. Sadov’ev said.

Source: 21.02.11, Avia.RU

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