Roy's Russian Aircraft Resource

Date Posted 28 January 2011

Anniversary of PAK FA First Flight Is 29 January

Tomorrow it will be a year since the first flight took place of the prototype of the fifth generation aircraft complex (PAK FA), the Sukhoy company's press service reports.

Russian Federation honored test pilot Sergey Bogdan piloted the airplane. The flight assignment was executed in full. The aircraft made a good showing of itself at all stages of the intended flight program.

The Sukhoy company's general director, Mikhail Pogosyan, characterized this event as a great success of Russian science and design thought. The cooperation of more than a hundred partner enterprises stands behind it. The PAK FA program brings Russian aircraft construction and related branches to a qualitatively new engineering level. These airplanes, along with the upgraded fourth generation aviation complexes, will define the Russian air force's potential in the coming decades. At the present time, the PAK FA flight and ground tests are continuing successfully. In the very near future a second flying example will join it.

The Sukhoy company's plans include further development of the new generation aircraft complex's program with Indian partners. It is the largest joint project in the area of Russo-Indian military and technical cooperation. In December of last year within the framework of Russia Federation president Dmitriy Medvedev's visit to India, FGUP Rosoboronehksport, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited company and Sukhoy signed a contract for the development of a draft technical project of a future multirole fighter (PMI). The airplane is being developed based on the PAK FA in accordance with the technical requirements presented by the Indian side.

"In comparison with fighters of prior generations, the PAK FA possesses a number of unique features, combining the functions of a strike airplane and a fighter. The fifth generation airplane is equipped with a principally new avionics complex, an integrated "electronic pilot" function and a future radar with an active phased antenna array (AFAR). It reduces the workload on the airman to significant degree and allows concentrating on the performance of the tactical missions. The new airplane's on-board equipment allows exchanging data in real time both with ground control systems and within an airborne group. Use of composites and innovative technologies, the airplane's aerodynamic design, and measures for reducing the visibility of the engine assure an unprecedented low level of radar, optical and infrared detectability. It allows increasing combat effectiveness significantly in operation, both against aerial and ground targets, at any time of day and night, in good and poor weather conditions," the said at Sukhoy.

Source: 28.01.11, Aviation Explorer

PS-90A3 Engine Ready for Flight

The PS-90A3 aircraft engine was certified in January 2011.

The PS-90A3 is a modification of the PS-90A2 engine which was certified in 2009. The Perm' Design Bureau's new development has retained all the properties of the PS-90A2 relative to the basic engine: high gas temperature reserve behind the turbine, greater service lives of basic components, and an improved automated control system.

The PS-90A3 was certified in accordance with Chapter 6 of Flight Worthiness of Airplane Standards 3, since it provides for isolation positioning of the overhanging ((NADPOLOCHNAYA)) part of the fan rotor blade. Work is underway at the present time in Perm' on reduction of the PS-90A2 fan casing's weight.

((The Russian term NADPOLOCHNAYA is not translated in any dictionary available to your friendly translator, on-line or on his shelf, although it appears frequently on the Russian side of the Web. According to Russian-language explanations of the word, it means something "located above shelves" (or "above flanges"). It is an adjective.))

Source: 28.01.11, Aviadvigatel' Joint Stock Company

Date Posted 27 January 2011

Iraqi Military Aviation Receives Four Mi-171E Helicopters

((The first two arrived on 16 January and the others on 23 January. Iraq now has 14 Mi-171E and 30 Mi-17. Not further translated.))

Source: 26.01.11, Lenta.RU

Date Posted 26 January 2011

M-101T Airplane to Continue Mapping Operations

The lightweight multirole M-101T airplane belonging to the Myasishchev Experimental Machine Building Plant Joint Stock Company (EhMZ Myasishchev) will continue commercial mapping and aerial photography operations, an informed source in the area of aircraft building reported to AviaPort.

According to him, in 2010, the airplane was used rather often, performing operations in accordance with contracts entered into also in 2010, successfully competing all the planned workload. In particular, in April 2010 a standard series of aerial photographs was produced using the M-101T airplane of objects being built in Sochi and the airfields of Krasnodar, Anapa and Gelendzhik from altitudes of 6,000 - 8,000 meters. In August the M-101T "Gzhel'" research platform in the aerial photography variant, having finished photography in the Northern Caucuses (the Minvody airport), rebased to the Magnitogorsk airport for photos in the Southern Urals, and in that same month it successfully concluded photography of the Southern Urals regions, having flown more than 41 hours in this period. In September, the airplane returned to the Minteral'nye Vody airfield. In November, the M-101T concluded monitoring of the dynamics of the construction of Olympic objects in the Northern Caucuses and returned to base in the city of Zhukovskiy.

The execution of mapping and aerial photographic operations is a purely commercial activity for EhMZ Myasishchev. "The enterprise plans to perform this work on the very same aircraft in 2011, too, in accordance with separate contracts in the interests of third-party organizations," the agency source added.

"A decision has been made, and at the present time work is underway on reequipping a second M-101T airplane into a aerial photograph platform. Its tests are intended to start in March 2011. The customer for the work is FGUP National Research Institute for Cadastral Surveying, shortened name: FGUP Goszemkadastrs"emka - VISKhAGI," the expert explained.

It is planned to install special equipment from Switzerland on the airplane for the airplane's use in accordance with its new assignment. In case of the successful operation of the M-101T aerial photographer in VISKhAGI's interests, an order may follow for reequipping one more aircraft.

The seven - eight seat single-motor M-101T multirole airplane is equipped with one Czech manufactured M-601F-32 turboprop engine rated at 760 horsepower. The maximum takeoff weight is up to 3,270 kilograms; maximum commercial payload is 750 kilograms. Flight range (8 people) is 1,100 kilometers at a cruising speed of 430 kilometers per hour.

Source: 26.01.11, AviaPort.RU, Correspondent: Dmitriy Kozlov

Date Posted 25 January 2011

Sukhoy Airplanes Occupy Second Place in Worldwide Marketplace for New Multirole Fighters. MiG Is Sixth

((First place is held by Lockheed-Martin. After Sukhoy are the Chinese. Fourth place is held by Dassault, fifth by Boeing, seventh by Gripen International, eight by BAe Systems and ninth place is held by Eurofighter. Title says the rest. Not further translated.))

Source: 25.01.11, Sukhoy Aviation Holding Company

Irkutsk Aviation Plant to Concentrate on Yak-130 and MS-21

((Title says it all. Not further translated.))

Source: 25.01.11, Kommersant-Irkutsk

Date Posted 24 January 2011

Russia Transfers Two Mi-171E Helicopters to Ecuador

Russia has transferred two Mi-171E military transport helicopters for Ecuador's ground troops, TsAMTO reports. Earlier in Russia, four Ecuadorian pilots underwent training for controlling the helicopters. Officially, the cost of the contract according to which the Mi-171E were delivered, is not being disclosed. According to unofficial information, the total of the deal was 22 million dollars.

The contract for delivery of the helicopters to Ecuador was entered into in October 2009. Kits for extinguishing fires were installed on the Mi-171E at the request of Ecuador's ground troops. The Ecuadorian military will use the new helicopters for support of operations and also in humanitarian missions.

The Mi-171 is able to develop a speed up to 260 kilometers per hour and make flights to a distance up to 650 kilometers. The multirole helicopter can carry up to 23 assault troops in full kit or four tones of cargo in a cargo compartment or suspended externally. The adoption of the Mi-171E into Ecuador's inventory was timed to the 57th anniversary of the creation of the country's ground troops.

Source: 24.01.11, Lenta.RU

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