Ansat helicopter with new control system demonstrated
Russian Helicopters has announced that Kazan Helicopters has successfully completed the first demonstration flight of the multi-role civil Ansat helicopter with a hydro-mechanical flight control system.
Kazan Helicopters has produced two prototypes of the new Ansat for aerial and ground-based testing. The testing programme has been on-going since 2011, and has produced positive results. Kazan Helicopters has filed an application with the Interstate Aviation Committee's Air Registry for additional type-certification to install the hydro-mechanical flight control system. This will make possible further work on gaining certification for passenger flights.
Russian Helicopters is currently marketing the civilian version of the helicopter with the new flight-control system. According to the comany, there has been interest from potential Russian and international buyers. Russian Helicopters plans to sell the new Ansat in its traditional markets across the CIS, South-East Asia, Africa, Central and South America.
The company previously developed a version of the Ansat that featured a fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system. Yet this innovative development threw up an unexpected obstacle, as no FBW civilian helicopter had been certificated before and no standard requirements existed.
The FBW Ansat will continue development for the military. Russia's Defence Ministry purchases the Ansat-U training helicopter for its flight training schools. The latest batch was delivered to the Air Force Training Centre in Syzran in 2011.
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