Blogger Alexander Cheban writes: This helicopter flew over the burning reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and in hot spots of the world as part of UN peacekeeping missions. It can transport cargo up to 20 tons, and its flight range is 2000 km. The diameter of the propeller is equal to the wingspan of a Boeing 737 aircraft. Has two 11,000 hp engines. power each. This is the Mi-26 - the largest serial transport helicopter in the world! UTair Airlines operates the world's largest helicopter fleet in terms of size and capacity. The company's fleet includes 352 helicopters, 25 of which are Mi-26.
Mi-26 is a Soviet multi-purpose transport helicopter. It is the world's largest serial transport helicopter.
Developer - OKB Mil. The first flight took place on December 14, 1977. Serially produced by the Rostov Helicopter Plant. In total, more than 310 machines were manufactured. The release continues.
(Total 28 photos)
1. Mi-26 of UTair airlines in UN livery in Surgut
2. The heavy helicopter project was given a new designation Mi-26 or “product 90”. Having received a positive conclusion from the Research Institute of MAP, the team of the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after. M.L. Mil" in August 1971 began developing a preliminary project, which was completed three months later. By this time, the military customer had made changes to technical requirements for a helicopter - increased the weight of the maximum payload from 15 to 18 tons. The project was redesigned. The Mi-26 helicopter, like its predecessor Mi-6, was intended to transport various types military equipment, delivery of ammunition, food, equipment and other materiel, intra-front transfer of troop units with military equipment and weapons, evacuation of the sick and wounded and, in some cases, for tactical landings.
3. The Mi-26 was the first domestic helicopter of the new third generation. Such rotorcraft were developed in the late 60s - early 70s. many foreign companies and differed from their predecessors in improved technical and economic indicators, primarily transport efficiency. But the parameters of the Mi-26 significantly exceeded both domestic and foreign performance of helicopters with a cargo cabin. Weight efficiency was 50% (instead of 34% for the Mi-6), fuel efficiency was 0.62 kg/(t*km). With almost the same geometric dimensions as the Mi-6, new device had twice the payload and significantly better flight performance technical specifications. Doubling the load capacity had almost no effect on the take-off weight of the helicopter.
4. The Scientific and Technical Council of the MAP approved the preliminary design of the Mi-26 in December 1971. The design of the air giant involved a large amount of research, design and technological work, as well as the development of new equipment.
In 1972, the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after. M.L. Mil" received positive opinions from aviation industry institutes and the customer. Of the two proposals presented to the Air Force command: the Mi-26 and a rotorcraft developed by the Ukhtomsky Helicopter Plant, the military chose the Milevsky machine. An important stage in the design of a helicopter was the competent compilation terms of reference. The customer initially required the installation of a wheel drive, heavy weapons, sealing of the cargo compartment, ensuring the operation of engines on motor-tractor fuel and similar improvements on the helicopter, entailing a significant weighting of the structure. The engineers found a reasonable compromise - minor requirements were rejected, and the main ones were fulfilled. As a result, a new cabin layout was made, which made it possible to increase the crew from four to five people; The height of the cargo compartment, in contrast to the original design, became the same along the entire length. The design of some other parts of the helicopter has also undergone modifications.
5. In 1974, the appearance of the Mi-26 heavy helicopter was almost completely formed. It had a classic layout for Milevsky transport helicopters: almost all systems power plant were located above the cargo compartment; the engines placed forward relative to the main gearbox and the cockpit located in the bow balanced the tail section. When designing a helicopter, for the first time, the calculation of the fuselage contours was carried out by specifying surfaces with second-order curves, thanks to which the all-metal semi-monocoque fuselage of the Mi-26 received its characteristic streamlined “dolphin-shaped” shape. Its design initially envisaged the use of panel assembly and glue-welded frame joints.
6. In the forward part of the Mi-26 fuselage there was a crew cabin with seats for the commander (left pilot), right pilot, navigator and flight engineer, as well as a cabin for four people accompanying the cargo, and a fifth crew member - a flight mechanic. The sides of the cabins were equipped with blister hatches for emergency escape from the helicopter, as well as armor plates.
9. The central part of the fuselage was occupied by a spacious cargo compartment with a rear compartment that turned into a tail boom. The length of the cabin is 12.1 m (with a ladder - 15 m), width - 3.2 m, and the height varied from 2.95 to 3.17 m. As confirmed by mock tests, the dimensions of the cabin made it possible to transport all types of promising military equipment weighing up to 20 tons, intended to equip a motorized rifle division, such as an infantry fighting vehicle, self-propelled howitzer, armored reconnaissance vehicle, etc. Loading of equipment was carried out under its own power through a cargo hatch in the rear fuselage, equipped with two drop-down side doors and a lowering ladder with step-ladders. The control of the ladder and doors was hydraulic.
11. Loading of passengers or light cargo could also be done through three ladder doors along the sides of the fuselage. In the landing version, the Mi-26 carried 82 soldiers or 68 paratroopers. Special equipment made it possible to turn the helicopter into an ambulance within a few hours to transport 60 wounded on stretchers and three accompanying medical workers. Large cargo weighing up to 20 tons could be transported on an external sling. Its units were located in the structure of the force floor, due to which there was no need to dismantle the system when transporting cargo inside the fuselage. At the rear of the cargo hatch, the fuselage smoothly transitioned into a tail boom with a profiled end beam-keel and stabilizer.
13. Eight main fuel tanks with a total capacity of 12,000 liters were located under the cargo floor of the fuselage. In the ferry version, four additional tanks with a total capacity of 14,800 liters could be installed in the Mi-26 cargo compartment. On top, above the cargo compartment, were the engine compartments, the main gearbox and two consumable fuel tanks. Mushroom-shaped dust protection devices were installed at the entrances to the engine air intakes. Consumable fuel tanks and engines were protected by armor.
14. The primary task in the design of the Mi-26, like all other rotary-wing aircraft, was the creation of a modern main rotor with low mass and high aerodynamic and strength characteristics. For the first time in the history of helicopter manufacturing, the highly loaded Mi-26 main rotor was designed with eight blades. In order to assemble such a screw, the sleeves of the sleeve had to be made removable. The fastening of the blades to the hub was traditional, using three hinges, but in the design of the axial hinge the engineers of Moscow Helicopter Plant named after. M.L.Mil" introduced a torsion bar that absorbs centrifugal loads. A number of hinge units were made using metal-fluoroplastic bearings. The vertical hinges were equipped with spring-hydraulic dampers. To reduce the weight of the main rotor hub, titanium was used in its design instead of steel. All this made it possible to create an eight-blade main rotor with 30% more thrust and a weight 2 tons less than the five-blade Mi-6 propeller.
The Mi-26 chassis is three-legged, including a front and two main legs, with two-chamber shock-absorbing struts. A retractable tail support was installed under the end boom. For the convenience of loading and unloading operations, the main landing gear was equipped with a system for changing the ground clearance.
17. Deliveries of Mi-26 helicopters to individual transport and combat aviation regiments of the Ground Forces, to regiments and squadrons of border troops began in 1983. After several years of fine-tuning, they became reliable and beloved machines among the troops. Combat use helicopter began in Afghanistan. The helicopters belonging to the 23rd Border Troops Air Regiment were used to transport cargo, deliver reinforcements and evacuate the wounded. There were no combat losses. Mi-26s also took part in almost all armed conflicts in the Caucasus, including two “Chechen” wars. In particular, it was the Mi-26 that carried out the prompt delivery of troops and their redeployment during the fighting in Dagestan in 1999. In addition to army aviation and border troops aviation, Mi-26s were also supplied to air units of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs at that time. Everywhere the helicopter proved to be an extremely reliable and often irreplaceable machine.
18. The Mi-26 was used in fighting fires and during natural disasters. In 1986, helicopters were used to eliminate the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
21. Equipment burial ground near Pripyat, this is the Mi-6, the younger brothers of the Mi-26
22. Aeroflot began receiving Mi-26s in 1986. The Tyumen airline was the first to receive them. It is during the development of gas and oil fields Western Siberia Rostov heavy trucks were especially useful. The unique crane-assembly capabilities of the machine were especially in demand. Only on it can cargo weighing up to 20 tons be transported and installed directly at the place of operation.
Russian and Ukrainian Mi-26s had a chance to participate in UN peacekeeping missions. They worked in the former Yugoslavia, Somalia, Cambodia, Indonesia, etc.
23. Thanks to their unique carrying capacity, Rostov heavy trucks are used in great demand abroad. There, for the last ten years, they have been operated both by domestic airlines and as part of foreign ones that have rented or leased helicopters. In Germany and other European countries, the Mi-26T carried out transportation of heavy bulky cargo, construction and installation work during the construction of power lines, antenna mast structures, reconstruction and construction of industrial facilities, extinguishing forest and urban fires.
24. Interesting facts:
- On September 27, 1996, it was used to build a large formation, which was later included in the Guinness Book of Records. During this event, another record was set, the Mi-26 lifted 224 parachutists to a height of 6500 meters.
— Used to evacuate 2 CH-47 Chinook helicopters armed forces US in Afghanistan, evacuation cost $650,000.
— Used to transport the Tu-134 aircraft from Pulkovo airport to the Emergencies Ministry training ground near the Rybatskoye microdistrict in St. Petersburg.
Mi-26 is the largest serial transport helicopter in the world!
UTair Airlines operates the world's largest helicopter fleet in terms of size and capacity.
The company's fleet includes 352 helicopters, 25 of which are Mi-26.
By the way, this bird flew over the burning reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and in hot spots of the world as part of UN peacekeeping missions.
It can transport cargo up to 20 tons, and its flight range is 2000 km. The diameter of the propeller is equal to the wingspan of a Boeing 737 aircraft. Has two 11,000 hp engines. power each.
Mi-26 is a Soviet multi-purpose transport helicopter. It is the world's largest serial transport helicopter. Developer - OKB Mil. The first flight took place on December 14, 1977. Serially produced by the Rostov Helicopter Plant. In total, more than 310 machines were manufactured. The release continues.
Mi-26 of UTair airlines in UN livery in Surgut:
The heavy helicopter project was given the new designation Mi-26 or “product 90”. Having received a positive conclusion from the Scientific Research Institute of MAP, the team of the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after. M.L. Mil" in August 1971 began developing a preliminary design, which was completed three months later. By this time, the military customer had made changes to the technical requirements for the helicopter - it increased the weight of the maximum payload from 15 to 18 tons. The project was redesigned.
The Mi-26 helicopter, like its predecessor, the Mi-6, was intended for the transportation of various types of military equipment, delivery of ammunition, food, equipment and other materiel, intra-front transfer of troop units with military equipment and weapons, evacuation of the sick and wounded and, in in some cases, for tactical landings.
The Mi-26 was the first domestic helicopter of the new third generation. Such rotorcraft were developed in the late 60s - early 70s. many foreign companies and differed from their predecessors in improved technical and economic indicators, primarily transport efficiency. But the parameters of the Mi-26 significantly exceeded both domestic and foreign performance of helicopters with a cargo cabin. Weight efficiency was 50% (instead of 34% for the Mi-6), fuel efficiency was 0.62 kg/(t*km). With practically the same geometric dimensions as the Mi-6, the new device had twice the payload and significantly better flight performance. Doubling the load capacity had almost no effect on the take-off weight of the helicopter.
The MAP Scientific and Technical Council approved the preliminary design of the Mi-26 in December 1971. The design of the air giant involved a large amount of research, design and technological work, as well as the development of new equipment.
In 1972, the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after. M.L. Mil" received positive opinions from aviation industry institutes and the customer. Of the two proposals presented to the Air Force command: the Mi-26 and a rotorcraft developed by the Ukhtomsk Helicopter Plant, the military chose the Milevsky machine. An important stage in helicopter design was the competent preparation of technical specifications. The customer initially required the installation of a wheel drive, heavy weapons, sealing of the cargo compartment, ensuring the operation of engines on automotive fuels and similar improvements that entailed a significant weighting of the structure.
The engineers found a reasonable compromise - minor requirements were rejected, and the main ones were fulfilled. As a result, a new cabin layout was made, which made it possible to increase the crew from four to five people; The height of the cargo compartment, in contrast to the original design, became the same along the entire length. The design of some other parts of the helicopter has also undergone modifications.
In 1974, the appearance of the Mi-26 heavy helicopter was almost completely formed. It had a classic layout for Milevsky transport helicopters: almost all power plant systems were located above the cargo cabin; the engines placed forward relative to the main gearbox and the cockpit located in the bow balanced the tail section. When designing a helicopter, for the first time, the calculation of the fuselage contours was carried out by specifying surfaces with second-order curves, thanks to which the all-metal semi-monocoque fuselage of the Mi-26 received its characteristic streamlined “dolphin-shaped” shape. Its design initially envisaged the use of panel assembly and glue-welded frame joints.
In the forward part of the Mi-26 fuselage there was a crew cabin with seats for the commander (left pilot), right pilot, navigator and flight engineer, as well as a cabin for four people accompanying the cargo, and a fifth crew member - a flight mechanic. The sides of the cabins were equipped with blister hatches for emergency escape from the helicopter, as well as armor plates.
The central part of the fuselage was occupied by a spacious cargo compartment with a rear compartment extending into the tail boom. The length of the cabin is 12.1 m (with a ladder - 15 m), width - 3.2 m, and the height varied from 2.95 to 3.17 m. As confirmed by mock tests, the dimensions of the cabin made it possible to transport all types of promising military equipment weighing up to 20 tons, intended to equip a motorized rifle division, such as an infantry fighting vehicle, self-propelled howitzer, armored reconnaissance vehicle, etc. Loading of equipment was carried out under its own power through a cargo hatch in the rear fuselage, equipped with two drop-down side doors and a lowering ladder with step-ladders. The control of the ladder and doors was hydraulic.
Loading of passengers or light cargo could also be done through three ladder doors along the sides of the fuselage. In the landing version, the Mi-26 carried 82 soldiers or 68 paratroopers. Special equipment made it possible to turn the helicopter into an ambulance within a few hours to transport 60 wounded on stretchers and three accompanying medical workers. Large cargo weighing up to 20 tons could be transported on an external sling. Its units were located in the structure of the force floor, due to which there was no need to dismantle the system when transporting cargo inside the fuselage. At the rear of the cargo hatch, the fuselage smoothly transitioned into a tail boom with a profiled end beam-keel and stabilizer.
Eight main fuel tanks with a total capacity of 12,000 liters were located under the cargo floor of the fuselage. In the ferry version, four additional tanks with a total capacity of 14,800 liters could be installed in the Mi-26 cargo compartment. On top, above the cargo compartment, were the engine compartments, the main gearbox and two consumable fuel tanks. Mushroom-shaped dust protection devices were installed at the entrances to the engine air intakes. Consumable fuel tanks and engines were protected by armor.
The primary task in the design of the Mi-26, like all other rotary-wing aircraft, was the creation of a modern main rotor with low mass and high aerodynamic and strength characteristics. For the first time in the history of helicopter manufacturing, the highly loaded Mi-26 main rotor was designed with eight blades. In order to assemble such a screw, the sleeves of the sleeve had to be made removable.
The fastening of the blades to the hub was traditional, using three hinges, but in the design of the axial hinge the engineers of Moscow Helicopter Plant named after. M.L.Mil" introduced a torsion bar that absorbs centrifugal loads. A number of hinge units were made using metal-fluoroplastic bearings. The vertical hinges were equipped with spring-hydraulic dampers. To reduce the weight of the main rotor hub, titanium was used in its design instead of steel. All this made it possible to create an eight-blade main rotor with 30% more thrust and a weight of 2 tons less than the five-blade Mi-6 propeller.
The Mi-26 chassis is three-legged, including a front and two main legs, with two-chamber shock-absorbing struts. A retractable tail support was installed under the end boom. For the convenience of loading and unloading operations, the main landing gear was equipped with a system for changing the ground clearance.
Deliveries of Mi-26 helicopters to separate transport and combat regiments of ground forces aviation, to regiments and squadrons of border troops began in 1983. After several years of fine-tuning, they became reliable and beloved machines among the troops. The combat use of the helicopter began in Afghanistan. The helicopters belonging to the 23rd Border Troops Air Regiment were used to transport cargo, deliver reinforcements and evacuate the wounded. There were no combat losses.
Mi-26s also took part in almost all armed conflicts in the Caucasus, including two “Chechen” wars. In particular, it was the Mi-26 that carried out the prompt delivery of troops and their redeployment during the fighting in Dagestan in 1999. In addition to army aviation and border troops aviation, Mi-26s were also supplied to air units of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs at that time. Everywhere the helicopter proved to be an extremely reliable and often irreplaceable machine.
The Mi-26 has been used in fighting fires and during natural disasters. In 1986, helicopters were used to eliminate the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Welcome aboard the world's largest mass-produced helicopter.
You will be surprised, but if you put it next to a Boeing 737 airliner, it will be longer! And the diameter of the propeller is as much as 4 meters larger than the wingspan of the classic Boeing 737 series.
This flying monster can be compared to an ant. Because it's one of the few aircraft, capable of lifting and carrying a load almost equal in weight to themselves. And not only lift, but also transport these 20 tons of cargo to hell in the middle of nowhere - up to 800 kilometers from the base.
Developed back in the mid-70s, this workaholic goliath is still produced in various modifications - as a military transport, passenger, civil transport, flying crane, medical, etc.
310 MI-26 units produced over these many years are used in military and civil service in the most different countries- Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Venezuela, India, China and even Laos and Peru.
creation of MI-26
The MI-26 heavy helicopter began to be developed in the early 70s as a replacement for the then famous record holder MI-6. The need to develop a new model was determined by the growing needs of both the USSR Armed Forces and the Soviet national economy. According to the requirements, the new helicopter had to transport cargo weighing up to 20 tons over a distance of more than 500 km, and also easily perform military and civilian tasks at altitudes of more than 1000 meters above sea level.
The new generation heavy helicopter received the designation Mi-26 (or “product 90”) and its preliminary design was approved by the scientific and technical council of the USSR Ministry of Aviation Administration in December 1971. O.V. was appointed lead designer. Bakhov.
Construction of the Mi-26 prototype began in 1972, and three years later it was accepted by the State Commission. By that time, most of the work on designing the machine had been completed. Also in 1975, V.V. Shutov became the new leading designer for the Mi-26.
On December 14, 1977, MI-26 took off for the first time, spending about 3 minutes in the sky. The vehicle was controlled by a crew headed by the company's leading test pilot G.R. Karapetyan.
The first MI-26s were sent straight to the Armed Forces of the USSR, and only a few years later civilian modifications of this heavyweight began to appear
MI-26T with tail number RA-06031, the example of which today's story is prepared, was released on August 1, 1990. At first, the operating company was Aeroflot of the USSR, which operated it for three years in Tyumen and Nizhnevartovsk. Then, from 1993, for 17 long years, the helicopter was in a mothballed state in Krasnoyarsk, until in 2010 it was acquired by UTair airline, as part of which it is now operated in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug Russia. The permanent base is the Surgut airport.
Civil version of MI-26
The civilian version of the helicopter, designated Mi-26T, was put into serial production on January 12, 1985. The demilitarized version differed from its military counterpart primarily in navigation equipment - it did not have LTC ejection devices and pivot installations for small arms. The range of equipment designed to increase the machine’s capabilities when working with externally slung loads was significantly expanded.
The helicopter was equipped with an external suspension system, which was able to transport standard sea containers without the participation of riggers. The universal stabilizing platform made it possible to increase the speed of transportation of large and long cargo (such as houses, containers, pipes) on an external sling up to 200 km/h and reduce fuel consumption by 30%. In addition, the Mi-26T arsenal includes an automatic pipe gripper for working with large-diameter pipes and a load gripper for transporting wood in mountainous areas.
It is interesting that even before the mass arrival of the Mi-26 in the Armed Forces and Aeroflot, a number of world records were set on it. For example, on February 4, 1982, the crew of test pilot G.V. Alferov performed a flight in which 25 tons of cargo were lifted to a height of 4060 m, while the helicopter climbed to 2000 m with a flight weight of 56,768.8 kg, which was also the world's highest achievement. In the same year, the Mi-26 crew led by Irina Kopec set 9 women's world records. When the vehicle was already in full use in combat units, military testers broke another record set on the Mi-8 back in 1967. On August 7, 1988, the crew consisting of test pilots 1st class A. Razbegaev, A. Lavrentyev, Honored test navigator L. Danilov and flight engineer A. Burlakov traveled along a closed route Moscow-Voronezh-Kuibyshev-Moscow with a length of 2000 km with an average speed of 279 km/h. Moreover, at the final stage, the helicopter pilots had to overcome a weather front with strong bumps and rain.
Aeroflot began receiving Mi-26Ts in 1986. The first copy arrived at the Tyumen Aviation Enterprise after testing at the State Research Institute civil aviation. Initially, civilian pilots were retrained at the Rostov plant, and since 1987 - at the Kremenchug Civil Aviation School. This educational institution received two Mi-26s, on which, by the end of 1989, it trained hundreds of commanders, co-pilots, navigators, flight engineers and flight operators. After the helicopters had flown out between repairs, they were sent to the Konotop Repair Plant, where they remain to this day.
People's worker and record holder
The central part of the MI-26 fuselage is occupied by a spacious cargo compartment with a rear compartment extending into the tail boom. The length of the cabin is 12.1 m (with a ladder - 15 m), width - 3.2 m, and the height varied from 2.95 to 3.17 m. As confirmed by mock tests, the dimensions of the cabin made it possible to transport all types of promising military equipment weighing up to 20 tons, intended to equip a motorized rifle division, such as an infantry fighting vehicle, self-propelled howitzer, armored reconnaissance vehicle, etc. Loading of equipment was carried out under its own power through a cargo hatch in the rear fuselage, equipped with two drop-down side doors and a lowering ladder with step-ladders. The control of the ladder and doors is hydraulic.
In the landing version, the Mi-26 carried 82 soldiers or 68 paratroopers. Special equipment made it possible to turn the helicopter into an ambulance within a few hours to transport 60 wounded on stretchers and three accompanying medical workers. In the civilian version, the rear compartment allows you to transport equipment or any cargo. In addition, large cargo weighing up to 20 tons can be transported on an external sling. Its units were located in the structure of the force floor, due to which there is no need to dismantle the system when transporting cargo inside the fuselage.
The helicopter's cargo compartment, in addition to cargo, also allows for the placement of additional fuel tanks (pictured), thereby increasing the possible flight range of the MI-26.
The interior of the cargo compartment is equipped with a set of equipment necessary for placing and securing cargo - beam cranes, hydraulics, etc.
When used for civilian purposes, the Mi-26’s ability to deliver large cargo on an external sling came in handy. Many operations became unique, became widely known in the world and had the most favorable impact on the reputation of the helicopter. One of the first was the transportation in the winter of 1986 of a Tu-124Sh glider weighing about 18 tons from the Chkalovsky airfield to the territory of the town of Shchelkovo-2, carried out by a crew led by S. Sugushkin. In 1988, in the Caucasus, a Mi-26T helicopter from the Kremenchug school, piloted by commander O.V. Marikov, picked up a Mi-8 that had made an emergency landing in the mountains at an altitude of 3100 m and delivered it to Tbilisi. The operation to evacuate a Be-12 aircraft from an emergency landing site in the north of the Rostov region to Taganrog is also known.
Similar operations were carried out abroad. So, most interesting work performed in October 1994 by the Mi-26T crew of the Ukhta civil aviation detachment led by A. Fateev during an expedition to Papua New Guinea. The aviators were tasked with pulling the American Boston out of the swamp and transporting it to the port of Manang. The aircraft was part of the US 13th Bomber Squadron during the Second World War, was shot down by the Japanese in 1945 and made an emergency belly landing and was now destined for the Royal Australian Air Force Museum.
In the cockpit of the MI-26
In the forward part of the Mi-26 fuselage there is a crew cabin with seats for the commander (left pilot), right pilot, navigator and flight engineer, as well as a cabin for four people accompanying the cargo, and a fifth crew member - a flight mechanic. There are blister hatches on the sides of the cabin for emergency escape from the helicopter, as well as armor plates in the military version of the vehicle.
The helicopter's radio-electronic and navigation equipment allows combat missions in difficult weather conditions and at any time of the day. Included in it navigation complex includes a combined exchange rate system"Crest-2", flight command device PKP-77M, radio-electronic short-range navigation system "Veer-M", radio altimeter, automatic radio compasses and a Doppler speed and drift angle meter.
The flight system of the PKV-26-1 helicopter consists of a four-channel autopilot VUAP-1, a trajectory control system, director control and damping of load vibrations on an external sling. The helicopter is equipped with a weather radar, communications equipment, and television equipment for visual monitoring of the condition of the cargo.
22 thousand horses and 120 meters of blades
The power plant of the MI-26 consists of two D-136 turboshaft engines produced by the Zaporozhye Motor Sich plant with a total capacity of 22 thousand horsepower.
These engines make it possible to lift a 28-ton vehicle with 12 tons of fuel and 20 tons of cargo to a height of up to 6.5 thousand meters and move it over a distance of 800 km (fully loaded) to 2350 km (during hauling).
The engine consumes up to 3100 kilograms of fuel per hour, and the cost of a flight hour is about 600 thousand rubles
Compared to the main propeller, the steering propeller seems quite small.
However, its diameter is more than 7.5 meters. Those. almost like three floors of a residential building..
Finally, some funny angles from MI-26.
Heavyweight smile from the front...
And from behind. Mi-26 is a real Two-Faced Janus)
As I said at the very beginning, in total more than 310 MI-26 helicopters of various modifications were produced. Thanks to their unique carrying capacity, these heavy trucks are still in great demand both in Russia and abroad. The largest civilian operator of the MI-26 is Russian company UTair, which operates 25 helicopters of this brand.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to UTair Airlines for the opportunity to prepare a detailed report about one of their helicopters, as well as personally to the company’s press secretary, Elena Galanova.
Russia occupies one of the leading places in the world in oil and gas production. Most reserves are concentrated in hard-to-reach areas of northern Siberia, where for hundreds of kilometers there may not be settlements and expensive. Under these conditions, helicopter aviation remains the only way to deliver goods.
The record holder for payload capacity among helicopters is the Mi-26. It is capable of transporting up to 20 tons of equipment and large cargo.
This is the largest helicopter in the world!
1.
One of the leading helicopter companies performing work in northern Siberia is SKOL Airlines. Now its fleet includes 37 aircraft.
SKOL owns a training ground 37 km from Surgut with equipped parking for any type of helicopter. Regular clients are: Surgutneftegaz, Gazprom, Rosneft and the administration of the Surgut region.
2. The execution of a specific task begins with the customer submitting an application for the next day through the company’s air traffic controller. There is plenty of work in the north, so cars are almost never idle, except for fulfilling technical regulations.
In this case, an order was received for the transportation of large metal pipes to a gas field. The Mi-26 will cope with this task perfectly, since it is capable of transporting cargo on an external sling.
3. The Mi-26 is one of the few aircraft capable of lifting and carrying a load almost equal in weight to itself over a distance of up to 800 km. Thanks to their unique carrying capacity, these heavy trucks are in great demand both in Russia and abroad.
4. As of 2015, SKOL Airlines has 11 Mi-26 helicopters.
5. If the Mi-26 is placed next to a Boeing-737 aircraft, the helicopter will be longer.
This is the only helicopter in the world with an 8-bladed propeller with a diameter of 32 meters. Has two engines of 11,400 hp. every. These engines make it possible to lift a 28-ton vehicle with 12 tons of fuel and 20 tons of cargo to a height of up to 6.5 thousand meters. Mi-26 engines consume 3 tons of fuel per hour.
6. The height of the helicopter is as high as a three-story house.
This heavy multi-purpose transport helicopter, winner of many world awards and records, is capable of lifting loads both inside the fuselage and on an external sling. It is used to implement various tasks, from simple cargo transportation to fire fighting and installation work.
7. Preparations for departure begin in the morning.
Six ground engineers check the technical condition of the helicopter and warm up the machine. Warming up such a large helicopter takes on average one hour, and at temperatures below -30°C - at least two hours.
8. Installing slings to secure the load on the external sling takes 10 minutes. The weight of the slings (they are called “ropes”) is 300 kg, so they are carried by 4 people.
9. Attaching the lines to the helicopter.
10. At the same time, the crew undergoes pre-flight medical examination, receives data on the meteorological situation in the work area, discusses flight details.
11. The crew is coming on board.
12. Mi-26 pilots are the elite of helicopter pilots. This is the heaviest class of helicopters and only first class pilots are accepted for it.
14. The Mi-26 crew consists of a commander (left), co-pilot, navigator and on-board technician.
15. There are also two flight operators in the cargo compartment who perform visual inspection behind the pendant.
16. Approach to the location of the cargo.
To lift the load, you need to hover directly above it, and at this time the engines are constantly operating at maximum take-off mode.
17. Visual inspection of the hang area.
The on-board operator is in constant contact with the PIC (aircraft commander) and informs him about the behavior of the cargo and the condition of the external sling ropes. For example, like this: forward two meters, the rope clings to the load, the load is hooked, the rope is tense, the load is unhooked, etc.
18. The Mi-26's blades rotate at a speed of 192 revolutions per minute, creating a powerful air flow that can knock people off their feet and bend trees. Therefore, within a radius of 200 meters there should be no objects that could be carried away by the air flow.
19. The team of slingers has special training and equipment. In particular, helmets with a built-in transmitter for communication with the crew. If it is not possible to establish radio communication, the slingers correct the work of the crew using special gestures.
20. Maximum speed Mi-26 - 295 km/h, but when transporting cargo on an external sling, the average speed is only 120 km/h. In this case, the flight is carried out at an altitude of at least 150 meters, always bypassing populated areas.
21. Observation of cargo through the external suspension hatch.
22. Weighing device.
23. The commander has a monitor in the cockpit, which is broadcast from three different cameras, showing the state of the cargo on the external sling.
25.
26. Flight engineer.
27. This is a different operation. The Mi-26 transported cargo from Urengoy, which is located at the latitude of the Arctic Circle, to the area of the Vankor oil and gas field.
28. The cost of a Mi-26 flight hour is about 600 thousand rubles (10,000 rubles/min). But despite this, the helicopter is in great demand.
29. During the flight, the cable hooks gain up to 6 million volts. static electricity. Therefore, you first need to “reset” the static by touching the slings to the ground away from the load.
30. The length of the “rope” is 20 meters, hovering above the load occurs at a height of about 15 meters.
31. After lifting the load off the ground, you need to make sure that it behaves normally in the air and that there is a reserve of engine power. Only after this can you gain speed and altitude.
32. Over its history, the Mi-26 has performed many unique operations using an external sling, which have gained worldwide fame. This is the transportation of a Tu-124 aircraft, another Mi-26, the evacuation of two CH-47 Chinook helicopters of the US armed forces in Afghanistan, etc. Not so long ago, one of the Mi-26s of SKOL airlines transported a Yak-40.
33. Upon return to the departure site, post-flight maintenance is carried out. All engine components are checked for tightness (leaks), as well as the blades for damage.
34. The diameter of the tail rotor is 7.5 meters. This is more than the dial of the Kremlin chimes on the Spasskaya Tower.
35. To service the power plant and transmission, the engine fairings have large hinged panels used as work platforms. In the tail boom there is a passage for servicing the tail rotor transmission. By the way, the weight of the gearbox is 3.6 tons.
36. In winter, technicians remove batteries at night.
37. Eight main fuel tanks with a total capacity of 12,000 liters are located under the cargo floor of the fuselage. In winter, helicopters are always fully fueled to prevent the formation of condensation, which can clog fuel filters.
38. In addition to the Mi-26, the SKOL airline fleet includes 17 Mi-8 units in various modifications - Mi-8T, Mi-8AMT, Mi-171.
39. This is the most popular twin-engine helicopter in the world. In Russia alone there are more than five thousand of them.
40. Its versatility and high flight performance allow it to perform a wide range of tasks.
41.
42. One of the tasks of the “eights” of SKOL airlines is the transportation of shift workers.
43. In this case, workers are transported from the Yuganskaya site to Priobskoye oil field. There is no other way to cross the Ob here until there is ice on the river.
44. You can transport 22 people at a time.
45. Air-to-air photography.
46. Blister.
47. Frosty expanses of Western Siberia.
48. In addition to the northern regions of Siberia, the “eight” aircraft of SKOL airlines perform tasks in different parts of the world, for example, now 3 aircraft are operating in South Sudan.
50. Co-pilot.
51. Helicopter maintenance by ground technicians.
53. SKOL Airlines also operates 3 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft in its fleet.
This is an American light single-engine turboprop aircraft used on short-haul airlines. Designed to carry 9 passengers over a distance of up to 2000 km.
54. Now one of the Tsesens carries out transportation in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug.
In collaboration with the Disaster Medicine Center, the airline operates flights to provide emergency services. medical care and transportation of sick and injured people.
55. A request comes from a remote area to the Disaster Medicine Center, they send a request to the airline. There is always a crew on duty who responds immediately. The standard departure time is 30 minutes, in winter - 1.5 hours.
Preparing the aircraft for departure. Warm up
56. Delivery of a patient from Beloyarsk to the Surgut District Clinical Hospital.
57. Approach to Surgut.
58. Light single-engine helicopter AS-350B3 (Eurocopter). The company calls him “Aska”.
It is capable of performing a wide range of aerial work in difficult to reach areas. AS-350 holds the world record for takeoff and landing on the highest point on the planet - the top of Everest (height - 8850 meters).
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