The Moscow Helicopter Plant, better known as the Mil Design Bureau, is about to become part of a new, larger, holding company, according to director general Yuri Andrianov.
He declined to reveal further details, saying: "Now is not the time to discuss this, before approval from the appropriate state bodies." He did confirm, however, that the new company will be known as Mil Helicopters, that it will also incorporate the Rostvertol joint stock company, and that he expects the company to be at least 51% owned by the Russian state.
A holding company of this type was first proposed in 1999, when it was also expected to incorporate the Kazan and Ulan Ude joint stock companies. Since then, most of the other former design bureaus have combined with production plants to form similar holding companies.
Workhorse
As the Design Bureau for all Mil helicopters, the Moscow Helicopter Plant has historically concentrated on the design, construction, testing and certification of prototypes, with plants at Arseneyev, Kazan, Rostov-on-Don, and Ulan Ude undertaking series production. Today the plant is also engaged in the design and implementation of upgrade programmes for a range of Mil helicopter types.
Meanwhile, the 40-year-old Russian Mil helicopter Mi-2 is about to re-enter production in upgraded form, says Andrianov.
The Russian-built prototype of this ageing workhorse first flew on 22 September 1961, but all production was by Poland's PZL-Swidnik, which built some 5,080 aircraft in 25 different sub-variants until the type was phased out in 1996.
The company then built 13 modernised Kanias, which differed in using Allison 250-C20 turboshaft engines in place of the original aircraft's 437shp Isotov GTD-350 turboshafts.
Source: Flight Daily News
