The Answer to our Medium Lift needs?

[Taj]

Could this be the answer to our medium lift needs-recently had its first flight.The Mil Mi-38.
It has western engines manufactured by Pratt and Whitney and was designed in collaberation with Eurocopter..here are some specs according to Flug Revue:

Crew : 2 or 1 for cargo flights
Passengers : 30 in lightweigt seats or 12 passengers in a VIP configuration
External load capacity : 6000 kg

Power plant : 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127T/S (or later a Klimov VK-3000, a TV7-117 derivative)
Power : 2 x 1865 kW (2500 shp) for take-off
Transmission rating : 3500 shp from a single engine

Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 19,95 m
Height (Höhe): 5,2 m to top of rotor head
Stabiliser span (Leitwerksspannweite): 4,20 m
Rotor diameter (Hauptrotordurchmesser): 21,10 m
Rotor disk area (Rotorkreisfläche): 349,7 sq m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotordurchmesser): 3,84 m
Tail rotor disk area (Heckrotorkreisfläche): 11,6 sq m

Cabin length : 6,8 m, excluding ramp
Cabin width : 2,34 m
Cabin height : 1,8 – 1,85 m
Cabin volume : 29,5 cu m

Weights
Max. payload : 5000 kg
Sling load : 6000 kg
Normal take-off weight : 14200 kg
Max. take-off weight : 15600 kg

Performance
Max. level speed : 275 km/h
Cruise speed : 250 km/h
Service ceiling : 6500 m
Hover ceiling :
   - out of ground effect : 2500 m
Range :
   - 325 km with 5000 kg payload, 30 min reserves
   - 530 km with 4500 kg payload, 30 min reserves
   - 800 km with 3500 kg payload, 30 min reserves
   - 1300 km with 1800 kg payload, 30 min reserves



Costs
A price of around 11 million Dollars was mentioned in mid-2003.



Remarks
The Mi-38 was conceived as a successor to the Mi-17, featuring a six-blade rotor and modern equipment like CRTs in the cockpit. Variants for the Russian market and export are conceived, to supplement the Eurocopter range of helicopters.
The partners of Euromil have shared development and production tasks as follows:
Mil: originally, Mil was to handle development and flight testing, but due to financial constraints, some work was taken on by Kazan, including final assembly of the prototype and first flight
Eurocopter: leads the flight-deck design, avionics integration and passenger accommodation-related work
Kazan: manufactures fuselage and rotor blades and will undertake final assembly
Subcontractors include Krasny Oktyabr for the transmission and Stupino for the rotor head. For the Russan market, a new Klimov engine is planned, but this needs to be certified first.

History (Geschichte)
Mil began design of the Mi-38 in 1983 and showed a model at the Paris Air Show in 1989. At that time, a mock-up already existed.
0n 18 December 1992, Eurocopter agreed to integrate the flight deck and adapt the helicopter for international markets. A framework agreement was signed by Eurocopter, Mil, Kazan and Klimov. At that time, deliveries were expected in 1999.
The Euromil joint-stock company was finally formed on 29. September 1994. Mil, Kazan and Eurocopter each own 33 per cent of Euromil.
Work was slowed by the Russian financial crisis in the second half of the 90s. By mid 1997, construction of the fuselage and the rotor blades had started at Kazan.
Reconfirmation of a restructured programme came on 18 August 1999, when a contract on the completion of a demonstrator was signed. At that time, a first flight was anticipated for the first half of 2001. Also, a contract with Pratt & Whitney Canada was concluded regarding delivery of the PW127T/S for the prototype and a first batch of 50 helicopters.
In mid-2002, talks were of a first flight by the end of the year, but delays were possible due to the late delivery of the main gearbox. Pratt & Whintey engines were at the Kazan site by that time. The first prototype was then mostly complete early in 2003.
Eurocopter declared its intention to leave the Euromil consortium in July 2003, as due to new Russian laws it has to reduce its stake to below 25 per cent. By the time of the first flight, it seemed that this retreat was not formally concluded.
Rollout of the Mi-38 at Kazan was on 20 November 2003.
The Mi-38 took of for a five minute maiden flight (a hover) on 22 December 2003 at Kazan Helicopters airfield. Another flight was performed the next day.
Production of the Mi-38 could start in 2007.
There are plans for improved versions with take-off weight raised to 16500 kg and even 18000 kg with more powerful Klimov engines.

[Imshi-Yallah]

11m is about the same cost as a comparable all western design

[Taj]

With the current economic climate-that would equate to 8.5 million Euro-a serious bit of kit for that amount-and a machine that is just as capable  if not more so than the S-92.

[Imshi-Yallah]

Not really, besides the main design philosophy behind it has been as civvy helicopter, for 8.5M euro you could get a long range equipped AS 532U2 MKII

[Taj]

Have to disagree Imshi-the main philosophy behind this is as a replacement for the Mi-8/17 series, and due to the bad state of the Russian militarys finances it is relying on civialian sector for domestic orders.What hope for the S-92 if the US-101 is ordered by the US military,it too will have to rely on civilian orders.
You may be right regarding the Cougar, but we're not even looking at a SAR type any more-from a military point of view this machine has a 6 tonne payload(it is being touted as a MI-6 replacement).After all the recent Ranger op in Liberia to free hostages used an Mi-26.
Just a thought,and for a Russian machine,it appears to have been designed with "Westernisation" in mind.

[pilatus]

the corps should watch the helicopters performance through its evaluation very closely.can u imagime 8 of these machines on the corps inventory?they are much more comparable though in weight to the merlin which is cabable of hauling a scorpian under it!  '>  

[Taj]

Thants what I was thinking Pilatus.They cant be bad machines with Western engines and a Eurocopter designed cockpit.

[pilatus]

the mi-38 was developed from the mi-28(mite be the wrong designation?)which is russias answer to the apache!so perhaps they could be used as armed support choppers also?!

[alpha foxtrot 07]

BLACKHAWKS

[Taj]

Pilatus: The Mi-38 is not developed from Mi-28.
Alpha: You know something the rest of us dont? Blackhawks would be my no.1 choice for the single type fleet replacement.

[alpha foxtrot 07]

NO! but there is no other aircraft better suited to the aer corps needs and roles.

[MatRotor]

alpha. you say you dont know, but the corps was supposed to have been impressed by the sikorsky tender for the LUH.??

[alpha foxtrot 07]

yes they were, but all i hear are the rumor's that runaround the don, not the facts.

[Taj]

Didn't think the tender had been advertised yet.Did they make an independent submission?

[MatRotor]

No confirmation on the tender, but rumour has it some of our chaps are down in the med checking out the A139'>