Russia’s trade and industry ministry has announced a Rb4 billion ($119 million) tender for development work on the PSV-1 advanced high-speed civil helicopter project in 2014, including development of a flying laboratory, according to information published on a government procurement website.
The development work, using a modified Mil Mi-24 testbed, will lead to the construction of a working prototype by 2020, it says.
With a maximum take-off weight of 10.5-11.5t – around the same size as the Airbus Helicopters EC225 or Sikorsky S-92 – it will boast a passenger capacity of 21-23, maximum payload of 3-3.5t, range of 490nm (910km) and cruise speed of 173-195kt (320-360km/h). Operating costs should be around 20-25% below competing designs, says the document.
Russian Helicopters' two design bureaus, Kamov and Mil, are each producing a study for the project, using coaxial and conventional tail rotor-equipped aircraft, respectively. Mil’s proposal is designated Mi-X1, while the rival Kamov design is known as Ka-92.
The two design teams will carry out research into possible propulsion and aerodynamic configurations.
Russian Helicopters announced in 2011 it would spend Rb1.1 billion on initial research for the programme.
Work on the flying laboratory will include production of elements of the fuselage, main rotor and wings, and final assembly activities.
Research, including gas dynamics studies and first-stage tests of a prototype gas generator, will also be undertaken in the next two years for the future Klimov VK-2500M powerplants for type.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
