11 Dec 2021 12:10
(UTC)
Manufacturer
Ansat helicopter to be used for oversized cargo transportation and firefighting
Kazan Helicopters, part of the Russian Helicopters holding owned by Rostec, received the approval of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) to equip Ansat with an external sling. The approval makes it possible to use Ansat for transporting oversized cargo and fighting fires.
With an external sling, the maximum takeoff weight of Ansat has increased from 3600 kg to 3800 kg. The rotorcraft has a maximum cargo sling load capacity of 1 metric ton. During tests at the Kazan Helicopters plant, Ansat gained an altitude of 3.7 km, with 600 kg of cargo on board, while its airspeed was 180 km/h.
Ansat can be used to extinguish fires thanks to a bucket with a release valve, which is attached to the external sling and does not affect the design features of the helicopter. The fire-extinguishing system has already passed a number of tests conducted by flight test facility experts of the Kazan Helicopters.
In addition, Rosaviatsia has approved the installation of bearpaws on Ansat's skids. This will allow the rotorcraft to land on soft ground.
The goal of Russian Helicopters is to turn Ansat into a universal rotorcraft capable of performing a wide range of tasks. New additional equipment will also improve Ansat's search and rescue functions, which is especially important for the customers. In 2020, the first Ansat joined the fleet of the North-Western Aviation Rescue Center. Therefore, the new Ansat features are expected to boost cooperation with the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Rosaviatsia has already certified several pieces of additional equipment that expand the helicopter's search and rescue functions. In particular, one of such examples is approval of Ansat's searchlight that can be used in conjunction with the onboard winch. In April 2021, Rosaviatsia approved the installation of an onboard boom with a winch on the Ansat helicopter. This equipment allows to safely load and unload people and cargo weighing up to 272 kg. The boom is indispensable in search and rescue missions, allowing to carry out cargo handling operations while hovering. In addition, Russian-made LED guided searchlights FSD-134M developed by NII Mikropriborov JSC were approved for installation on Ansat under the contract with the National Air Ambulance Service.