Gazprom starts the orderbook rolling with order for 22 aircraft (520 words)

Published: 4/9/2001

The Ka-226's first flight towards certification passed without event on 28th March, having been rescheduled after poor weather conditions in Moscow on 21st March. The co-axial, twin boom utility helicopter that first flew in September 1997, conducted a 10-minute flight at the Moscow Aircraft Repair Plant airfield, largely for the benefit of the press. Orders have been slow, although Gazpromavia has recently ordered 22 Ka-226s, to replace its fleet of Ka-26s, somewhat earlier than expected, through Gazprom. Other long-term interest includes the City of Moscow government, reportedly interested in five helicopters. According to the marketing department of Strela (one of the plants at which the helicopter is being assembled), it is already producing five aircraft for the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS), which has invested $12m in the programme, despite the fact that the design is not yet certified. According to Strela, the first helicopters will be delivered by the end of 2001 in anticipation of full certification by then. This view is however, not supported by Kasyanikov, Deputy Chief Designer of Kamov, who does not expect certification before 2002. The emergency services will operate the helicopters without certification, as they have, the Be-200. The MChS has recently unveiled its aviation plans up to 2005. Lieutenant-General Rafail Zakirov, the head of its aviation wing, has suggested that the ministry will be making considerable changes to its air units and undertaking considerable acquisitions including the long awaited Be-200, which is expected in service later this year and additional helicopters including night vision equipped Ka-226s, Ka-32s and Mi-26s. For Kamov's other products struggling to gain momentum, it appears the company may be having a rethink regarding power plants, particularly for its newer products. There have been recent suggestions that the Ka-115 multipurpose helicopter might have a Russian/Ukrainian power plant developed by Progress and Zaporozhye fitted, although there has been little confirmation of any progress. The purpose of the planned installation would be to lower the price of the aircraft by the use of a 20%-30% cheaper engine, than the PW 206D originally proposed. The cost of completing the programme however, is $10m, with one third of this required for the first prototype. No state support is forthcoming, as the helicopter has not been included in the government support plan. This lack of assistance seems rather curious, given the obvious demand from most operators for a domestically produced helicopter worthy of replacing the Ka-26 and Mi-2. Whether the same operators will be able to pay the $800,000 purchase price is another matter. The continued construction of the Ka-32A remains the subject of discussion between Kamov and the production plant KAPP in Kumertau, according to Serguey Saiganov, the plant's General Director. Kasyanikov, Deputy Designer at Kamov, said that orders for ten additional helicopters, taking its fleet to 46 aircraft, have been signed with South Korea, as part of a debt relief plan between the two countries. The work would however, only be partially funded by the Ministry of Finance, with the balance provided by the designer and producer.

Article ID: 2471