Country of origin:

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Description:

Multi-role heavy-lift helicopter

Power Plant:

Two 8,385 kw (11,240 shp) Lotarev D-136 free-turbine turboshafts

Specifications:

History:

The MIL Mi 26 was designed to replace the MIL Mi 6 and in fact provide between 50% and 100% greater capability, with a hold similar in size to that of a C-130 Hercules. The prototype made its first flight on 14 December 1977 being followed by a series of pre-production aircraft, and deliveries to military units began in 1983. It was first seen in the West at the Paris Airshow in June 1981. It used an advanced technology gearbox design and, to save weight, used composites and advanced aluminium-lithium alloys in its construction. Production has taken place at the Rostveatol plant at Rostov. The rotor head is titanium and the eight-blade main rotor reduces the disc loading, allowing higher level-flight speeds and reducing noise and vibration levels. The Mi 26 has an onboard APU that allows the machine to operate in total isolation of ground equipment. Internal freight volume is 121 m³ (4,273 cub ft).

The Mi 26 series is powered by two D-136 turboshafts developed by Vladimir Lotarev, being a free-turbine turboshaft of modular design providing 8,385 kw (11,400 shp) for take-off and 8,281 kw (11,100 shp) in max continuous operation at 7,500 rpm. Normally a crew of four is carried, the floor of the hold having a roller conveyor system and two 2,500-kg (5,511-lb) electrically powered hoists on overhead rails. There is a 500 kg (1,102 lb) winch in the front of the hold. More than 300 examples have been delivered. Late production aircraft have a PNK-90 integrated flight and navigation system allowing an automatic approach and descent. A fire-fighting model can lift 15,000 litres (3,300 Imp gals) of retardant chemicals internally, or 17,260 litres (3,796 Imp gals) of water in a bucket. The Model Mi 26TS was certificated to western standards.

Other variants included the Mi 26T freighter; Mi 26A with automated approach and descent avionics; Mi 26MS medivac; Mi 26P airliner with seating for 63; Mi 26TM flying crane; and Mi 26TZ tanker. The Mi 26M was developed with the D-127 engine, with better hot and high performance, increased payload, composite main rotor blades and improved aerodynamics. Examples have been sold to more than 20 operators around the world, including Aeroflot, the Russian airline, and it is used by the air forces of Russia, India, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Cambodia, Mexico and Peru. It has been used in the construction of bridges, carrying and assembling heavy equipment at industrial sites, and placing equipment in hard-to-access areas.

A number have been obtained by civil operators and are offered for lease for heavy lift work.  At least one example of the Mi 26, the world’s heaviest and most powerful helicopter, operated in New Guinea in the Mt Hagen area with HeavyLift Helicopters in the heavy lift role, being used for some months but remaining on the Russian civil aircraft register. This machine (registered CCCP-06029) was shipped to Australia, arriving in Brisbane on 17 August 1990 and, after assembly and testing, was flown the following day on its delivery flight to Port Moresby. It was used for a variety of tasks, and was operated and maintained by Russian crews.

One operation involved the lifting and recovery of Douglas A-20G-25-DO 43-9436 “Big Nig” out of a swamp in November 1994 to be used in the restoration of a Douglas Boston and a Douglas Havoc in Australia, one for the RAAF Museum, and the other for a museum in New Guinea. However, the helicopter was seriously damaged in a tail-strike accident, had to be shipped back to Russia for repairs and did not return. After repairs it later went on to carry out United Nations work.

The type has been used on a variety of heavy lift tasks for the United Nations around the world, two (RA23112 and RA06076) at one stage operating alongside Australian helicopters from Bacau in East Timor during the crisis there. In passenger configuration it can carry 80, or 60 stretcher cases. All types of pallets and containers, as well as light tanks and armoured personnel carriers, can be carried. Flight crew is four, two pilots, flight engineer and navigator, plus a loadmaster.

In the 1990s Lloyd Helicopters Singapore and HeviLift set up a joint venture to market the services of Russian helicopters in the South Pacific, the machines being supplied on a wet lease basis with Soviet flight crews and maintenance personnel but at the date of publication no further examples of the Mi 26 have been seen in this area. On 19 August 2002 a VVS (Russian Air Force) Mi 26 was shot down near Khankal by a Chechen rebel shoulder launched SA-7 surface-to-air missile, killing 115 of the 147 persons on board. In 1999 an example lifted a 23,000-year-old Wooly Mammoth that had been located in the Siberian tundra for examination by scientists.

An example of the MIL Mi 26T (RA-06274) was leased in December 2010 from PME International – Vertical T by the Australian Defence Forces whilst operating with American and British forces in Afghanistan for heavy lift work. The machine was leased through Dyncorp (Australia) Pty Ltd but provided by PME International – Vertical T and operated by the latter firm, a Russian company. Operations commenced on 12 March 2011, thus enabling deployed forces to be less reliant on road transport. The initial contract expired on 31 December 2012 but was renewed in January 2013. Provision was made for up to 50 flying hours per month with an extension to 88 hours if required. Further extensions of the contract took the contract into early 2014.