MAKS: GTLK places order for 30 helicopters

The lessor's CEO Sergey Khramagin (left) and Russian helicopters CEO Andrey Boginsky signed an agreement for Mi-8s and Ansats at MAKS (Russian Aviation Insider)

Russian Helicopters and State Transport Leasing Corporation (GTLK) have agreed the delivery of 30 helicopters: 12 Mil Mi-8AMTs (produced by Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant), six Mi-8MTVs, and 12 Kazan Helicopters Ansats. The agreement was signed at the MAKS 2017 exhibition.

GTLK CEO Sergey Khramagin commented that all the helicopters on order will be used in medevac roles under the government’s program to develop air ambulance services in 34 of the country’s 82 regions. Russian Helicopters CEO Andrey Boginsky reassured jouralists that the company has enough production to complete the order while simultaneously contributing its share of deliveries under the government defense procurement program. It is understood that the medical equipment for the helicopters will be discussed in the near future.

In May this year, the two companies signed a deal for annual deliveries of 64 helicopters from 2018 to 2020. Of this number, up to 50 aircraft would be Mi-8AMTs and Mi-8MTV-1s, plus up to four Mi-171A2s and up to 10 Ansats.

The first medevac rotorcraft under the air ambulance program was delivered in May 2017 to Russian Helicopter Systems. The aircraft, an Ansat, will be operated in Vologda Region. The operator ordered another two of the type at MAKS 2017.

GTLK will also deliver Russian rotorcraft to operators outside the country. A framework agreement to that effect, which will be continue until 2025, was signed with Russian Helicopters on July 20.

“With our strategic partner Russian Helicopters we will keep promoting Russian-built commercial helicopters onto the global market,” Khramagin announced. “GTLK has the appropriate infrastructure for this. Our subsidiary GTLK Europe has been operating successfully in the aviation leasing segment since 2012.”

The export agreement covers Russian Helicopters’ entire range of commercial rotorcraft, Boginsky stressed.