Mi-8 Hip Multipurpose transport helicopter

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A multipurpose transport single-rotor helicopter powered by two TV2-117A 1.500-hp gas turbine engines. The AI-24V single-engine-powered prototype's maiden flight was made on 24 June, 1961. The prototype powered by two TV2-117 engines took to the air on 9 October, 1963. Since 1965, the helicopter has been series-produced at the Kazan helicopter plant with about 4.500 aircraft having been built. Since 1970, the Ulan- Ude plant has been producing the Mi-8 too, the total of 2.800 helicopters has been built as of 1999 with production carrying on). All in all, around 7.300 helicopters were made, of which over 1.400 were exported to 57 countries. 

The main versions are as follows: the Mi-8T 24-seat/4-tonne transport, Mi-8P 28-seat passenger helicopter, Mi-8TV armed transport, Mi-8AT upgraded transport, Mi-8PPA and Mi-8SMV electronic warfare (EW) helicopters, Mi-9 aerial command post, etc.

The outlook studies of the troop-transport helicopter, intended to replace Mi-8s, began at the Mil 0KB in the second half of thel 950s. From the very beginning it was planned to develop a number of such basic helicopter ver­sions as transport, passenger, anti-ship, VIP, etc., both for the armed forces and the general use. On the 20th of February, 1958, there was issued a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers for devel­opment of the V-8 helicopter with turboshaft AI-24V (1.900 h.p.) engine of A.G. Ivchenko design. But later the development of a new turboshaft engine and reduction gearbox was assigned to the OKB-117 headed by S.P. Izotov. 

Five V-8 heli­copters of the experimental batch were manufac­tured at the #329 aircraft plant in Phili. In the summer of 1961 the assembly of the first experi­mental helicopter with AI-24V engine was finished, "me aircraft made its maiden flight on the 24th of June, 1961, with B.V. Zemskov as a test-pilot, "me troop-transport helicopter version was designated as Mi-8T, and passenger version as Mi-8P. "me first batch helicopters were produced in 1965, and in 1969 the Mi-8 completely replaced Mi-4 at the Kazan aircraft plant assembly line. In 1970 the Mi-8 output started also at the Ulan-Ude plant. 

In 1978 the helicopters started to be equipped with inproved TVZ-117MT III series engines. From 1977 to 1997 more than 2.800 helicopters with TVD TVZ-117MTwere manufactured in Kazan, "me export helicopter version which was in high demand at the world aviation market was desig­nated as Mi-17. In 1985 the tests of Mi-8MTV heli­copter (export version - Mi-17-1B) with «high-altitude» TVZ-117VM engines, providing the take­off and landing at altitudes up to 4.000 m and flight at altitudes up to 6.000 m began. 

The helicopter received new onboard equipment (such as weath­er radar station for example), additional armouring, protected fuel tanks with the foamuritan filler and a number of other improvements were also made. The production of Mi-8MTV started in Kazan in 1988 and in Ulan-Ude in 1991 (under Mi-8AMT designation). In 1991, the Mi-8MTV-2 and Mi-8MTV-3 versions with improved onboard equip­ment, upgraded tail rotor and increased passenger carrying ability (up to 30 persons) were designed. 

In 1997 the development of the helicopter Mi-8MTV-5 (Mi-17MD) began. The lighting cabin equipment allows to pilot the machine in night vision goggles. The upgraded fuel system provides ferry range up to 1.600 km. 

The troop transportation Mi-8MTV-5 is able to carry 35 persons with all the necessary equip­ment. An enlarged sliding door on port side, sliding door on starboard, combined with remotely hydrodrive opened stern ream pro­vides the airtroop loading - landing within 15-20 seconds. There is a possibility of airtrooping by groups of four persons with the cord descend Su-R devices during the helicopter hovering at 30 m above ground. 

In total by 1999 more than 12.000 Mi-8 heli­copters were produced (including about 4.000 - in Ulan-Ude, and remaining - in Kazan), from them more than 2.800 for export. Now Mi-8 and Mi-17 are operated in more than 50 countries. The Russian Ministry of emergencies has in general 20 Mi-8 type helicopters: three Mi-8MT and two Mi-8 are at 136 OVO (VSRTs, Cheremshanka air field), four of Mi-8T and one Mi-8MTV-2 are at 137 OVO (DVRTs, Harovka air field), one Mi-8T, three Mi-8MT and one Mi-8PS - 138 OVO (TsRTs, Dobrininskoie air field), four Mi-8T and one of Mi-8MTV - 139 OVO (UrRTs, Troitsk). Besides, there are two Mi-8MTV, which are on duty in Krasnodar and Sochi and are operated jointly with Sokol airlines (former "Sapsan", Krasnodar). 

Two Mi-8T are operated jointly with Vertical-T (Torzhok) airlines and two M1-8MTV - with Krechet (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski) airlines. For Mi-8 helicopter (and also more powerful Mi-26) new technology of fire-fighting with the use of the VSU-5 water drop system containing 5 tons of water was successfully developed and tested at the Ministry of emergencies in 1998-99. 

The system is the «sack» from a strong parachute fabric slung under the helicopter. Within several seconds it can be filled in with water from any reservoir by depth not less than 0.5 m located near the center of the fire. The VSU-5/Mi-8 system was already successfully used to localize large centers of forest fires in Far East and in Transbaikal area. 

Under the Ministry of emergencies' concept of aviation support in the beginning of 2000s the Mi-8 will enter into the structure of emergency-action helicopter complex (such complexes will become a basis of air rescue centres equipment). The type structure of the complex includes one reconnaisance helicopter Mi-8MTV intended for air photography, monitoring, carrying out of engi­neering, radiation and chemical investigations, search of suffering under snow avalanches, detection of straits under the ground, karst for­mations layers etc. 

Besides the complex should include the medical helicopter and two transport-troop helicopters of the Mi-8MTV type. In the future the Mi-8 helicopter should be replaced by a new generation Mi-38 helicopter beeing devel­oped at the Ml.Mil Moscor helicopter plant.

Technical specifications