Last two Bell 407s delivered to the Polish Police
In January 2019, the Polish Chief Police Officer, Inspector General Jaroslaw Szymczyk, signed a contract for the purchase of three Bell 407GXi patrol and oberservation helicopters.
The Lotnictwo Policja (LP, Polish Police) took delivery of the first one, serial SN-80XP/A-104 (temporary registration OK-KOM), on 6 December 2019. It was returned to the Bell company in Prague (Czechia) for the installation of the opto-electronic head and searchlight and arrived back at Warszawa/Babice on 4 September 2020.
On 5 September 2020, the second Bell 407, serial SN-81XP/A-105 (temporary registration OK-ZEM), followed almost immediately by the last one, serial SN-82XP/A-106 (temporary registration OK-JEL), on 7 September 2020. All three Bell 407s were assembled by the Bell company in Prague (Czechia).
The Polish Police operates a variety of helicopters throughout the country. The main operating airfield is Warszawa/Babice, where the Wydział Operacji Lotniczych, Zarzadu Lotnictwa Policji (Aviation Operations Department, Police Aviation Authority) is based. The other four airfields have a section (detachment) based; Kraków/Rakowice heliport with the Sokol W-3, Lódz/Lublinek with the Bell 206B, Poznan/Lawica with the Mil Mi-2, Szczecin/Dabie with the Mil Mi-2 and Wroclaw/Strachowice also with the Mil Mi-2. Warszawa/Babice has the following types in its inventory: Bell 206B, Bell 407GXi, Bell 412HP, Airbus H135, Mil Mi-8, Sikorsky S-70i and the Sokol W-3.
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New Mi-17V-7 helicopters for the PLA Army Aviation
A video spot released on the js7tv.cn website of the state-owned China Central Television 7 (CCTV 7) channel reveals newly delivered Mi-17V-7 multipurpose helicopters entered service with the People's Liberation Army Aviation. The helicopters, supplied by the Kazan Helicopters plant of the Russian Helicopters holding (part of the Rostec State Corporation), are equipped with VK-2500-03 power plants manufactured by JSC UEC-Klimov based in St. Petersburg (Russia). This company is part of United Engine Corporation, which is a branch of JSC Rostec State Corporation.
At the same time, Russian helicopters equipped with the VK-2500-03 engines have also started to reach their first civilian clients. On 9 September 2020, JSC Russian Helicopters circulated a press release about their first Mi-171 helicopters with the VK-2500-03 engines delivered to the Chinese civil aviation airline Xinjiang General Aviation Co., Ltd. The helicopters, registered B-70JV and B-70JW, have been assembled at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding (part of JSC Rostec) and took part in the test programme to issue a CCAR-91 national type certificate for the Mi-171 helicopter with this power plant. The decision of the PRC aviation authorities has expanded the capabilities of the Russian Helicopters holding to meet the needs of the Asian market.
Compared to the TV3-117VM series 02 engines used on the Mi-17V-5/Mi-171E versions, the use of VK-2500-03 engines with higher thrust-to-weight ratio provides various advantages, including increased high-altitude flight power with higher static and dynamic flight ceiling, improved carrying capacity in the cargo hold or on the external sling and better emergency response times. In addition, the available engine power in emergency flight mode results in increased operational safety in the mountainuous regions, as well as improved flight safety with just one running engine. At the same time, the BARK-78 digital automatic regulation and control system makes it possible to improve the accuracy of engine control in all modes of operation.
To clarify the currently ongoing “war on engines” between Russian and Ukraine, Scramble Magazine can provide further details. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukrainian Motor-Sich enterprise was the company which turned out to be holder of the entire documentation for the TV3-117 engines under the original name. For many years, Russian Armed Forces have been a primary customer for the production of the Zaporizhia-based production plant, buying 250-270 engines annually from Ukraine, with their own UEC-Klimov only being a developer bureau with very limited annual production capacity of 50-60 engines a year. After the 2014 revolution in Kiev, Russian aerospace industry has launched a large-scale import substitution programme in order to eliminate the dependency on Ukrainian manufacturers and Russia’s United Engine Corporation UEC-Klimov has been chosen to replace the Motor-Sich with the re-issued documentation for the VK-2500/VK-2500PS engine, which represents an advanced Russian version of the TV3-117 with a full-authority digital engine control system.
The sudden rise of presence of helicopter engines assembled by UEC-Klimov is therefore by no means a surprise. Between 2018 and 2020, the St. Petersburg-based enterprise has been performing a large-scale reconstruction of its testing facilities. The amount of over 2 billion rubles from the funds of Rostec has been invested to build 27 test benches for different engine types (three for turbofans, six for helicopter turboshafts, two stands for turboprops and sixteen for engine components such as aggregates or turbine starters). The management of JSC UEC-Klimov expects that the new testing facilities enable increase of the production of VK-2500/VK-2500PS engines for helicopters by further 30%.
In 2019, the total production output of the UEC-Klimov was around 230 engines of the VK-2500/TV3-117 type, powering Mi-28N, Ka-52, Mi-35M and Mi-24 combat helicopters, as well as the Mi-17/Mi-171 and Ka-27/32 family. The supply of spare parts accounted for production of an additional 150 units, with steadily decreasing share of imported parts. Nevertheless, at least part of the production has still had to be outsourced to Ukraine, as the documents show. In 2019, Motor-Sich exported 70 turboshaft engines for civil aviation, without installed aggregates, designated as VK-2500-03, worth USD 25.7 million, to the Latvian Riga-based company SIA AEROSERVICE, for subsequent re-export to the Russian Federation. These engines were then most likely completed at UEC-Klimov for installation on helicopters destined for export or as spares to UEC’s extensive network of servicing nodes including logistics support centers in Vietnamese city of Vũng Tàu and near the city of Arequipa (Peru).
#avgeek #avgeeks #militaryaviation #Mi171 #Mi17V7 #RussianHelicopters #KazanHelicopters
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Philippine A-29 Super Tucano arrived at Malta
On Wednesday 9 September 2020, the six Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos destined for the Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas (Philippine Air Force) arrived at Malta/Luqa after a flight from Alverca (Portugal). The delivery flight started on 29 August 2020 at Sao Jose Dos Campos (SJK, Brazil).
The aircraft are roughly halfway on their delivery flight *), which will take at least ten more days to reach their final destination. We are not aware of the scheduled stops during the "second half" of the delivery flight. If you have more information, please let us know.
The aircraft are expected to join the 15th Strike Wing/16th Strike Squadron "Eagles" at Danielo Atienza-Cavite air base near the capital Manila. If correct, the OV-10 Broncos are expected to be moved to the 17th Attack Squadron "Jaguars" at the same air base, where they will replace the SF260TPs.
At Malta/Luqa, the construction numbers and future Philippine serials of the A-29s were checked. These are:
PT-ZZM - 1901 c/n 31400250
PT-ZZN - 1902 c/n 31400251
PT-ZZO - 1903 c/n 31400252
PT-ZZQ - 1904 c/n 31400253
PT-ZZS - 1905 c/n 31400254
PT-ZZU - 1906 c/n 31400255
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Uruguay buys two Lockheed Hercules transporters from Spain
Uruguay was looking to replace its ageing C-130B Hercules transport aicraft and entered talks with Spain earlier this year.
It now seems that the deal has been sealed to obtain two former Ejercito del Aire (EdA, Spanish Air Force) C-130H aircraft for €22 million including spare parts. At this moment, only one C-130B (serial 592) is operable with the Escuadrón Aéreo N°3 Transporte (EA3T) at Montevideo-Carrasco. From the other two C-130Bs, one is stored awaiting depot-level maintenance (serial 591), and the other is dumped at Montevideo-Carrasco and sectioned (serial 593).
It is not yet known which EdA C-130H or KC-130H transporters are involved.
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Delivery Grob G120TP training aircraft to Ecuador
On 1 September 2020, three Grob G120TP primary training aircraft passed through Prestwick (UK) on delivery. At first instance it was not 100% clear to which country the training aircraft would be delivered. However, Ecuador was the suspect. The aircraft departed the same day to Reykjavik on their long haul.
And indeed, the aircraft were on delivery to Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana (Ecuador Air Force). In 2019, eight turboprop trainers and there was an option for eight more. The recipient is the Escuela Superior Militar de Aviación (ESMA) 'Cosme Renella' at Base Aérea Ulpiano Paez, Salinas where they will join the DA20s.
On 9 September, one of the aircraft was noted on ads-b in the circuit of its new home base. The three aircraft involved were identified by their German ferry registration; D-EGAQ, D-EGAR and D-ETPU. Unfortunately the construction number plates were not checked. If somebody has more information, we would be glad to hear this.
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