The certification process for the brand new Ka-62 medium multi-purpose Helicopter has been put on hold for the time being. According to the Russian publication Vedomosti, this information was provided by Alexander Neradko, the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), while he was speaking at the 13th Helicopter Forum in Moscow.
“As for the certification of a new type of aircraft. First, you know, of course, the Ka-62 helicopter. It certainly received a limited category type certificate last year. At present, further work on the project has been suspended for the time being due to known circumstances,” Neradko said. He added that he expects to resume work “in the near future.”
Later on, Igor Panshin, Sales Director for Civil Helicopters of the Russian Helicopters Holding, gave a presentation in which he stated that bench testing of the Ka-62 would be finished in 2024, and subsequent certification tests, as well as joint state tests, would be completed in 2025.
According to a source within the Russian Helicopters company that spoke with Vedomosti, the certification of the Ka-62 was finished before the end of the year before but with limits. However, it was not carried out.
“The Helicopter is, to a very high degree, about 60% imported: blades, material, engines, avionics. All deliveries were cut off, so it is necessary to completely revise everything on it. There is no point in certifying it further,” he explained.
Since the beginning of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, a record-breaking number of sanctions have been imposed against the Russian aviation industry by the countries of the United States and the European Union. These penalties include a total prohibition on the transfer of components.
The Ka-60 military helicopter served as the foundation for the development of the Ka-62 multi-purpose helicopter. 2017 saw the first time the Ka-62 took to the skies.
“The first flight of the Ka-62 helicopter is a truly significant event for the industry. The implementation of the program will not only ensure JSC Russian Helicopters’ stable income from sales in the period from 2018-2030 but also take at least 20% of the market share of intermediate-class helicopters by 2025. According to our forecasts, sales by 2030 will amount to 365 helicopters,” said Minister of Industry Denis Manturov in May 2017.
According to the Rostec website, the primary uses for the helicopter include transporting people, performing rescue operations, and working in the oil and gas sector. Other applications include working in the oil and gas industry.
French Turbomeca Ardiden 3G engines were installed in the first Ka-62 aircraft.
On November 30, 2021, Rosaviatsia (part of the Rostec state corporation) presented the Russian helicopter holding company with a type certificate for the Ka-62 helicopter that the company had been developing.
According to the Rostec website, the first deliveries of Ka-62 aircraft to clients are scheduled to begin in the year 2022. The paperwork provides the necessary authorization for the supply of the helicopter to the Russian market. However, the FATA-0107R type certificate that was granted to the Ka-62 puts a number of major operational constraints on the aircraft. In particular, it is not possible to use the Ka-62 to transport passengers at this time. The maximum weight that can be delivered in the cabin is 2 tonnes, the maximum altitude that can be reached during flight is 1500 metres above sea level (but not more than 500 m above the underlying surface), and the maximum speed that can be reached during flight is 290 kilometres per hour. In addition, it is against the rules to fly the helicopter over the water’s surface when there is a risk of ice when the ambient temperature is lower than -25 degrees celsius or more than 25 degrees South latitude.
Ka-62 multi-purpose medium-lift transport helicopter
The Ka-62 multi-purpose medium-lift transport helicopter has been under development since the mid-1980s. The flight range of the Ka-62 is 700 km, the maximum speed is 310 km/h, and the cruising speed is 290 km/h. The maximum takeoff weight of the helicopter is 6.8 tons, and the capacity is 15 passengers. The Ka-62 can also carry 2 tons of cargo inside the cabin and up to 2.5 tons on an external sling. Depending on the customer’s requirements, the helicopter can be equipped with a rescue winch and a medical module.
In 2021, the developers said that the currently available model of the Ka-62 satisfies Russian and international airworthiness criteria, as well as reliability and safety standards for the transportation of freight and passengers. The Ka-62 makes extensive use of polymer composite materials in its construction (up to sixty per cent of the total weight). The developers claim that by doing this, they were able to cut the helicopter’s fuel consumption while simultaneously increasing its speed and capacity to carry a load.