Mi-26T2V prepares for first flight!

via Defense Aerospace.

Russian Helicopters Plans to begin test flights of the new, modernized variant of the Mil Mi-26 helicopter and fly its new helicopter to the Army 2018 exhibition near Moscow by the end of the month. Following the manufacturer’s flight tests the helicopter will be handed over to the government for operational tests. It will be the heaviest variant of the Mi-26 to be operated by the Russian forces. “Mi-26T2V will be even more efficient and reliable, even when used in bad weather and difficult terrain,” said Russian Helicopters CEO Andrey Boginsky.

The Mi-26T2 is the current variant, has a maximum takeoff weight of 56,000 kg (112,000 lbs), with payloads up to 20 tons (40,000 lbs.) The new helicopter will offer the same performance. As a modernized version it will bring earlier models to the T2 standard. The Mi-26 is operated by a crew of five but the improvements introduced by the BREO-26 avionics suite enables most missions to reduce the to crew to 2-3 persons.

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