Russian Helicopters has announced that its Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant has delivered two Mi-171 helicopters to Chinese civil airline Qingdao.
The new aircraft are going to be used in aerial firefighting operations, according to Alexey Kozlov, managing director of the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, who pointed out that the use of helicopters is one of the most convenient and effective ways to fight wildfires, especially in remote areas that are difficult to access.
Qingdao’s Mi-171s are equipped with VK-2500-03 engines, which improve the performance of the aircraft in hot climates and at high altitudes. The Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a type certificate for the Mi-171 with VK-2500-03 engines in 2019.
Qingdao signed a contract for six Mi-171s in December 2019, and these are the first two to be delivered. The operator should receive the remaining four in 2022.
