Russian Helicopters has launched an operations pilot test program for its Mi-8/171 twin in Indonesia on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. This program is being conducted under contract with local operator PT National Utility Helicopters, a service provider to the Indonesian government, and is focused on firefighting operations.
Two Mi-8AMT helicopters are already on station in the region, supported by Russian Helicopters’ flight and maintenance crews. Russian Helicopters is also providing support and consulting regarding the formation of an indigenous-based fleet to carry out firefighting operations in the region, according to Leonid Belykh, managing director of Russian Helicopters’ Ulan-Ude aviation plant (U-UAP). The Indonesian pilot program borrows from a similar effort in partnership with UTair-VU in 2018, which used an Mi-171A2.
U-UAP has produced more than 8,000 aircraft over the last 80 years and today specializes in the production of Mi-8AMT (Mi-171E), Mi-171, and Mi-8AMTSh (Mi-171Sh) helicopters. State-owned JSC Russian Helicopters is headquartered in Moscow and is the sole developer and manufacturer of helicopters in Russia. The company includes five helicopter plants, two design offices, enterprises on production and service of vendor items, aircraft repair plants, and after-sale service and support.