Mil' Mi-38 (Mi-382 and Mi-383 PDTV)

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Piotr Butowski reports on Mi-38 program ( AirInternational )

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Via Key-Forum ...
 

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Now the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation waits for completion of tests and start of a mass production of the MI-38 helicopter in the main civil version before placing the possible order for the helicopter in option of an average transport.


Early preliminary researches on creation of PATLH (Perspective Average of the Transport and Landing Helicopter) are conducted within the project code-named "Smoker".


The Mile design office submitted for PSTDV Mi's outline sketch - 38-3 in two options. One of them is Mi's slightly adapted helicopter - 38-2, and another - the helicopter with the same power plant, a reducer and the screw, but with absolutely new glider developed with use of the Stealth technology, including being cleaned chassis and a back stage. http://bmpd.livejournal.com/tag/вертолеты
 

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Reducer and screw = pusher prop?
Back stage = pusher prop (or cargo doors?)
Glider = rotor blade?
 
My initial reading of that was there being 3 versions looked at.
Mi-38 (1) - The version we've seen up to now.
Mi-38 (2) - A slightly modified version of the initial version above.
Mi-38 (3) - Same powerplant and gear boxes/tail rotors (reducer and screw), but with new main rotor blades (glider with stealth) retractable undercarriage (cleaned chassis) and revised rear loading ramp/doors (back stage).

I could be completely wrong, of course.
 
Graham Warwick ‏@TheWoracle
First @RusHeliCo Mi-38 production prototype has bigger cabin windows, crashworthy fuel system, Klimov TV7-117 engines
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Edit:
20.10.2014 / Kazan - The fourth prototype of the new multirole Mi-38 helicopter has carried out a series of ground runs and completed its first flight at Russian Helicopters' (part of State Corporation Rostec) Kazan Helicopters' test flight centre
Click to expand...
 
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That is a nice looking helicopter. Good stability augmentation too.
 
helicopter Mi-38T military transport
 

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I am slightly surprised they retained the (partial) clam-shell doors at the rear and did not go with the flat cargo ramp of the later Mi-17 (171?). I realize there are aerodynamic penalties associated with the flat cargo door approach, but would not have thought it significant at helicopter speeds.
 
How much of an improvement are these over Mi-17s? I'm finding conflicting information so I can't really judge.
 
Flat cargo ramp is used on Mi-171, which is manufactured by Ulan-Ude Aviation Factory. Hovever, Mi-38 is manufactured by Kazan Helicopters PJSC which previously manufactured Mi-172 (which is too a variant of Mi-8/17, but developed independently of Mi-171). Both are members of the same consortium now, but until recently there wasn't much cooperation.
 
Ramp length is important for balance.
Note that smaller fixed-wing cargo planes (e.g. Shorts Skyvan) don't even have ramps. Instead the cargo bay floor ends just slightly aft of the main wheels. Everything aft of the cargo compartment is just aerodynamic fairings. Many Skyvans have removed their fold-upwards rear cargo doors because they interfere with parachutists exiting. Despite the fact that Shorts quit making Skyvans more than 25 years ago, they are still popular for training parachutists because they can fly for 1/10 the cost of a dedicated military transport (e.g. C-130 Hercules).
Even with the short distance between main wheels and ramp edge, I have still seen two Skyvans tipped back on their tails when all 20 skydivers crowded towards the edge. I have also seen a Skyvan stall and spin in flight. I was number 17 in the line-up and did not enjoy the ride! The pilot landed white as a sheet!
Despite wrinkled sheet aluminum fins, they were still flyable, but eventually got expensive repairs. Consider how expensive it is to repair an airplane that has been out of production for more than a decade!

C-130 ramp hinge is still near the main wheels, and they often strap cargo to the ramp before closing it. However, larger cargo planes carry a navigator plus a couple of load-masters who all cross-check weight-and-balance calculations to confirm that the plane is properly balanced.

Returning to Russian MI-38T helicopters ... balance is still important when un-loading during hovering (perhaps because ground is too soft for landing). If too many infantrymen crowd the ramp, the helicopter will tip back on its tail and might break its tail rotor. Mi-38T's complex cargo ramp reveals old Soviet thinking about how mission is most important and production costs are only calculated very late in the process. I suspect that after Mi-38Ts have hauled cargo - for a few decades - their fancy fairings will be left back at base. Fairings are only important during high-speed cruise.
 
It's another argument for theory that TV7-117 engine's issues are mostly solved.
 
yasotay said:
I am slightly surprised they retained the (partial) clam-shell doors at the rear and did not go with the flat cargo ramp of the later Mi-17 (171?). I realize there are aerodynamic penalties associated with the flat cargo door approach, but would not have thought it significant at helicopter speeds.
Click to expand...

Yes and adding spoilers to help separate airflow when in hover probably also slightly degrades the benefit of fully faired rear ramp

So i would not be surprised if sometime down the line they end up with a flat ramp
 

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This was back in 2019, and local sources from Myanmar said they arrived the 21st of September.

According to the data from the documents, it appears that the total value of the supply contract for the Mil Mi-38T by Myanmar exceeds 61 million euros.

In detail, the purchase documents specify that the order includes three helicopters: for each of the two in standard transport version (Mi-38T) for a unit cost of 18,890,000 euros, bringing the total for this pair to 37,780,000 euros. The variant in VIP configuration "SALON" instead has a higher cost of 21,900,000 euros. To these figures are added 2,170,000 euros intended for training services for pilots and technicians to be carried out in Russia, which thus brings the total cost of the entire operation to 61,850,000 euros.
 

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