Russian Helicopters / Mil' Mi-171A3

[RavenOne]

Russian Helikopters JSC going to develop longer range version of their Mi17I called the MI-17I A3.

Russian Helicopters updates Mi-171 with new longer-range A3 variant

Russian Helicopters has quietly launched a new variant of its long-running Mil Mi-171 heavy-twin aimed squarely at the offshore oil and gas market. However, key details remain shrouded in secrecy.

www.flightglobal.com

 

[yasotay]

Policing up the draggy bits and a new cockpit might be the best thing for this old but reliable workhorse.

 

[isayyo2]

Mi-38 got too expensive?

 

[Trident]

Isn't the Mi-38 fly-by-wire? The intricacies of civilian certification for such a control system held back the Kazan Ansat until they simply developed a hydro-mechanical alternative for non-military customers. Perhaps a similar process is at work here, and the difficulties experienced by the Bell 525 and the switch to a conventional FCS on the Airbus H160 could bear this out.