The Russian Helicopters Holding stated on Mondy that it has delivered the first Ansat helicopter to the Republika Srpska. The operator of the rotorcraft, which is equipped for medical operations, is the Ministry of Interior of the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), said the Holding in its statement.
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The Holding noted that this is the first of three helicopters under the delivery contract. "Two more Ansats will be handed over to the law enforcement agencies of Republika Srpska in 2021 and 2022. They will be additionally equipped with searchlights, fast-rope deployment system, a winch, and an external sling", said the Director-General of Russian Helicopters Holding Andrey Boginsky.
This contract also includes the training of three technicians and two pilots of the Republika Srpska at the Kazan Helicopters Aviation Training Center. This training covers the design and maintenance of the airframe, power plant, and systems of Ansat helicopter for aircraft technicians. It also involves theoretical training, classes on the new Ansat simulator, and practical flight training for pilots. The Holding added also said in its statement that in the next 2 years, 4 more pilots and 6 technicians will go through training.
"Ansat for Republika Srpska comes with a medical module equipped with a stretcher and a medical shelf. The helicopter cabin has a place for transporting one patient and two chairs for accompanying doctors. Equipment configuration includes a system for artificial lung ventilation, tele-ECG allowing to monitor cardiac activity in realtime, and various other equipment for the evacuation of patients of varying severity. The delivery set includes five seats, which can be installed instead of the medical module and carry 7 passengers in the helicopter cabin. The helicopter also comes with an active vibration control system," came in the statement.
According to Boginsky, Russia sees the potential for new orders. "I am confident that European operators will appreciate the favourable cost of operating the helicopter, its versatility and reliability," he said.
Ansat is a light multipurpose twin-engine helicopter. Its serial production is deployed at Kazan Helicopters. Its design allows converting it into a cargo version or into a passenger rotorcraft that can lift up to seven people. Ansat is certified for use in temperatures ranging between -45°С and +50°С, and in high mountains.
In 2019, the Federal Air Transport Agency certified an increase in the airworthiness of Ansat's fuselage to 16,000 flying hours. In 2020, the Russian aviation authorities certified Ansat for installation of an emergency floatation system and isolation units for transporting patients with coronavirus disease, it also received a more advanced and ergonomic medical module. Several main components of the helicopter received approval for the increase of their airworthiness restrictions.
