Kazan Helicopter Plant (KHP)
Kazan Helicopters Joint Stock Company
AO KVZ, 240085 Kazan,
Tatarstan, Russia
Tel.: + 7 8432 544552,
fax: + 7 8432 545252,
telex: 224848 AGAT SU
Kazan Helicopter Plant (KHP) is is one of the largest helicopter manufacturers in the world, having produced more than 11,000 Mil helicopters. Kazan Helicopters has established an excellent reputation for its products including the popular Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters. Kazan Helicopters is the sole official approved producer of the military version of Mi-17 helicopter, as well as being approved by the design authority (Mil Design Bureau) to overhaul all Mi-8/17 helicopter types. The MI-17 has been developed on the basis of the widely known MI-8 helicopter series designed by General Designer M.L. MIL. These helicopters have gained an excellent reputation during operation in more than 50 countries.
The company traces its origins back to the "Admiralty Settlement," which was founded during the reign of Peter the Great as a shipbuilding dockyard for the Volga-Kama fleet and which gave birth to numerous machine shops and plants on the Kazan riverside. The history of Kazan Helicopters dates back to 1933 when a wood manufacturing facility was founded in Kazan city situated on the Volga river. In 1935 the factory began to produce skis for all types of Soviet airplanes, the starting point of Company's aviation history. By 1940's, the company manufactured 11,000 multi-purpose light aircraft- 10% of the entire airplane production of Soviet Union during World War II. In 1951, Kazan began serial production of the Mil Design Bureau helicopters. In 1954 the light carrier Mi-1 was followed by the Mi-4 helicopter. The 1950's also heralded the birth of the company's export business. About 4000 aircraft were exported to more than 60 countries.
In the early 1960s, simultaneously with the construction of the new Mil Helicopter complex in Panki, there was carried out the construction of large design, production and testing base of the Affiliated Branch #1 in Kazan. G.I.Bakshaev was its first manager and organiser. Up to now this affiliated branch is engaged in elaboration, building, flight testing and development of the modifications, as well as upgrading of multi-purpose middle-class Mi-8 helicopter, and also Mi-14 amphibian. For this purpose the affiliated branch was provided with all necessary equipment, including even stands for power units testing and blade resource testing. In 1965, Kazan introduced the highly acclaimed Mi-8 helicopter series onto the international market.
In 1999 the MVZ MIL design bureau, Kazan Helicopter Plant, Eurocopter and Euromil (a joint venture between Mil and Eurocopter) signed two memoranda covering the development and production of the Mi Mi-38 multipurpose helicopter. Eurocopter will act as avionics integrator. The Mil Mi-38 is intended to replace the large in-service fleet of Mi-8/Mi-17 medium helicopters, and to take over some of the tasks which are now carried out by aging Mil Mi-6s.
In 1993, a Design Bureau was established at Kazan Helicopters. Its goal was to produce a light multi-purpose helicopter designated ‘Ansat’ which in the Tartar language. In February 1997 Kazan Helicopters received an official certificate from the Russian aviation authorities allowing their company to design helicopters. By that time, the group of designers involved in development of the new helicopter had substantially increased.
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/industry/kazanhelicopters.htm
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