Specialists based at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant — a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters (part of Rostec (www.rostec.ru) — recently finished a series of Mi-38 flights conducted under the instrument flight rules (IFR), as well as in conditions of extremely high temperature and high altitude.

The test results were delivered to the Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsiya, to make additions to the Mi-38’s type certificate.

In particular, the helicopter made more than 50 flights in the city of Astrakhan, successfully confirming the ability to operate at ambient temperatures up to 45°C.

High altitude tests were conducted at Mount Elbrus, where the results confirmed the Mi-38’s ability to fly at up to 3,000m above sea level.

Andrey Boginsky, director general of Russian Helicopters, said: “Considering there is high interest in the helicopter from both Russian and foreign customers, we are trying to test and document its capabilities to the maximum.

"In particular, we are planning to test a new surveillance system and certify new hardened main-rotor blades — also to be used in Mi-171A2 — in the near future.”

The Mi-38 is equipped with new Russian-made high-performance TV7-117V engines, an integrated digital flight-navigation system with data display on five LCD displays, and a protected explosion-proof fuel system.