The Mi-171A2 and Ansat helicopters, manufactured by the Russian Helicopters, have completed a demonstration tour of the countries of southeast Asia. Attendees of Airshow China in Zhuhai, China, as well as potential customers from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, familiarised themselves with the capabilities of both aircraft. Full-scale demonstrations in these countries has resulted in specific agreements and a number of firm orders.

The final stop on the tour was a presentation in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The Russian helicopters performed demonstration flights over the Sepang F1 International Circuit Formula 1 track, and the company's experts told guests about the key competitive advantages of the Mi-171A2 and Ansat and presented the after-sales service programme.

The Ansat and Mi-171A2 went on a demonstration tour of southeast Asia after Airshow China, where they took part in the flight programme. During the tour the helicopters covered almost 5,000 kilometres, and more than a thousand guests in total from state and commercial helicopter operators visited the flight shows. The helicopters exhibited their flight characteristics and their efficiency in high temperatures and humidity close to 100%. This fact was repeatedly noted by operators in the region during demonstration flights.

“The applications received over the month of our demo tour to supply of over 70 Russian helicopters worth more than half a billion dollars to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region over the next three years are vivid evidence of the competitiveness and relevance of Russian civilian helicopter technology abroad, a logical result of comprehensive government measures to support Russian civil export to world markets,” says Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov.

“These are both hard and soft contracts. For example, in China, a contract was signed for 20 Ansat helicopters for the Association of Disaster Medicine of China. The remaining 50 helicopters are planned for delivery to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia,” says Russian Helicopters CEO Andrey Boginsky.

According to Boginsky, demand for civilian helicopters in southeast Asia may amount to 420 helicopters over the next ten years. “We are counting on a substantial share of this market, and the results of the demo tour suggest that we have every reason to feel confident about this,” Boginsky adds.

“Southeast Asia is one of the world's fastest growing industrial and financial regions,” says Anatoly Serdyukov, Rostec's aviation cluster industrial director. “It is strategically important for Rostec to strengthen its positions here in the helicopter industry. The agreements and arrangements reached in the framework of the demo-tour are the best confirmation of the potential of our machines.”

The Ansat is a lightweight twin-engine multipurpose helicopter that can be used for the transport of goods and passengers, surveillance, search and rescue, and fire and medical evacuation operations. It has, Russian Helicopters claims, the largest cabin in its class of helicopters, and the cabin easily and quickly transforms to the configuration necessary. The Ansat is certified for use in hot climates.

The Mi-171A2 is a mid-class multipurpose helicopter that combines the unique operating experience of Mi-8/17 helicopters with the latest developments of the holding. It can be used effectively and safely day or night, in high mountains, at low or high temperatures, high humidity and over water.