Gas turbine engine of the Mi 8 helicopter. Russian Aviation

Helicopters, first appearing in their modern form, immediately attracted close attention as specialists National economy, and the military. This was due to their versatility and suitability for use in conditions where airplanes were completely useless.

With their help, it was possible to pick up sailors from a sunken ship and evacuate a landing party directly from the mountainside.

Universal recognition

The Mi-8AMTSh became a particularly legendary aircraft. This is a real “workhorse”, a helicopter in peacetime and war. Wherever he was, he always carried out all the work assigned to him with honor, very rarely failed and could carry several times more cargo than was indicated in the vehicle’s passport characteristics. Today there is even a version of this helicopter, specially adapted to the extremely harsh conditions of the Arctic.

The Mi-8AMTSh model flies all over the world: from Latin America to Afghanistan, from the Arctic and to areas with terribly hot and dry climates. The uniqueness of this helicopter is that even without any special adaptation measures, it operates quite normally in all conditions in the regular, “stock” version.

Basic information

Designed to transport people, the external pylons can contain any equipment or strike weapons such as air-to-ground or air-to-air missiles, as well as various aerial bombs. The vehicle has proven itself ideally for both war and rescue operations in the most difficult conditions external environment.

The Mi-8AMTSh helicopter was created on the basis of the simple Mi-8AMT. This was done by specialists from the Ulan-Udinsk Helicopter Plant. The new model was first demonstrated to the general public in 1999, and at the same time received the respectful nickname “Terminator,” which characterizes the high combat and operational reliability and survivability of the vehicle. Oddly enough, such a successful model was adopted by the Russian Air Force only ten years later.

Performance Features and Benefits

Like its predecessors, the Mi-8AMTSh retained excellent capabilities for landing and disembarking troops. The pilots say that during all the latest local conflicts, the crew needs no more than ten seconds to do this. This greatly increases the survivability of the vehicle, which does not have serious armor.

To achieve such impressive results, the developers used sliding doors and an automatic ramp in the design. But the most important difference between this model and the previous ones is the ability to make full night flights. Before this, our army had systems that made it possible to do this, but they were too complex, or they sharply increased the workload on the pilots. In The Terminator, all these shortcomings were completely eliminated.

New equipment

In addition, an important difference is the ability to install the same strike weapons for which the Mi-24 is so famous. Light and durable cermets are used as armor, and the avionics have also been completely replaced. On board there is a modern weather radar, a complex that allows the use of infrared traps, as well as advanced satellite navigation equipment. The presence of shielded exhaust devices makes the Mi-8AMTSh VA less noticeable to the guidance equipment of potential enemy anti-aircraft systems.

Weapon characteristics

Weapons can be placed on four or six pylons. According to information from official representatives of the plant, several B8V20-A units with NURS model S-8 (80 mm caliber) can act as such; it is possible to install up to two automatic 23-mm GSh-23L cannons. In the bow there are machines for mounting any 7.62 mm machine guns (upon customer request). The troop compartment has standard holders designed for attaching individual small arms of paratroopers.

Booking details

Although the Mi-8AMTSh manual includes the possibility of use in combat, in terms of armor level it cannot be compared with the Mi-24 mentioned above, it still provides some protection to the crew. The armor covers the bottom and cockpit. There is also a separate armor plate between the cargo compartment and the crew compartment, workplace The arrow at the rear is also provided with additional armor.

The immediate crew of the vehicle includes only three people: a commander, a navigator and a technician. In addition, during repair and evacuation work, other personnel may also be present on board technical staff, necessary to perform some specific tasks.

What is the purpose of the helicopter?

The vehicle is designed to significantly increase the mobility of all types of ground forces; it can provide full fire support during combat. The helicopter can operate during the day and at night, in almost any climatic and weather conditions, excluding powerful storms and hurricanes. With its help the following set of tasks can be performed:

• Landing/disembarking of troops, including during enemy fire resistance.
• Covering troops and providing aerial reconnaissance.
• If NURS and aerial bombs were installed on the pylons, the vehicle can destroy command posts, light armored vehicles and concentrations of enemy manpower in the front line.
• The crew can also carry out missions to destroy enemy sea or land troops at the time of the latter's landing.
• On the contrary, the Mi-8AMTSh helicopter provides fire support for its own landing forces with equal success, in conditions where the enemy seeks to destroy the members of the latter.
• Search and rescue of crews of ships, helicopters and planes that have crashed.
• Evacuation of sick and wounded people from areas where there are no roads.

Release options

To in the best possible way to ensure the fulfillment of one of the above tasks, the command can use one of the specialized versions of this machine, now mass-produced:

• Landing modification. In the standard version, up to 20 fully armed soldiers can be seated, and with the installation of additional seats, their number can be increased to 32-34 people.
• Transport modification. If additional fuel tanks are not installed, the vehicle can carry up to four tons of cargo. There are options with one/two tanks, modifications for transporting cargo up to four tons on an external sling, as well as a model with a completely open ramp. The latest modification of the Mi-8AMTSh frame, which is distinguished by its great strength, has repeatedly proven itself when performing rescue missions in different corners world, and only from the good side.
• Strike-assault version with the weapon options that we have already listed above.
• Sanitary option. There are several modifications that provide for the transportation of up to 17-20 wounded or sick people, both on stretchers and in a combined way (lying and sitting).
• Distillation/exploration modification. The helicopter is as lightweight as possible; there is space for installing up to two fuel tanks.

Independence from imports

The enormous importance of the project is that it is being created without regard to foreign components. Before famous events This transport and attack helicopter used Ukrainian components in its design, but to date they have been completely replaced with domestic analogues. Representatives of the Russian Helicopters holding company say that the use of domestic developments in many cases makes it possible to achieve best characteristics, since they are adapted to more severe climatic and operating conditions.

Thus, this large helicopter can rightfully be considered a new chapter in the history of Russian helicopter manufacturing. For the first time since Soviet times, our country can finally provide itself with much-needed “workhorses” without resorting to the help of foreign contractors.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MI-8T HELICOPTER

1. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HELICOPTER

The Mi-8 helicopter is designed to transport various cargoes inside the cargo compartment and on an external sling, mail, passengers, as well as for carrying out construction, installation and other work in hard-to-reach areas.

Rice. 1.1. Mi-8 helicopter (general view)

The helicopter (Fig. 1.1) is designed using a single-rotor design with a five-blade main rotor and a three-blade tail rotor. The helicopter is equipped with two TV2-117A turboprop engines with a take-off power of 1,500 hp. each, which ensures high flight safety, since flight is possible even if one of the engines fails.

The helicopter is operated in two main versions: the passenger Mi-8P and the transport Mi-8T. The passenger version of the helicopter is designed for interregional and local transportation of passengers, luggage, mail and small-sized cargo. It is designed to carry 28 passengers. The transport option provides for the transportation of cargo weighing up to 4000 kg or passengers in the amount of 24 people. At the request of the customer, the passenger cabin of the helicopter can be converted into a cabin with increased comfort for 11 passengers.

The passenger and transport versions of the helicopter can be converted into an ambulance version and into a version for operation with an external sling.

The ambulance version of the helicopter allows you to transport 12 bedridden patients and an accompanying medical worker. In the version for working with external sling, large cargo weighing up to 3000 kg is transported outside the fuselage.

For long-range helicopter flights, it is possible to install one or two additional fuel tanks in the cargo compartment.

Existing versions of the helicopter are equipped with an electric winch, which allows, using an onboard boom, to lift (lower) loads weighing up to 150 kg on board the helicopter, and also, if there is a pulley system, to pull wheeled loads weighing up to 3000 kg into the cargo compartment.

The helicopter crew consists of two pilots and a flight mechanic.

When creating the helicopter, special attention was paid to high reliability, efficiency, ease of maintenance and operation.

Safety of flights on the Mi-8 helicopter is ensured by:

The installation of two TV2-117A(AG) engines on the helicopter, the reliability of the operation of these engines and the VR-8A main gearbox;

The ability to fly in the event of failure of one of the engines, as well as switch to autorotation mode (self-rotation of the main rotor) in the event of failure of both engines;

The presence of compartments that isolate the engines and the main gearbox using fire partitions;

Installation of a reliable fire protection system that ensures extinguishing a fire in the event of its occurrence, both simultaneously in all compartments and in each compartment separately;

Installation of backup units in the main systems and equipment of the helicopter;

Reliable and effective anti-icing devices for main and tail rotor blades, engine air intakes and cockpit windshields, which allows flight in icing conditions;

Installation of equipment that ensures simple and reliable piloting and landing of a helicopter in various meteorological conditions;

Drive of the main units of the systems from the main gearbox, ensuring the operability of the systems in the event of engine failure:

The ability to quickly leave the helicopter after landing by passengers and crew in emergency situations.

2. BASIC HELICOPTER DATA

Flight data

(transport and passenger options)

Take-off weight (normal), kg.................. 11100

Maximum flight speed (instrument), km/h, 250

Static ceiling, m........................ 700

Instrument cruise speed at altitude
500 m, km/h……………………………………………220

Economic flight speed (instrument), km/h. 120

fuel 1450 kg, km................................ 365

option with fuel filling 2160 kg, km. . .620

Flight range (at an altitude of 500 m) in ferry
option with fuel filling 2870 kg, km... 850

Flight range (at an altitude of 500 m) with refueling
fuel 2025 kg (outboard tanks of increased
capacity), km................................................... .. 575

Flight range (at an altitude of 500 m) in ferry
version with fuel filling 2735 kg (outboard tanks

increased capacity), km.... 805

Flight range (at an altitude of 500 m) in ferry
version with fuel refueling 3445 kg (outboard tanks

increased capacity), km.... 1035

Note. Flight range is calculated taking into account 30 minutes of fuel remaining after landing

Geometric data

Helicopter length, m:

without main and tail rotors................... 18.3

with rotating main and tail rotors ...25,244

Helicopter height, m:

without tail rotor................................... 4.73

with rotating tail rotor................ 5.654

Distance from the tip of the main rotor blade to
tail boom when parked, m.................. 0.45

Distance from ground to bottom of fuselage

(clearance), m................................................... ...... 0.445

Horizontal tail area, m 2 ..... 2

Helicopter parking angle................. 3°42"

Fuselage

Cargo compartment length, m:

without cargo doors........................ 5.34

with cargo doors at 1 m from the floor 7.82

Cargo compartment width, m:

on the floor................................................ ... 2.06

for heating ducts........................ 2.14

maximum........................................ 2.25

Cargo compartment height, m.................. 1.8

Distance between power floor beams, m ... 1.52

Escape hatch size, m…………………… 0.7 X1

Loading ramp track, m.............. 1.5±0.2

Passenger cabin length, m............ 6.36

Passenger cabin width (floor), m... 2.05

Passenger cabin height, m ​​1.8

Seat pitch, m................................................... .... 0.74

Passage width between seats, m... 0.3

Wardrobe dimensions (width, height, depth), m 0.9 X1.8 X 0.7
» sliding door (width, height), m. 0.8 X1.4
» opening, at the back front door in the passenger

option (width, height), m.......... 0.8 X1>3

Size of emergency hatches in passenger compartment

option, m........................................ 0, 46 X0.7

Crew cabin size, m................... 2.15 X2.05 X1.7

Adjustment data

Angle of installation of the main rotor blades (according to the rotor pitch indicator):

minimum................................................. 1°

maximum........................................ 14°±30"

Deflection angle of the trimmer plates of the propeller blades -2 ±3°

» installation of tail rotor blades (at r=0.7) *:

minimum (left pedal all the way) ................... 7"30"±30"

maximum (right pedal all the way)………….. +21°±25"

* r- relative radius

Weight and centering data

Take-off weight, kg:

maximum for transport option…….. 11100

» with a load on an external sling …………… 11100

transport option........................... 4000

on external sling......................... 3000

passenger version (person).......... 28

Empty helicopter weight, kg:

passenger version........................... 7370

transport »................................ 6835

Weight of service load, including:

crew weight, kg................................... 270

» oil, kg................................................... ............. 70

weight of products, kg................................................... 10

» fuel, kg................................................... .......... 1450 - 3445

» commercial load, kg........................ 0 - 4000

Empty helicopter alignment, mm:

transport option........................................... +133

passenger » ..................................... +20

Acceptable alignments for a loaded helicopter, mm:

front................................................... ............. +370

rear................................................... .................... -95

3. AERODYNAMIC AND GEOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HELICOPTER

According to the aerodynamic design, the Mi-8 helicopter is a fuselage with a five-bladed main rotor, three-bladed tail rotor and fixed landing gear.

The main rotor blades are rectangular in plan with a chord equal to 0.52 m. The rectangular plan is considered aerodynamically worse than others, but it is easy to manufacture. The presence of trimmer plates on the blades allows you to change their torque characteristics.

The blade profile is the most important geometric characteristic of the rotor. The helicopter has different profiles along the length of the blade, which significantly improves not only the aerodynamic characteristics of the main rotor, but also the flight properties of the helicopter. From the 1st to the 3rd section, the NACA-230-12 profile is used, and from the 4th to the 22nd - the NACA-230-12M profile (modified) *. The NACA-230-12M airfoil has Mkr = 0.72 at an angle of attack of zero lift. As the angle of attack a° increases (Fig. 1.2), Mkr decreases even at the most favorable angle of attack, at which the lift coefficient C y = 0.6, Mkr = 0.64. In this case, the critical speed in the standard atmosphere above sea level will be:

V KP == a Mkr = 341 0.64 = 218 m/s, where a is the speed of sound.

Consequently, at the ends of the blades it is possible to create a speed of less than 218 m/s, at which shock waves and wave resistance will not appear. At the optimal rotor speed of 192 rpm, the peripheral speed of the blade tips will be:

U = wr = 2 prn / 60 = 213.26 m/s, where w is the angular velocity;

r is the radius of the circle described by the tip of the blade.

Rice. 1.2. Change in the lift coefficient C y from the angles of attack a° and the M number of the NACA-230-12M profile

This shows that the peripheral speed is close to the critical speed, but does not exceed it. The helicopter main rotor blades have a negative geometric twist, varying linearly from 5° at the 4th section to 0° at the 22nd section. In the area between the 1st and 4th sections there is no twist and the installation angle of the blade sections in this area is 5°. Twisting the blade by such a large amount significantly improved its aerodynamic properties and the flight characteristics of the helicopter, and therefore the lift force is more evenly distributed along the length of the blade.

* The compartment from the 3rd to the 4th section is transitional. Main rotor blade profile - see fig. 7.5.

The propeller blades have variable both absolute and relative profile thickness. The relative thickness of the profile c is 13% in the butt, in the area from r = 0.23 to 7 = 0.268 - 12%, and in the area from r = 0.305 to the end of the blade - 11.38%. Reducing the thickness of the blade towards its end improves the aerodynamic properties of the propeller as a whole by increasing the critical speed and Mkr of the end parts of the blade. Reducing the thickness of the blade towards the tip leads to a decrease in drag and a decrease in the required torque.

The main rotor of a helicopter has a relatively large fill factor - 0.0777. This coefficient makes it possible to create greater thrust with a moderate propeller diameter and thereby keep the blades in flight at small installation angles, at which the angles of attack are closer to the most advantageous ones in all flight modes. This made it possible to increase the efficiency of the propeller and delay stalling at higher speeds.

Rice. 1.3. Helicopter rotor polarity in hovering mode: 1 - without ground influence; 2 - with the influence of the earth.

The aerodynamic characteristics of a helicopter main rotor are presented in the form of its polar (Fig. 1.3), which shows the dependence of the thrust coefficient Cp and the torque coefficient tcr on the total pitch of the main rotor<р. По поляре видно, что чем больше общий шаг несуще­го винта, тем больше коэффициент крутящего момента, а следовательно, больше коэффициент тяги. При наличии «воздушной подушки» тяга несущего винта будет больше, чем без нее при том же шаге винта и коэффициенте кру­тящего момента.

The tail rotor blades are rectangular in plan with the NACA-230M profile and do not have geometric twist. The presence of a combined horizontal joint of the “cardan” type and a flapping compensator at the tail rotor hub allows for a more even redistribution of the lift force over the surface swept by the propeller in flight.

The helicopter fuselage is aerodynamically asymmetrical. This can be seen from the curves of changes in the coefficients of fuselage lift C 9f and drag coefficient C depending on the angle of attack a f (Fig. 1.4). The lift coefficient of the fuselage is zero at an angle of attack slightly greater than 1, therefore the lift force will be positive at angles of attack greater than G, and negative at angles of attack less than 1. The minimum value of the fuselage drag coefficient C will be at an angle of attack equal to zero. Due to the fact that at angles of attack greater or less than zero the coefficient C f increases, it is advantageous to fly at angles of attack of the fuselage close to zero. For this purpose, a forward tilt angle of 4.5° is provided for the main rotor shaft.

A fuselage without a stabilizer is statically unstable, since an increase in the angle of attack of the fuselage leads to an increase in the coefficient of longitudinal moment, and, consequently, the longitudinal moment acting on pitching up and tending to further increase the angle of attack of the fuselage. The presence of a stabilizer on the tail boom of the fuselage provides longitudinal stability to the latter only at small installation angles from +5 to -5° and in the range of small angles of attack of the fuselage from -15 to + 10°. At large angles of installation of the stabilizer and large angles of attack of the fuselage, which corresponds to flight in autorotation mode, the fuselage is statically unstable. This is explained by the disruption of flow from the stabilizer. Due to the helicopter having good controllability and sufficient control margins in all flight modes, it uses a stabilizer that is not controllable in flight with an installation angle of 6°.

Rice. 1.4. Dependence of the lift coefficient Suf and drag coefficient Схф of the fuselage on the angle of attack a° of the fuselage

In the transverse direction, the fuselage is stable only at large negative angles of attack -20° in the range of gliding angles from -2 to + 6°. This is due to the fact that an increase in the sliding angles leads to an increase in the roll moment coefficient, and consequently, the lateral moment, which tends to further increase the sliding angle.

In terms of direction, the fuselage is unstable at almost all angles of attack at small sliding angles from -10 to +10°; at angles greater than these, the stability characteristics improve. At sliding angles of 10°< b < - 10° фюзеляж нейтрален, а при скольжении больше 20° он приобретает путевую устойчивость.

If we consider the helicopter as a whole, although it has sufficient dynamic stability, it does not cause any great difficulties when piloting even without an autopilot. The Mi-8 helicopter is generally rated with satisfactory stability characteristics, and with the automatic stabilization systems turned on, these characteristics have improved significantly, the helicopter is given dynamic stability in all axes and therefore piloting is significantly easier.

4. HELICOPTER LAYOUT

The Mi-8 helicopter (Fig. 1.5) consists of the following main parts and systems: fuselage, takeoff and landing devices, power plant, transmission, main and tail rotors, helicopter control, hydraulic system, avionics and electronic equipment, cabin heating and ventilation systems , air conditioning systems, air and anti-icing systems, devices for external load suspension, rigging, mooring and household equipment. The helicopter fuselage includes a nose 2 and central 23 parts, a tail 10 and end 12 beams. In the bow, which is the cockpit, there are pilot seats, instrument panels, electric consoles, an AP-34B autopilot, and command control levers. The glazed cockpit provides good visibility; the right 3 and left 24 blisters are equipped with emergency release mechanisms.

In the forward part of the fuselage there are niches for installing containers with batteries, airfield power plug connectors, air pressure receiver tubes, two taxi and landing lights and a hatch with a cover 4 for access to the power plant. The forward part of the fuselage is separated from the central part by connecting frame No. 5N, in the wall of which there is a doorway. A folding flight mechanic's seat is installed in the door opening. At the front, on the wall of frame No. 5N, there are shelves for radio and electrical equipment, at the rear there are containers for two batteries, a box and an electric winch control panel.

In the central part of the fuselage there is a cargo compartment, to enter which there is a sliding door 22 on the left, equipped with an emergency release mechanism. A side boom is attached to the outside of the upper front corner of the sliding door opening. The cargo compartment has folding seats along the right and left sides. On the floor of the cargo compartment there are mooring units and an electric winch. Above the cargo compartment there are engines, a fan, a main gearbox with a swashplate and a main rotor, a hydraulic panel and a consumable fuel tank.

Shock absorbers and struts of the main 6, 20 and front landing gear, and outboard fuel tanks 7, 21 are attached to the fuselage components from the outside. A kerosene heater is located in front of the right outboard fuel tank.

The cargo compartment ends in a rear compartment with cargo doors. In the upper part of the rear compartment there is a radio compartment in which panels for radio and electrical equipment are installed. There is a hatch to enter the radio compartment and tail boom from the cargo compartment. Cargo doors cover the opening in the cargo compartment, intended for rolling in and out of wheeled vehicles, loading and unloading large cargo.

In the passenger version, 28 passenger seats are attached to special profiles located along the floor of the central part of the fuselage. On the starboard side in the rear of the cabin there is a wardrobe. The right side panel has six rectangular windows, the left - five. The rear side windows are built into the emergency hatch covers. The cargo doors in the passenger version are shortened, the luggage compartment is located on the inside of the left door, and boxes for containers with batteries are located in the right door. There is an opening in the cargo doors for the rear entrance door, consisting of a door and a ladder.

Rice. 1.5 Layout diagram of the helicopter.

1-front chassis leg; 2-nose fuselage; 3, 24-sliding blisters; 4-engine exit hatch cover; 5, 21 main landing gear legs; 6-hood heater KO-50; 7, 12-outboard fuel tanks; 8-hoods; 9-gear frame; 10-central part of the fuselage; 11-hatch cover in the right cargo door; 12, 19-load doors; 13-tail boom; 14-stabilizer; 15-end beam; 16-fairing; 17-tail support; 18-ladders; 20-sash flap; 23-sliding door; 25-emergency hatch-window.

The tail boom is attached to the central part of the fuselage, to the nodes of which the tail support and the uncontrolled stabilizer are attached. The tail shaft of the transmission runs inside the tail boom in its upper part. An end beam is attached to the tail boom, inside of which an intermediate gearbox is installed and the end part of the transmission tail shaft passes through. A tail gearbox is attached to the end beam on top, on the shaft of which a tail rotor is mounted.

The helicopter has a non-retractable tricycle landing gear. Each landing gear is equipped with liquid-gas shock absorbers. The wheels of the front strut are self-orienting, the wheels of the main struts are equipped with shoe brakes, for the control of which the helicopter is equipped with an air system.

The power plant includes two TV2-117A engines and systems that ensure their operation.

To transmit power from the engines to the main and tail rotors, as well as to drive a number of units, a transmission is used, consisting of main, intermediate and tail gearboxes, a tail shaft, a fan drive shaft and a main rotor brake. Each engine and main gearbox has its own autonomous oil system, made according to a direct single-circuit closed circuit with forced oil circulation. To cool the engine oil coolers and main gearbox, starter generators, alternators, air compressor and hydraulic pumps, the helicopter is equipped with a cooling system consisting of a high-pressure fan and air ducts.

The engines, main gearbox, fan and panel with hydraulic units are covered by the hood. When the hood covers are open, free access to the units of the power plant, transmission and hydraulic system is provided, while the open hood covers of the engines and main gearbox are working platforms for performing maintenance of helicopter systems.

The helicopter is equipped with means of passive and active fire protection. Longitudinal and transverse fire partitions divide the engine compartment into three compartments: the left engine, the right engine, and the main gearbox. The active fire protection system supplies extinguishing agent from four cylinders to the burning compartment.

The main rotor of a helicopter consists of a hub and five blades. The bushing has horizontal, vertical and axial hinges and is equipped with hydraulic dampers and centrifugal blade overhang limiters. The all-metal blades have a visual spar damage alarm system and an electrothermal anti-icing device.

The tail rotor is a pusher, pitch variable in flight. It consists of a cardan-type hub and three all-metal blades equipped with an electrothermal anti-icing device.

The helicopter's dual control consists of longitudinal-transverse control, directional control, combined "Pitch-throttle" control and main rotor brake control. In addition, there is separate control of engine power and engine shutdown. Changing the overall pitch of the main rotor and longitudinal-transverse control of the helicopter are carried out using a swashplate.

To ensure control of the helicopter, the system of longitudinal, transverse, directional control and collective pitch control includes irreversible hydraulic boosters, for powering which the helicopter has a main and backup hydraulic systems.

The four-channel AP-34B autopilot installed on the Mi-8 helicopter ensures stabilization of the helicopter in flight in roll, heading, pitch and altitude.

To maintain normal temperature conditions and clean air in the cabins, the helicopter is equipped with a heating and ventilation system that supplies heated or cold air to the crew and passenger cabins. When operating a helicopter in areas with a hot climate, instead of a kerosene heater, two onboard freon air conditioners can be installed.

The helicopter's anti-icing system protects the main and tail rotor blades, the two front windows of the cockpit and the engine air intakes from icing.

The anti-icing device for the propeller blades and cockpit windows is electrothermal, and the engine air intakes are air-thermal.

The aviation and radio-electronic equipment installed on the helicopter ensures flights day and night in simple and difficult weather conditions.

The history of the MI-8 helicopter began in the USSR. For the first time, it was developed in the early 60s. It is the most popular twin-engine helicopter, not only in Russia, but throughout the world. The main purpose of using this aircraft is various military and civil operations.

After all, it is precisely thanks to its technical and flight characteristics that this flying machine has earned its authority among many air forces around the world. Due to the rich range of possibilities for using this helicopter, its serial production began back in 1967. And, despite its rich history, today it is used in flights no less actively. Moreover, it is worth noting that this helicopter is actively purchased for service by foreign countries.

Thanks to its good speed and technical characteristics, its design modifications are being actively carried out today. Together with its good flight range, the MI-8 model is one of the highest priority aircraft for further improvements. Thus, MI-8 definitely occupies an honorable place in our aviation industry.

Modifications of the MI-8 helicopter

Over the years of history, after the release of the first prototype, many different modifications of this flying machine were produced. Moreover, each of these modifications was intended to fulfill specific purposes. All possible variations of helicopter models were equipped with a variety of equipment, depending on the purpose of use. All models of this helicopter can be divided into several types:

1. Experienced. The first samples of both the MI-8 itself and its modifications. In other words, these are different models of this helicopter, to which certain changes were made.
2. Passenger. From the name it is clear that these helicopter models are used to transport passengers. Moreover, we are talking about both civilians and military personnel. In both cases, it can accommodate 18-30 people, depending on the modification, which makes it very attractive for this purpose.
3. Transport. MI-8 is capable of carrying a load with a total weight of up to 4 tons. Not many helicopters can boast such characteristics. And because of the possibility of using it to perform multi-purpose tasks, it remains completely out of competition.
4. Multipurpose. In addition to all the above methods of application, the MI-8 is capable of performing another number of different combat missions. A good example of this is the installation of up to 200 anti-personnel mines. In some cases, they are used to perform a number of technical and repair work, thanks to special equipment. There are known cases of MI-8 being used in search and rescue operations. Sometimes it is also used as an air hospital, again, using special equipment.

Separately, it is worth noting one of the newest modifications of the MI-8 helicopter, which was designed literally at the end of last year - MI-8MTV-5. It was this modification that was originally developed for the purpose of conducting combat operations in a wide variety of climatic conditions. Unlike older models, here they introduced the possibility of transporting large-sized cargo by attaching it to the external sling of a helicopter. And thanks to its combat and speed characteristics, the new version of the helicopter has the opportunity to provide fire support for allied infantry. Moreover, precisely thanks to the latest equipment, it is not at all necessary to provide fire support in daytime conditions.

And if this model shows itself well in combat conditions, then it will definitely be accepted for permanent service. And having such reliable and efficient technology is very important for any country. After all, it is thanks to it that the security of the entire state is ensured.

MI-8 helicopter design

MI-8 belongs to the class of single-rotor helicopters. It has five main rotors and three tail rotors. The propeller blades, made of solid metal, have a full spar made of aluminum alloys pressed together. In addition, all helicopter blades have an alarm, and if any of the blades are damaged, the pilots will be immediately notified.

Thanks to the presence of two engines, in the event of failure of one of which, the second one automatically increases the supplied power through the use of modern equipment. This allows you not to lose speed and maneuverability in case of malfunctions. And this is an undeniable advantage among other helicopters of a similar model.

Some modifications of the MI-8 helicopter use a specialized armored cabin. Often, such modifications are used in combat models. And such variations are very often adopted by different countries.

The chassis design has three static wheel supports. This allows the helicopter to land even in the most inaccessible places. This is its undoubted advantage.

In addition, the helicopter has one of the best antifreeze systems. It is she who prevents the helicopter from icing up. Thanks to this, it can be used even in the most extreme conditions.
The MI-8 helicopter has an excellent heating and ventilation system. It allows you to heat or cool not only the cockpit, but also the passenger compartment, which makes all flights very comfortable. In addition, this system also works on helicopter front windows and air intakes.

The MI-8 helicopter has quite serious electronic components. Moreover, it, in turn, has completely different characteristics and purposes. But it is precisely because of this that the helicopter has its own special distinctive properties.

It is worth noting that the helicopter’s flight characteristics themselves are very attractive. Its good speed, along with its payload and passenger capabilities, makes it a favorite among similar single-rotor helicopters. Despite the fact that the very first model was developed relatively long ago, its modifications are being actively developed to this day.

Technical characteristics of the MI-8 helicopter

• Required crew: 3 people.
• Maximum flight speed: 250 km/h.
• Maximum flight altitude: 4700 m.
• Maximum transport flight range: 445 km.
• Maximum passenger flight range: 500 km.
• Helicopter weight: 6600 kg.
• Maximum suspended load weight: 3000 kg.
• Fuel weight: 2800 kg.
• Helicopter length: 25.24 m.
• Engine: 2 x TV2-117A
• Maximum engine power: 1700 hp.
• Fuel consumption: 0.680 t/hour.

Technical characteristics of the flight characteristics of the MI-8 1965

• Years of production: since 1965.
• Total manufactured: about 12 thousand units.
• Combat use: military conflicts of the second half of the 20th century.
• Crew - 3 people, landing party - up to 28 people.
• Take-off weight - 12 tons.
• Dimensions: length (with propellers) - 25.3 m, height (with tail rotor) - 5.5 m, main rotor diameter - 21.3 m.
• Armament: 1x12.7 mm or 7.62 mm machine gun, hardpoints for unguided aircraft missiles and bombs.
• Gas turbine engines.
• Maximum speed is 260 km/h.
• The practical ceiling is 4.2 km.
• Flight range - 425-480 km.

Helicopter photo

Video about MI8

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Helicopters of Russia and the world video, photos, pictures watch online occupy an important place in the overall system of the national economy and the Armed Forces, honorably fulfilling the civil and military tasks assigned to them. According to the figurative expression of the outstanding Soviet scientist and designer ML. Mil, “our country itself is, as it were, “designed” for helicopters.” Without them, the development of the vast and impassable spaces of the Far North, Siberia and the Far East is unthinkable. Helicopters have become a familiar element of the landscape of our grandiose construction projects. They are widely used as a vehicle, in agriculture, construction, rescue service, and military affairs. When performing a number of operations, helicopters are simply irreplaceable. Who knows how many people were saved by the helicopter crews who took part in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The lives of thousands of Soviet soldiers were saved by combat helicopters in Afghanistan.

Before becoming one of the main modern transport, technological and combat means, Russian helicopters went through a long and not always smooth path of development. The idea of ​​lifting into the air with the help of a main rotor originated with mankind almost earlier than the idea of ​​flying on a fixed wing. In the early history of aviation and aeronautics, generating lift by “screwing into the air” was more popular than other methods. This explains the abundance of rotary-wing aircraft projects in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Only four years separate the flight of the Wright brothers' airplane (1903) from the first flight of a man in a helicopter (1907).

The best helicopters were used by scientists and inventors; they hesitated for a long time which method to give preference to. However, by the end of the first decade of the 20th century. the aircraft, which was less energy-intensive and simpler in terms of aerodynamics, dynamics and strength, took the lead. His successes were impressive. Almost 30 years passed before the creators of helicopters finally managed to make their devices operational. Already during the Second World War, helicopters went into mass production and began to be used. At the end of the war, the so-called “helicopter boom” arose. Numerous companies began to build samples of new promising technology, but not all attempts were successful.

Combat helicopters from Russia and the USA were still more difficult to build than aircraft of a similar class. Military and civilian customers were in no hurry to add a new type of aviation equipment to the already familiar aircraft. Only the effective use of helicopters by the Americans in the early 50s. in the Korean War, it convinced a number of military leaders, including Soviet ones, of the advisability of using this aircraft by the armed forces. However, many, as before, continued to consider the helicopter “a temporary aberration of aviation.” It took more than ten years until helicopters finally proved their exclusivity and indispensability in performing a variety of military tasks.

Russian helicopters played a big role in the creation and development of Russian and Soviet scientists, designers and inventors. Their importance is so great that it even gave rise to one of the founders of the domestic helicopter industry, Academician B.N. Yuryev consider our state the “homeland of helicopters.” This statement, of course, is too categorical, but our helicopter pilots have something to be proud of. These are scientific works of the school of N.E. Zhukovsky in the pre-revolutionary period and the impressive flights of the TsAGI 1-EA helicopter in the pre-war years, the records of the post-war Mi-4, Mi-6, Mi-12, Mi-24 helicopters and the unique family of coaxial helicopters "Ka", modern Mi-26 and Ka -32 and much, much more.

Russia's new helicopter is relatively well covered in books and articles. Shortly before his death, B.N. Yuriev began writing a fundamental work, “The History of Helicopters,” but only managed to prepare chapters relating to his own work in 1908 - 1914. Let us note that insufficient attention to the history of such a branch of aviation as helicopter construction is also typical for foreign researchers.

Military helicopters of Russia shed new light on the history of the development of helicopters and their theory in pre-revolutionary Russia, the contribution of domestic scientists and inventors to the global process of development of this type of technology. A review of pre-revolutionary domestic work on rotary-wing aircraft, including previously unknown ones, as well as their analysis were given in the corresponding chapter in the book “Aviation in Russia”, prepared for publication in 1988 by TsAGI. However, its small volume significantly limited the size of the information provided.

Civil helicopters in their best liveries. An attempt has been made to cover as fully and comprehensively as possible the activities of domestic helicopter enthusiasts. Therefore, the activities of leading domestic scientists and designers are described, and projects and proposals are also considered, the authors of which were significantly inferior to them in their knowledge, but whose contribution could not be ignored. Moreover, in some projects that were generally distinguished by a relatively low level of elaboration, there are also interesting proposals and ideas.

The name of the helicopters denoted significant qualitative changes in this type of equipment. Such events include the beginning of continuous and systematic development of helicopter projects; construction of the first full-scale helicopters capable of getting off the ground, and the beginning of mass production and practical use of helicopters. This book tells about the early stages of the history of helicopter manufacturing: from the birth of the idea of ​​lifting into the air by means of a propeller to the creation of the first helicopters capable of getting off the ground. A helicopter, unlike an airplane, a flywheel and a rocket, has no direct prototypes in nature. However, the propeller, which creates the lifting force of a helicopter, has been known since ancient times.

Small helicopters Despite the fact that propellers were known and there were empirical prototypes of helicopters, the idea of ​​​​using a main rotor for lifting into the air did not become widespread until the end of the 18th century. All rotorcraft projects being developed at that time remained unknown and were discovered in archives many centuries later. As a rule, information about the development of such projects was preserved in the archives of the most prominent scientists of their time, such as Guo Hong, L. da Vinci, R. Hooke, M.V. Lomonosov, who created the “aerodrome machine” in 1754.

Literally dozens of new designs have been created for private helicopters in a short time. This was a competition of a wide variety of designs and forms, usually single- or double-seat devices, which had mainly experimental purposes. The natural customers for this expensive and complex equipment were the military departments. The first helicopters in different countries were designated as military communications and reconnaissance vehicles. In the development of helicopters, as in many other areas of technology, two lines of development can be clearly distinguished - but the dimensions of machines, i.e. quantitative, and the almost simultaneously emerging line of development of qualitative improvement of aircraft within a certain size or weight category.

A website about helicopters that contains the most complete description. Whether the helicopter is used for geological exploration, agricultural work or for transporting passengers, the cost of an hour of operation of the helicopter plays a decisive role. A large share of it is depreciation, that is, the price divided by its service life. The latter is determined by the resource of the units, i.e. their service life. The problem of increasing the fatigue strength of blades, shafts and transmissions, main rotor hubs and other helicopter components has become a primary task that is still occupied by helicopter designers. Nowadays, a service life of 1000 hours is no longer uncommon for a production helicopter and there is no reason to doubt its further increase.

Modern helicopters comparison of combat capabilities, original video preserved. Her image found in some publications is an approximate reconstruction, not entirely undisputed, carried out in 1947 by N.I. Kamov. However, based on the above archival documents, a number of conclusions can be drawn. Judging by the test method (suspension on blocks), the “aerodrome machine” was undoubtedly a vertical take-off and landing apparatus. Of the two methods of vertical lift known at that time - using flapping wings or using a rotor - the first seems unlikely. The report says that the wings moved horizontally. For most flywheels, they are known to move in a vertical plane. A flywheel whose wings perform oscillatory movements in a horizontal plane with an angle of installation that changes cyclically, despite repeated attempts, has not yet been built.

The best helicopter design is always forward-looking. However, in order to more clearly imagine the possibilities for further development of helicopters, it is useful to try to understand the main directions of their development from past experience. What is interesting here, of course, is not the prehistory of helicopter engineering, which we will only briefly mention, but its history from the moment when the helicopter, as a new type of aircraft, became suitable for practical use. The first mention of an apparatus with a vertical propeller - a helicopter - is contained in the notes of Leonardo da Vinci dating back to 1483. The first stage of development stretches from the model of a helicopter created by M. V. Lomonosov in 1754, through a long series of projects, models and even real-life devices. , which were not destined to take off until the construction of the world's first helicopter, which managed to get off the ground in 1907.

The fastest helicopter in the outlines of this machine we will recognize the schematic diagram of the most common single-rotor helicopters in the world now. B. I. Yuryev managed to return to this work only in 1925. In 1932, a group of engineers headed by A. M. Cheremukhitsnch built the TsAGI 1-EA helicopter, which reached a flight altitude of 600 m and stayed in the air at 18 m/sh , which was an outstanding achievement for that time. Suffice it to say that the official flight altitude record, set 3 years later on the new Breguet coaxial helicopter, was only 180 m. At this time, there was some pause in the development of helicopters (helicopters). A new branch of rotorcraft—gyroplanes—has come to the fore.

The new Russian helicopter, with a greater load on the wing area, came face to face with the then new problem of spin loss of speed. Creating a safe and fairly advanced gyroplane turned out to be easier than building a helicopter helicopter. The rotor rotating freely from the oncoming flow eliminated the need for complex gearboxes and transmissions. The hinged fastening of the main rotor blades to the hub used on gyroplanes provided them with much greater strength and stability of the gyroplane. Finally, stopping the engine was no longer dangerous, as it was with the first helicopters: by autorotating, the gyroplane easily landed at low speed.

Large helicopters for landing marines from ships determined the further development of military helicopter construction as a transport and landing helicopter. The landing of American troops on S-55 helicopters at Inchon during the Korean War (1951) confirmed this trend. The size range of transport-landing helicopters began to be determined by the dimensions and weight of ground vehicles used by troops and which had to be transported by air. The fact is that conventional weapons, mainly artillery, transported by tractors weigh close to the weight of the tractors themselves. Therefore, the carrying capacity of the first transport helicopters in foreign armies was 1200-1600 kg (the weight of a light military vehicle used as a tractor and corresponding weapons).

USSR helicopters correspond to the weight of light and medium tanks or corresponding self-propelled chassis. Whether this line of development will be completed in such a range of dimensions depends on the constantly changing military doctrine. Artillery systems are being replaced to a greater extent by missiles, which is why we find demands in the foreign press. The power did not lead to an increase in payload. Indeed, but at the technical level of that time, the weight of the propellers, gearboxes and the entire apparatus as a whole increased with increasing power faster than the lifting force increased. However, when creating a new useful, and especially new for national economic application, the designer cannot tolerate a decrease in the achieved level of weight output.

Soviet helicopters, the first models, were created in a relatively short time, since the specific gravity of piston engines always decreased with increasing power. But in 1953, after the creation of the 13-ton Sikorsky S-56 helicopter with two 2300 hp piston engines. The size range of helicopters in Zapala was interrupted and only in the USSR, using turboprop engines. In the mid-fifties, the reliability of helicopters became significantly higher, therefore, the possibilities of their use in the national economy expanded. Economic issues came to the fore.