Russian Helicopters is considering restarting production of the amphibious Mi-14 twin multirole rotorcraft, which can take off, land and taxi on water. “Where there is interest from potential customers, the company is ready to upgrade the amphibious helicopter with the latest technologies,” the firm said last week. It sees a market in search-and-rescue operations and military applications.
The Mi-14, a derivative of the Mi-8T, has hermetically sealed boat hulls instead of traditional helicopter landing gear options, enabling it to land on water. In addition, the sides are fitted with floats for stability, which also support the retractable landing gear. The Mi-14 was developed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and produced by Kazan Helicopters—both now part of Russian Helicopters—from 1973 to 1986.
Russian Helicopters also announced that Alexander Mikheev has been confirmed in his position of CEO and as a member of the board at its annual general meeting of shareholders on June 30 in Moscow.