Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) has certified the increase in take-off and landing altitude of the Ansat helicopter to 3,500 metres. The approval has been issued following trials conducted in summer 2018 at Mount Elbrus in Russia, and permits the Ansat to operate in high altitude conditions.

Previously, the helicopter's take-off and landing altitude was limited to 1,000 metres, restricting its use in elevated areas. During certification tests, the rotorcraft successfully completed a series of take-offs and landings at altitudes up to 3,500 metres, including some in autorotation mode and simulating one engine failure.

“The major change approval for the Ansat's increase in take-off and landing altitude gives us new opportunities to bring in new customers from countries with complex terrain,” notes director general of Russian Helicopters Holding Company Andrey Boginskiy. “For example, during the south Asian heli tour conducted in late 2018 we saw interest from potential helicopter operators in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. We received approximately 30 requests for the delivery of Ansat helicopters, and this improvement in flight performance will aid our subsequent customer negotiations.”

Industrial director of Russian Helicopters' parent company Rostec Anatoly Serdyukov adds: “The Ansat is one of the main strategic projects for the corporation. Successful flight tests at an altitude of over 1,000 metres have proven the reliability and highest standards of the equipment's efficiency. We plan to continue to upgrade and improve the Ansat's performance.”

The Ansat is a light twin-engine utility helicopter serially produced at Kazan Helicopters. As per its type certificate, the design of the helicopter enables quick conversions between cargo and passenger configurations and is capable of transporting up to seven people. It is certified for operation in ambient air temperatures from minus 45 degrees celsius to plus 50 degrees.