Russian Helicopters' Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ) has completed certification tests on a VIP-configured Ansat Aurus helicopter; Aurus is a premium Russian brand of both cars and aircraft. The tests evaluate the performance of installed cabin equipment and electromagnetic compatibility with onboard electronic equipment. The next step is to obtain approval from the Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviation) for this change in design of the helicopter.

“We hope that the certification procedure for the Ansat Aurus will not take much time,” says Russian Helicopters general director Andrei Boginsky. “After receiving the relevant documents, we plan to carry out bearer and acceptance tests of the machine in the Spring. After that, the helicopter will be handed over to the first customer.”

“Ansat is an ideal option for corporate transportation,” adds KVZ managing director Yuri Pustovgarov. “Thanks to having the largest cabin among helicopters of this class, the possibilities for filling it with built-in multimedia equipment are almost endless.”

The Ansat Aurus is designed to carry five passengers. Ansat's high-mountain trials were successfully completed, confirming operation at altitudes up to 3,500m, and it can be used in temperatures ranging from -45° to +50° C.

KVZ has also completed the installation of an Ansat integrated helicopter simulator at its training complex, for which it waiting for operational permission from the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency.

The appearance of the sim's cockpit and instrumentation equipment is fully consistent with that of the helicopter, and it is equipped with a visualisation system based on the Sochi and Kazan region.

“The popularity of the Ansat in the market is constantly growing, and therefore it became necessary to train representatives of operating organisations on this type of helicopter,” says Pustovgarov. “The Ansat helicopter integrated simulator enables high quality retraining of pilots.”

The KVZ training centre is also equipped with the Mi-8MTV helicopter complex simulator and is planning a similar training programme for the Mi-38 helicopter.