Ka-62 Medium Twin Helo Takes Flight after Years of Delays

After years of unexplained delays, the first prototype of the Russian Helicopters Ka-62 medium twin made its maiden flight on April 28. Taking off from the company's Arsenyev development and production site in Eastern Russia, the helicopter stayed in hover mode during the flight, which lasted less than 10 minutes, according to Russian website PrimaMedia. Russian Helicopters described the test as successful.

“The new Ka-62 will be a worthy addition to the Mi-8/17, covering great demand in the 14,800-pound-mtow class,” Russian Helicopters CEO Alexander Mikheyev said. Target applications include passenger transport such as in oil-and-gas operations, as well as search and rescue.

In 2014, Russian Helicopters was indicating a list price of about $10 million for the Ka-62. The company had found two launch customers—Brazil’s Atlas Taxi Aereo and Colombia’s Vertical de Aviacion—for the 12- to 15-seat rotorcraft.

The Ka-62 is powered by a pair of 1,680-shp Turbomeca Ardiden 3Gs. Another French company, Zodiac Aerospace, has supplied the helicopter's fuel system, and the transmission is made by Austria’s Zoerkler. Russia-based Transas provided the avionics.