PJSC Kazan Helicopter Plant (Kazan) is one of the key enterprises of the Russian Helicopters holding. The products of this enterprise make up a substantial part of its supplies. In addition, KVZ developed and brought to mass production a new type of machine - the light Ansat helicopter.
Historical reference
The history of the enterprise is inextricably linked with the Leningrad Aircraft Plant No. 387. With the outbreak of war, it was evacuated to Kazan. The helicopter plant was reorganized in 1951, when the production of the first Mi-1 rotary-wing aircraft in the USSR was launched in the capital of the Tatar Republic. Since 1954, the Mi-4 was produced here, and since 1965 - the legendary Mi-8.
The helicopter plant (Kazan) in 1970 became order-bearing - for the successes achieved earlier and the development of the unique Mi-14 amphibious helicopter, the team was awarded the Order of the October Revolution. In 1980, the company was awarded the Golden Mercury Award.
New era
The beginning of the 90s (the time of the collapse of the USSR) became difficult for the plant. The process of corporatization, lack of working capital, the loss of part of the sales market could lead to a halt in production. However, the cohesion of the team, the talent of designers and managers have contributed to overcoming the crisis. It was during this period that the first stage of technical re-equipment began. The acquisition of imported metal-cutting equipment made it possible to increase the accuracy of machining parts and assemble structures with complex geometry.
In 1993, the Helicopter Plant (Kazan) began designing the Ansat multidisciplinary light helicopter . By the way, this was the only case of the development of a new non-rolled model of an aircraft in the 90s. Kazan took a chance, put the credibility of the enterprise at stake and brought the project to mass production. Today, Ansat is the only domestic helicopter of this class.
Products
Fully armed met 2000th helicopter plant. Kazan has become one of the world's leading centers for the production of rotorcraft of various types. Here are collected models of civil, service and military purposes:
- Mi-17 multi-purpose helicopter of the middle class.
- Its modifications Mi-171V (specialized, medical, etc.).
- Mi-17V5 (transport, rescue).
- Mi-172 (passenger).
- Ansat.
- Multipurpose Mi-38 middle class.
Pride of the enterprise
Nevertheless, the beloved brainchild of the factory workers is their original development - the Ansat helicopter of the light class. For more than a decade, its appearance has been polished, numerous consultations have been held with the responsible departments and potential consumers. If in the 90s the country did not have enough funds to purchase new samples of high-tech avionics, then in the mid-2000s there was progress.
In 2005, the Kazan Helicopter Plant at the MAKS exhibition presented a prototype of the Ansat-2RTS maneuverable combat light helicopter. I liked the car, but the competition in the field of military equipment in Russia is high. The emphasis was on the civilian version, which is so lacking in the country. In 2013, the certification of a cargo-passenger modification with a mechanical control system took place.
Today, the Ansat program is developing in the military and civilian areas. Ansat-U training helicopter is already being acquired by the Russian Ministry of Defense for training cadets of flight schools and is supplied serially under a contract. The civilian version of the helicopter was certified in stages in 2013-2015. The reason for the delays was the integrated (electrical) control system installed at Ansat. She was too innovative. The helicopter plant (Kazan) turned out to be a pioneer here. At least if you take the 90s (the first prototype of Ansat was created in 1997), Kazan was the pioneer in the world in introducing this system.
There are a lot of similar models on the world market (Eurocopter helicopters, for example). But the civilian version of Ansat has the same competitive advantages as the Mi-8/17 helicopter. First of all, this is the price-quality ratio.
Production modernization
The helicopter plant (Kazan), whose photo is impressive, continues to develop. In September 2015, an assembly and assembly building designed for the Mi-38, Mi-8/17 and Ansat models opened at the KVZ. It was created as part of a plant modernization project that started in 2008. In the new building there were several zones for assembling the fuselages of all three types. There, a detailed assembly and installation of skin, power elements, and other fuselage assemblies is carried out. Due to the commissioning of the hull at the KVZ, they plan to achieve greater productivity and improve quality.
Previously, assembly zones were located in two separate territories. Their combination in one building significantly reduced logistics costs. Accordingly, the time spent on assembling helicopters was reduced. The volume of production increased, deliveries of finished machines to consumers accelerated.
The new body is distinguished by a unique sprinkler chamber designed to test the fuselages for leaks. Having a closed circuit in which water circulates, the camera is able to simulate rain of any strength. To check one fuselage requires up to 9 m 3 of water. The enclosure is soundproofed to minimize noise penetration. All necessary drawings to the site are transmitted using paperless technology through computer terminals.
Supply Geography
KVZ helicopters fly in more than 100 countries of the world. These are the countries of Asia, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America. The markets where Kazan equipment is represented less are Western Europe, USA, Canada. Each year, depending on the number of contracts, helicopters are delivered to 4-8 countries. The export share in sales is about 80%.
KVZ has special hopes for the Ansat helicopter. The civilian version targets all traditional markets. These are Russia, the CIS countries, Southeast Asia, Africa, South and Latin America. Applications are submitted by both domestic commercial structures and foreign. The first of Ansat’s foreign partners were the Chinese. A separate development is the military training and patrol modification Ansat-U. The Air Force has already acquired 40 units; contracts are expected from partner countries - Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Helicopter Plant, Kazan: address
The company occupies about 2 km 2 in the western part of the city. PJSC Kazan Helicopter Plant is located at 420085, Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Tetsovskaya street, 14.