‘Illegal’ Mil helicopter overhaul deepens Russia-Ukraine aerospace row | Information

An ongoing row among Russian and Ukrainian companies above the  overhaul of each and every other’s plane has deepened soon after Russian Helicopters warned that life were being staying set at threat by allegedly “illegal” work carried out on Mil Mi-17s.

Just after the fracturing of political relations among Ukraine and Russia, significantly soon after the annexation of Crimea, the co-operative attempts on aerospace amongst the two sides commenced to disintegrate.

Ukrainian design bureau Antonov notably warned that it would not vouch for the airworthiness of An-124s if servicing perform was outsourced to Russian organisations.

But now Russian Helicopters has joined the fray, criticising two Ukrainian firms – motor maker Motor Sich and state-owned MRO provider Aviakon – for their scheduled job in repair of two Afghan air force Mi-17V-5s.

Russian Helicopters says the two organisations “have not mastered the overhaul of this kind of helicopter in the approved manner” and it has not supplied them with design and style documentation, spare pieces or overhaul kits.

“This overhaul must be deemed as illegitimate because it will be carried out with no the participation and regulate of the developer [Mil] and the maker [Kazan Helicopters] of this style of helicopter.”

Russian Helicopters statements the “illegal” overhaul action “endangers the lives of the American and Afghan soldiers that are running these helicopters”.

Just after the warning from Antonov in 2016 more than An-124 maintenance outsourcing, Russian An-124 operator Volga-Dnepr to begin with agreed to carry on technological co-operation with Antonov.

But stress concerning the two sides has remained and their partnership deteriorated after Antonov complained that Volga-Dnepr’s German routine maintenance subsidiary AMTES was creating modifications for the An-124 without having Antonov’s participation.

Its allegations that this amounted to improper procedures were vehemently turned down by Volga-Dnepr, which insisted that all airworthiness documentation for the An-124 was “fully compliant with international law” and that the corporation would defend itself against any authorized measures.

Antonov subsequently took legal motion last 12 months, making an attempt to seize 5 Volga-Dnepr An-124s as part of a Ukrainian probe into Russian acceptance of AMTES’s modifications. AMTES has, even so, continued with everyday living-extension modification of An-124s.

Evidence of the continuing animosity has also emerged next the decision by Antonov Airways to set the outsize An-225 freighter back into business services.

“We are a dependable airline and set flight basic safety 1st, ensuring the appropriate servicing and airworthiness of our overall fleet,” the provider said on 7 December, pointing out that it is “working with whole complex support” from the style certification holders of the An-124 and the Development D-18T engine.

“Proper servicing and life span extension are critical to assure the risk-free operation of both of those the aircraft’s engines and airframes.”

Supplemental reporting by David Kaminski-Morrow