On May 1, in Usinsk (Komi Republic), a Mi-8T helicopter made a hard landing: 11 out of 24 people on board were injured. Oleg Panteleev, Executive Director of the Aviaport agency, stated that this incident confirms the urgent need to renew Russia's helicopter fleet, especially in the field of rotational transport.
The aircraft, manufactured in 1985 with registration number RA-22909, had been operated by the Yeltsovka airline since 2017. At the time of the incident, the helicopter had a valid airworthiness certificate. The causes of the accident are currently being investigated by specialists.
Panteleev noted that equipment wear increases risks in civil aviation. In his opinion, transitioning to modern machines can significantly reduce both the frequency and severity of incidents.
The technical solutions applied in the design of modern Russian helicopters, such as the Mi-171A3, which meet the most stringent flight safety requirements, reduce the likelihood of aviation incidents and also contribute to mitigating their severity.
The onboard avionics of new models automate key piloting operations, minimizing the impact of the human factor. Passenger cabins of these helicopters are equipped with energy-absorbing seats and four-point harnesses, which increases the chances of maintaining health in emergency situations. Enlarged emergency exits and push-out windows, in turn, accelerate the evacuation of people.
The expert emphasized: the faster airlines replace outdated Mi-8T helicopters with modern counterparts, the lower the statistics of injuries and fatalities in aviation accidents will be.