Four multi-purpose Mi-38 helicopters, nicknamed "Orca" for their distinctive black and white livery, led the "Immortal Regiment" procession in Magadan from the air. The "Aviatsiya Kolyma" aircraft carried large-format portraits of famous Great Patriotic War pilots – Vitaly Popkov, Vasily Borisov, Ilya Mazuruk, and Vasily Nikulin – on their sides.
The pilots completed a circle over the column and flew over the participants again, twice closing the aerial formation over the festive city.
The Mi-38 is a modern multi-purpose helicopter, specially designed for operation in the extreme climatic conditions of the Far North and the Arctic. The aircraft is equipped with two turboshaft engines and a composite main rotor, which ensures high fuel efficiency and the ability to continue flying if one of the engines fails. The unofficial name "Orca" became associated with the Mi-38 precisely because of its two-tone livery, reminiscent of the killer whale's coloration.
