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The Mil Mi-60 MAI (Cyrillic: Миль Ми-60 МАИ) was a joint project between Mil and the Moscow Aviation Institute to develop a light utility helicopter.[3] A mockup was displayed at the MAKS 2001 air show,[2][3][4] where Russian aerospace journal Aviatsiya i Kosmonavtika (Авиация и космонавтика; "Aviation and Space") described it as a "little brother" to the Mil Mi-34.[5]
The Mi-60 MAI was intended to fulfil a range of general aviation activities, including pilot training, agricultural work, police and firefighting duties, resource monitoring, aerial photography, and tourism.[2] Domestic demand in Russia for such an aircraft was estimated at around 400–600 units.[2] No Russian manufacturer was producing a lightweight helicopter such as this, and foreign aircraft were unsuitable for Russian conditions.[6]
The design was further presented at the 1997 International Aviation Forum in Moscow, and the World Salon of Inventions in Brussels the same year.[7] It won a gold medal at the latter event.[7]
The Mi-60 MAI was a conventional design for a light helicopter, with a pod-and-boom fuselage, a three-bladed main rotor, two-bladed tail rotor, and a skid undercarriage with rear wheels on each skid.[3][4][2] The pilot and a single passenger were to sit side-by-side in an extensively-glazed, enclosed cabin with dual controls.[1]
At different stages of development, a variety of powerplants were proposed, including:
- one 120-kilowatt (160 hp) Lycoming O-320-B2C piston engine[1][4]
- one 150-kilowatt (200 hp) Aviadvigatel D-150 wankel engine[1][4]
- one 145-kilowatt (194 hp) Textron Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD piston engine[3]
- one 177-kilowatt (237 hp) VAZ-426 wankel engine[3]
- two 84.6-kilowatt (113.5 hp) Rotax 914F piston engines.[3][4]
- two 103-kilowatt (138 hp) LOM M332A piston engines[3]
These were to be located inside the fuselage, behind the cabin, with power transmitted to the rotor through V-belts.[1] In the twin-engine versions, the engines were to be located side-by-side.[1][4] One criterion for engine selection was favouring engines that could run on automotive-grade petrol.[2][6] This would allow the aircraft to operate in regions with less well-developed infrastructure.[8] The twin-engine variants were expected to be able to continue to fly on only one engine.[7]
Construction was to make extensive use of composite materials.[6]
Initial funding for the project came from the Russian Ministry of Education.[3] Development started in 1993 and technical work was finished the following year.[3] In 1997, the Russian Army became a sponsor, hoping to use the Mi-60 MAI as a helicopter trainer.[3]
Construction of a mockup commenced at the Kazan helicopter factory in 2000.[3] It was displayed the following year at the MAKS air show, and production was planned to start the same year.[3] Production would have taken place at the Rostvertol factory in Rostov-on-Don[4] As of 1998, an estimated $30 million was still required to put the aircraft into production.[7]
Development work on the program ended in 2001,[2] although it was still included in the Russian federal aviation plan for 2002–10.[3] As of 2013, no examples had been constructed.[4]
Data from Jackson 2007, p.497, except as noted.
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Capacity: 1 passenger
- Length: 7.370 m (24 ft 2 in) (fuselage, including tail rotor)[8]
- Height: 2.286 m (7 ft 6 in) [8]
- Max takeoff weight: 1,300 kg (2,866 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × VAZ-426 piston engine, 177 kW (237 hp)
- Main rotor diameter: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph, 121 kn)
- Cruise speed: 185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn)
- Range: 400 km (250 mi, 220 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 5,500 m (18,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 142 m/s (28,000 ft/min)
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