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.Jackson 2007, p.497 A mockup was displayed at the MAKS 2001 air show,Gordon & Komissarov 2013, p.606 where Russian aerospace journal Aviatsiya i Kosmonavtika (Авиация и космонавтика; "Aviation and Space") described it as a "little brother" to the Mil Mi-34.Nikolskiy 2001, p.9
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. Domestic demand in Russia for such an aircraft was estimated at around 400–600 units. No Russian manufacturer was producing a lightweight helicopter such as this, and foreign aircraft were unsuitable for Russian conditions.MAI+Mil new ultralight, p.16
The design was further presented at the 1997 International Aviation Forum in Moscow, and the World Salon of Inventions in Brussels the same year.MAI+Mil new ultralight, p.19 It won a gold medal at the latter event.
Design 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. The pilot and a single passenger were to sit side-by-side in an extensively-glazed, enclosed cabin with dual controls.
At different stages of development, a variety of powerplants were proposed, including: one Lycoming O-320-B2C piston engine one Aviadvigatel D-150 wankel engine one Textron Lycoming HIO-360-F1AD piston engine one VAZ-426 wankel engine two Rotax 914F piston engines. two LOM M332A piston engines
These were to be located inside the fuselage, behind the cabin, with power transmitted to the rotor through V-belts. In the twin-engine versions, the engines were to be located side-by-side. One criterion for engine selection was favouring engines that could run on automotive-grade petrol. This would allow the aircraft to operate in regions with less well-developed infrastructure.MAI+Mil new ultralight, p.17 The twin-engine variants were expected to be able to continue to fly on only one engine.
Construction was to make extensive use of composite materials.
Development Initial funding for the project came from the Russian Ministry of Education. Development started in 1993 and technical work was finished the following year. In 1997, the Russian Army became a sponsor, hoping to use the Mi-60 MAI as a helicopter trainer.
Construction of a mockup commenced at the Kazan helicopter factory in 2000. It was displayed the following year at the MAKS air show, and production was planned to start the same year. Production would have taken place at the Rostvertol factory in Rostov-on-Don As of 1998, an estimated $30 million was still required to put the aircraft into production.
Development work on the program ended in 2001, although it was still included in the Russian federal aviation plan for 2002–10. As of 2013, no examples had been constructed.
Specifications (as designed, with VAZ engine)
Notes References
Bibliography
External links Moscow Aviation Institute description of the project Moscow Aviation Institute press release about international recognition of the design