Scandinavia to Buy 10 VRT5000 Helicopters from Russia

Russia’s Rostec and Scandinavian countries have signed an agreement involving the supply of ten VRT500 helicopters to the later, at the ongoing Dubai Airshow 2019.

“We have signed an agreement with Sweden’s Rotorcraft Nordic AB for the supply of ten VRT500 helicopters in its basic configuration before the year 2023. The optional equipment, as well as interior detail and exterior paint scheme of VRT500 will be determined after the helicopter receives a type certificate and a certificate of airworthiness according to the standards of European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). An application for certification is scheduled for this year,” Rostec said in a statement Monday.

“The technical project of the VRT500 program was successfully completed in early 2019, and the development of working design documentation has begun. Tests of the first flight model will start in 2020,” the company said.

Malaysia’s Ludev Aviation company expressed interest to acquire 5 VRT500 rotorcraft and signed a corresponding agreement at the MAKS-2019 Airshow held this August. The order book for the helicopters currently stands at 15.

VRT500 is a lightweight single-engine helicopter with coaxial arrangement of propellers and take-off power of 1,650 kg. The machine has a spacious passenger-and-freight cabin with a capacity of up to 5 passengers, and is equipped with a modern system of interactive avionics. The design solutions of the helicopter will allow it to reach the speed of up to 250 km/h, fly to a range of up to 860 km and hold up to 730 kg of payload. The helicopter has been created in passenger, multi-purpose, cargo, training, VIP and medical evacuation configurations, Rostec said.