OREANDA-NEWS. December 28, 2012. The Russian-made multi-role coaxial Ka-32A11BC received a certificate of airworthiness in Australia.

This certificate allows Australian helicopter operators to use the Ka-32A11BC as a search & rescue and firefighting helicopter as well as for sling load operations and in construction and installation work.

The Ka-32A11BC is a unique Russian-made helicopter that is used in more than 30 countries around the world. Its coaxial main rotor system makes it the only highly effective helicopter in its class thanks to the its inherent advantages, which allow for great accuracy in the execution of difficult maneuvers and ensure high stability while hovering.

The Ka-32A11BC meets the US FAR-29 and Russian AP-29 standards and in 2009 received an airworthiness certificate from European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The helicopter has been successfully deployed in Russia, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, China, Austria, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan.

In 2011 the Ka-32A11BC was certified in India and Brazil. In March of this year the Brazilian operator Helipark Taxi Aereo received a multi-role Ka-32A11BC helicopter, which is now being actively used for cargo transportation via external sling. The Ka-32A11BC has proven its merits as a search & rescue helicopter in Kazakhstan, which received two of these helicopters in 2012. In Switzerland the helicopter operator Heliswiss has two Ka-32A11BC helicopters, which are used for construction and installation tasks and cargo transportation via external sling. In Spain this helicopter is being used for firefighting and search & rescue missions. The helicopter has also been in high demand on the Russian market – in 2012 a contract for five new Ka-32A11BC helicopters in the firefighting configuration for the Russian Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM) was fulfilled. At the ministry’s request the contract’s delivery schedule was accelerated. The need for additional Ka-32A11BC helicopters for firefighting became apparent during the response to a major fire at the Moscow City high-rise complex in April 2012, when several helicopters of this series were deployed to extinguish the blaze.

The medium multi-role Ka-32A11BC is one of the most sought-after new models of Russian Helicopters. Having been developed on the basis of the naval military Ka-27PS helicopter, the civil Ka-32A11BC is a very reliable, durable and practical helicopter.

The Australian helicopter market could hold good prospects for Russian Helicopters, as the constant need for multi-functional and reliable specialized helicopters is acutely felt in this country. The Ka-32A11BC is the first Russian-made helicopter to receive airworthiness certification in Australia.

Next year Russian Helicopters plans to have a presence at the Australian International Airshow 2013 at Avalon Airport, where regional helicopter operators will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Ka-32A11BC as well as other helicopter models offered by the holding.