Kamovs for Sale--Call 'Russian Helicopters, JSC'

A company calling itself Russian Helicopters, "an Oboronprom Group Company," has taken large print advertisements this year promoting what is apparently a catalog of helicopters but with special emphasis on the Kamov Ka32A11BC. Described as an "all-weather, multi-role" aircraft, the Kamov is designed around that company's characteristic coaxial main rotors, which neutralize the traditional torque effect and preclude the need for a tail anti-torque rotor.


(photo courtesy Kamov) A naval version of the Kamov Ka32 Helix, which features a contrarotating main rotor system.

The ads, which have appeared in the Helicopters Association International's ROTOR Magazine, state that the Kamov has an EASA type certificate, but no mention is made of FAA paperwork.

A check with the certification office at the FAA generated this e-mail reply:

"Assuming you are talking about operation under a standard airworthiness certificate, the aircraft must have a type certificate.  There are some limited cases where this doesn't apply (for example, an aircraft operating under an experimental airworthiness certificate, and subject to the specific provisions where this is allowed).  For the Kamov KA-32 to receive a type certificate, we must either have:
        a) a change to the current bilateral agreement with Russia that would allow us to validate a rotorcraft TC issued by Russia, or
        b) an application for a new type certificate made with the FAA by a US applicant, which would have to meet the design standards in place at the time of application

Q. Is Kamov or any other Russian helicopter in the process of seeking an FAA type certificate?

We have no active projects to validate or certify any Russian helicopters."


(photo courtesy Kamov) A mockup of the Ka50 Hokum, a military attack version of the helicopter.

A call to the HAI got no response, but the association has been cultivating a closer relationship with the Russian rotorcraft industry, including attendance at trade shows held in the Russian Federation. Russian Helicopters has a Moscow address and appears to be a holding company for a number of rotorcraft enterprises, including UTair, which lists an address in the Graybar Building at 420 Lexington Ave. in N.Y. Its clients include most of the major oil and gas companies in Russia, but the New York office is there to support UTair's other main activity--flying for the United Nations.

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