Mi-10: the first flying crane The year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary since the start of serial production of the famous helicopter The Mi-10 was only in production for a total of five years. Only two dozen of these helicopters were released. The last helicopter has mothballed in 2009. But still, when people say its code name they feel either admiration or envy. They are never indifferent. The Mi-10 became a legend, and it remains so to this day. The helicopter has set eight world records. They include, for example, the absolute world record set for cargo carrying capacity in 1961, when 15,103 kg were lifted to an altitude of 2,200 m. Also consider the record set in 1965, when the aircraft was able to lift an even heavier payload of 25,105 kg to a previously unattainable altitude of 2,840 m. But the Mi-10 earned a place in history not only because of those record-setting achievements. Designers came up with the idea of creating an aerial crane in the 1950s. The successful previous experience of using such helicopters to transport bulky cargo on an external sling influenced the designers to develop the Mi-10. The aerial crane did not require a lot of fuel. It was intended to be used to transport goods over short distances and low to the ground. The ability to direct the helicopter on top of the payload (the helicopter had to practically land on top of it) significantly sped up and simplified work. Most importantly, it increased the helicopters load capacity by at least 20% in comparison with other helicopters with similar bodies. The design of the aerial crane began in 1958 on orders of the government of the USSR. According to the design assignment, the aircraft had to transport at least 12 tons across a distance of up to 250 km, while it had to transport up to 15 tons of cargo at a time across shorter distances. The helicopter was required to transport all types of payloads: fuel tanks, ambulance and operational equipment, mobile laboratories and even passengers, who were, of course, transported in specialized cabins. However, during the course of work on the project another requirement was added to the design assignment: the designers were required to ensure that the helicopter could carry cruise and ballistic missiles. This last requirement became the main objective for the Mi-10. The aerial crane was based on the Mi-6. The helicopter inherited the power plant, main and tail rotors, transmission, hydraulic and control systems (except for features associated with the installation of hydraulic claws) from its predecessor. Practically the only component that needed to be redesigned was the body of the helicopter. A special television system was installed in the cockpit with a camera underneath the fuselage in order to simplify maneuvering operations over the payload and to provide a video feed of the payload during flight. The cabin was also able to transport a crew of up to 28 people in additional to the cargo payload, or it could transport just cargo weighing up to 3 tons. A winch was mounted inside the fuselage that was capable of lifting loads weighing up to 15 tons to a height of 30 m. A design feature of the Mi-10 was its ability to turn part of the fuselage and the axis of the main rotor relative to the vertical plane of the cabin by 1°30˝ to the right, which allowed for the simultaneous separation of wheels during takeoff and prevented the helicopter from banking. In order to ensure that the cabin remained horizontal when the helicopter was parked, the right landing gear was 300 mm was shorter than the left one. It took one year to design the Mi-10. The first prototype of the aerial crane took off on June 15, 1960. The second model was shown during an air show in 1961. It transported a shelter intended for geological field parties to the grand stands. As mentioned above, the helicopter set its first world record during the same year. However, the Mi-10 was not quick to enter serial production. The aerial crane only entered mass production in 1964 at Rostov Helicopter Plant No. 168 (which is now Rostvertol). In 1965 the helicopter was shown at the Paris Air Show. In the next year a Dutch airline acquired the helicopter, and the rest of the production run was immediately bought out by Americans. In the USA the helicopter was successfully used in the oil industry. But in the USSR the fate of the helicopter changed dramatically. Specialists in the military-industrial complex decided against using the helicopter to transport missiles. The Mi-10 was not particularly well suited for service in the national economy, since all payloads had to be equipped with special hooks that were suitable for use with a hydraulic lift. In addition, large loads created too much air resistance. The massive undercarriage nullified any advantages of the lightweight fuselage. From the cockpit, which was located too high up, pilots were not able to see the ground very well, and the television camera did little to address this problem. The project quickly found itself threatened by elimination. A total of 24 aircraft came off the assembly line (some of which were deployed during the Afghan War of 1979-1989). In 1969 serial production of the Mi-10 ceased. In 1974 experts developed a civilian modification of this helicopter – the Mi-10K, which was intended for construction and installation applications. Designers abandoned the hydraulic lift and outer platform. They shortened the legs (by reducing the height of the undercarriage), which reduced weight and drag. Instead of television cameras, the helicopter was equipped with a second, underslung cockpit and additional control levers. The short-legged Mi-10K remains in Russian service to this day. Rostvertol is a Russian aerospace company, and it is a subsidiary of the Russian Helicopters holding. The plant was founded on July 1, 1939. Aviation equipment has been produced here for more than 70 years. It has been releasing Mi helicopters for more than 40 years. During the Soviet period the enterprise had the name Factory No. 168, and later it was renamed to the Rostov Helicopter Production Association (Rostvertol).
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 20:21:21 +0000
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