Breakthrough engine for new helicopters

Last year brought a number of breakthroughs for the St Petersburg-based engine maker Klimov, a subsidiary of Russia’s United Engine Corporation (UEC). The company launched work to develop a new helicopter engine design. Alexey Grigoriev, general designer at Klimov Company and UEC deputy general director for helicopter engines, has told Russia & CIS Observer reporter Anna Nazarova about the manufacturer’s current and future powerplant programs.

- What has Klimov achieved in the past year and what are the company’s short-term plans?

- Our main achievement was to begin developing a prospective helicopter engine. This was preceded by a serious preparatory phase: we had worked together with industry institutes, in particular with the Central Institute for Aviation Motors, to define the concept of the future engine. I should note that we intend to implement unorthodox, breakthrough solutions in this powerplant, including changes to the Brayton cycle which is the fundamental principle of operation for gas-turbine engines. I am convinced it is time to offer a truly breakthrough product to the market, one that would differ not only technologically but also conceptually from the existing designs. This year we expect to test some of the solutions which will be used in the future engine.