What is the purpose of the Mi-26 helicopter?

Transporting heavy loads to remote locations.

How are the blades of the Mi-26 helicopter made?

Eight giant blades made from composite materials and titanium pipes.

Meticulous process involving manual installation of 50,000 rivets.

Extensive testing, including flights with heavy loads and parachutes.

Correcting unique behavior and characteristics of each helicopter.

The Mi-26, initially designed for military purposes, has evolved into a versatile aircraft used for construction and logistical operations in challenging environments, showcasing its adaptability and utility beyond its original intent.
The intricate process of constructing a Mi-26 involves meticulous attention to detail, from anodizing aluminum sheets for durability to assembling the massive rotor blades with precision, highlighting the complexity and craftsmanship required to bring this helicopter to life.

What is the purpose of the Mi-26 helicopter?
Transporting heavy loads to remote locations.
How are the blades of the Mi-26 helicopter made?
Eight giant blades made from composite materials and titanium pipes.
What is the assembly process of the Mi-26 helicopter like?
Meticulous process involving manual installation of 50,000 rivets.
How is the Mi-26 helicopter tested before operational tasks?
Extensive testing, including flights with heavy loads and parachutes.
What role does Yeni, the electronics engineer, play in the Mi-26 helicopter's production?
Correcting unique behavior and characteristics of each helicopter.

00:00

The M26 is a massive Russian helicopter designed during the Cold War to transport nuclear missiles to remote sites in Siberia and the northern Urals.
NATO codenamed Mi-26 Halo, it has a crew of five, a maximum load capacity of 20 tons, a length of 40m, rotor blade diameter of 32m, maximum speed of nearly 300 kmph, and a service ceiling of 65,000m.
The Mi-26t, a peaceful modification, is now used for various construction and insulation works in challenging locations.
The birth of the Mi-26 begins with aluminum sheets being anodized to enhance durability and prevent corrosion.
The aluminum sheets are then riveted together to form the skeleton of the helicopter, with each rivet color-coded for different properties.
Approximately 50,000 rivets are used in one helicopter, installed manually and checked by a special inspector for quality.
The helicopter's body is assembled on a slipway, with the engines positioned in the upper part of the hull under hoods to balance the weight of the tail boom.
The main rotor, the largest in the world, consists of eight giant blades made from composite materials and titanium pipes, each exceeding 50m in length.
The blades are polished to perfection, stress-relieved, and filled with a honeycomb structure to ensure durability and lightness.
The finished blades are attached to the helicopter, along with the installation of main systems, engines, and fine-tuning of equipment to ensure optimal performance.

23:15

Bringing a helicopter to life is a meticulous process taking several weeks, involving fixing system errors, working on every block and soldering contact, and testing various functions like AC mode.
Each Mi-26 helicopter has its own unique behavior and characteristics, requiring Yeni, an expert electronics engineer, to correct any issues before the helicopter can fly.
The Mi-26 helicopter undergoes extensive testing, including the installation of new instruments, such as a powerful weather radar hidden under a radio-transparent nose cone, and is tested in conditions close to combat scenarios.
After thorough testing and checks, the Mi-26 is handed over to test pilots, who conduct flights with heavy loads and parachutes, ensuring the helicopter's readiness for operational tasks like transporting cargo worldwide, contributing to the smooth functioning of industries and maintaining global standards of living.