Two AW189 helicopters have been delivered to Sakhalin

In terms of volume, the helicopters, including loose gear and special detachable equipment, have occupied the entire cargo area of the giant aircraft's fuselage; their total weight exceeds 16 tonnes. Remarkably enough, no hoisting cranes were used for loading and unloading the "luggage”. The operation was carried out via the front ramp (flat slope) of the Ruslan's opening stern section, through which the helicopters that had been lifted with the help of an onboard winch, rolled on their own wheels. Their blades were unloaded through the tail end of the aircraft.

 

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions, the logistics were completed on schedule with all safety measures observed. For this purpose, Leonardo S.p.A. the Italian helicopter manufacturing company, and Sakhalin Energy opted for the aircraft's remote acceptance via videoconferencing.

 

According to Vadim Panin, Sakhalin Energy's Logistics Manager, in terms of safety, the air freight becomes the cargo transportation of choice in the adverse weather conditions during the autumn-winter sea navigation. Moreover, the transportation by air has significantly reduced the helicopters’ delivery time: the An-124 took off from Milan on 2 October to make a direct flight to its final destination, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, in just 12 hours.

 

 

"Successful implementation of the company's aircraft fleet renewal project is a well-coordinated, fine-tuned process and the result of the large-scale work by Sakhalin Energy contractors and many of its divisions," said Vadim Panin. The purchase of the AW189 model, a helicopter equipped with the state-of-the-art features for the passengers’ safety as required by international standards, is fully in line with the Company's intention to be guided by the best practices as part of the Sakhalin-2 Project aviation services strategic development.

 

The new aircraft will be assembled in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk within the next few days. The company will run test flights on the island to make sure all aircraft systems meet the design specifications and are ready for use.