Московский вертолетный завод им.М.Л.Миля

In 1961 M. N. Tishchenko was in charge of the aerodynamics team in the OKB’s Department of aerodynamics and stability. Mil pinned great hopes on his talented follower and two years later entrusted to him the team of Prospective Designs which set the basic trends in the OKB’s creative activities. Shortly afterwards this team was transformed into the Department of General Arrangements and Prospective Designs. Marat Nikolayevich directly participated in designing the Mi-2, Mi-6, Mi-8 and Mi-12 helicopters. In 1958, having defended his dissertation, M. N. Tishchenko became Deputy Chief Designer, and M. L. Mil entrusted him with guiding the programme of prototype construction and flight testing of the V-12 aerial giant.

Мемориальный кабинет М.Л. Миля в старом здание ОКБ в Москве

М.Н. Тищенко, руководитель МВЗ им. М.Л. Миля в 1970 - 1991 гг.

Thus, when M. N. Tishchenko was to be placed at the head of the MVZ, he already enjoyed high authority as scientist, designer and organiser. However, the attitude to his candidacy in the Ministry of Aircraft Industry was ambivalent – some officials considered him too young, others still did not regard helicopters as “real” aircraft. Therefore the new leader of the MVZ did not receive the title of General Designer – he was appointed Chief Designer (like the heads of design bureaux in auxiliary branches of the aircraft industry). Such a decision not only hurt the pride of the enterprise, but also considerably reduced its chances when it came to participation in new programmes and getting funds. Progress on some programmes slowed down and funding was cut back. Yet, despite all the difficulties, the employees of the firm rallied around the young leader; in the 1970s they successfully completed the testing and development of the Mi-24 – the most powerful combat helicopter in the world – and the Mi-14 ASW amphibian, implemented a radical upgrade of the “helicopter of the century” – the Mi-8, developed a number of their versions and started design work on a new family of third-generation helicopters.

During those years the Plant was restructured. The existence of separate design bureaus within the OKB was found to be inexpedient and it was divided into departments and teams, mostly retaining their original specialization. New persons came into the management. Ye. V. Yablonskiy, a specialist in helicopter armament, and I. S. Dmitriyev, a specialist in control systems, became Deputy Chief Designers. Z. L. Livshits was placed at the head of the OKB, and V. D. Zernov replaced D. T. Matsitskyy as manager of the flight test facility.

Several years later A. N. Ivanov, head of the Department of Prospective Planning, and Ye. K. Tolkooshkin, a specialist in helicopter operation, were appointed Deputy Chief Designers.

The new leader of the Mil MVZ carefully preserved the traditions of the firm’s founder. The theory and practice of helicopter design continued to be perfected, new technologies were mastered, the range of equipment options for combat versions was widened. New types of helicopters were designed concurrently with the work on adapting production helicopters to new roles and upgrading systems and assemblies in orderf to increase the reliability and service life of helicopters in operational use. Research and experiments aimed at solving problems arising during tests and operation of helicopters in Air Force units and Civil Air Fleet detachments went on uninterrupted. For his work directed at ensuring the country’s defence capacity M. N. Tishchenko was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1976; later he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labour. Besides, he was decorated with two Orders of Lenin and medals and received awards from foreign states. A number of engineers and workers of the plant were decorated with national and foreign orders and medals and received honorary diplomas. For its contribution to the development of the national helicopter industry the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1977.

The second half of the 1970s saw the completion of the new OKB building of the Mil MVZ in Sokol’nicheskiy Val Street. This was speeded up thanks to the implementation of the plan of city housing construction, in accordance with which a part of the old OKB building was pulled down. Employees of the MVZ directly took part in the construction and outfitting of the new well-lit and convenient building. In 1979 the OKB moved to the new premises provided with all the necessary equipment for scientific work, research and experimenting. The entire OKB complex was completed two years later when a building for a new canteen was erected. Not so fortunate was the flight test facility which was still located in temporary premises in Liubertsy.

In 1977 a new giant helicopter, the Mi-26, made its first flight. In its performance it was superior to the best foreign helicopters. The successful completion of the Mi-26’s trials and its entry into series production confirmed the firm’s ability to create state-of-the-art helicopters of any class. In 1981 M. N. Tishchenko received the title of General Designer. In the same year he defended his D.Sc. thesis and received the academic rank of Professor. Later he was elected a corresponding member and then a full member of the academy of Sciences of the USSR which was a high honour for the entire Plant and the first precedent of this kind in the history of national helicopter construction.

At the same time new organizational and personnel changes took place at MVZ. A. N. Ivanov and Ye. K. Tolkooshkin were appointed to newly established posts of Chief Designers. B. S. Ostriakov and L. V. Parfionenko became Deputy Chief Designers. In 1985 V. G. Voronin became manager of the flight test facility. New departments were organised in the OKB, some of them being grouped into divisions. At the Plant itself new workshops and laboratories were set up.

The creation of the Mi-26 was preceded by serious scientific research, experiments and design work and by the establishment of a whole complex of scientific experiment facilities having no analogues in the world. In 1976, building on unorthodox methods evolved in the OKB, M. N. Tishchenko, A. V. Nekrasov and A. S. Radin prepared for publication a fundamental research work entitled “Helicopters. The Choice of Design Parameters”. The book was highly appraised both in the USSR and abroad and was translated into English. Later the works of other MVZ scientists and designers were published as well. Among them were: “Single-Rotor Helicopter Trimming” by A. S. Brahverman, D. M. Perlstein and S. V. Lapisova; “Helicopter as an Object of Control” by S. Yu. Yesaoolov, O. P. Bakhov and I. S. Dmitriyev; “Aeroelasticity and Dynamics of Helicopter Airframes” by O. P. Bakhov etc. In 1977 yet another scientific and technical conference on helicopter aerodynamics, strength and design, the fifth of its kind, was held at the MVZ. The conference confirmed the leading role of the firm’s experts in the theory and practice of world helicopter construction.

In the history of the Mil MVZ the 1980s were marked by the creation of new designs: the mighty Mi-28 combat helicopter and the Mi-34 light sports helicopter. Numerous versions for use in the Armed Forces and in the national economy were developed on the basis of the existing Mi-8, Mi-14, Mi-24 and Mi-26. As before, Mil helicopters made up the backbone of the country’s helicopter inventory. They were used in gaining access to the riches of Siberia, the Far East and northern areas; they contributed to the defence of the country’s borders, too. Exports of Mil helicopters grew year after year. The aircraft were supplied to new regions, such as South America. Now it is difficult to find a country where Mil helicopters have not found use.

The war in Afghanistan confirmed the reliability and efficiency of Mil helicopters. They bore the brunt of combat activities in this mountainous country known for its harsh climate. MVZ engineers gained unique experience of helicopter development aimed at increasing their combat efficiency and survivability in extreme situations. The Plant’s employees were sent to the war zone to study the peculiarities of their helicopters’ operation firsthand. The resulting improvements permitted to drastically reduce personnel and hardware losses in that unpopular war.

In 1986 Mil helicopters took part in eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl’ nuclear disaster. They were used for measuring radiation levels, containing the discharge of radioactive substances, for the precision dropping of insulating components while blocking the damaged No. 4 reactor and for urgent delivery of cargoes to the power station. From the first day of the accident MVZ employees were busy with creating special systems and equipment for the helicopters engaged in the operation. Many of them directly took part in rescue missions involving the use of helicopters.

The socio-political crisis of the mid-1980s had its adverse effect on the firm’s activities. Projects of convertible helicopters and super-heavy-lift machines, as well as many other promising studies, were not given due support. Therefore, MVZ employees reacted with enthusiasm to the policy of “restructuring”. Development of radically new types of helicopters was commenced, the scope of international cooperation was gradually widened, the firm’s engineers were given the opportunity to take part in various prestigious conferences and forums abroad.

M. N. Tishchenko retired in 1991. In this connection democratic elections of a new General Designer were held for the first time. Mark Vladimirovich Weinberg was elected to this post by a overwhelming majority.

M. V. Weinberg was born on 27th June 1937 in the town of Cherkassy. In 1961 he graduated from the shipbuilding faculty of the Kaliningrad Fishery Institute and was invited by Mil to join the fuselage department of Plant No. 329. Several years later the talented young specialist who had proved his worth as calculating engineer was appointed as the head of strength team of that department. He participated directly in the designing of fuselages of the Mi-2, V-12, Mi-14 and Mi-24 helicopters. M. V. Weinberg was one of those who pioneered the introduction of three-layer outer shells with honeycomb filler. Methods of calculation, design and employment of three-layer structures in helicopter fuselages evolved by him formed the basis for his Ph.D. thesis on “Strength of Composite Material Structures” which he defended in 1971, and for the “Honeycomb Structures” monograph published in 1986. After defending his thesis he was appointed chief project engineer and deputy head of the Fuselage Department. In 1974 M. V. Weinberg was transferred to the Department of General Arrangements and Prospective Designs. Since 1980 he guided the development work on the Mi-28 combat helicopter; eight years later was appointed Deputy Chief Designer for that particular helicopter.

M. V. Weinberg occupied the posts of General Director/General Designer of the Mil MVZ during the most difficult years in the firm’s existence. He had to guide the firm when the established mechanisms of management and cooperation were upset and state funding almost ceased, and the plant had to seek sources of financing and sales markets on its own and establish new ties with subcontractors, equipment suppliers and production plants. He managed to find new forms of cooperation and get the business community interested in helicopters. In 1993, pursuant to the President’s order, MVZ was transformed from a state enterprise into the “Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant” Public Limited Company (joint stock company). Shares of the enterprise were bought by large national and foreign companies including Sikorsky Aircraft.

Changes in the Plant’s management took place under M. V. Weinberg. S. A. Koloopayev and G. A. Sinel’shchikov became his first deputies. O. P. Smirnov, a well-known expert in designing reduction gears and transmissions, and A. P. Belov, a prominent expert in light helicopter design, became Chief Designers.

Ye. K. Tolkooshkin became head of the OKB. V. Ya. Krechet was appointed director of the Plant, and S. A. Urmancheyev became head of the flight test facility. V. G. Voronin, G. N. Leonov, N. A. Nazarov, A. N. Ptitsin, A. G. Samoosenko, A. V. Fedotov and V. G. Shcherbina joined the ranks of Deputy Chief Designers.

Even though the economic situation in the industry grew worse with every passing year, during the five years of his management M. V. Weinberg succeeded in doing much, creating a team of staunch supporters. Testing of the Mi-34 prototypes was completed and the main part of the tests of the Mi-28 was carried out. New variants of the Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-24 and Mi-26 were developed in cooperation with production plants; they were put into series production and subsequently widely operated both in Russia and abroad. The Mi-171, Mi-172, Mi-26 and Mi-34 helicopters received type certificates issued by the Aviation Register of the CIS Interstate Aviation Committee. On 14th November 1996 a “machine of the future” – the Mi-28N night-capable all-weather combat helicopter – made its first flight. Assistance rendered by Moscow City Government and the Arsen’yev aircraft factory made it possible to start series production of the Mi-34 helicopter. The final stage of their assembly is carried out at the prototype production facility of the MVZ. The EuroMil joint venture enterprise and Eurocopter – the biggest European constructor of rotary-winged machines – have developed a project of a new advanced helicopter, the Mi-38. Now a long-time dream of the Mil OKB’s personnel is coming true at last: thanks to the support of the Moscow Government the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant’s new flight test facility is nearing completion at Chkalovskaya Air Force Base. The laboratory and auxiliary services buildings, modern warehousing facilities and a modern test and development hangar have been constructed.

Creating helicopters is very hard work for their designers. M. L. Mil, the legendary founder of the firm and its first General Designer, died at the age of 60. M. V. Weinberg did not even reach that age – he died of a heart failure on 3rd February 1997. In April 1997 Gheorgiy Aleksandrovich Sinel’shchikov was elected new General Director and General Designer.

G. A. Sinel’shchikov was born on 24th March 1947 in the town of Yegor’yevsk (Moscow Region). In 1971 he graduated with distinction from the Moscow Aviation Institute and was assigned to the Chief Designer’s department of the Progress machinery plant in Arsen’yev. In 1974 he became head of this department’s management team. In November 1975 G. A. Sinel’shchikov was transferred to the Mil MVZ and joined the Department of Prospective Designs where he worked as designer engaged in projecting new helicopters. In 1980 he guided the design work on the Mi-32 super-heavy helicopter; two years later he was appointed head of the prospective studies team. In 1987 he was appointed deputy head of the OKB of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. At free elections in 1989 the Plant’s personnel elected G. A. Sinel’shchikov the head of the OKB. When M. V. Weinberg was appointed General Designer, Gheorgiy Alexandrovich became his first deputy. In 1996 he combined this post with the post of General Manager of the EuroMil Private Limited Company (JSC).

G. A. Sinelshchikov was placed at the head of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in the year of its half-century anniversary. The new General Director-General Designer appointed S. A. Koloopayev and A. G. Samusenko as his first deputies.

The hard times experienced by the entire defence industry took their toll on the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, too. In 1999, following a ridiculous lawsuit brought by one of the creditors, the Plant was suddenly declared bankrupt. The Plant’s personnel and the external arbitration management had to put in quite an effort to reinstate the firm. Since February 2001 the Moscow Helicopter Plant functions again as a joint stock company. Alexei Gavrilovich Samusenko was appointed Technical Director/General Designer.

A.G. Samusenko was born in Moscow on 3rd April 1950. He has been working at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant since 1970. Having completed his army service, he took up studies in the Moscow Higher Technical College named after N. E. Baumann concurrently with his work at the Plant and graduated from the college in 1977. During his work as engineer-designer in the OKB, he took an active part in the design and testing of automatic control systems of the Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-14, Mi-24 and Mi-26 helicopters, conducted work on researching and testing the basic autopilot and the flight avionics suite of the Mi-28. In 1983 Samusenko was appointed chief project engineer for one of the Mi-26 versions; four years later he became deputy chief designer. From 1997, in the capacity of First Deputy General Designer, he headed all the work on heavy-lift helicopters at the firm, and in 2000 he was appointed Technical Director/General Designer. A. G. Samusenko is the holder of several government awards and a State-prize winner.

On 2^nd December 2004 at the extraordinary meeting of shareholders of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC andrey Borisovich Shibitov was elected Director General of the enterprise. A.B. shibitov was born on 21^st July 1961 in Rostov-on-don. On finishing the school and completing his service in the soviet Army A.B. shibitov entered Kharkov aviation Institute named after N.E. Zhukovsky. In 1988 he began to work at Rostov Helicopter Production Complex (at present it is named as JSC “Rostvertol”). At this helicopter construction enterprise which is the biggest in the world the professional of the future head of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC was formed. He worked as Design engineer, Principal engineer, Deputy Chief Designer on Mi-24, Mi-26 and Mi-28 helicopters and later on headed as Director an engineering enterprise of specific Helicopter Programmes incorporated into the JSC “rostvertol”.

Since 1997 A.B. Shibitov worked as Director of foreign economic Activity Department of the JSC “Rostvertol”. For his knowledge based management of Foreign Economic Activity Department and substantial contribution he made to organization and holding of International Aerospace Show MAKS-97 A.B. Shibitov was awarded the medal of insignia of the 2nd grade “For the merits to the motherland”. In the year of 2000 A.B. Shibitov was appointed to the position of Deputy Director General of the JSC “Rostvertol” responsible for marketing and export sales.

A.B. Shibitov being the head of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC, conducts the policy aimed at further strengthening of financial stability of the enterprise; maintaining and developing scientific and technical, production and staff potential; optimizing the structure of scientific and research, design, flight test and production complexes; accomplishment of the development of prospective rotorcraft and modernization of the existing helicopter fleet aimed at increasing the efficiency; extension of life time and service life; providing high competitiveness; fulfillment of a new concept of after sale maintenance of “Mi” brand helicopters; performing the federal programmes intended for the development of the prospective helicopter prototypes for renewing the helicopter fleet in different armed services of the Russian Federation and at the enterprises of civil aviation.

The beginning of a new century was marked by many important events. The enterprise together with other helicopter plants of the country became an integral part of a powerful integral structure which is a helicopter construction holding company “Helicopters of Russia” formed on the basis of multi-profile industrial and investment group, JSC “UIC “OBORONPROM”. In accordance with the developed ideology of corporate construction the major purpose of modifications to be performed at Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC is to transform the enterprise into a highly efficacious business unit of the integrated system. The incorporation into the holding company allowed the enterprise having joined its efforts together with other single-profile organizations, to develop more dynamically, improve and forward the “Mi” brand helicopters to the world market.

The permanent structure of the enterprise was subject to essential modifications. It was brought into line with new current missions of helicopter industry, modern economic relations and historic conditions. The most essential modifications connected with formation of the helicopter construction complex took place in the control system. The Department of Corporate Control and Development was created. It was intended to participate in the corporate construction; monitoring and coordination of the works within the framework of all the state and large-scale commercial programmes. Besides that the Operation Support Department was created. It is aimed at increasing th efficiency of commercial activity both in traditional ways, and by means of diversifying the services and assimilation of new trends of work. The Marketing Department had been modernized enough. Its major missions are as follows: providing the marketing works at the enterprise and developing the commercial activity. Important modifications were accomplished in the area of transformation of the economic infrastructure of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC. The Department for the goods control has been established. The main function of the latter is determining the structure, appliance, specific usage of the Complex. The optimization of the structure of the fixed assets and sale of excessive areas aimed at obtaining additional means for the further devlopment of the enterprise. The units of providing the activity of principal engineer became independent after having been removed from the general test production complex. At the Chkalovsky airfield was completed the construction of stationary flight research complex of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC. The major overhaul of the OKB premises, prototype production and research laboratories was completed.

The renovation of the scientific and design potentialities, test base and technologic capacities allowed the enterprise to proceed successfully with the series of prospective projects. On 22nd December 2004 for the first time in the history of the helicopter industry a new medium-lift multi-purpose helicopter type Mi-38 was taken to air. It was developed in close cooperation with Kazan Helicopter Plant, JSC. The longstanding development of a prospective high maneuverability assault helicopter type Mi-28NE “Night Hunter” being capable to conduct day-and-night combat operations was completed with an impressive victory of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC. The helicopter was developed together with “Rostvertol”, JSC and selected by the Ministry of Defense of the russian federation as the main assault helicopter of the russian Army. The light multi-purpose helicopter type Mi-54 is being developed successfully. The designing of many other rotorcraft was restarted. Among them there are Mi-44, Mi-46, Mi-58, etc.

Concurrently with the development of new baseline rotorcraft models Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC made progress in recent years as per modernization of its helicopters widely spread all over the world and making use of reap glory, such as: the Mi-2, Mi-8/Mi-17, Mi-24/Mi-35, Mi-26 and Mi-34. The overall programmes of modernization of the Mi-8/Mi-17 and Mi-24/Mi-35 are the major trends of activity of Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC aimed at extension of the life cycle of “Mi” brand helicopters, multilateral improvement of their performance and economic characteristics, expansion of the appliance spheres, assurance of round-the-clock operation of the helicopters, increase of comfort, improvement of the crew’s and passengers’ safety, as well as raise of survivability of the configuration. New modifications developed in recent years on the basis of the modernized baseline Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter models were highly appreciated by both civil and military customers and were put into series production and daily operation. In 2004 the delivery of the series modernized round-the-clock operation transport and combat helicopters type Mi-24PN (Ми-24ПН) to the Air Force of the Russian Federation started. Much more up-to-date Mi-35M model was adopted in the Armed Forces in 2006.

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant , JSC in cooperation with other specialized and foreign companies is taking part in the programmes of providing the after sale maintenance, setting up MRO centers, as well as establishing the training centers, developing and producing the technical training aids. Such service as conversion of the series “Mi” brand helicopters into VIP-versions is also being developed nowadays by our enterprise.

Due to the support of the state, incorporation into the helicopter construction holding company “Helicopters of Russia”, coordianted actions of the share holders of the stock company and to high-skilled practice of the directorate of the enterprise Mil Moscow HelicopterPlant, JSC has made considerable success in recent years, reestablished the leading position in the helicopter industry and is one of the most dynamicdeveloping companies of military industrial complex of Russia. The MMHP personnel hallow the traditions of the comapny, established by the founder of the latter, M. Mil. Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, JSC is still considered to be one of the leaders of the world helicopter construction in the areas of designing, manufacturing and testing of the prototypes, perfecting of the latter for the series production and certification, modernization and modification of the existing types of “Mi” brand helicopters, as well as of after sale operation support thereof.