Originally Posted by
helispotter
I recall seeing photos of the older generation large Mil helicopters at airshows in the west. By "civilian sector" I guess that means in Aeroflot colours?
It was more than just airshows. PHI had a MI-10 and another MI model delivered to a hangar in LA in the late 1960s. Was told it was a who's who of the western helicopter industry that came to uncrate it and assemble it, to include a couple black vans with suits in the beginning. They ended up finishing the assembly and painting them both in yellow and black. The MI-10 was flown to SA for a job but broke down on the way. However, once they fixed it, the job was over and it was to be ferried to Alaska for the pipeline job. But again went AOG somewhere in Central America where I think the fuselage still resides. Here's the only pic of it that I have access to, however, there are more pics with some showing a side view with a big "PHI" on the side.
As to the MI-26, the Peruvian military got their 3 aircraft the year before I moved/worked there and kept one at the same base we were located at. At times, they would use them to relocate entire villages back to the jungle using a slide-in pax module complete with airline type seats, bathrooms, and luggage storage. We also once had a need to charter a C-130 to move some equipment from a remote area, but nearest runway was 9 km away from the camp. The local base commander found out and offered his MI-26 since it had the same payload as the 130 and he could land at the camp! But only if I had 3000 gal. of turbine available to top off the tanks for the return flight. Heck of a helicopter.
