Hello Gunship,
I have had the occasion some years ago (1992) to work together with a MI 8 AMT crew (this version called MI 17 AMT for export, was buid by the Ulan-Ude production plant and was equipped with the TV3 117 VM engines(same than your "bird" ?)
The crews currently were performing landings at 4000 meters on Kazaksthan glaciers. You are right, they never said it was easy but apparently it was more like a routine than something else.
I would like to add these russian crews were highly professional and were doing a wonderfull job in difficult conditions with their helicopters, without much fuss about it.
But indeed, I really was impressed by the performances of this helicopter, not a lot could have done the job it did in these conditions.
If only I could fly on one of theses now !
