The Russian helicopter demonstration was held today.

November 19, 2018
Russia to showcase latest civilian helicopter
Russia will demonstrate its Mi-171 helicopter’s capabilities on Tuesday in a bid to sell some to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in the future.

Defence Ministry spokesperson General Chhum Sucheat yesterday said that the move follows a high-level Cambodian delegation’s visit to Russia to boost ties. He noted that Russia showed interest in showing the capabilities of their helicopter to Cambodia.

Gen Sucheat said that Russia is sending two or three helicopters which are set to arrive today and will take to the skies for the demonstration at a military airbase in Phnom Penh.

“The Russians said they want to show the capabilities of their military equipment such as planes and helicopters so they will demonstrate the helicopters for us to appraise them,” he said.

“They are showcasing the Mi-71 helicopter,” Gen Sucheat noted. “It is their latest version of the helicopter which they have already shown to some countries.”

“We are not buying. It’s just a demonstration and if we are interested we can deal with them in the future,” he added.

Gen Sucheat noted that Cambodia only had some old Russian-made MI helicopters and the ministry has purchased Z-9 helicopters from China.

In 2013, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces ordered twelve Chinese-built Zhi-9 utility helicopters and they will be delivered later this month.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50551728/r ... elicopter/

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:12 pm I'm pretty sure those Z-9s were delivered years ago.

Yes, there were at least several around for the last few years. They used them in the 2014 election madness, buzzing Freedom Park in a show of CPP power. One was lost when it crashed in a pond during a botched takeoff. There is video of it around somewhere crashing and killing the pilot or a passenger, I don't remember exactly.

Felgerkarb wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:39 pm One was lost when it crashed in a pond during a botched takeoff. There is video of it around somewhere crashing and killing the pilot or a passenger, I don't remember exactly.

I remember that. I'm pretty sure it was the pilot. I have the video around here somewhere I think. Here's a pic of them pulling the poor pilot out of the water.

Do they have flight simulators or do they just stick them in one and say - that lever is up and down? My mate got his licence some years back, seem to recall him saying he had to drop a little ball in the centre of a a disc on his knees with his feet.

John Bingham wrote: ↑Wed Nov 21, 2018 12:46 am

cptrelentless wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:52 pm Do they have.....

They send pilots abroad to train in China/ France/ Indonesia etc. Helicopters don't just get shipped in containers with instruction manuals. A large contingent of technical staff and trainer pilots and ongoing maintenance contracts will be a major part of the deal. These Russian Mi-171s are just an updated version of an aircraft that has been in service in the local air-force since at least 1980. They probably need some new transport helicopters though, the Mi-8s, Mi-17s and Mi-26s they have are probably nearing retirement date.

Considering I flew missions in those old choppers almost 30 years ago and they were fairly decrepit then...ya, I hope they get a much needed retirement.