MOSCOW. Aug 28 (Interfax-AVN) - The first serial BE-200ChS amphibian manufactured by the Irkutsk aircraft production enterprise at an order from the Emergencies Ministry will be demonstrated at the 4th international hydroaviation show that is to happen in the Gelendzhik resort on September 4 to 8 this year.
"The program of showing the first BE-200ChS in Gelendzhik will feature not only demonstration flights in the local bay but also operations on taking and dropping water on maneuver fire epicenters," Deputy Emergencies Minister Yuri Brazhnikov told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"It is important for us to demonstrate the plane's unique capabilities to all specialists including our foreign partners for the aircraft has no analogues worldwide," Brazhnikov said.
He stressed that the first amphibian developed by the Taganrog-based Beriyev aircraft research and technical company at the order of the ministry was made in the variant maximally close to the ministry's demands.
"In comparison with an experimental plane the new multifunctional amphibian is filled with special search and rescue equipment including the Orion-25S inflatable boat that is to help successfully accomplish tasks on saving people in distress," Brazhnikov noted.
He said that the first BE-200ChS has new ARIA-200M on-board piloting navigation system, AOS observation systems and SGU-600 sound notification systems while the cargo variant has two workplaces with blisters for visual search for targets.
"Specialists of the ministry were heavily involved in specifying the amphibian's appearance and development of technical tasks for the aircraft. Now we are going to actively participate in tests of the first amphibian," Brazhnikov said.
He noted that aviation units of the ministry will receive seven BE-200ChS planes from the Irkutsk enterprise by 2005.
"Already in 2003 we plan to have the best fire-fighting squadron worldwide on the basis of those BE-200ChS amphibians," Brazhnikov went on.
The new amphibian has good prospects; Germany, France, Switzerland, Greece and Australia already showed their interest in the aircraft.
The general demand for the BE-200ChS amphibians is considered to amount to 115 aircraft by 2010, Brazhnikov added.