Maksim covers aerospace developments in Central Asia for Aviation Week. He has worked for Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine and was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications after working for the Moscow-based CAST defense think tank.
Maksim has a degree in international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow.
Fly-by-wire controls are commonplace in fixed-wing aircraft, but a rarity in rotorcraft. Cost is usually cited as the reason for not using FBW, despite its performance advantages, but now Kazan Helicopters is removing fly-by-wire from its light twin-turbine Ansat because of safety concerns.
Even though Russia bet heavily on Western turbofans to revive its commercial aerospace fortunes, the country has also continued to focus on bolstering its domestic aircraft engine industry. That effort is now a step closer with the Perm-based Aviadvigatel design bureau moving forward with development of the PD-14 turbofan to power Russia's new Irkut MS-21 narrowbody airliner. The aircraft also is being offered with the Pratt & Whitney PW1400G.
