In addition to writing for Aviation Week Network, Maxim holds a key position at Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine (www.ato.ru). In the past he was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications and earlier worked for the Moscow-based CAST defense think-tank.
Maxim has a degree on international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, and for several years worked at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Russian fleet of commercial helicopters is still a Soviet legacy, consisting mostly of outdated and aging models. Russian models will most likely continue to dominate the heavy-class category, but foreign rotorcraft manufacturers will gain market share with lighter models.
MOSCOW — The first Tupolev Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft is now in flight trials. The aircraft has been spotted at the Kazan-based KAPO facility, a subsidiary of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
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.
