Mil Mi-171 "Hip"

Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant · Soviet Union · first flew 1991 · helicopter

The Mi-171 is the export and civil designation for the Ulan-Ude-built Mi-8AMT variant, a modernised derivative of the classic Mil Mi-8 with more powerful TV3-117VM turboshaft engines.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	18.42 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Export and civil designation for the Mi-8AMT with TV3-117VM engines
Five-blade main rotor and rounded nose with clamshell rear cargo doors
Identical in outline to Mi-8 Hip but with updated engines and systems

Visually indistinguishable from the Mi-8 Hip in basic outline — large five-blade rotor, rounded nose, twin engines atop the cabin — identified by engine nacelle shape and designation markings.

Specifications

The Mil Mi-171 has a length of 18.42 m (60 ft).
It has a wingspan of 21.29 m (70 ft).
Its maximum speed is 250 km/h (155 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Produced at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant in Siberia since the late Soviet period, the Mi-171 has become one of the most widely exported Russian helicopter variants. It entered widespread service in the 1990s and has been continuously updated. The type has been sold to over 30 countries and operates across a wide range of civil and military roles.

Variants

The Mi-171 family includes the Mi-171A1 with enhanced performance, the Mi-171Sh combat transport, and the Mi-171A2 with glass cockpit and new rotor system.

Where you'll see it

Operated globally by military and civilian operators; particularly prevalent in China, India, South America, and Africa in transport, utility, and search-and-rescue roles.

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