Samara Region

I do not cease to be amazed how much we have in the Samara region of interest of industrial plants and facilities. One of them is NPO "AeroVolga" where release amphibians. This company was founded in 2002 by a group of enthusiastic aircraft manufacturers, headed by Sergei Alafinovym, who is now chairman of the NGO "AeroVolga." It's only been 10 years since the founding, and the accounts of enterprises already have their production amphibians LA 8 of its own design in six versions. The global market for amphibious aircraft of this class is not very big, but in the Russian NGOs' AeroVolga "there are no competitors. Currently the company produces 12 aircraft per year, and has come to, to expand production.




01. NGO "AeroVolga" is located in the village of Krasny Yar (40 km from Samara), which is also in itself a unique phenomenon, as the aircraft plants are usually built in towns.



02. Scope of the aircraft capable of taking off and landing on land and water is quite large: the carriage of passengers and goods, the provision of emergency medical services in remote areas, border patrols, prompt action in emergencies, forest protection activities, including firefighting, recreation and tourism.



03. On the territory of the enterprise is also a flying club, where pilots often come from Samara.



04. The Director of the NGO "AeroVolga" Vyacheslav Lopuhov many years working in the aviation industry, as they say, on the plane knows every screw.



05. His office is hung with caps, brought from different air shows and donated flyers, souvenirs and diplomas.



06. Manufacture of aircraft is two hangars, divided into sections



07. In the plane LA-8 is not so much metal parts, some of them made here (including chassis), and some are purchased ready (engines, appliances, etc..)



08. Many of the plants that are accessed by the company "AeroVolga" per set, asked the price, which turned out to be cheaper to establish its own production.



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10. As it is not strange to hear, but the basic material from which made the plane amfibiya- this foam. The truth is not one in which packaged televisions and other consumer electronics, and special grades, with high density.



11. In this area is just made of foam core part samoleta- wings, tail, cockpit, bottom, and others.



12. Here the two halves tail of the plane, which are then glued together.



13. And this wing.



14. Inside the wing mounted fuel tanks 400 liters.



15. The foam is pasted over from both sides with a special cloth and becomes solid as a board and at the same time easy. Aircraft Parts, exposed to heavy loads (eg the bottom, or here govoryat- boat) is made of highly durable foam in several layers.



16. There are cut and polished the little details.



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18. The two halves of the bottom of the aircraft.



19. In the form of finished metal laid out and stick together a lot of pieces of foam. For better bonding foam pierced with needles. The process still quite labor intensive, requires a lot of accuracy in exactlywhat and gluing.



20. Now the company has an ambitious plan to make a round the world flight on their own aircraft.



21. Work has already begun preparations for its manufacture, here, in particular the future layout of the wing. The aircraft will be a great and powerful, with a supply of fuel for 4000 km (LA-8 fuel capacity to 1,200 km)



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23. The workers, cut and gluing parts of the foam.



24. The basis is also a foam seat, then they are trimmed to customer.



25. The average salary in the proizvodstve- 28 thousand rubles. Free food, the company also pays for gasoline and amortization of those who ride in his car from Samara.



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27. The chassis of own manufacture are tested for strength before installation.



28. The assembly shop. At the moment, there is going to three aircraft LA-8



29. The aircraft is equipped with two engines of the Czech or American-made, fuel-air, or gasoline. The main problem-supplied engines for a long time, you have to wait for 6-8 months.



30. The airplane without wings is a bit like a boat.



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32. Under the "hood" is empty :)



33. A few words about the main characteristics of the aircraft LA-8C: designed for 8 persons, including the pilot, payload of 950 kg, take-off speed of about 90 km / h cruising speed of 250 km / h, fuel consumption of 70 l / h, range 1300 km VVP- length of 400 m, the maximum wave height during takeoff and posadke- 0, 6 m, type of engine- LOM PRAHA M-337C-AV01, AVGAS-100LL fuel or gasoline is not lower than 95 hp power 2h235 Cost-30 million. Rubles. The company plans to reduce the cost of up to 25 million., As soon as production expands.



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36. NGO "AeroVolga" has its own design office in a separate building, which is located on the roof of the control room.



37. Inside KB



38. In his spare time, the staff seems to be playing with radio-controlled model airplane amphibious :)



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40. In general, the atmosphere here, I thought, a pretty family, though the company and employs about 60 people. Employees and members of the aero club sometimes organize holidays and fried skewers in a specially built for this canopy



41. The aircraft of one of the members of the aero club.



42. Vyacheslav shows the runway. Sometimes, when the flight is not in the territory involved in rural equestrian club.





44. On the territory is already under construction and will be another winter storage hangar for aircraft, there are also refueling.



5. And this aircraft not only performs the function of the monument, but it and check how transfers airframe heat, frost and rain.



46. ​​Thank you, Vyacheslav Nikolayevich for good organization of the tour! Our small group of bloggers from Togliatti, left to right: Director of the NGO "AeroVolga" Vyacheslav Lopukhov, Vadim Kondratiev, Dmitry Rouses, Yuri Petrov spherical panoramas on samolete- Anastasia Filippova



Source: chronograph.livejournal.com