The new Ka-32A11BC firefighting helicopter has arrived at the Moscow Aviation Center. Mayor of the capital Sergei Sobyanin announced this on Sunday, February 8. "It is equipped with avionics and navigation systems, adapted to operate in crowded urban areas and difficult conditions. All systems include domestic components, the software was developed by experts from the National Helicopter Production Center," the city's head said. Helicopters are used to extinguish large fires and forest fires. Fires are extinguished using externally mounted drainage devices that can hold up to five tons of water or horizontal and vertical fire suppression systems. If necessary, use a foaming agent tank. The Ka-32 crew consists of two pilots and one flight engineer. Moscow Aviation Center employs more than 400 specialists ready to perform complex tasks. Sobyanin also said that the only female pilot working on the city's ambulance plane is Ekaterina Oreshnikova, who flies the VK117S-2 helicopter. In total, the city has 13 helicopters in operation – firefighting, ambulance and air surveillance. Crews are on duty around the clock, the average time to receive a call is 10–15 minutes, the Moscow mayor's channel in Moscow reported. MAX. Last February, the mayor announced that the fire and rescue helicopter was currently being repaired at our base in Moscow. Previously, all planned work on the city's air train was carried out outside the capital. For example, in Ulyanovsk and Bashkiria. After the opening of a specialized workshop at the Moscow Aviation Center, repairs were carried out directly at the airport. On March 2, 2025, it opened in Moscow New helipad at the city clinical hospital named after VV Veresaeva in the Dmitrovsky district of the Northern Administrative Okrug. According to the city head, this location is equipped with everything necessary to operate 24/7. For example, the control room, modern lighting equipment, as well as weather equipment racks and wind direction indicators.
