Utair might ground one-third of its fleet due to lack of spares

Utair, one of Russia’s largest civilian helicopter operators might ground one-third of its fleet by the end of 2023 as it cannot source enough engine parts and spares, as reported by local media. Utair operates a fleet of 320 helicopters of various types, including several versions of the Mi-8 and Mi-17, and the Mi26 heavy lifter, Western built Eurocopter AS355N and H125. Speaking at an industry event in Moscow, the CEO of Utair Andrei Martirosov pointed out that, in addition to the inaccessibility of components for Western helicopters, there are also issues with servicing Russian-made rotorcraft, due to the domestic industry