"Aviatika-MAI-890" - on the "booth with wings" through the nineties to two thousand and twenty

Many consider small light-engine aircraft to be something of secondary importance: so, for pampering. But this can hardly be said about the Aviatika-MAI-890 multi-purpose aircraft. Not all projects of "heavyweight" liners were implemented and launched into large-scale production. Well, large cars could not break through all sorts of obstacles due to the inconsistency of the technical characteristics with the required parameters, the lack of patronage of high officials, the difficult political situation, lack of money, etc. But this small single-seat airplane, which is called the “booth with wings”, could!

What is MAI-890 for and what is it for?

The machine is multifaceted: air tourists fly on it, conduct training flights, carry out geological monitoring of the earth's surface and patrol. The aircraft is small and does not even belong to the "ultralight" type according to the international classification. This is a "very ultralight" - very light airplane or VLA for short. "Aviatika" has a whole "bunch" of advantages:

✅ low price (see at the end of the article)
✅ small dimensions and weight
✅ maneuverability
✅ economical operation

From the light "brothers" "Aviatika" inherited reliability, ease of piloting and safety. For example, with a sharp drop in speed, the MAI-890 does not go into a spin.


An important feature of the machine is the use of the same control channels that are available to large aircraft. However, the device does not fall into the category up to 115 kg and it will not work to fly on it without “rights”: a pilot license is needed.

How they created

Development started back in the Soviet period - in 1987. But it all started even earlier - in 1965, when a student design bureau was formed at the Moscow Aviation Institute. In 1982, it was named OSKBES MAI. Here they were engaged in the construction of prototype aircraft to test various equipment, aerodynamic solutions, technologies. At the bureau, Aviatika JSC was organized, which designed its first MAI-890 aircraft.


Already at the initial stage, everything was done to make the car meet the international standards FAR-23 and JAR VLA. Tests began in 1989, in the same year they organized large-scale production and deliveries to customers. At the end of 1999, the car was certified in Russia. A similar document for the aircraft was issued by South Africa, France and other countries.

Why was the plane built in the difficult 90s

There were a couple of "trendy" trends in the industry at the time. The first one is conversion. The capacities of enterprises were actively "freed" from military projects and loaded with civilian ones. At plant No. 30 (today MAPO, formerly Znamya Truda) they reduced the production of the MiG-29 and tried to start the construction of the T-101 Grach, as well as the notorious Il-114. However, even before them, empty workshops were occupied by MAI-890. In fact, it was originally planned to make a plane "for the soul."


Another trend was the transfer of amateur creativity to professional "rails". To a large extent, Aviatika owes its success to the cooperation of the student design bureau with such a coryphaeus of aircraft construction as the Federal State Unitary Enterprise RAC MiG. Perhaps that is why the car was immediately prepared for mass production.

How and what is it made of

It is a braced biplane, constructed according to the traditional scheme, with an all-metal fuselage and a pusher propeller. Wings and plumage are sheathed with fabric resistant to UV radiation and precipitation. The landing gear is not retractable (you can install skis or floats for landing on snow, a pond). The frame is made of aluminum pipes, and a number of elements are made of titanium, alloy steels and composites. The cabin is equipped with a pair of doors, in front of it - a fairing, behind - a soundproof screen made of fiberglass.


All control is mechanical, rigid, includes traction acting on the ailerons, elevator, there are trimmers-servo compensators. An agricultural version of the machine is proposed - the permit for the operation of Aviatika-MAI-890SH was signed on 26.04.2002/120/XNUMX. On it, under the body, it is possible to place a load (for example, a tank with chemicals, containers) with a volume of XNUMX liters. There are also two gyroplane options available to customers.


It is worth highlighting the modification of the machine, designed for geovideomonitoring. Here, the aircraft uses unique equipment installed by the Aviatika-Ural company (Yekaterinburg). The equipment makes it possible to use the MAI-890 to perform cartographic work, monitor the environment, and even create a data bank on the physical condition of building structures. All received video information is digitized and then processed by software to turn the image into a bitmap.


Also, special equipment allows you to determine the quality of farmland - soil. Namely, its temperature, the real supply of moisture. All this is of great value for growing crops.

Cabin

It contains a standard set of control and flight instruments: speed indicator, tachometer, variometer, altimeter, etc. Their number may vary depending on the engine version. Optionally, a radio station operating on VHF waves is installed. The pilot's seat is designed for an individual parachute.

Power point

Customers are offered three options for Austrian engines. The first is a two-cylinder carburetor Rotax-503UL, which develops 50 "horses" with air cooling. The fuel is a mixture of 92-octane gasoline with oil. The second option is also a two-cylinder Rotax-582UL, producing 64,4 liters. With. Here the cooling is already liquid, but the fuel is the same. And one more engine - a hundred-strong boxer four-cylinder Rotax-912ULS. The fuel is gasoline with an octane rating of 92.


It is a little pleasing that at least the screws are made in Russia by the DiD company: BB-89A-2 and BB-98E-11. The aircraft is equipped with a pair of 25 l fuel tanks. It is allowed to install an additional capacity of 55 liters. Technical characteristics of the single-seat version MAI-890 with Rotax-503UL engine:

✅ wingspan - 8,11 m
✅ length and height - 5,32 and 2,25 m
✅ empty weight (maximum) - 226 kg (350 kg)
✅ cruising (highest) speed - 90 km / h (115 km / h)
✅ height - up to 3,5 km
✅ duration of stay in the air - 2 hours 35 minutes

At the end of the summer of 1990, at the MAI-890 pilot M Makarov for the first time in the world set a record for vehicles of this class in rate of climb to a height of 3 km. Aviatika is a regular participant in salons and exhibitions in different countries, where it invariably arouses the interest of the public. There is another world achievement: for the first time, an educational university for an aircraft received an official document from the State Aviation Register.

Current situation and catastrophes

At this time, the release of "Aviatika" is engaged in a reputable enterprise - JSC RAC "MiG". Since 1992, more than 300 units of equipment have been produced and sold abroad and in the Russian Federation. Unfortunately, not everything is as smooth as we would like: from the beginning of production to the middle of 2021, three disasters were officially recorded in which five people died. Nevertheless, in the circles of specialists and amateurs, the car is quite popular and in demand. Today you can buy a used aircraft very inexpensively: for a single (2014 year of manufacture) they ask from 400-550 thousand rubles, designed for two people - 750 thousand rubles.