For several years, the retirement of Russian- (at the time, Soviet-) made aircraft from the Czech Air Force has been a topic of public discussion. While the Mi-24 Hind helicopters (export designation Mi-35), acquired by the Czech Republic as part of a settlement of Russian debt, were retired by 2023, the remaining Mi-8 / 17 / 171Sh(M) series remained in service. Due to operational needs, it was decided that the Mi-17 and 171Sh aircraft would undergo major overhauls to continue their duties until the end of their next service life interval—8 years or 2,000 flight hours, whichever comes first. Some are progressively being upgraded to the Mi-171ShM standard. But what about the venerable Mi-8s? The decision was made to retire them permanently, and with full honours, by the end of 2025. And so it was. The very last to be retired was a Mil Mi-8S (PS-11) Hip, tail number 0836, which had served as a government helicopter for transporting top state officials since January 1989.
Technical Specifications
A medium-lift transport helicopter with a five-bladed main rotor and a three-bladed tail rotor (on the right side), designed for transporting high-ranking state officials in a VIP configuration.
|
Type |
Mil Mi-8S (PS-11) Hip |
MTOW |
12,000 kg 
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|
Tail Number |
0836 |
Empty Weight |
7,250 kg |
|
Manufactured |
1988 |
Range |
650 km |
|
Hours Flown |
> 5,150 FH |
Fuel Capacity |
2,615 litres |
|
Powerplant |
2x Klimov TV2-117AG |
Power Output |
2x 1,103 kW |
|
Crew |
3 (captain, co-pilot, flight engineer) |
Passengers |
max. 15 |
|
Cruise Speed |
200 km/h |
Service Ceiling |
4,500 m |
According to available sources, the Czech Republic operated a fleet of five of these VIP helicopters. At one time, this included three new Mi-8PS-11s (tail numbers 0834, 0835, 0836), an older Mi-8PS-9 (0829), and another PS-11 (0830). They were easily recognizable at first glance by the distinctive square windows of the passenger cabin. Helicopter 0835 was decommissioned in 2023 and has not flown since. The final aircraft, tail number 0836, accumulated over 5,000 flight hours and performed 10,300 take-offs and landings.
“We’ll fly to Karlštejn and back. It will take about 30 minutes.”
This was the briefing for all attendees of the farewell ceremony, who were invited on board this legendary helicopter before the official events began. An Aeroweb editor was among the approximately twenty passengers whose flight was personally approved by the Minister of Defence, Jana Černochová. The schedule included three departures dedicated to sightseeing and photo flights. The first flight, with this select group of passengers, lifted off from Kbely airfield at 11:16, with a crew consisting of Captain Vodička, co-pilot Zahradníček, and flight engineer Polášek. It was the flight engineer who delivered the briefing, informing passengers of the half-hour flight over parts of Prague, the Amerika quarries, and Karlštejn Castle before returning to base.
Despite expectations, the entire flight was remarkably smooth, without the slightest turbulence or altitude drops, and one could hardly notice being airborne. After landing, the second group of passengers boarded within minutes, followed by a third and final flight, this time with Fryščák as Pilot in Command. Afterwards, the ground crew refuelled the helicopter and conducted inspections of the rotor blades and other high-stress engine components.
Starring the Czech Flag and a Water Salute
The final retirement flight commenced at 14:00, personally piloted by Brigadier General Jaroslav Falta, Commander of the 24th Air Transport Base. After engine start-up, guests including journalists, photographers, former pilots, soldiers, veterans, and base personnel gathered on the apron. As scheduled, Minister of Defence Jana Černochová and her team also arrived. Once helicopter 0836 took off and disappeared from sight, all eyes turned to the sky. A few minutes later, it reappeared, flying low from behind the terminal and executing a perfect, tight turn for a second pass. The helicopter then climbed into the circuit to drop five parachutists. Their canopies, in the Czech national colours, drew applause from the crowd, especially as one of them flew the national flag.
Like the last of its kind, the Mi-8 descended from the sky for the final time. Its ground farewell was marked by the tradition of passing through a water cannon salute, created by two fire tenders from the base’s fire department. Anyone standing too close received a refreshing spray of water from the main rotor’s downdraft.
Retired, But No Replacement in Sight
The conclusion of the ceremony carried a distinctly nostalgic tone. In one of the base’s hangars, Minister Černochová and Brigadier General Falta held a brief press conference, where they both delivered speeches. They highlighted the importance of the Czech Armed Forces and the need for modernisation, extending beyond the air force. The Minister also thanked the personnel of the air transport base on behalf of the government for their reliable and flexible execution of their duties, praising their work throughout her tenure. “The Mi-8 was a very reliable and manageable helicopter, but it was also unforgiving of mistakes,” added General Falta with a serious expression. “Of course, I would have preferred to be welcoming a new type as we retire this one, but that is not yet the case.” By decree of the Minister of Defence, the 24th Air Transport Base Kbely was awarded the Cross of Merit, First Class, in recognition of its outstanding service.
The Aeroweb editorial team would like to thank the 24th Air Transport Base Prague-Kbely for the invitation to this unique event. Special thanks go to Cpt. Kosatíková, Maj. Vrbicová, and their team. We must also mention the Minister of Defence, Jana Černochová, whom we thank for authorising the flights. We look forward to similar events in the future, hopefully on a more positive note.
The photos in the gallery are by the author of this article.
Sources: 24th ATB Kbely, Helidat.cz, Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic
