First S-70i Helicopter Deliveries Expected Soon
Flight test operations at Sikorsky Aircraft's company in Poland,
PZL Mielec, are fully operational, and the company is preparing to
deliver the first S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, Sikorsky Aircraft
announced Tuesday.
Test Pilot Leszek Pawula, a well known Polish test pilot, was
hired in late 2010 to support flight testing of the S-70i Black
Hawk helicopter line. Among the professional qualifications
Pawula holds are a Helicopter Class 1 Test Pilot Rating
(Experimental Test Pilot), an airline transport pilot license (ATP)
with 4,300 hours in helicopters, and a commercial pilot license
with 800 hours in fixed wing aircraft, to date. Pawula is one of
only three designated test pilot instructors and examiners
appointed by the Polish Civil Aviation Authority.
"Leszek Pawula brings a great depth of experience to his role on
the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter team. He is one of the most
experienced test pilots in Poland, with more than 5,000 flight
hours logged, and is rated in a multitude of fixed wing and rotary
aircraft," said Mike Skaggs, Sikorsky S-70i Helicopter Program
Pilot currently based at PZL Mielec. "We are extremely proud to say
that Leszek is the first Polish pilot to be rated in the Black Hawk
helicopter."
In preparation for flight testing capabilities to be done at PZL
Mielec, Sikorsky refurbished an existing hangar and paint shop, and
added a rescue and fire station staffed by five fulltime
firefighters trained in standard firefighting techniques, aircraft
crash rescue and Black Hawk helicopter emergency egress
procedures.
"The overall performance of the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter
final assembly and test flight operations at PZL Mielec has
exceeded Sikorsky's expectations," said Robert Mastronardi, S-70i
senior program manager, Sikorsky Military Systems. "The leadership
team and work force has seamlessly transitioned to production of
the Black Hawk helicopter and are now ramping up to full production
quantities. The attention to detail, commitment to excellence and
pride in the end product is evidenced in the aircraft that are
being delivered to Test Flight Operations."
The S-70i Black Hawk helicopter program hangar at PZL Mielec can
house two Black Hawk helicopters with blades installed, or three
without blades. Plans call for the hangar space to be increased
later this year to meet the demand for S-70i Black Hawk
helicopters. PZL Mielec plans to hire and train one or two
additional Polish pilots this year to support flight operations
that will commence in 2012.
"The work force at PZL Mielec has continued to pay meticulous
attention to detail on the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter program,"
said Janusz Zakrecki, CEO of PZL Mielec. "In a relatively short
span of time, the team has taken ownership of its mission: to
produce, flight test and ultimately deliver the international
variant of the world's most battle-proven helicopter -- the Black
Hawk -- for the world."
The S-70i helicopter is the newest Black Hawk variant, being
produced for the international market. PZL Mielec, which recently
marked its fourth anniversary as a Sikorsky company, is the final
assembly center and production test flight hub for the program.