Also Celebrates 100th S-76 Airframe Delivered By Aero Vodochody

At the 2006 Farnborough International Air Show, Sikorsky Aircraft announced its S-92 helicopter continues to perform at an impressive operational tempo with the fleet recently passing 20,000 total flight hours.

The first production S-92 aircraft was delivered in late 2004. Twelve of the S-92s currently in service fly an estimated 130-160 hours per month; two of the aircraft have more than 2,200 flight hours to date.

"The S-92 has become a popular choice for offshore oil operators, who fly these aircraft in challenging conditions," said Mick Maurer, Sikorsky vice president, commercial programs. "The S-92 has proven itself to be a reliable, tough aircraft."

The S-92 is a multi-mission medium helicopter used in a variety of roles including offshore oil, executive transport, search and rescue, and airline. It is also the first helicopter in the world certified to the latest US Federal Aviation Administration and European Joint airworthiness safety standards.

Sikorsky also celebrated the 100th delivery of an S-76 airframe from Aero Vodochody, during a ceremony Wednesday at Farnborough. The milestone comes just after five years since Aero Vodochody delivered the first S-76 airframe in January 2001 -- eight months after signing the contract.

"Aero's quality and schedule performance have been superlative," said Eric Hansen, S-76 program manager for Sikorsky. "We look forward to extending this partnership and the strength it provides to the continued success of the S-76 program."

"Aero Vodochody takes pride in keeping pace with Sikorsky's production requirements and will continue to deliver world-class airframes that meet the highest standards for performance in a timely fashion," said company president Petr Klimes.

FMI: www.sikorsky.com, www.farnborough.com