Test Pilot: "The Aircraft Is Spectacular"

Sikorsky Aircraft's first production S-92 helicopter took to the Connecticut skies on June 14, accomplishing a successful first flight and ushering in a new era in civil rotorcraft.

Pilots Ron Doeppner and Andy Evans guided S-92 #6 into a standard 30-minute hover over Sikorsky's Stratford plant, performing all routine controllability maneuvers and completing engine and avionics checks.

"The aircraft is spectacular," said Doeppner. "The engines have more power margin than anything I've ever flown before, and the vibrations were incredibly smooth for a first flight."

Aircraft #6 is scheduled for a mid-summer production delivery to Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., and a total of 12 aircraft will be delivered this year. Customers include VIP transport as well as both domestic and international offshore oil operators.

On June 8, Sikorsky's S-92 became the first helicopter in the world certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency/Joint Aviation Authorities (EASA/JAA) to the latest and most rigorous safety standards. The S-92 is the first and remains the only helicopter in the world certified by the FAA to FAR Part 29 Transport Rotorcraft, Amendment 47, the latest U.S. safety regulations. The Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR) are the European counterpart of the USA-based FAR, with similar safety regulations. On the heels of last week's EASA/JAA certification is Transport Canada approval, slated for later this summer.

Sikorsky recently established another rotorcraft industry first when the company standardized its new S-92 and S-76 safety baseline to include Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS) in all civil aircraft configurations. EGPWS helps pilots avoid controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).

"Sikorsky has a fierce commitment to customer value, which encompasses constant safety oversight and unwavering customer support." said Jeff Pino, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Programs.

Sikorsky is moving full speed ahead with the S-92 performance expansion envelope. The S-92 was certified for flight in instrument conditions (IFR) in April, while major advancements toward certification of the S-92 for flight into known icing conditions were achieved earlier this year, as the aircraft completed successful tests behind a CH-47 icing tanker. Favorable weather at test sites throughout North America produced a broad range of natural icing temperature and moisture conditions that spanned the entire certification envelope. The concluding aspects of full icing certification will occur later this year when regulatory agencies fly the S-92 for final approval in known icing.

As first deliveries approach, all necessary elements of support are ready or in final preparation. A multi-million dollar range of spare part inventory, publications and support eequipment are in place, and technical manual validation on the first aircraft is being completed. Sikorsky's Worldwide Customer Service organization is implementing systems to capture and use data originating on the first operational aircraft. Combined data from the Health Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), bearing monitors, maintenance data computers, and maintenance management systems will electronically flow to Sikorsky for real-time analysis and action.

Training, conducted by Sikorsky's partner FlightSafety International, is in full swing. Crews scheduled for operational missions are already using the FlightSafety S-92 flight simulator at the West Palm Beach Learning Center, and customers are currently attending training courses. The simulator is on track for FAA Level D certification in July.

FMI: www.sikorsky.com