7th Sikorsky In The University Of North Dakota Fleet

Sikorsky Global Helicopters, a Sikorsky company, recently delivered an S-300C helicopter to UND Aerospace at the University of North Dakota.

The university has operated Sikorsky helicopters in its training program since 1983. The new helicopter becomes the seventh Sikorsky helicopter in operation in UND's fleet. UND has three more S-300C helicopters on order this year.

"We operate the S-300C model in our training program because it is a good training platform," said Don Dubuque, fleet manager and director of extension programs at UND Aerospace. "It is also a very dependable and safe aircraft."

Ken Polovitz, assistant dean of student services at UND Aerospace, said the university's helicopter program is growing. "We currently have more than 800 students enrolled in fixed wing and helicopter training at UND, and more and more of them are becoming interested in the helicopter industry as a career track," Polovitz said.

The S-300C helicopter is used for missions ranging from law enforcement and utility patrol to lift operations. The S-300C helicopter operates in many roles including military patrol, power line/pipeline patrol, commercial and military flight training, ranching, external load operations, animal surveys, aerial photography and personal transportation.

UND has a long history of training Army ROTC cadets already enrolled as undergraduates in the school's aviation program. Since 2003, UND also has provided summer training courses to cadets from West Point and other Army ROTC programs around the country. So far, 179 cadets from West Point and Army ROTC programs have attended summer helicopter training courses at UND.

FMI: www.und.edu