Sikorsky Aircraft continues to expand the S-92 flight envelope with new flight manual procedures for European offshore operations that allow the aircraft to either land safely on the helideck or continue flight if an engine is lost during takeoff or landing.

Sikorsky added JAR-OPS 3 (Joint Aviation Requirements Operations 3 ) Performance Class 2e Elevated Helideck performance data to the flight manual after completing 250 takeoff and landing maneuvers with simulated engine failures on a fully instrumented S-92. 

The flight test data was incorporated into the flight path computer simulation model to generate S-92 helideck performance charts to meet expected future European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) Operational Performance Requirements.

Most European-based twin-engine helicopters currently operate offshore in accordance with Performance Class 2 data. Performance Class 2 operations accept a limited period of exposure during which the loss of an engine during takeoff or landing from a helideck may result in a forced water landing.

The JAA is expected to require all twin-engine aircraft to meet the Performance Class 2e criteria by 2010. With the addition of the new Performance Class 2e data, the S-92 meets the requirement well before the deadline.

Sikorsky notes that the S-92 provides unprecedented levels of safety and reliability, including Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS) in all civil aircraft configurations. The S-92 helicopter is the first 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 was also the first helicopter certified by the FAA to FAR Part 29 Transport Rotorcraft, Amendment 47, the latest US safety regulations, which mirror the European standards.

FMI: www.sikorsky.com