Jayhawk vs S76 C++

[RotorSwede]

Saw this program on the tele the other day about the USCG and their Jayhawk SAR machines. Just wondered how the new civilian S76 C++ SAR modell stands up to that machine? The Jayhawk is a bit bigger and flies a bit faster. Can you match these two ? Just curious if anyone has flown them both ....

www.sikorsky.com didn't really have enough info on the Jayhawk to satisfy my curiosity, so I turn to where the experts are :D

best regards

RS

[helopat]

I can't help much in terms of S-76 info, but the Jayhawk, for all intents and purposes, is a first cousin of the Seahawk, so the following Seahawk information is provided...hope it gives a benchmark for those who come later with the info on the C++.

Seahawk(SH-60B, S-70B-2)

Max AUW - approx 21000 lbs
Max Fwd Speed - 180 KIAS
Cruise Speed - approx 120 KIAS
Hook Capacity - 6000 lbs
Hoist Capacity - 600 lbs
Endurance - about 3.5 hrs (2 x T-700-GE-401C engines use about 1000lb/hr)
Range - dependent on speed, external jugs (about 35o nm without jugs; up to, say, 600 nm with full internal fuel and two jugs at max range speed of about 135 KIAS)
Pax - depends largely on cabin configuration; up to 8 seated (plus the crewman), or two stretchers, or lots if all the seats are out and we're cramming them in like sardines

Generally a nice ride for the front seaters and a reasonably solid performer. Puts out HUGE ammounts of downwash at a 60-70 ft hover overwater (or overland for that matter) so dust and seaspray are a factor (as well as not blowing away the small airplanes, boats, and bathers). From my experience, its not the most pleasant bird to have hovering over you when you're getting winched (lots of spray in the eyes...you really rely on the crewman to either get the strop into your hand, or come and help you personally, which I believe is the way the USCG do it).

One thing the Jayhawk has over the Seahawk is that slick glossy paint job...beats flat gray any time.

Happy to provide more if there are holes in my info.

HP

[NickLappos]

The Jayhawk is an HH-60, basically a Seahawk but without the heavy anti-sub kit and equipment. It is literally twice the size of the 76, in every way.
It has an MGW of 21,500 lbs, nearly twice that of the S-76C++ at 11,700.
The Jayhawk has two 1970 SHP engines, also twice the C++. The empty weight is also twice, but the payload is therefore twice.

It has about 350NM radius of action with 1/2 hour hover, and an auto-hover auto-approach SAR coupled control system.

[Aser]

Yep, all that stuff is correct above. The CG has virtually always flown the thing with two externals on the left and sometimes one on the right. Over the life of the airframe, this led to a lot of stress imbalances in the transmission deck because the loading structure for external stores is different than that of many of the Blackhawk models. Transmission deck cracking was one of the problems the aircraft had that Sikorsky had to burn the midnight oil on. Probably wouldn't have been a problem had Sikorsky known up front that for all intents and purposes the externals were going to be continually mounted and continually used. Transmission deck cracking was one of the factors that led the CG to start looking at an alternate machine to fulfill the MRR requirements of Deepwater.

Why they don't use this external config.? Seems compatible with the hoist...
http://eu.airliners.net/photos/middle/2/8/7/0857782.jpg