Sikorsky S-92: From Design to Operations
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The S-92 was never born - long live the S-92A!!
The FAA Data Sheet makes interesting reading:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...C?OpenDocument
Perhaps Note 4 and all the ESFs where what got the rabbit excited (you didn't fire 4lb bugs bunny at the TR did you Nick !?!).
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...C?OpenDocument
Perhaps Note 4 and all the ESFs where what got the rabbit excited (you didn't fire 4lb bugs bunny at the TR did you Nick !?!).
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Yo Nick,
Congrats on the cert. Can't wait to seeing this thing flying around the Gulf Coast and ROW.
Any chance we will get to see it at Heli-Expo? Seems like a great center piece for Sikorsky's booth.
Chuckolamofola
Congrats on the cert. Can't wait to seeing this thing flying around the Gulf Coast and ROW.
Any chance we will get to see it at Heli-Expo? Seems like a great center piece for Sikorsky's booth.
Chuckolamofola
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Zalt,
The equivilent safety findings are details where we were allowed to propose alternate tests to get certification, the FAA gives them away grudgingly, but they really aren't shortfalls. For the bird strike ESF, we had to use the bird data that we got when we fired at the tail rotor and the drive shaft covers as proof that the 1.9 inch diameter (!) Titanium Pitch change links would not be damaged (!) by the bird, since the bird strike FAR requires tests, and allows only limited analysis as proof of compliance. We used the other test data on the more fragile and critical parts, and they allowed equivilent safety. We will shoot some birds at the pitch rods next spring to clean that up.
Chuck,
We are coming to Heli Expo, with rings on our fingers and bells on our toes, etc. You should see one of the prototypes flying over the Gulf in a few weeks too.
The equivilent safety findings are details where we were allowed to propose alternate tests to get certification, the FAA gives them away grudgingly, but they really aren't shortfalls. For the bird strike ESF, we had to use the bird data that we got when we fired at the tail rotor and the drive shaft covers as proof that the 1.9 inch diameter (!) Titanium Pitch change links would not be damaged (!) by the bird, since the bird strike FAR requires tests, and allows only limited analysis as proof of compliance. We used the other test data on the more fragile and critical parts, and they allowed equivilent safety. We will shoot some birds at the pitch rods next spring to clean that up.
Chuck,
We are coming to Heli Expo, with rings on our fingers and bells on our toes, etc. You should see one of the prototypes flying over the Gulf in a few weeks too.
Nick,
Poor choice of words....."clean that up" after shooting yucky things into a tailrotor ? (or what become very yucky things after going through the tail rotor!)
Poor choice of words....."clean that up" after shooting yucky things into a tailrotor ? (or what become very yucky things after going through the tail rotor!)
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Ok.. going of at a slight tangent here... but idle curiousity begs the question...
Are there many incidences of tail rotor bird strikes?
It's not something I have heard much of. I have, however come across more incidences of persons walking into tail rotors; the last one being a Brit lass into a Lynx in Bosnia.
Obviously I would assume the S-92 is primarily aimed at securing military customers and so resistance to 'combat damage' will be a major safety selling point.
Regardless of any of that, you just have to congratulate the entire team for their years of hard work in bringing a new aircraft from the sketch pad to the landing pad.
Are there many incidences of tail rotor bird strikes?
It's not something I have heard much of. I have, however come across more incidences of persons walking into tail rotors; the last one being a Brit lass into a Lynx in Bosnia.
Obviously I would assume the S-92 is primarily aimed at securing military customers and so resistance to 'combat damage' will be a major safety selling point.
Regardless of any of that, you just have to congratulate the entire team for their years of hard work in bringing a new aircraft from the sketch pad to the landing pad.
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Nick
I would like to congratulate you and you team on bringing to the market place not only a good looking a/c but one that will wipe the smile of the face of the french. Long have we suffered the poor support and delicate Puma (MK2) on the North Sea and I will look forward to getting my grubby mits on the S92.
Respect
PS
There must be enough material for you to write a book on the birth of what hopfully will be a very capable machine
I would like to congratulate you and you team on bringing to the market place not only a good looking a/c but one that will wipe the smile of the face of the french. Long have we suffered the poor support and delicate Puma (MK2) on the North Sea and I will look forward to getting my grubby mits on the S92.
Respect
PS
There must be enough material for you to write a book on the birth of what hopfully will be a very capable machine
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Congratulations
Nick, I would also like to congratulate you and your team for a job well done.
I believe the S-92 will be an exceptional helicopter with a very long and distinguished career, and as long as you guys keep it versatile and adaptable (like the Black Hawk), you'll sell lots of them.
I also think it'll be an outstanding search/rescue and relief helicopter, which is my interest in it. I very much plan to see it at Heli-Expo, as my wife and I have been looking forward to seeing it for some time. I'm also looking forward to seeing all of the other operational and equipment certifications that you guys plan to add to it.
I believe the S-92 will be an exceptional helicopter with a very long and distinguished career, and as long as you guys keep it versatile and adaptable (like the Black Hawk), you'll sell lots of them.
I also think it'll be an outstanding search/rescue and relief helicopter, which is my interest in it. I very much plan to see it at Heli-Expo, as my wife and I have been looking forward to seeing it for some time. I'm also looking forward to seeing all of the other operational and equipment certifications that you guys plan to add to it.
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Capn Notarious
We will have an aircraft there, it will fly some demos for the companies who have ordered the machine. I will be there too, mostly because I love Texas barbeque!
handyandyuk,
I think there have been tail rotor bird strikes, I dimly recall one about 10 years ago. The bird strike rules are interesting, they require that we protect anything that is exposed to strike, at Vne. We actually had to redesign the tail rotor spars after the first set of tests, since the design requirements that we used to use were not adequate if you take into account the approximately 5 tons of shock the bird gives the tail blade on impact!
The "regular" Sikorsky military design rules were also met, including ballistics and object strikes, since we intend to use the whole drive train (engines, transmissions, rotors and blades) on the most advanced version of the Black Hawk in a few years. The gearboxes bolt right into the Hawk family.
Maxng,
We certainly set our sights on the North Sea environment, mission and ranges. This is also a natural fit for SAR. We think competition is healthy, you should have a choice, it makes us all work harder. This does not mean that we regret causing a few "merde"s in southern France, mind you! They make us do it a few times, too! I am friends with a few of the EC test pilots, and many of the Westland guys, and they are good fellows. The friendly rivalry is fun.
I recall the Boeing crew dropping off a box of bull**** onto our flight field at Stratford, CT with a few of our UTTAS marketing brochures back in 1975! We reciprocated with a funny coloring book ("See the mast moment indicator, it shows how much trouble you are already in... Color it red.") and some horse **** in a box dropped by parachute onto their test center ramp! I also remember at a Heli-Expo overtaking an AS 365 by 25+ knots and passing them in a climb, while they were on a demonstration flight with prospective customers. The demo pilot was Jim Brown, who had tears in his eyes at the bar that night telling me how he told the prospects that the helo blowing their doors in was an experimental French machine that he couldn't talk about!!!
We will have an aircraft there, it will fly some demos for the companies who have ordered the machine. I will be there too, mostly because I love Texas barbeque!
handyandyuk,
I think there have been tail rotor bird strikes, I dimly recall one about 10 years ago. The bird strike rules are interesting, they require that we protect anything that is exposed to strike, at Vne. We actually had to redesign the tail rotor spars after the first set of tests, since the design requirements that we used to use were not adequate if you take into account the approximately 5 tons of shock the bird gives the tail blade on impact!
The "regular" Sikorsky military design rules were also met, including ballistics and object strikes, since we intend to use the whole drive train (engines, transmissions, rotors and blades) on the most advanced version of the Black Hawk in a few years. The gearboxes bolt right into the Hawk family.
Maxng,
We certainly set our sights on the North Sea environment, mission and ranges. This is also a natural fit for SAR. We think competition is healthy, you should have a choice, it makes us all work harder. This does not mean that we regret causing a few "merde"s in southern France, mind you! They make us do it a few times, too! I am friends with a few of the EC test pilots, and many of the Westland guys, and they are good fellows. The friendly rivalry is fun.
I recall the Boeing crew dropping off a box of bull**** onto our flight field at Stratford, CT with a few of our UTTAS marketing brochures back in 1975! We reciprocated with a funny coloring book ("See the mast moment indicator, it shows how much trouble you are already in... Color it red.") and some horse **** in a box dropped by parachute onto their test center ramp! I also remember at a Heli-Expo overtaking an AS 365 by 25+ knots and passing them in a climb, while they were on a demonstration flight with prospective customers. The demo pilot was Jim Brown, who had tears in his eyes at the bar that night telling me how he told the prospects that the helo blowing their doors in was an experimental French machine that he couldn't talk about!!!
Iconoclast
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Make as much noise as you can.
When I was working on the A-129 I convinced the engineering and flight test groups to fly an AB-205 in the immediate area when they were demonstrating the A-129 to make a comparison in the noise generated by the two helicopters.
Iconoclast
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Who won what?
To: widgeon
I can’t say who won that is if you were referring to my last post about the A-129 and the AB-205. The demonstration of the A-129 was for potential customers looking for an attack helicopter. The direct competition was the Bell Cobra, which had a similar noisy (plop-plop-sounding rotor system). Since most of these potential customers were from mountainous countries they could not afford to have a noisy helicopter. Any sales that were made were after I left Agusta.
I can’t say who won that is if you were referring to my last post about the A-129 and the AB-205. The demonstration of the A-129 was for potential customers looking for an attack helicopter. The direct competition was the Bell Cobra, which had a similar noisy (plop-plop-sounding rotor system). Since most of these potential customers were from mountainous countries they could not afford to have a noisy helicopter. Any sales that were made were after I left Agusta.
Hopefully the interior has been tidied up eh!
Onya Nick and Sikorsky.
Just one small question that I know XNR is dying to ask..... can we fly it to the roof? hahaha
Again .... congrats.
Onya Nick and Sikorsky.
Just one small question that I know XNR is dying to ask..... can we fly it to the roof? hahaha
Again .... congrats.
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Nick - MaxNG
Even with their "unique" Gallic customer "support" and their dainty designs, EC probably aren't too depressed:
MaxNG is it not true that CHC have the 225 on order already?? Or will they pull out of the deal after the two BP contract losses? Plus CHC run the biggest 332 / Makila overhaul business outside France so have a big interest in the family.
Bond have ordered L2s for their long BP transport contract, doubling the UK L2 fleet. IMHO they would not want the hassle of supporting a second {large} type on any future contracts for several years if they could avoid it (and may not have the people anyway).
Bristow (who flown nearly 50% of all civil AS332 hours) may well have reconsidered their view on the merits of Sikorsky product support after events last year.
The people who really decide on the types the operators bid for a contract are the oil companies. The only other UK contract with enough aircraft to justify ordering a new type (ignoring any orders to implement Jigsaw) must be well over half way through its term (but smart money must surely be a change of type in the southern sector being even more likely). That oil company probably still have bitter memories of the introduction and demise of the BV234 (all new types = all new problems).
So Nick, are Sikorsky's spending quality time with the North Sea oil companies yet?? If so, how do you prove to an oil company sceptic that a new type will perform out the box safely & reliably and meet the DOC?
Having said that, with the S-92A, AB139 and EC155 on offer it looks like the next few years may be very interesting in the North Sea....!
Even with their "unique" Gallic customer "support" and their dainty designs, EC probably aren't too depressed:
MaxNG is it not true that CHC have the 225 on order already?? Or will they pull out of the deal after the two BP contract losses? Plus CHC run the biggest 332 / Makila overhaul business outside France so have a big interest in the family.
Bond have ordered L2s for their long BP transport contract, doubling the UK L2 fleet. IMHO they would not want the hassle of supporting a second {large} type on any future contracts for several years if they could avoid it (and may not have the people anyway).
Bristow (who flown nearly 50% of all civil AS332 hours) may well have reconsidered their view on the merits of Sikorsky product support after events last year.
The people who really decide on the types the operators bid for a contract are the oil companies. The only other UK contract with enough aircraft to justify ordering a new type (ignoring any orders to implement Jigsaw) must be well over half way through its term (but smart money must surely be a change of type in the southern sector being even more likely). That oil company probably still have bitter memories of the introduction and demise of the BV234 (all new types = all new problems).
So Nick, are Sikorsky's spending quality time with the North Sea oil companies yet?? If so, how do you prove to an oil company sceptic that a new type will perform out the box safely & reliably and meet the DOC?
Having said that, with the S-92A, AB139 and EC155 on offer it looks like the next few years may be very interesting in the North Sea....!
The EC-155 has had it's share of problems in the oil patch....supposed to be an internal audit going on in Nigeria about the 155/Dornier Jet decision and the subsequent performance of the two "new" types. Shell Oil may be catching on to the questions lots of others have been asking about the two programs....but there it seems to be more of why the decision was made to buy the particular models/types for the operations being conducted. Race horses don't pull plows very well kind of thing!
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handyandyuk- reading another post which mentioned Hermes - I've just recalled the Sea King HC4 that was downed by a bird (probably a damn big one) in the South Atlantic in 1982. Sadly almost all the passengers (SAS being cross-decked) perished.
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zalt,
Good memory, here is a web site:
http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Fa...raftlosses.htm
19th May 1982 Sea King Lost
A Sea King crashed while moving a large group of SAS troops from H.M.S. Hermes to H.M.S. Intrepid killing 22 men. .......... At 300 ft the Sea King started it's decent towards H.M.S. Intrepid. those on board heard a thump, then another from the engine above them. The Sea King dipped once then dived . Within four seconds it hit the water. Some men were killed instantly and other knocked unconscious in the initial impact. Amazingly 9 men managed to scramble out of the open side door before the helicopter slipped below the waves. They were the only survivors. Rescuers found bird feathers floating on the surface were the helicopter had impacted the water. It is thought that the Sea King was the victim of a bird strike. One theory is at the Sea King was hit by a Black Browed Albatross which has a 8 ft wing span. The SAS lost 18 men on this night. ...........
Good memory, here is a web site:
http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Fa...raftlosses.htm
19th May 1982 Sea King Lost
A Sea King crashed while moving a large group of SAS troops from H.M.S. Hermes to H.M.S. Intrepid killing 22 men. .......... At 300 ft the Sea King started it's decent towards H.M.S. Intrepid. those on board heard a thump, then another from the engine above them. The Sea King dipped once then dived . Within four seconds it hit the water. Some men were killed instantly and other knocked unconscious in the initial impact. Amazingly 9 men managed to scramble out of the open side door before the helicopter slipped below the waves. They were the only survivors. Rescuers found bird feathers floating on the surface were the helicopter had impacted the water. It is thought that the Sea King was the victim of a bird strike. One theory is at the Sea King was hit by a Black Browed Albatross which has a 8 ft wing span. The SAS lost 18 men on this night. ...........
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Nick - thanks: at my age I can never be sure if I'm reminiscing or hallucinating!!
One of the pilots did definitely get out as he did ETPS in the mid80s and went onto RW research flying at RAE.
One of the pilots did definitely get out as he did ETPS in the mid80s and went onto RW research flying at RAE.