S61 - Who is Operating?
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Florida
Age: 59
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Doesn't the US State Department operate the largest S-61 fleet these days?
New S-61 Helos for the US Government
New S-61 Helos for the US Government
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: dark side off the sea!!
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stored
The S-61N's used on the state department were stop gaps until the converted ex SeaKings to Triton spec.
The S-61's are all currently in storage as some of the mods done to them were not approved and leaves they in a grey area.
The S-61's are all currently in storage as some of the mods done to them were not approved and leaves they in a grey area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bravo73
Doesn't the US State Department operate the largest S-61 fleet these days?
New S-61 Helos for the US Government
The State Department sold most of their S-61's in 2016.
Originally Posted by Bravo73
Doesn't the US State Department operate the largest S-61 fleet these days?
New S-61 Helos for the US Government
The State Department sold most of their S-61's in 2016.
That's surprising, as they were ramping up their fleet quite significantly in 2011 I seem to recall. They had about 30 under contract, and were authorised to buy 110 of them.
Any word on why they retired them all so suddenly?
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Amazon Jungle
Age: 38
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think I have never seen many people talk negative things about the S-61, perhaps no one as I can recall. Was this the best "non modern technology" large type helicopter ever built?
Thread Starter
Every pilot we have ever interviewed about the S61 has always been complimentary - don't think I have ever heard a bad word against that helo - unlike many of todays modern ones 
