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Old 1st October 2005 | 22:35
  #115 (permalink)  
Phil Kemp
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From: Sussex, New Brunswick. Formerly Bowen Island B.C. Canada - one of the greatest places to live on Earth...
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Sorry, the link didn't work, you'll have to click to see it.

Just like this one! There are quite a few of them flying around in the US commercial marketplace (maybe 10 or so). They have been flying around since the late 60's, although it is really in more recent times they have become much more common.

Here's a couple of them together!

Sikorsky delivered only one commercial S61A, (N318Y) to Utility Helicopters. All the others are former military aircraft. All are Restricted Category. The later ships are SH-3G/H models, but were configured back to the Sikorsky S61A Type Certificate - this is no longer possible, so there are a number of "new" S61A and H-3 variant Type Certificates out there.

N3173U is nowadays back with Carson and is sporting some nice looking new blades and a belly tank these days! These modified commercial machines have the "H" model pylon, allowing the use of long (ribbed) tail rotor blades, and utilise all commercial S61 components and CT-58 engines. A few strategic structural upgrades that eliminate all the problem areas in the MGB support area and tailcone attachment. New wiring, strip out everything not required, fixed gear and you will show up in the mid 10K's empty weight range if you have Carson Blades and a Kawac hydraulic system. I have seen them weigh in under 10,000 pounds before though!

The short "N" models weigh slightly more, but basically the same aircraft! I operated "A"'s and short "N"'s side by side for many years, and both were configured identically other than the parts specific to the "A" model configuration.
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