Hmmmm...just got this from our local newspaper.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. says no “run dry” requirement is necessary for certifying civilian helicopters “as described in media reports.”
Sikorsky spokesman Paul Jackson said in an e-mail that the S-92A is “fully compliant with the lubrication system failure requirement” of the U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR).
The Globe and Mail reported Monday that the S-92A — the same model helicopter that crashed off Newfoundland March 12 killing 17 people — failed a key safety test.
That test, known as a run-dry requirement, determines whether the aircraft can keep flying if the oil in its main gearbox leaks out.
Sikorsky says a bypass switch in the S-92A allows pilots to capture the remaining oil if there is a leak.
It must be switched on within five seconds of noticing a drop in oil pressure.
“The aircraft has a bypass system that isolates leaks and re-circulates oil in the main gearbox once activated by the crew,” Jackson said in an e-mail.
“This system was certified by the (U.S.) Federal Aviation Authority as meeting the lubrication system failure requirements and was accepted by Transport Canada and EASA.”
EASA is the European Aviation Safety Agency.
“While the investigation into the Cougar S-92A accident continues, we cannot disclose any details that may be pertinent to the investigation. Sikorsky, however, takes exception to the characterization that the helicopter failed to meet any FAR 29 requirement,” continued Jackson.
So: Is the "run dry requirement" not a requirement after all? And how does the crew "notice" a drop in oil pressure? Aural warning, master caution? 5 seconds doesn't seem like a long time when it could be an indication problem, for instance.