Calli - for 'at least the equivalent of the Sea King' read 'exactly the same capability as a 50 year old helicopter' - very impressive for a new generation helo
except that in order to get that RoA, you have to have the aux tanks fitted which reduces the cabin capacity. Can you get 17 pax seated in an S-92 with the aux tank fitted?
The safety features of the 92 were extensively lauded when the aircraft was pushed as a SAR machine and they traded heavily on its heritage, being based on the Blackhawk drive train etc. Unfortunatley the 'meeting new airworthiness and certification standards' sales pitch didn't mention that the 30 min run dry capability required under FAA pt 29 had been dodged by Sikorsky rather than complied with as highlighted by the Newfoundland crash.
Now to be fair, most are expecting the Soteria aircraft to be a B model with a better designed aux tank, new oil filter housing with 6 fixing points and possibly even a whole new MRGB to cope with the MRGB foot cracking issue but there is no guarantee this will be the case, especially since they will need to be in service next year for the transition to start in 2012.
It is about time Soteria did start to put their plan into the public domain if they want to avoid speculation and scuttlebutt.