Sikorsky Developing Automated 'Rig Approach' for S92
07 March 2013
Sikorsky is on the verge of achieving FAA certification for an automated rig approach capability for the S-92 medium helicopter.
The function is expected to result in a 60% reduction in pilot work load as the aircraft is brought into an automated level and slow approach to an oil rig.
Spencer Elani, director of the S-92 programme, said at the Heli-Expo exhibition that the system was expected to complete certification in March or April.
‘We have been working this for a few years. We have actually flown the rig approach two weeks ago with the FAA. So rig approach is basically an automatic flight to the rig. So you put in the coordinates of the approach you would to make to the rig, take-off and push a button and it’s hands off to the rig,’ Elani said.
The system includes automatic departure, guaranteed water clearance (levels off at 200 ft) and simplifies the final landing, approaching the rig at 30 knots groundspeed.
‘The crew can focus on their surroundings and don’t have to worry about pushing any buttons. Come down out of the clouds in a stabilised approach and then actually fly at 30 knots, so very slow. It determines the flight path; it determines whether they want to manually go on the rig. If they don’t want to go on the rig they can fly by or push a button and you can come back around and take another go.’
‘We believe, our customers believe and now we have the support of the FAA that this is a big safety enhancement. It’s been a long time coming and it is going to be a big safety improvement to the fleet. And then we will go back and eventually do it to our other products such as the S-76.’
Heli-Expo 2013: Sikorsky offers automated rig approach for S-92 - News - Shephard