View Full Version : Happy Birthday S-76 - 33 years young
HOSS 1
13th Mar 2010, 22:31
Imagine that. Thirty three years ago today, John Dixson and Nick Lappos took the very first S-76 on its very first flight.
Dick Smith
13th Mar 2010, 23:44
Great aircraft. I took one around the world- east to west- from my front lawn here in Sydney in 1994.
Very expensive parts though!
Ciaran Haughey
14th Mar 2010, 04:27
Dick, You are very modest. You flew a Bell 206 Jetranger around the world. Before GPS, poper communication. Seat of the pants stuff. Your the hero of single helicopter pilots around the world. C.
Dick Smith
14th Mar 2010, 10:39
Thanks mate! Best part of that flight was locating the ship with my fuel drums in the north pacific using a homemade NDB with an aerial hanging over the ships crane.
They were exciting days before GPS!
CLKiller
8th Jan 2011, 16:52
Just wanted to know some info on the RH sliding door on your S76..way back!
Plank Cap
8th Jan 2011, 17:48
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/ruplaw/Rotary/S76pic.jpg
AdamFrisch
8th Jan 2011, 19:51
She's still the best looking girl out there after 33 years. Amazing design by Aristide Albert at Sikorsky and a testament to her lines.
Dick Smith - where can I read about your world tour with the S-76?
Ascend Charlie
8th Jan 2011, 21:23
Dick's first book is Solo Around The World, published by Australian Geographic (of course!) and is ISBN 1-8627-6008-X
The S76 flights are in Above The World, (AG again) ISBN 1-86276-017-9
Amazing photos, amazing guy.:ok:
The Tox
10th Jan 2011, 05:03
Yep.....S/No 760010. Happy Birthday!:D
Nigel Osborn
10th Jan 2011, 05:19
Surprisingly Australia & Thailand thanks to Okanagan were the second operators of the S76. Air Log beat us by 1 week I think. It was fun sorting out all the teething problems that any new helicopter tends to have. Sikorsky had an excellent team of engineers on site for quite a while plus a factory pilot to do our endorsements. Good days!:ok:
Flying Lawyer
10th Jan 2011, 07:18
33 years young.
I thought the maiden flight of the S-76 was in March 1977. If so, it's almost 34 years young.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Aviation/nicklapposmaiden76_1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Aviation/nicklapposmaiden76_2_700.jpg
bb in ca
10th Jan 2011, 07:25
Yep.....S/No 760010. Happy Birthday!
I flew 760010 a couple weeks ago. It's still in Thailand. It's currently registered HS-HTU.
donut king
12th Jan 2011, 00:51
flew hs-htu some years ago myself. wow, its still goin!