S-76A 1st flight...

[wrench1]

42 years ago today. And guess who was flying it....
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/13-march-1977/

[JohnDixson]

Unfortunately, the picture in the article was not taken for the first flight of the 76A, but rather, some months later when we were honored by a visit from His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan. Actually we flew all the three prototypes that day. I recall the schedule was tight on the last ship ( the one I took ) and while flyable it didn’t have SAS and a number of other things. Did have two C-30’s.

[SASless]

Later on....while working for American Airlines Training Corporation doing Flight and Simulator Training for Sikorsky on the S-76.....I was sent to Amman, Jordan to do a Conversion Course for two Iraqi Air Force Pilots under the sponsorship of the Jordanian Air Force and had the privilege of meeting King Hussein.

I very much enjoyed my time there and got to see an interesting part of the World.

Sitting in the Holiday Inn looking at bullet holes in the walls that were left over from a PLO attack made the conversation a bit interesting.

[Sikpilot]

To me its still the best looking helicopter flying. Love the S76...hence my name here.

[SAR driver]

I agree that they’re the best looking helicopter. I loved flying them on SAR but they were a little underpowered for that kind of work.
Well done John Dixson!

[Ascend Charlie]

Flying the grunty S-76 B was the most fun I have had in 45 years of aviation. Smooth, fast, and in VIP config, roomy.

[rrekn]

In the article it states that the S-76 was the front runner for the USCG Short Range SAR helicopter, but then Sikorsky pulled out for a 'business decision'. What was the reason?

[Droop Snoot]

JD will provide the definitive answer, but my recollection is as follows. I don't believe the reason that circulated in the company at that time, but I'll provide it anyway!

It was said that SAC abandoned the competition because, ironically, they were afraid they would win, and not be able to meet the USCG desired delivery schedule. Remember, at that time the actual and projected civil production rates were quite high, and the production capacity was saturated. From memory, not long after that, the civil rates dropped precipitously, and the work would have been well appreciated.

Probably not much more than rumor, with suspect veracity, but a good story nevertheless!

[Dave B]

In 1994 I was asked to go to Jordan to have a look at the last 76s they had for sale, they looked a bit sorry by this time, but delving beneath the surface, it looked like they were free from corrosion and worth restoring.
I advised the directors that the aircraft were worth saving, and they were purchased together with all the spares.
We airfreighted them back to Redhill courtesy of the RJAF C130s and converted them to Arriels, subsequently 3 went to Australia, 1 to Aberdeen, and one to Italy.
I believe Two are still flying in the states.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1299/jordan_7_be31726540a5f332e736c5235ad30d930f9783d6.jpg

[Dave B]

That was a before picture, here is an after.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1333/jordan_11_13a1bcbb1447f2151f6f888bbb8f3c6b5748cf78.jpg

[JohnDixson]

DS and rrekn,

The Sikorsky Archives statement re the reasons we dropped out of the competition ( which we thought we had won unofficially ) are the same ones I heard internally at the time, to wit 1) Not wanting to grant to the US Gov’t the data rights to the design; 2) Concern re the financial liability attached to a fixed price avionics suite package. Not mentioned in the archives, but heard in the halls, was that there was concern re the production line capability. Can’t comment on that as I never heard any serious discussion along those lines.

As to the first, the US Army had already demonstrated doing that with a separate R&D contract on the CH-54, wherein an automated single point load stabilization flight control system ( a sophisticated take-off on the SH-3 sonar cable angle hover system ) which was paid for with Army funds, was given to Boeing and showed up in the Boeing HLH proposal some years later. Thus it was going to happen anyway and further, the technology in the 76 rotor, flight controls and drive train were very influenced by the UH-60 design,none of it was classified etc etc.
The second point was well taken, but a solution existed in controlling the precise wording used in the contract ( a solution we did not exercise in two future, non-S-76 foreign sales, BTW ).

[Dick Smith]

I purchased and flew Sikorsky S-76A serial number 12 around the world. That particular flight was from East to West.

I found it a magnificent machine and ended up selling it to the St John’s Ambulance EMS service in New Zealand, and I understand it is still operating there.

I was once told that serial number 12 was actually flown by King Hussein of Jordan himself. Does anyone know if there is any factual basis to this?

If anyone is interested, there is a scan of the book I published on this trip. The book is called “Above the World” and here is a link: Above the World by Dick & Pip Smith 1996 (http://dicksmithadventure.com.au/above-the-world/)

I have also put my documentaries of my solo helicopter flight around the world on this website http://dicksmithadventure.com.au/ as well, under “Documentaries & Films”, “Adventure documentaries”, then “Solo Around the World by Helicopter Stage one (http://dicksmithadventure.com.au/solo-around-the-world-by-helicopter-stage-one/)”, “Solo Around the World by Helicopter Stage two (http://dicksmithadventure.com.au/solo-around-the-world-by-helicopter-stage-two/)”, "Solo Around the World by Helicopter Stage 3 1982/3 (http://dicksmithadventure.com.au/solo-around-the-world-by-helicopter-stage-3-1982-3/)" and “Solo Around the World BBC edit 1982-83 (http://dicksmithadventure.com.au/solo-around-the-world-bbc-edit/)”.

I have often said to people I owe my life to the incredible reliability of North American technology and manufacture.

[JohnDixson]

Dick, Nick Lappos went to Jordan and with his excellent memory would know the answer.

[Old Dogs]

I have fond memories of this aircraft.

Great airframe - lousy engines.

[Dave B]

I think its perfectly possible that King Hussein would have flown the S76. not sure if it would have been number 12 though. When I was there looking at the last five for sale, the engineering officers told me that if he had a particular problem to sort out, he would take a C130, with a crew, and just fly around the desert to collect his thoughts.

[EESDL]

Quick question whilst you guys are reminiscing .....
what are the tyre pressures for nose and main for 76C++
the usual tinterweb search has me flailing!

[hico-p]

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x525/bzac_florida_f677944277f1eedfca0549af84dbaf860fbda4a4.jpg
Myself and Andy O'Pry in November 1979 - the first of the 4 BAH aircraft - a dream to fly after the 58T!!

[Senior Pilot]

Quick question whilst you guys are reminiscing .....
what are the tyre pressures for nose and main for 76C++
the usual tinterweb search has me flailing!


The original pressures were 190psi, from memory?

[212man]

In 1994 I was asked to go to Jordan to have a look at the last 76s they had for sale, they looked a bit sorry by this time, but delving beneath the surface, it looked like they were free from corrosion and worth restoring.
I advised the directors that the aircraft were worth saving, and they were purchased together with all the spares.
We airfreighted them back to Redhill courtesy of the RJAF C130s and converted them to Arriels, subsequently 3 went to Australia, 1 to Aberdeen, and one to Italy.
I believe Two are still flying in the states.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1299/jordan_7_be31726540a5f332e736c5235ad30d930f9783d6.jpg
I remember 'KR - I think it had about 500 hours TT and felt like new to fly. The story was that the proceeds from the sale of the spares covered the original total purchase cost - not sure how true that was.

[Dave B]

The purchase price for five aircraft, and all the spares was $2.5 million. The logistics department started to add up the spares total, but get fed up and stopped at $4 million.
There was a cost to the refurbishment and conversion of course.
One interesting fact was that the elastomeric bearings had sagged with lack of use, we asked Sikorskys advice, and they said, "the heads are safe to fly like that, but the bearings will probably not last as long as normal".
In the event, the aircraft were very smooth, and our local rep. said that one of them, (it might have been KR) was the smoothest 76 he had ever flown in.

[212man]

Yes, KR was really smooth and tight.

[HeliSteveNZ]

Hello Mr. Smith,
Yes, your old machine is still flying for us at Northland Emergency Services Trust and clocked 10,000 hrs in January. She is going strong however will be decommissioned for good sometime this year once our new C++ models are up and running.

Steve

[Dick Smith]

Great to hear this. Will you take it too the dump when it expires or will put it in museum ?

[Democritus]

A similar photo to hico-p's post #17. Newly out of the West Palm Beach factory - summer 1980. A pleasant step up from a Bo105!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/800x513/g_bibg_florida_c66baccddf9d89abe1cb181e70ab05b191a256c0.jpg

[Dave B]

G-BIBG was inherited by BHL when Caledonian closed down. We always had a problem with CofAs , as one particular surveyor objected to the overhead switch panels, which he said were a crash hazard. (they were).
It had to be respectfully pointed out, that they were an approved mod., that altering them would involve rewiring the whole cockpit, and BA had four aircraft like that anyway.
G-BIBG was different to all the other Bristow fleet, including the ex. Jordanian.

[HeliSteveNZ]

Good question. I do not know what plans the boss has for it.

[Plank Cap]

Flew 5000 hours of S76 time in various corners of the planet, various models. Lovely aircraft, the earlier A models usually the nicest handling, though when the French motors arrived reliability increased hugely. Being 280nm offshore with the old Allison C30s working balls out was always enough to concentrate the mind somewhat.....

[heli61]

Still to this day, in my opinion, arguably the most beautiful helicopter ever built

[megan]

the French motors arrived reliability increased hugely5,300 in the A, 5,800 in the C. We didn't get much life out of the C30, but they were reliable, engines were blue printed on overhaul. Turbomeca on the other hand gave us four hand grenade events which were not operator induced. Following one investigation the comment was made that the engine didn't meet certification requirements, something to do with oil lines, since that particular failure resulted in an oil fed fire. Absolutely loved the aircraft, but the original A was a pain in the butt with the puny pilot ventilation being just a one inch or so gasper directed to the top of ones scalp. Engineers fixed that with a BIG gasper mounted on the edge of the instrument panel. Bliss.

[JohnDixson]

Ah, Megan, the A model ventilation memories: the three prototypes had zero: no vents, no fans, no sliding window-nuttin’. That first spring/summer of 1977 in South Florida was just wonderful. Then early the next year we went to Inuvik for the cold weather test and well, you can guess the rest.