Sikorsky rolls out CH-53K
Coincidentally
Seeing that "141kt" figure also sent me to the Sikorsky site, which then led to sidetracked browsing of their quite detailed Rotary Wing Legacy area where I saw this: "In 1956 a Marine HR2S-1 helicopter set 3 World records: a speed record without payload of 162.7 mph (141.4 kts); an altitude record of..."
Lone,
The V-22 is cheap compared what the 53K will cost. As to the low speed I have never seen Sikorsky put out conservative numbers. Is the slow speed related to the some compromise they had to do with the transmission to make the redesign acceptable or something with the rotor?
The Sultan
The V-22 is cheap compared what the 53K will cost. As to the low speed I have never seen Sikorsky put out conservative numbers. Is the slow speed related to the some compromise they had to do with the transmission to make the redesign acceptable or something with the rotor?
The Sultan
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The 53K will be a very good and reliable heavy lift rotorcraft eventually. There was a big jump in performance between the 53E and 53K models. The V-22 had quite a few development issues, yet it has turned out to be a very nice rotorcraft.
CH-53K's entry into low-rate production delayed eight months
In Flight Global today:-
CH-53K's entry into low-rate production delayed eight months
CH-53K's entry into low-rate production delayed eight months
The Sikorsky CH-53K’s entry into low-rate production has been delayed again, this time by eight months to February 2017, because of gearbox failures last year and the late delivery of parts from suppliers, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports in its annual assessment of Pentagon weapon projects.
The King Stallion development effort achieved first flight last October – "nearly three years later than originally planned" and five years after completing its critical design review.
In January, the second test model began flying at Sikorsky's facility in West Palm Beach, Florida and the GAO report notes that it contains the improved gearbox that was first trialled on a ground test vehicle.
“The unexpected redesigns of the aircraft's various gearboxes, as well as the late delivery of some components, have delayed delivery of the remaining two engineering design model test aircraft,” the GAO states in its 31 March report. “This has created delays at the production facility where parts are received from vendors, which is expected to impact the flight test schedule.”
The supersized King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter will replace the US Marine Corps' Sikorsky CH-53E, which was introduced in the 1980s and has anticipated service life of 41 years.
The cost of developing the aircraft has grown by 44% from $4.7 billion to $6.8 billion since 2005 and the procurement estimate for 200 aircraft stands at $19 billion.
The date for completion of operational testing shifted nine months since the GAO's 2015 report, from September 2018 to June 2019.
Despite gearbox troubles and the reported production issues, the Marines still expect to have the first war-ready squadron in place by July 2019..
Sikorsky officials said at a recent press briefing that the CH-53K flight test programme expects to log about 100h in 2016.
The Lockheed Martin-owned helicopter manufacturer expects to complete the second and third flight test aircraft this year, to support performance, propulsion and avionics flight qualification.
US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) reported on 24 March that the King Stallion recently demonstrated its advertised speed of 140kts with 15° angle-of-bank turns.
“This marked the last test flight in direct mode,” NAVAIR says. “The primary flight control system work up included 120kts, climbs and descents and hovering pedal turns.”
The King Stallion development effort achieved first flight last October – "nearly three years later than originally planned" and five years after completing its critical design review.
In January, the second test model began flying at Sikorsky's facility in West Palm Beach, Florida and the GAO report notes that it contains the improved gearbox that was first trialled on a ground test vehicle.
“The unexpected redesigns of the aircraft's various gearboxes, as well as the late delivery of some components, have delayed delivery of the remaining two engineering design model test aircraft,” the GAO states in its 31 March report. “This has created delays at the production facility where parts are received from vendors, which is expected to impact the flight test schedule.”
The supersized King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter will replace the US Marine Corps' Sikorsky CH-53E, which was introduced in the 1980s and has anticipated service life of 41 years.
The cost of developing the aircraft has grown by 44% from $4.7 billion to $6.8 billion since 2005 and the procurement estimate for 200 aircraft stands at $19 billion.
The date for completion of operational testing shifted nine months since the GAO's 2015 report, from September 2018 to June 2019.
Despite gearbox troubles and the reported production issues, the Marines still expect to have the first war-ready squadron in place by July 2019..
Sikorsky officials said at a recent press briefing that the CH-53K flight test programme expects to log about 100h in 2016.
The Lockheed Martin-owned helicopter manufacturer expects to complete the second and third flight test aircraft this year, to support performance, propulsion and avionics flight qualification.
US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) reported on 24 March that the King Stallion recently demonstrated its advertised speed of 140kts with 15° angle-of-bank turns.
“This marked the last test flight in direct mode,” NAVAIR says. “The primary flight control system work up included 120kts, climbs and descents and hovering pedal turns.”
US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) reported on 24 March that the King Stallion recently demonstrated its advertised speed of 140kts with 15° angle-of-bank turns.
The Sultan
Program set back ... gee, what modern program isn't running into this? It appears that pushing the edge of the performance and payload envelopes keeps being difficult.
Good thing the V-22 never had any problems during development ... (oh, wait, V-22 isn't actually on topic in this discussion).
But look at what the Marines get for sticking with it, the V-22, no matter the criticisms and no matter the set backs.
A good bird.
Here's a thought: they'll get the same with the 53K. A good bird that hauls loads of stuff. (IIRC, they aren't going for speed as the major metric with 53K, that's what Avenger and Defiant are chasing after)
Lone
I was talking speed and bank angle. I am sure the bank angle will increase, but the reported max speed by Sikosky is 142 knots!
I apologize to 1950 helicopter designers the max speed for the S-58 was 150 kts, so the 53K's reported max of 142 is poor by the standards of the 50's.
The Sultan
I was talking speed and bank angle. I am sure the bank angle will increase, but the reported max speed by Sikosky is 142 knots!
I apologize to 1950 helicopter designers the max speed for the S-58 was 150 kts, so the 53K's reported max of 142 is poor by the standards of the 50's.
The Sultan
WC
If you scan the threads it is NAVAIR and Sikorksy press releases which keep stating the surprising low max speed of 142 Knots. One would expect a press release, especially from Sikorksy, would say that the envelope expansion is paused at 140 Knots for tests before expanding to the originally published speed of 170 K. None of them have. So right now 142 Kts is the ships PR max speed. Numerous have commented that this is strange. Ass a tax payer one would expect the an 53K with no external load to at least keep up with the UH-1Y.
The Sultan
If you scan the threads it is NAVAIR and Sikorksy press releases which keep stating the surprising low max speed of 142 Knots. One would expect a press release, especially from Sikorksy, would say that the envelope expansion is paused at 140 Knots for tests before expanding to the originally published speed of 170 K. None of them have. So right now 142 Kts is the ships PR max speed. Numerous have commented that this is strange. Ass a tax payer one would expect the an 53K with no external load to at least keep up with the UH-1Y.
The Sultan
Thread Starter
CH-53K arrived in Europe
It has arrived today, in Germany ahead of next month's ILA,
cheers
cheers
Thread Starter
Here she is, my photos first prodcution a/c making its first international debut ...mid week at ILA,
cheers
cheers
Thanks chopper. Those sponsons are indeed huge.
Any comment on the flight display? Aggressive or routine? I would imagine they will want to show some underslung loads off.
Any comment on the flight display? Aggressive or routine? I would imagine they will want to show some underslung loads off.
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