Sikorsky S-92: From Design to Operations
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PHI buys two S-92s for Gom
PHI has signed an agreement to purchase two Sikorsky S-92s which should enter service in 2004 and support deepwater drilling and production activity in the Gulf of Mexico.
Sales of the S-92 have now taken place in two of the world?s leading oil producing regions, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, as well as in the North American corporate market.
"PHI is one of the world's top commercial helicopter operators, and one of our most valued customers," said Jeff Pino, Sikorsky's senior vice president for marketing and commercial programs. "PHI has utilized every commercial helicopter that Sikorsky has produced, from the S-55 in the early 1960s to the S-92 today. We are thrilled with PHI's continued confidence in our aircraft and their willingness to introduce the S-92 into the Gulf of Mexico."
PHI provides helicopter transportation and related services to a broad range of customers including the oil and gas industry, air medical programs and the third party maintenance business.
Sales of the S-92 have now taken place in two of the world?s leading oil producing regions, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, as well as in the North American corporate market.
"PHI is one of the world's top commercial helicopter operators, and one of our most valued customers," said Jeff Pino, Sikorsky's senior vice president for marketing and commercial programs. "PHI has utilized every commercial helicopter that Sikorsky has produced, from the S-55 in the early 1960s to the S-92 today. We are thrilled with PHI's continued confidence in our aircraft and their willingness to introduce the S-92 into the Gulf of Mexico."
PHI provides helicopter transportation and related services to a broad range of customers including the oil and gas industry, air medical programs and the third party maintenance business.
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Friends in Sikorsky say that this will make PHI the first offshore operator of the S92. First aircraft rumoured to be delivered sometime 2nd quarter of 2004.
Can anyone confirm this? What happened to Cougar's lead position as the first offshore operator?
LE
Edited for typo
Can anyone confirm this? What happened to Cougar's lead position as the first offshore operator?
LE
Edited for typo
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PHI plans to have the S-92s in operation by May or early June 2004. I'm not sure but I think the Sikorsky press release states PHI will be the first GoM operator of S-92s.
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S-92 with 5 blades....
I recently heard a "rumor" that Sikorsky might start a project with 5 rotorblades on the S-92 to eliminate todays vibrations on the machine. I know the prototype 4 which was in europe had a heavier tail than the production machines and a lot of test equipement onboard.
I think this rumor is made on the basis of the feedback from the pilots who flew the machine and think it was to rough on ground and in the air.
Nick L. Do you have any knowledge of this?
I think this rumor is made on the basis of the feedback from the pilots who flew the machine and think it was to rough on ground and in the air.
Nick L. Do you have any knowledge of this?
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With Fly By Light apparently on the cards surely this would unlikely??
Moving the pedals to get a bit more leg room might be a more urgent and more affordable tweak!
Plus in the commuter role some overhead storage might be handy (putting anything other than a WSJ or FT under a crashworthy seat being illadvised!). I can't see a fat cat in a hurry wanting to wait for an attache case to be fished out of the vast 'hold'. The BV234 was designed with bins from one of its Boeing big brothers I recall.
Moving the pedals to get a bit more leg room might be a more urgent and more affordable tweak!
Plus in the commuter role some overhead storage might be handy (putting anything other than a WSJ or FT under a crashworthy seat being illadvised!). I can't see a fat cat in a hurry wanting to wait for an attache case to be fished out of the vast 'hold'. The BV234 was designed with bins from one of its Boeing big brothers I recall.
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Since we started selling the machines, this rumor has persisted, inexplicably. The rumor is wrong on all counts, four blades works splendidly, thank you. The character of the aircraft is that it has some 4R vibration on the ground, especially in moderate winds. This can be relieved by raising the collective a bit, especially during taxi.
Warning, Commercially tainted paragraph follows:
Reports attribute the rumor about 5 blades to French salesmen who can't seem to sell the aircraft they have, the with one too many blades and not nearly enough performance for the price.
Warning, Commercially tainted paragraph follows:
Reports attribute the rumor about 5 blades to French salesmen who can't seem to sell the aircraft they have, the with one too many blades and not nearly enough performance for the price.
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Nick - What was the hydraulics problem they had on the last day of Heli Tech that they grounded the machine more. This info came from one of the Sikorsky people there.
Autorotate.
Autorotate.
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Shame because a lot of people enjoyed watching it come and go. Always funny watching a big aircraft taxi out on wheels. Rick gave me a good walkover the aircraft and explained all the systems and would hate to be the guy that has to hand carve all the rotorheads out of the big block of metal 
When doing a walkaround its easy to see the family resemblence on ideas from the CH-53, Blackhawks etc. Love the luggage space in the back and the way the sponsons have been designed. Good luck with the program, it looks like it should be a winner.
If I remember correctly isnt the S-92 the only aircraft, apart from the S-76 that has been specifically designed for the civil helicopter industry, apart from specialised aircraft like the Kmax etc.
When doing a walkaround its easy to see the family resemblence on ideas from the CH-53, Blackhawks etc. Love the luggage space in the back and the way the sponsons have been designed. Good luck with the program, it looks like it should be a winner.
If I remember correctly isnt the S-92 the only aircraft, apart from the S-76 that has been specifically designed for the civil helicopter industry, apart from specialised aircraft like the Kmax etc.
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Back to the 4-per-rev... Out of curiosity, Nick, what does that beast use for vibration suppression. Are you using Active Vibration Suppression? If so, do you take advantage of that to allow variable or scheduled rotor speeds?
I know we can get some interesting advantages sheduling rotor speeds with the lighter birds (speed, noise, fuel consumption advantages), I was wondering if that applies to the big iron.
I know we can get some interesting advantages sheduling rotor speeds with the lighter birds (speed, noise, fuel consumption advantages), I was wondering if that applies to the big iron.
Slightly OT, but when we put the Westland Sea King into RN service, a Friday Happy Hour rumour that it would fly on 4 blades if one was lost in flight (
) became a year long discussion, firmly believed by those who weren't there 
Then there was the time I told a Buccaneer driver that the fuel dump tube was the mounting for our arrestor hook, to be fitted for non diversion carrier ops. Took less than 24 hours to become firm fact
) became a year long discussion, firmly believed by those who weren't there Then there was the time I told a Buccaneer driver that the fuel dump tube was the mounting for our arrestor hook, to be fitted for non diversion carrier ops. Took less than 24 hours to become firm fact
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Sacre blue le Plastic Fantastique Ecuriel was certainment designed pour le Civil Marche . ( at least I am fairly sure the miltary version came after ) . I think maybe the A109 and the EC135 were also specifically designed for Civil market.
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Avnx,
the 92 uses an active vibration system where a computer controls a set of elecric motors with excentric weights that spin as commanded to create counter-vibrations. Works very well, we have 3 of them around the aircraft, and sensors on the cabin and cockpit floor. the computer sorts out what is needed to keep things smooth. We also have a bifilar on the rotor head. the system tunes to any rotor rpm, so it does not go off tune in autorotations or approaches.
see http://www.s-92heliport.com for some data in the presentations that you can download.
the 92 uses an active vibration system where a computer controls a set of elecric motors with excentric weights that spin as commanded to create counter-vibrations. Works very well, we have 3 of them around the aircraft, and sensors on the cabin and cockpit floor. the computer sorts out what is needed to keep things smooth. We also have a bifilar on the rotor head. the system tunes to any rotor rpm, so it does not go off tune in autorotations or approaches.
see http://www.s-92heliport.com for some data in the presentations that you can download.
Iconoclast
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Tall tales revisited
To: John Eacott
As a training manager on Sikorsky helicopters I monitored a class being presented by a US Army instructor teaching H-37 flight controls and dynamic systems. One of his students asked what would happen if the H-37 lost a blade in flight. The instructor replied that the remaining blades would reposition themselves and the helicopter could continue flying.
The centrifugal force (and if NickLappos is reading this) the centripetal force created by the spinning blade is around 72,000 pounds which would create a tad bit of imbalance.
As a training manager on Sikorsky helicopters I monitored a class being presented by a US Army instructor teaching H-37 flight controls and dynamic systems. One of his students asked what would happen if the H-37 lost a blade in flight. The instructor replied that the remaining blades would reposition themselves and the helicopter could continue flying.
The centrifugal force (and if NickLappos is reading this) the centripetal force created by the spinning blade is around 72,000 pounds which would create a tad bit of imbalance.
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I have had to study this carefully and find that the typical helicopter undergoes about 2 to 3 g's of lateral vibration if an entire blade comes off. This occurs at about 3 to 8 cycles per second, a really bad ride. For most helos, this vibration magnitude and frequency takes the tail cone off, and the rest is history.
That film of the intermeshing Pumas taken on a home video shows the tail collapse on both machines, look at PUMA Helicopters Midair Collision half way down the page:
http://www.helisite.be/list_link.php?cat=9
That film of the intermeshing Pumas taken on a home video shows the tail collapse on both machines, look at PUMA Helicopters Midair Collision half way down the page:
http://www.helisite.be/list_link.php?cat=9
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Nick L. Saw the Puma vid.. nightmare!!
As for your vibration cancelling, why didn't you guys just do the same thing as the system fitted on the s-76, just hike the 1R Vrt up to about 0.15 i.p.s. to mask the 4R, could have saved yourselves a fortune!!
Any jobs going in your good ideas department???
As for your vibration cancelling, why didn't you guys just do the same thing as the system fitted on the s-76, just hike the 1R Vrt up to about 0.15 i.p.s. to mask the 4R, could have saved yourselves a fortune!!
Any jobs going in your good ideas department???
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Matelot B'stard,
You are on to our trick!! Actually, I agree that if one vibration is high enough, iut is difficult to judge if another frequency is behaving itself. Helo test pilots can get good enough to arrive within .1 IPS of a vibration amplitude without using the vibe gear. I use the physiological cues from my body to tell, (teeth slight chater at .5 IPS, etc.) On one test flight, I do recall having to fly with horizon reference because nothing in the cockpit was standing still enough to be read! In one experimental aircraft, the vibration was so bad my legs fell asleep, the blood couldn't figure out which way to flow, at the capillary level, I think.
Seriously, most S-76's can get quite smooth, especially in 1 per rev (1R). If not, there might be some tweeking needed on the blade. Email me for more info if you'd like.
You are on to our trick!! Actually, I agree that if one vibration is high enough, iut is difficult to judge if another frequency is behaving itself. Helo test pilots can get good enough to arrive within .1 IPS of a vibration amplitude without using the vibe gear. I use the physiological cues from my body to tell, (teeth slight chater at .5 IPS, etc.) On one test flight, I do recall having to fly with horizon reference because nothing in the cockpit was standing still enough to be read! In one experimental aircraft, the vibration was so bad my legs fell asleep, the blood couldn't figure out which way to flow, at the capillary level, I think.
Seriously, most S-76's can get quite smooth, especially in 1 per rev (1R). If not, there might be some tweeking needed on the blade. Email me for more info if you'd like.