SIKORSKY DELIVERS FIRST S-76D HELICOPTER

06 Jan 2014

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Bristow Group has taken delivery of the first of Sikorsky's high-tech helicopter, the S-76D. It is the first of 26 S-76Ds which will be used to transport oil rig workers.

The S76-D is the latest in a long line of S-76 helicopters with equipment and features to make it the most capable, the quietest and the most able to fly in all-weather conditions.

The S-76D’s baseline equipment includes:

• More powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S engines
• An advanced THALES TopDeck integrated avionics system and four-axis autopilot
• Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) incorporated into fleet monitoring and analysis 
• Active vibration control
• All-composite, flaw-tolerant main rotor blades 
• A Rotor Ice Protection System (RIPS) for all-weather capability will be available as an option.

“This delivery marks a historic occasion for Sikorsky as the new S-76D helicopter heads into service," said Carey Bond, president, Sikorsky Global Helicopters."We are thrilled that the first completed aircraft is going to our highly valued customer, Bristow Group, with which we share a 40-year relationship and a culture of safety and quality.”

“Bristow is committed to providing the safest, most reliable and efficient service to our clients, and our S-76 aircraft have done just that by consistently performing a demanding and intensive offshore oil and gas transportation mission on an aggressive schedule,” said William E. Chiles, president and chief executive officer of Bristow Group.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the Type Certificate for the baseline S-76D aircraft in October 2012. In the ensuing year, the Sikorsky Flight Test program expanded certifications. The S-76D helicopter achieved FAA certification for offshore oil operations on 31 October 2013, enabling Sikorsky to deliver completed aircraft for that mission.

This certification increases the S-76D helicopter’s maximum gross weight to 11,875 pounds and allows up to 12 passengers for operations in the offshore oil configuration. The S-76D helicopter also received an expanded baseline certification, allowing the aircraft to operate in a wider range of environments.

“The S-76D helicopter delivers the safety, reliability and efficiency our customers have come to expect from the S-76 family of aircraft, but with faster cruise speed and a more efficient fuel burn,” added Sikorsky's Carey Bond.

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Bristow 

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