Sikorsky S-76: Difference between revisions

S-76 Spirit
	A New Jersey State Police helicopter flying low
Role	SAR/utility helicopter
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
First flight	March 13 1977
Primary user	CHC Helicopter Corporation
Variants	Sikorsky S-75

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Revision as of 20:01, 21 April 2009

The Sikorsky S-76 Spirit is an American multi-purpose medium-size commercial helicopter. The S-76 is powered by two turboshafts which combine to drive the main and tail rotors, each of four blades. The S-76 landing gear is retractable.

Development

An early production Sikorsky **S-76A** owned by Canadian Helicopters and used in the air ambulance role.

The development of the machine began with Sikorsky in the middle of the 1970s. Target group were companies, which looked for a medium business helicopter, as well as the oil drilling industry. Sikorsky's development experiences from the UH-60 Black Hawk served as the basis for the S-74 (later renamed S-76 Spirit in honor of the US Bicentennial). which was able to transport 2 pilots and 12 passengers, received first two Allison 250 C30 turboshafts with 478 kW each. The prototype completed its first flight on 13 March 1977.^[1]

The S-76A was the first production variant. The type achieved 1982 several class records within the range climbing achievement, maximum speed and ceiling. Several airlines operate the S-76A on scheduled services including Helijet Airways of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

After the S-76A, the S-76 Mk II (1982), the S-76B in the year 1987 with a top speed of 155 knots at sea level. Over 500 S-76s had been delivered by early 2001.^[2]

Until December 2005 the S-76C+ was in production. It is equipped with Turboméca Arriel 2S1 engines with FADEC and an EFIS suite from Honeywell.^[3] The tail rotor could be made quieter by modification. For comfort, increased active noise and vibration dampers are used. The main rotor is manufactured from composite materials.

Since 3 January 2006 the certified S-76 C++ has the more efficient Turboméca Arriel 2S2, an intake air filter, an improved and quieter transmission as well as changes of detail at the interior equipment and electronics. There were 92 orders for this model as of January 2006.

In 2009 the S-76D is currently under development and will be powered by 1,050 shp PW210S engines driving composite material rotors and will incorporate active vibration control. A prototype made its first flight on 7 February 2009; type certification is expected in 2010 and deliveries are anticipated later that year. Three prototypes will be used in the certification program. One aircraft will be used to obtain certification of an optional electric rotor ice-protection system. Performance will be substantially improved with the added power, but initial certification will retain the same gross weight (11,700 pounds) and maximum cruise speed (155 knots).^[4] The rotor rpm will be self adjusting in flight. The higher rpm setting for takeoff and landing and a lower rpm setting for cruise for improved range.

Variants

Civil

S-76A : Original production version, powered by two 485-kW (650-shp) Rolls-Royce (Allison) 250-C30 turboshaft engines. Large number modified to S-76A+. 284 manufactured.
S-76A Utility : Utility transport version, equipped with sliding doors and a strengthened floor.
S-76A+ : Unsold S-76s were fitted with two Turbomeca Arriel 1S turboshaft engines. 17 manufactured.
S-76A++ : S-76 helicopters fitted with two Turbomeca Arriel 1S1 turboshaft engines.
S-76A Mk II : Improved all-weather transport version, fitted with a more powerful engines, and other detail improvements.
S-76B : Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B36A/B turboshaft engines. 101 built.
S-76C : Powered by two 539-kW (981-shp) Turboméca Arriel 1S1 turboshaft engines. 43 manufactured.
S-76C+ : Uprated version, fitted with improved Arriel 2S1 turboshafts with FADEC. 35 manufactured.
S-76C++ : Turboméca Arriel 2S2
S-76D : Proposed version.

Military

AUH-76 : Armed utility transport version, developed from the S-76 Mk. II.
H-76B : Military version of the S-76B.
H-76N : Planned naval version of 1984, not implemented.

Experimental derivatives

Sikorsky S-75: The Advanced Composite Airframe Program (ACAP) was an all-composite Sikorsky early LHX proof of concept aircraft.
Sikorsky S-76 SHADOW: Boeing-Sikorsky MANPRINT study. The original concept of the LHX program was to produce a one-man helicopter that could do more than a two-man aircraft. The Sikorsky (S-76) Helicopter Advance Demonstrator of Operators Workload (SHADOW) had a single-pilot advanced cockpit grafted to its nose. The purpose was to study the MANPRINT or human engineering interface between the pilot and the cockpit controls and displays. The cockpit was the prototype of a single-pilot cockpit designed for use on the prototype RAH-66 Comanche armed reconnaissance helicopter. The cockpit was designed so sensors would feed data to the pilot through helmet mounted displays. The MANPRINT study determined that single-pilot operation of the Comanche was unsafe, and would result in pilot overload. As result of this study, the Comanche was designed to be operated by a crew of two.^[5]

Operators

The S-76 is in use around the world with airlines, corporations, hospital, government operators and, notably, the British Royal Family. The world's largest civilian fleet (79) of Sikorsky S-76 helicopters is operated by CHC Helicopter Corporation.

Civil

An S-76A owned by Canadian Helicopters used for Ornge (Ontario Air Ambulance).

Australia

Esso Australia in Victoria, Australia operates 5 aircraft in Bass Strait oil fields
Jayrow Helicopters in Victoria, Australia operates 3 aircraft off the Victorian coast

Brazil

Lider Taxi Aereo, serving the Brazil offshore petroleum industry
Brazilian Helicopter Services (BHS), serving the Brazil offshore petroleum industry

Canada

CHC Helicopter Corporation
Emergency Health Services in Nova Scotia
HeliJet — scheduled service in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia
Ornge (Ontario Air Ambulance) — aircraft located in Kenora, Thunder Bay, Moosonee, Sudbury, Toronto(2), London and Ottawa.

Hong Kong

Government Flying Service - retired 2002
HeliExpress — scheduled service between Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen, China

Japan

Japan Coast Guard

Panama

Part of the presidential fleet, 1 aircraft

People's Republic of China

China Southern Zhuhai Helicopter Company

Republic of China (Taiwan)

Coast Guard Administration (Republic of China)

Spain

Xunta de Galicia operates two S-76C+ for Search and Rescue

Serbia

Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs operetes one VIP

Sweden

Norrlandsflyg — operates nine helicopters in Sweden for Search and Rescue and air ambulance.

United Kingdom

Bristow In UK and Global, operating 53 S76A, A+, A++, C+ and C++
One aircraft operated by The Queen's Flight. Maintained by PremiAir at Blackbushe Airport

United States

Air Logistics a Bristow Company, serving the Gulf of Mexico offshore petroleum industry
Boston MedFlight Critical Care Transport Helicopter
ERA Helicopters, serving the Gulf of Mexico offshore petroleum industry
Geisinger Medical Center Life Flight
Metro Life Flight Serving Northeast Ohio
New Jersey State Police
Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and Health Care District of Palm Beach County, operating two S-76C+ designated "Trauma Hawks" as air ambulances.
EraMed for MidAtlantic MedEvac, a division of Hahnemann University Hospital
Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. (PHI) operates a large fleet serving the Gulf of Mexico offshore petroleum industry
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department
U.S. Helicopter — scheduled service connecting Downtown Manhattan Heliport and East 34th Street Heliport in Manhattan with JFK Airport and Newark Liberty Airport.

Military Operators

Argentina

Agrupación Aérea Presidencial

Chile
Dubai: (UAE)
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong

Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force(Former operator)

Iraq
Jordan
Philippines

Philippine Air Force - 17 units

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Interior Ministry ordered 15 units in November 2007.^{[citation needed]}

Spain
Thailand

Incidents

Specifications (Sikorsky S-76C++)

General characteristics

Crew: Minimum 2 pilots
Capacity: 12 passenger

Performance

References

Notes

^ Simpson 2001, p. 505
^ Simpson 2001, p. 505
^ Simpson 2001, p. 505
^ Aviation Week & Space Technology, 16 February 2009, "First Flight for Improved Sikorsky S-76", p. 15
^ Historic US Army Helicopters

Bibliography

Simpson, Rod (2001), Airlife's World Aircraft, Airlife Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-84037-115-3

External links

S-76 - Official company website.
S-76A/A+/A++ Specs & Photo on flugzeuginfo.net
S-76B Specs & Photo on flugzeuginfo.net
S-76C/C+/C++ Specs & Photo on flugzeuginfo.net
BBC News - "Which party is winning the air war?" - Details of the S-76's used in the United Kingdom general election, 2005.
Moxon, Julian (2006-08-29). "Fatal August 2005 Copterline S-76C+ crash controversy deepens as Sikorsky rejects NTSB verdict of main rotor servo failure". Flight International. Retrieved 2006-10-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[1] Simpson 2001, p. 505

[2] Simpson 2001, p. 505

[3] Simpson 2001, p. 505

[4] Aviation Week & Space Technology, 16 February 2009, "First Flight for Improved Sikorsky S-76", p. 15

[TriArmy-5] Historic US Army Helicopters

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 *'''S-76A++''' : S-76 helicopters fitted with two Turbomeca Arriel 1S1 turboshaft engines.
 *'''S-76A Mk II''' : Improved all-weather transport version, fitted with a more powerful engines, and other detail improvements.
-*'''S-76B''' : Powered by two [[Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6]]B36A turboshaft engines. 101 built.
+*'''S-76B''' : Powered by two [[Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6]]B36A/B turboshaft engines. 101 built.
 *'''S-76C'''  : Powered by two 539-kW (981-shp) Turboméca Arriel 1S1 turboshaft engines. 43 manufactured.
 *'''S-76C+''' : Uprated version, fitted with improved Arriel 2S1 turboshafts with FADEC. 35 manufactured.

v t e Sikorsky aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft (company designations)	S-1 S-2 S-3 S-4 S-5 S-6 S-7 S-8 S-9 S-10 S-11 S-12 S-13 S-14 S-15 S-16 S-17 S-18 S-19 S-20 S-21 S-22/23/24/25/26/27 S-28 S-29-A S-30 S-31 S-32 S-33 S-34 S-35 S-36 S-37 S-38 S-39 S-40 S-41 S-42 S-43 VS-44 S-45
Fixed-wing aircraft (military designations)	C-6 C-28 JRS JR2S PS P2S RS XBLR-3 XPBS XSS XV-2
Helicopters (company designations)	VS-300 (S-46) S-47 S-48 S-49 S-50 S-51 S-52 S-53 S-54 S-55 S-56 S-57 S-58 S-59 S-60 S-61 S-61L/N S-61R S-62 S-63 S-64 S-65 S-66 S-67 S-68 S-69 S-70 S-71 S-72 S-73 S-74 S-75 S-76 S-80 S-92 S-95 S-97 S-100 S-102 S-103 S-300 S-333 S-434
Helicopters (military designations)	SH-3 Sea King HH-3E/F R-4 H-5 H-6 H-18 H-19 Chickasaw H-34 Choctaw CH-37 Mojave XH-39 HH-52A Seaguard CH-53 Sea Stallion CH-53E Super Stallion CH-53K King Stallion MH-53 CH-54 Tarhe UH-60 Black Hawk HH-60G Pave Hawk HH-60J/MH-60T MH-60R/S Seahawk SH-60B/F Seahawk H-60J/K VH-60 RAH-66 Comanche VH-92 Patriot CH-124 Sea King CH-148 Cyclone HLH
Experimental aircraft	Cypher/Cypher II Firefly Raider Raider X SB-1 X2 XBLR-3 XV-2

v t e Aviation lists
General	Aircraft manufacturers civil Aircraft engines manufacturers Flight test centres‎ Test pilot schools Airlines Defunct airlines Helicopter airlines Airports Aerobatic teams Civil Aviation Authorities Gliders Museums Registration prefixes Jet airliners Rotorcraft manufacturers Timeline
Military	Air forces Experimental Missiles UAVs Weapons
Accidents / incidents	Commercial airliners by location Fatalities by death toll General aviation Military By registration
Records	Airspeed Altitude Distance Endurance Firsts Large Most-produced aircraft Most-produced rotorcraft

Revision as of 20:01, 21 April 2009

Development

Variants

Civil

Military

Experimental derivatives

Operators

Civil

Military Operators

Incidents

Specifications (Sikorsky S-76C++)

See also

References

External links