FLUG REVUE February 2005: Sikorsky S-92 production advances

February 2005

SIKORSKY S-92 PRODUCTION RAMPS UP

By Karl Schwarz

When Petroleum Helicopters (PHI) took delivery of the first production S-92 in Lafayette on 27 September last year, no doubt everyone at Sikorsky heaved a huge sigh of relief. Almost ten years after the official programme launch, the “technically most advanced and safest” helicopter in the world had finally entered into service, and with a highly prestigious customer to boot. “In the demanding offshore missions above the Gulf of Mexico, the S-92 will accumulate flying hours incredibly quickly,” said Sikorsky President Steve Finger confidently.

Sikorsky S-92

Proving itself in operation is important for the latest Sikorsky model, which had obtained its FAA certification on 19 December 2002 after some 1570 test flying hours. It was certificated to FAR Part 29 Transport Rotorcraft, Amendment 45, currently the most rigorous set of regulations for helicopters. As programme director Nick Lappos explained at the time, “With this certification and our safety systems, we are a whole generation ahead of the other medium-sized helicopters on the market.”

However, the road to certification was extremely bumpy, since, on account of customer requirements and to ensure better characteristics on the approach to landing, the S-92 had to be redesigned in the middle of its test programme. In the spring of 2000, Sikorsky announced that the cabin was to be extended by 41cm and that the horizontal stabiliser was to be moved to a lower position on the right of the tail. At the same time, the vertical tail pylon was shortened.

As a result of the changes, certification had to be put back by around eighteen months. On top of this, the manufacturer decided to defer the build-up of production so as to avoid having to then make possible expensive changes in response to the FAA's evaluation. As a result, the first full production S-92 did not take off for its 30-minute maiden flight in Stratford until 14 June 2004. Only days before the new model had received its European certification from EASA.

The delays have not exactly helped to boost sales of the S-92. Although Sikorsky did announce two customers, Cougar Helicopters and Helijet Airways, at Heli-Expo in Las Vegas in January 2001, these companies, like a handful of other customers, only signed “deposit agreements” or equally non-binding letters of intent.

Even though claiming some 60 orders and options, Sikorsky appears to have actually sold only around fifteen to twenty S-92's on the civil market to date, including two helicopters for VIP customers in the USA and Europe and two for the government of Turkmenistan (for $52.97 million). The rest are earmarked for the transportation of oil rig workers to off-coast platforms by important operators like PHI, CHC, Cougar Helicopters and Norsk Helicopter.

In view of the effort that was required to win these orders for one, two or perhaps four machines, it is evident why the military market is so critical to the S-92. After several disappointments in competitions in Europe, Sikorsky finally won its first success in this area on 23 November, when Canada signed a contract worth five billion Canadian dollars (approx. Euro3.2 billion). This covers the purchase of 28 CH-148 Cyclone (C$ 1.8 billion) and their support over an operational period of 20 years. The support package includes the construction of a training centre with simulators. Deliveries have to commence no later than November 2008.

In the competition for a successor to the ageing CH-124 Sea Kings, the S-92 came out ahead of the AgustaWestland EH101 – but the decision is in dispute and is currently the subject of legal action. Unlike the Cormorants (EH101) that are already in service with the Canadian Armed Forces for search and rescue (SAR) missions, the Cyclones are primarily intended for deployment from frigates, specifically for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), monitoring of shipping, SAR and transport missions.

To equip them for these roles they are to be fitted with 360º search radar, dipping sonar, sonar buoys and communications equipment. General Dynamics Canada is responsible for systems integration and will contribute a data management system that is to be developed entirely in Canada. L-3 Communications MAS (Canada) will lead the in-service support and has signed a subcontract worth C$ 800 million. Altogether Sikorsky has promised offsets worth C$ 4.5 billion (Euro2.89 billion).

Whereas Sikorsky managed to prevail in Canada, the competition in the United States continues to be extremely fierce. There the EH101 (alias US101, this time offered by a consortium headed by Lockheed Martin) is pitted against the VH-92 Superhawk in the closing stages of the VXX competition to provide the new Marine One helicopter fleet for the US Marine Corps Presidential helicopter transport.

The technical merits of the two contenders will no doubt ultimately play only a secondary role compared with political considerations and questions of national prestige (should a US President be allowed to fly in a “foreign” helicopter?). Sikorsky is playing the patriotic card with its “All American Team”, which comprises FlightSafety International (simulators), L-3 Communications (mission systems, cabin furnishings), Northrop Grumman (electronic protection systems), Rockwell Collins (cockpit), GE (CT7-8C engines) and Vought Aircraft (airframe).

Vought Aircraft is especially important, since ironically the S-92 is actually an international helicopter. The cabin section normally comes from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (with a 7.5 percent programme share, Gamesa of Spain (7%) supplies the aft transmission tailcone and sections of the fuselage, AIDC of Taiwan (6.5%) contributes the flight deck and wiring, Embraer (4%) supplies the booms and landing gear, and finally the vertical tail surfaces come from the Jingdezhen Helicopter Group of China (2 percent).

All of these companies will have to relinquish their role on the VXX, as only personnel with extra security clearances will be allowed to work on it. The helicopter would be built in the “Executive Transport Center”, a separate security area at the Stratford plant, which was unveiled on 8 December.

Whether such PR measures will work we will not find out until the end of January, since the decision was postponed to after the presidential elections. By then the experts from the US Marine Corps plan to have examined the two tenders for the VH-92 and US101. Late adjustments to the terms were still a possibility up to shortly before Christmas.

From FLUG REVUE 2/2005

Last updated 10 January 2005

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