Sikorsky S-92 Helibus

Type (Muster)
Medium-lift helicopter (Mittelschwerer Transporthubschrauber)

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
6900 Main Street
Stratford, Connecticut 06497-9129
USA

Phone: 001-203/386-3829
Fax: 001-203/386-7300

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2
Passengers (Passagiere): 19 in civil version or 22 combat-ready troops.
Cargo (Fracht): Cabin can take three LD-3 containers through rear loading ramp

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x General Electric CT7-8 (CT7-6D in the first two prototpyes)
Power (Leistung): 2 x 2400 shp (1790 kW) at take-off, 2050 shp (1529 kW) maximum continuous, 2500 shp (1864 kW) for two minutes with one engine inoperative, all at sea-level, ISA. At 4000 ft and 95 deg F, the ratings are 1900 shp (1417 kW) for take-off, 1450 shp (1018 kW) maximum continuous and 1900 shp (1417 kW) for two minutes in an emergency.

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 17,32 m
Length overall, rotor turning (Länge über drehende Rotoren): 20,85 m
Height (Höhe): 6,45 m overall
Width (Breite): 3,89 m over sponsons
Main rotor diameter (Hauptrotordurchmesser): 17,71 m
Main rotor disk (Hauptrotorfläche): 231,55 sq m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotordurchmesser): 3,35 m
Tail rotor disk area (Heckrotorkreisfläche): 8,83 sq m

Cabin length (Länge der Kabine): 5,69 m
Cabin width (Breite der Kabine): 2,01 m
Cabin height (Höhe der Kabine): 1,83 m
Cabin volume (Volumen der Kabine): 16,9 cu m
Baggage volume (Gepäckraum): 3,1 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): 7030 kg or 6893 kg in utility version
Max. underslung load (max. Außenlast): 4535 kg in military version
Max. take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 11430 kg
Max. take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 12020 kg with external load

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. cruise speed (max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): 287 km/h (155 kts)
Economical cruise speed (wirtschaftliche Reisegeschw.): 259 km/h (140 kts)
Hover ceiling (Schwebeflughöhe)
- out of ground effect (ohne Bodeneffekt): 1860 m (6100 ft)
- in ground effect (im Bodeneffekt): 3385 m (11100 ft)
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 4570 m (15000 ft)
Range (Reichweite): 760 km (410 NM) with 19 passengers on offshore mission

Costs (Kosten)
Unit cost is now given as 12,5 to 13 million US-Dollars for the civil variant.
Development is likely to cost 600 million US-Dollars.
In January 2000 Sikorsky claimed total direct operating costs of 2113 US-Dollars per hour, against 2501 Dollars for the AS 332L2.

Customers (Kunden)
At the Heli-Expo show in Las Vegas in January 2000, Sikorsky announced two agreements from civil S-92 customers:

Cougar Helicopters is the launch customer and has signed a "deposit agreemen" for up to five. The machines would be used in support of offshore operations based in Eastern Canada (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia).
Helijet Airways. The Vancouver-based company wants the helicopter from 2002 for its scheduled passenger services around the Pacific Northwest. Announced January 24, 2000.

Also, Sikorsky is actively marketing the S-92 for military requirements in Canada, Portugal and the Nordic Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland). Sikorsky sees a market for at least 700 helicopters.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma
NH Industries NH90

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
There will be civil (S-92A) and military (S-92 International Utility) versions of the new helicopter, which builds on proven dynamic system design concepts from the UH-60 Black Hawk. In the bigger fuselage, 40 per cent composites are used, mainly in secondary structures. The cockpit features full CRT equipment as well as digital AFCS with autopilot.
To reduce its own development outlays, Sikorsky has signed up risk-sharing partners as follows:

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7,5 per cent - main cabin sections, the largest subassemblies)
Gamesa (7 per cent - main rotor pylon, engine nacelles, aft tail transition section, cabin interiors)
AIDC of Taiwan (6,5 per cent / fixed price supplier - cockpit including electrical harnesses, flight controls, hydraulic lines and environmental controls)
Embraer (4 per cent / fixed price supplier- sponson structures, main landing gear and fuel system)
Jingdezhen Helicopter Group (2 per cent - vertical tail fin and stabilizer)

Other suppliers include GEC Marconi, Hamilton Standard, Martin-Baker, Messier-Bugatti, Sanders and Parker Bertea. After first offering a Honeywell avionics suite, Sikorsky switched to Rockwell Collins equipment, with four displays in the cockpit as standard. Sikorsky itself will design and manufacture the dynamic systems and carry out final assembly, flight test and certification.

History (Geschichte)
The S-92 was announced in March 1992, but an official programme launch had to wait until the Paris Air Show in June 1995. In the meantime, "paperless" electronic design facilites were prepared, benchmarking conducted and international partners selected.
First parts were built in 1996, starting with the main transmission housing. Assembly operations at Stratford began in 1997. Sikorsky opened the marketing phase for the S-92 at the Heli-Expo convention in mid-February 1998 at Anaheim (California), cautiously stating that "we are ready to enter commercial discussions leading to memoranda of understanding".
Five prototypes are being built at Stratford for ground and flight tests to be conducted at the West Palm Beach Development Fight Center in Florida. The first S-92 was transported the 1800 mile distance in a specially designed trailer, leaving Stratford on June 9, 1998 and arriving on June 11. This aircraft is destined as a propulsion testbed and started ground runs in mid-August.
The actual first-flight airframe went to Florida in October. It lifted off on December 23, 1998, about three months late, with Sikorsky Chief Pilot John Dixson and S-92 Program Chief Pilot Bob Spaulding in the cockpit. The maiden flight consisted of eight takeoffs and landings and included hover, forward and sideward flight maneuvers.
The first two helicopters are fitted with General Electric CT7-6D engines, while the others will get the CT7-8. Current tasking for the test helicopters is as follows:

Prototype no. 1 is the ground test vehicle. It had its first engine run on 14 August 1998 and turned its baldes for the first time on September 4. The 200 hour FAA endurance run was completed in July 1999.
Prototype no. 2 made the first flight on 23 December 1998. It will conduct handling and avionic development, including the automatic flight control system. By the end of 1999, it had 115 flight hours.
Prototype no. 3 flew on 19. October 1999. It is fitted with the GE CT7-8 engines planned for production and the APU. During the maiden flight, the S-92 was aloft for about 1.3 hours. 31 hours by the end of 1999. It will fly for around 450 h, concentrating on the CT6-8 engines, FADEC and auxiliary equipment like flotation gear
Prototype no. 4 will be built in 2000 and incorporate the latest production modifications as well as the avionics fit. It is to join the flight test program in November 2000.
Prototype no. 5 is configured as the utility variant. It was shown at the Paris Air Show in June 1999 and will fly in April 2000 with a complete set of instrumentation. 500hours are planned.

According to Sikorsky, performance continues to confirm predictions, with some parameters better than specified. In total, 1400 hours flight time are projected.
At the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas in January 2000, Sikorsky announced the first two customers, Cougar Helicopters and Helijet Airways.
Commercial type-certification to FAR/JAR 29 standards is anticipated in mid-2001, a year later than originally thought. Start of deliveries is now projected for April 2002, a further slip of four months.

Last updated 10 February 2000

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