Sikorsky S-76
| Sikorsky S-76 Spirit | |
|---|---|
 Sikorsky S-76 "Spirit" in June 2004 |
|
| Type: | Multipurpose helicopter |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
March 13, 1977 |
| Production time: |
In series production since 1980 |
| Number of pieces: |
around 875 (as of January 2020) |
The Sikorsky S-76 Spirit is a medium - sized multi-purpose helicopter . The machine is driven by two shaft turbines, has a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor as well as a retractable landing gear as a landing device . The prototype made its maiden flight on March 13, 1977.
description
Sikorsky began developing the machine in the mid-1970s. The target group were companies looking for a medium-sized business helicopter and the oil drilling industry. Experience from the development of the military Sikorsky UH-60 served as the basis for development . The prototype, which was designed to transport two pilots and twelve people, was initially powered by two Allison 250C30 turbines, each with 478 kW.
The S-76A was the main production variant. The type set several class records in 1982 in the areas of climbing performance, maximum speed and summit height. After the S-76A, the S-76B achieved the world speed record in its class in 1987 with a top speed of 350 km / h.
Until December 2005, the S-76C + series, equipped with Turboméca Arriel 2S1 engines and FADEC , was in production . The cockpit was equipped with an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) from Honeywell . The tail rotor could be made significantly quieter by changing the design. Active noise and vibration dampers were used to increase comfort. The main rotor has now been made from composite materials. The S-76 has been manufactured by AERO Vodochody in the Czech Republic since 2000 . The final assembly takes place in Stratford (Connecticut) at the plant of the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.
The S-76 C ++, which has been approved since January 3, 2006, has the more powerful Turboméca Arriel 2S2, an intake air filter, an improved and quieter transmission as well as detailed changes to the interior equipment and electronics. In January 2006 there were 92 orders for the machine. The base price is 10 million US dollars (2009).
The latest variant is known as the S-76D and had its maiden flight on February 7, 2009 at William P. Gwinn Airport ( 26 ° 54 ′ 23.8 ″ N , 80 ° 19 ′ 8.8 ″ W ) near West Palm Beach with chief test pilots Greg Barnes and Mike Hardywaren on board. The payload increases by 454 kg (1000 lb) and the range by 92 km (50 nm) compared to the S-76C ++. In terms of technical improvements, the replacement of the Turboméca Arriel engines with two Pratt & Whitney 210S shaft turbines, each with an output of 926 kW (1241 hp), is remarkable. The S-76D has a quiet mode for flights in noise-sensitive areas. The US aviation authority FAA granted the approval on October 12, 2012. The first machines should be delivered in the same year.
On May 1, 2011, a Guinness world record was set in banner tow at the Nürburgring . A Sikorsky S-76A ++ was towing a 5,000 m², 1.3 t heavy banner there.
In June 2016 it was announced that a Sikorsky S-76 was retrofitted in such a way that it is able to fly alone (or autonomously ), which in a test - in the course of a Darpa tender - over a distance of just under 50 kilometers has been proven.
Versions
- S-76 MkII, reinforced engines, detail improvements
- S-76A, 284 pieces manufactured
- S-76A +, S-76A retrofitted with Turboméca Arriel 1S1, 17 pieces manufactured
- S-76B, Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 B36 engine , 101 units built
- S-76C, Turboméca Arriel 1S1, 43 engine manufactured
- S-76C +, 35 pieces manufactured
- S-76C ++
- S-76D, first flight on February 7, 2009, increased take-off weight and lower fuel consumption , Pratt & Whitney 210S engine , FADEC , first delivery 2012
- AUH-76 - military version developed from the S-76 Mk. II
- H-76 Eagle, ditto
- H-76N planned Navy version from 1984, not executed
Technical specifications S-76B
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| Rotor diameter | 13.41 m |
| Hull length | 13.22 m |
| Length over all | 16.00 m |
| height | 3.58 m |
| Preparation mass | 2540 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 4671 kg |
| Top speed | 350 km / h |
| Hover altitude with ground effect | 1890 m |
| Service ceiling | 4572 m |
| Range | 748 km |
| Payload | up to 12 passengers or 2131 kg load |
| Engine | 2 × PT6B36 |
Incidents
On January 26, 2020, shortly before 10 a.m. local time, an S-76B ( registration number N72EX) flew into a hill in Calabasas near Los Angeles ( USA ). All 9 people on board - the pilot and 8 passengers, including former basketball player Kobe Bryant - perished. The accident of the helicopter, which was delivered in 1991, occurred in very foggy weather in mountainous terrain.
Web links
- Sikorsky Aircraft corporate website
- S-76A / A + / A ++ data & photos on Flugzeuginfo.net
- S-76B data & photos on Flugzeuginfo.net
- S-76C / C + / C ++ data & photos on Flugzeuginfo.net
Individual evidence
- ↑ Sikorsky S-76 Helicopter. www.sikorsky.com, January 27, 2020, accessed January 27, 2020 .
- ↑ AIR International, March 2009, p. 16.
- ↑ FAA Approves Type Certification for S-76D Helicopter (English) - Sikorsky.com , October 15, 2012.
- ↑ Renate Strecker: Record: S-76 hauls 5000 m² banner. (No longer available online.) In: aerokurier online. May 5, 2011, archived from the original on June 16, 2011 ; Retrieved June 16, 2011 .
- ↑ Sikorsky S-76: Autonomous flight functions for old helicopters for retrofitting - Golem , June 14, 2016.
- ^ Mourning Kobe Bryant "Inspiration for a Generation". Tagesschau.de, January 27, 2020, accessed on January 27, 2020 .
- ↑ Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash. Welt.de , January 27, 2020, accessed on January 27, 2020 .
- ↑ ASN users: Accident Sikorsky S-76B N72EX, Jan 26, 2020. Aviation Safety Network WikiBase , January 31, 2020, accessed on February 2, 2020 .