S-76D

Description: Sikorsky's S-76 is a twin-engine multi-role helicopter developed for the commercial market. It has been designed for corporate, offshore oil, hospital, search and rescue (SAR), airline and government operators. It was made of composite materials to avoid corrosion effects while achieving a light and string airframe. S-76 features ease of maintenance and fuel economy. A dual digital autopilot, integrated avionics, all-glass cockpit and flight management system are among the S-76 family characteristics.

The S-76 helicopters offer enhanced maneuverability thanks to its advanced rotor design and two Turbomeca Arriel 2S1 engines. The same design gives the S-76 aircraft low vibration and improved comfort over its predecessors. As of May 2005, S-76C+ is the production model for the S-76 helicopter. S76C+ combines rugged S-76B airframe with Arriel 2S1 engines while retaining long range cruise of S-76C model. To date, more than 575 S-76 helicopters have been built for 192 operators in 44 countries around the globe.

The S-76D helicopter will take heritage of the improvements introduced with the previous model, the S-76C++, and will go farther achieving new levels of comfort and environment safeguard. The new S-76D will feature: a new all-composite main rotor blade that will improve hover and take-off performance, cruise speed, and add 50 nautical miles of range; more fuel; dual speed rotor with active vibration control; new electrical generating system; Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS); new quiet tail rotor; rotorcraft icing protection system (RIPS); a 1,000-lb useful load increase; a new cockpit with Thales avionics and autopilot for minimized pilot workload; and new PW200 engines developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada that will improve aircraft's overall performance. The engines for the S-76D have been designated PW210S. Sikorsky current schedule calls for the S-76D maiden flight in 2008, initial type certification in late 2009 and entry into revenue service in 2010.

In September 2005 Thales announced that its TopDeck family of avionics suite was selected by Sikorsky to equip its newest S-76D commercial helicopter. Actually TopDeck is meant to form the basis of the aircraft's cockpit. The S-76D cockpit contract was signed between Thales and Sikorsky on 7 December 2005.