Sikorsky S-92 in the Don

[P.Doff]

One of Sikorsky's S-92 prototypes is in the Don this week for evaluation and, wait for it, its green with a tricolour over each engine intake!!!!???
Very powerfull machine and suprisingly manouverable for its size. I managed to blag a flip in it and it was intresting to say the least, with the test pilot literally throwing aroun the sky at a scary low altitude(well it seemed low from inside!!).
I think half the camp got a go in it with it taking 12 at a time plus crew. (It can take more but wasnt configured for it!)
The rangers tagged along for a ride with their kit and even done a tactical deployment from it (The pilot offered to do nap of the earth stuff for them around the area but the Aircorps Col in the right hand seat said no!!!?)
I'll keep yis posted!!

[John K]

Hey P.Doff, further to your post about the photographer. During the Don Tidy search of Balinamore, we (as Air Corps crews) were based with the ARW in a primary school as the search HQ. The ARW bods did security for us. One time after a busy search in the Helis, a group of us were sitting down on a log in the playground when a photographer sauntered over asking us if we minded him taking a photo of the (3) Alouettes. We replied that we didn't mind but pointed over to the ranger and said "...but he might!" With that the ranger saw the bloke and in a split second I thought he was going to tell him that he was sorry but a photograph would be out of the question. No such thing, the ranger raised his HK and took deliberate aim at the same time hollering F**K OFF, the photographer called out that he only wanted a photo but the ranger started walking over to him still telling him where he wanted him to go. The bloke got the message and ran off. The ranger then carried on his patrol around the helis. Afterwards we talked about it and someone said that he expected to see lumps of dirt being kicked up by the bullets as the ranger shot after him. The ARW are well respected by other militaries.

[stimpy]

Now that would be a great photo!, I don't supose anybody had a camera?

[Lurk]

Hi JK, good comments about the ARW, but shitheads like the one you met let the professional ones down a lot in the eyes of the public, and the media. I have met a number of that unit, and it must be said that they are a professional, discreet, and media aware mob! If the one you referred to had just turned his head away, the Air Corps could have got good press! Did the Alouette have missiles on it or what?

By the way, I am annoyed that I am not in the Apprentice School Puma photo with you. I think I was on A/L that day!
Maybe I met you last in the reunion in the NCO's mess some years ago.  

Lurk

[Imshi-Yallah]

I'm not so optimistic mate, the best chance is the EURRF requirement, but that whole concept may yet deflagrate, Michael Smith is trying to keep the M/L procurement alive I don't doubt that but the longer a purchase is deferred the less likely the government will fork out.

I always thought that if there was an expendable part of the air corps it would be the LUH fleet, since if  basic training and ATCP roles were outsourced to more efficient contractors the AC could concentrate on military (i.e. Tactical transport and SAR) missions with a single family of aircraft in a decent sized fleet, i.e IAR 330s and EC-735's/ H-60, H-92.
But with the emphasis on the LUH replacement theres no room for service expansion and the problems of air ambulance, etc remain.

[Alan_Devins]

It was in sligo for a few hours aswell, one of the only mornings we didnt go out and thats there, seen it over the town though.

reg no. was N492SA

Alan

[Frank (Admin)]

Hi Guys,

I've added 4 pictures of the Sikorsky H-92 Superhawk visiting Baldonnel to the website, click here to go to the picture database, then just select Sikorsky H-92 Superhawk from the pulldown menu in the "Air Shows / Foreign Military" section.


Regards,

Frank.

[Imshi-Yallah]

I'm glad I didn't see it would have caused me major upset to find out it was only visiting.
What are the differences between the S and H model, have they even flow a H-92 yet or will they just be fitting combat systems from the 60/70/80 range?

[alpha foxtrot 07]

thats what i call a bouko avionics package

[FMolloy]

Sikorsky unveils H-92 Superhawk
From defence-data.com

18 June 2003

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp has unveiled its newest military helicopter, the H-92 SUPERHAWK at the Paris Air Show, and said it would be a formidable competitor in current and future government helicopter procurements world-wide.

"The H-92 SUPERHAWK is a worthy addition to the Sikorsky product lineup," said Jeff Pino, Sikorsky's senior vice president for business development."Like the BLACK HAWK helicopter from which we derived the new aircraft's name, the H-92 SUPERHAWK will feature the kind of safety, survivability, and mission performance that customers around the world associate with Sikorsky."

Drawing on the aircraft development programme that created the Sikorsky S-92, the base model H-92 SUPERHAWK will have ballistic tolerance improvements, including self-sealing fuel tanks and additional armour protection for sensitive areas of the aircraft.All H-92 SUPERHAWKs will also carry self-defence systems such as IR suppression and chaff/flare systems to protect against missile attack.The aircraft will also include a military-grade wiring bus as part of an overall upgraded military avionics capability that can be configured to meet each customer's requirements.

"We see the H-92 SUPERHAWK as an outstanding platform for military uses," Pino said."Each customer we work with has a different mission profile, and the H-92 SUPERHAWK provides tremendous flexibility to support a wide variety of unique system requirements in the years ahead."

Powering the new H-92 SUPERHAWK will be two new GE CT7-8C engines, uprated as much as 25% from the CT7-8A engines found on the civil S-92 helicopter.Sikorsky and GE Aircraft Engines signed their agreement to the new engine programme here at the Paris Air Show.

The H-92 SUPERHAWK is already competing to win the 28-aircraft Maritime Helicopter Project in Canada, and is Sikorsky's candidate for the impending replacement programme for the US Presidential transport mission, Marine One.A combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the H-92 SUPERHAWK was identified by the US Air Force as the preferred alternative for that service's upcoming programme to replace more than 100 aging PAVE HAWK aircraft.

The H-92 SUPERHAWK loads onto a C-5 or C-17 transport aircraft in under three hours, with minimal ground support equipment required.

[yellowjacket]

Is the military H92 or the civil S92 variant being considered?

[Imshi-Yallah]

Thanks, I guess all that vital military capability means we won't be getting them for the TT role.

[John K]

Hey Lurk, no I didn't make it to the re-union a few years back. I've still got the invite though! I can't remember why I didn't go. I was back in the 'Don last summer, missed Woollie, but got to see Josh and a few others, it was the monday they brought the remains of the Gazelle back from the airfield. That incident with the ranger was back in the infancy of the unit so no doubt they've learned a few lessons since then. By the way, no we didn't have any rockets fitted to the alouettes (?) that time, I seem to remember we were using gyro stabilised binoculars and infra red binoculars to search with. I remember fitting the Matra rocket packs to the Fougas.

[p.diddy.cool]

I was standing in the hangar in finner when the S-92 came thundering over head and onto the pad! it was an spectacular sight indeed!..... being eager for a pic of the beast for the sight i ran up to the block for the didi cam, but to my dissapointment it took off again b4 i could get back down to it on the outer pad......im sure by the time it goes to england this week the tri colour will be removed from either side of the engine covers..lol

[FMolloy]

Quote (yellowjacket @ 29 June 2003,15:43)

Is the military H92 or the civil S92 variant being considered?

Quote

Is the military H92 or the civil S92 variant being considered?

The S-92 was originally offered, maybe next time they'll offer the H-92.