SIKORSKY S-92

After the 1973 oil crisis, major oil and gas companies began exploration further offshore, thus creating a need for aircraft such as the S-92 with sufficient capability.

Sikorsky Aircraft first displayed a S-92 mockup of the planned helicopter in 1992. The S-92 was to be offered for sale beginning in 1993, but due to a decline in the international market for helicopters, this was delayed. In 1995 Sikorsky formed Team S-92 with international partners and launched the helicopter program. Sikorsky developed the S-92 to compete with civil aircraft such as the Aerospatiale/Eurocopter Super Puma.

The S-92 took its maiden flight on December 23, 1998.

The S-92 is built and customized in Sikorsky’s Coatesville, Pennsylvania facility. The S-92 received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) part 29 type certification on December 19, 2002, and received International European Aviation Safety Agency/Joint Aviation Authorities (EASA/JAA) certification on June 8, 2004. In June 2009, Sikorsky Aircraft entered into a joint-venture with Tata Advanced Systems for S-92 manufacturing in India for export and domestic markets.

Aircraft of similar role, configuration and era are: AgustaWestland AW189, AgustaWestland AW101, Airbus Helicopters H225, Airbus Helicopters H225M, Bell 525 Relentless, Mil Mi-38, NHIndustries NH90, Harbin Z-20.