Memorandum from Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (HCS0014)
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation thanks the Transport Committee for the opportunity to testify on the evidence of safety of Sikorsky helicopter flights to offshore installations.
This memo:
(a) Introduces Sikorsky Aircraft
(b) Responds to the Transport Committee’s questions regarding the safety of helicopter flights to offshore installations.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is a recognized world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and support. The company’s commercial products include the S-76™ and S- 92® aircraft. Both aircraft are capable of delivering off-shore oil support and are certified to the highest safety standards. The S-92® aircraft is the first and only helicopter in its class certified to the latest U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European airworthiness safety standards.
Today, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. stays true to the legacy of Igor Sikorsky with a mission statement that encompasses his passion for safety and innovation: "We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere...every time."™ Sikorsky helicopters have saved an estimated two million lives since performing the world's first helicopter rescue in 1944.
Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (UTC), which is the 39th largest manufacturer in the U.S. and the 59th largest publicly held manufacturer in the world. United Technologies (UTC) is a diversified company that provides a broad range of high-technology products and services to the global aerospace and building systems industries. Our commercial businesses are Otis elevators and escalators and UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a leading provider of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fire and security systems, building automation and controls. Our aerospace businesses are Sikorsky aircraft and the new UTC Propulsion & Aerospace Systems, which includes Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines and UTC Aerospace Systems aerospace products. The company also operates a central research organization that pursues technologies for
improving the performance, energy efficiency and cost of UTC products and processes. UTC recently was named as Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Aerospace and Defense Company.”
Sikorsky was founded in 1923 as the Aero Engineering Corporation by aerospace pioneer and legend Igor Sikorsky. The company was acquired in 1929 by the United Aircraft and Transportation Corporation, which later became United Technologies Corporation.
At Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., we share in the culture of safety, and we are committed to the success of helicopter flights to offshore installations.
Statistics:
The S-92® helicopter has the best-in-class accident rate in the medium-lift helicopter market at 0.32 accidents per 100,000 flight hours versus a comparable aircraft model at 1.74. The S-92® aircraft is comparable to the fixed wing Part 121 scheduled airline at 0.15 accidents per 100,000 flight hours.
There have been two accidents in the S-92® helicopter’s history, one in South Korea in 2008 and one off the Newfoundland coast in 2009. The comparison of fatal accident rates has the S-92® helicopter at 0.16 per 100,000 flight hours, with the comparable aircraft model at 0.67 per 100,000 flight hours.
The S-76™ aircraft also has a world-class accident rate in its market segment, at 1.42 per 100,000 flight hours, as compared to its competition at 1.58 per 100,000 flight hours. The comparison of fatal accident rates shows the S-76 at 0.50 per 100,000 flight hours, with the competition at 0.92 per 100,000 flight hours.
S-92® Aircraft:
The S-92® aircraft is the first and only helicopter in its class certified to the latest U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Part 29 requirements and European airworthiness safety standards incorporating the latest specifications for flaw tolerance, bird strike capability and turbine burst protection. The S-92® helicopter’s design has the highest crashworthy standards and also exceeds the egress requirements.
There are 189 S-92® aircraft in operation in 24 countries around the world. The 200th completed aircraft was delivered in September 2013, and the fleet has flown more than 625,000 hours, 90 percent of which are logged in the off-shore oil transportation. Offshore oil S-92® helicopters fly an estimated 90-110 hours per month; the high time aircraft has surpassed 15,000 flight hours to date. There are now four aircraft with more than 13,000 flight hours.
Some of the key safety features of the S-92® helicopter include energy-absorbing landing gear, high visibility crew station, traffic collision avoidance system, APU in-flight emergency power, redundant hydraulics and flaw tolerant flight controls, reduced workload EFIS cockpit, high energy turbine burst protection, large cabin emergency exits, RIG Approach, emergency beacon, 20g crash retention, enhanced ground proximity warning system, HEELS, Sea State Six, push-out window exits for each row, crash- worthy fuel system separated from cabin (passengers), energy-absorbing passenger and crew seats, bird strike certification, lightning strike protection and emergency life rafts.
The S-92® helicopter’s lube system fully isolates external leaks, maintains cooling in the event of a pump failure and has redundant pump drives. Both the external leak and pump failure modes were tested in excess of three hours.
S-92® Helicopter Continuous Improvements:
. Sikorsky introduced more than 10 new product improvements to the fleet in 2012. More are in work for 2013. . Key examples:
o AVC Next Gen Force Generator System smaller lighter weight computer with decrease in DOC - Complete
o Direct Operating Cost Reduction: . Main rotor HUB Life extension from 4,900 to 9,000 Flight hours . Phase III MGB life extension from 1,400 hours to 4,300 hours . Improved reliability parts for complicated Rotor Ice Protection System (RIPS) have yielded a 98 percent average availability rate in this 2012-2013 icing season
o HUMS (Health and Usage Monitoring System) update with in service Flight Tuning capability
o Improved vent window seals
o Sea State Six certification with the use of five floats and Sea State Five with the use of three floats received FAA, TC and EASA certification.
o Inlet filter barrier reduces engine removals due to power turbine wear by minimizing engine inlet sand ingestion. Bypass door to provide rated engine airflow with low pressure loss. System will mount to modified main rotor pylon fairing with minor airframe modifications.
o Phase III Gearbox Housings are in production and 100 percent of the fleet has been retrofitted.
o Cockpit Displays Upgrades
o AMS 7.1: . Auto cooler bypass FAA, EASA and TC certified in Q1 2013. . Bypass valve . Enhanced visual and aural MGB oil warnings.
o Main Rotor Hub life extension using HUMS data – FAA Certified
o HUMS: . Sikorsky is an industry leader with the use of the fleet HUMS data using analytics, technology and engineering to determine fleet trends, downtime avoidance, extend time-on-wing, level of repair optimization and new detection capability.
S-92® Helicopter Performance Enhancements Underway
Software & Avionics
. ADS-B - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast is the next generation of air traffic control safety equipment. The functionality provides aircraft and air traffic controllers with real-time satellite-based position and heading data, and will replace current radar-based systems. Norway will require ADS-B in the 2014 timeframe. The U.S. will require most aircraft to have some form of ADS-B OUT (broadcast) by 2020. Sikorsky is collaborating with vendor Rockwell Collins and an operator to offer an FAA and EASA-certified DO260B ADS-B system. . TCAS II - Traffic Collision Avoidance System with the addition of verbal and visual annunciations to the pilot that advise actions to take to avoid a collision (ascend, descend, etc.). Sikorsky is also pursuing integration into the cockpit displays. Development is paced by an upgrade of the Aircraft Management System (AMS). . Rig Approach - A safety enhancement that provides the ability to conduct fully coupled, GPS based approaches to offshore platforms (rig) in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) using waypoints. Sikorsky has invested millions of dollars to design, flight test and certify this capability. This is accomplished using latest FMS and GPS technology integrated with next generation Flight Control and avionics management algorithms, requires special software and equipment such as next generation AFCS computers, AHRS and WAAS capable GPS/FMS, and revised AFCS Control interfaces. Pilots from the FAA, EASA and PHI (who were an early advocate for the system) have flown in the simulator and some in the flight test aircraft, with strong endorsement for the enhanced capabilities the system provides including operations in bad weather and at night. FAA certification was received in May, and PHI flew its first operational customer flight in November. The Sikorsky Aircraft Performance Application is a key element to a tablet based Electronic Flight Bag which reduces carry on weight and cockpit clutter. The app automatically calculates weight and balance plus all required performance data to include information for Cat A takeoff and landing, cruise, hover, and maintenance auto. Ground level helipad, elevated helideck, and runway procedures are all included.
Increased Capabilities
. Engine Inlet Barrier Filter - A barrier filter for sand and dust is being developed. Completion is pending acquisition of a flight test aircraft. It will be made available for retrofit.
. Gross Weight Expansion (GWE) Program - The maximum allowable take-off gross weight of the aircraft is being increased from 26,500-pounds to 27,700- pounds. Although primarily a change to published limits and supporting data, there will be minor changes to airframe. At this time the capability is planned to be offered as an option and most likely will be implemented into the baseline aircraft, although that decision has not yet been finalized. . Hydraulic Heat Exchanger – Improved design being developed. This component has been a high DOC driver. . Upgraded Engine (GE CT7-8A6) - The CT7-8A6 will replace the current 8A engine. The engine will provide additional one engine inoperative (OEI) capability and improve our Cat A and PC2E performance.
The S-92® aircraft is designed to the newer FAA regulations without exception. It is FAA-certified with flaw tolerance design throughout. It meets the FAA lubrication failure regulation, without exception, and exceeds FAA requirements for crashworthiness. It has the highest number of fleet hours and the lowest accident rate. Sikorsky continues to invest millions of dollars on safety, technology and innovation.
S-76D™ Aircraft:
The S-76™ helicopter fleet maintains its strong position in the market and is the aircraft of choice for many of the world’s largest helicopter offshore operators. For offshore oil transportation, it commands a dominant market share in its class. The S-76™ worldwide fleet has approximately 706 active aircraft and has now accumulated more than 6.2 million flight hours. The venerable and evolving S-76™ product celebrated its 36th birthday this year.
The S-76D™ helicopter is the latest in the long line of successful and reliable S-76™ aircraft.
Major offshore oil helicopter companies including Bristow and Milestone Aviation have selected the S-76D™ aircraft and delivery of this product is in progress. On Oct. 31, 2013, the S-76D™ helicopter achieved FAA-certification for offshore oil operations. This milestone enabled Sikorsky to begin delivering completed off-shore oil configured S-76D™ aircraft to customers. The FAA-certification increases the S-76D™ helicopter’s maximum gross weight to 11,875 pounds and allows up to 12 passengers for operations in the offshore oil configuration. In addition, the S-76D™ helicopter also received an expanded baseline certification, allowing the aircraft to operate in a wider range of environments.
Key to the S-76D™ helicopter’s safety features are the new advances in technology that are incorporated into the aircraft.
The S-76D™ helicopter features Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S engines, the TopDeck® cockpit developed by Thales and new composite main and tail rotor blades with an optional Rotor Ice Protection System. These technologies, along with the aircraft’s performance, give the operator the best-in-class option in today’s under-12,500 pound helicopter class.
The PW210S engines have been successfully certified as fulfilling the engines’ technology goals aimed at high power-to-weight ratios while maintaining low fuel consumption. EASA certification is expected in quarter one of 2014, Canadian Type Certification was issued October 2011, FAA TC was received in December and multiple additional foreign certification validations are in progress.
Initial certification of the Thales Top Deck avionics system was completed in conjunction with aircraft certification in October 2012. Efforts are ongoing to increase the certified capability of the avionics systems in areas including WAAS – LPV, ADSB-Out, Flight Following and XM Weather. SAR AFCS modes have completed shakedown tests to be followed by final tuning of these search and rescue autopilot modes.
The S-76D™ helicopter will also benefit from several airframe upgrades. Energy- attenuating crew seats are in the baseline aircraft and machined floors are planned for high-strength applications in the cabin area to include accommodation of energy- attenuating seating in all cabin seats. Optional Type IV egress windows are available in the both the forward and aft cabin.
The S-76™ family of helicopters is safe at the foundation and highly reliable, both made available through a combination of robust technical designs and customer-focused support programs.
Sikorsky again thanks the Transport Committee for the opportunity to share our thoughts and vision on helicopter safety and capability.
December 2013