Sikorsky delivers three S-70i Black Hawk helicopters with modern avionics

Posted by Courtney E. Howard MIELEC, Poland, 6 Aug. 2011. Sikorsky has delivered to an undisclosed customer three S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, which have been assembled, completed to customer specifications, and flight tested at Sikorsky's production facility in Mielec, Poland. The S-70i Black Hawk helicopter’s advanced avionics include an integrated digital cockpit, a dual digital automatic flight control system and coupled flight director, an active vibration control system, and a dual GPS/INS system with digital map.

The S-70i medium-lift aircraft are the international variant of Sikorsky's Black Hawk rotorcraft. The aircraft's two T700-GE701D engines, digital avionics, and modern wide chord rotor blades produce the same power and lift performance as the UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft flown by the U.S. Army.

Six S-70i Black Hawk aircraft have been assembled and flight tested at PZL Mielec since the company became part of U.S.-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in 2007. After a week of flight acceptance activities, the aircraft departed Poland's Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in an Antonov An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft.

"PZL Mielec has proven it can build and flight test a new variant of the Black Hawk helicopter to the very highest standards," says Robert Mastronardi, S-70i senior program manager, Sikorsky Military Systems. "The aircraft acceptance process confirmed the high quality of these aircraft and professionalism of the PZL Mielec team."

The company plans to expand production to 10 aircraft in 2012, and to 22 helicopters in 2013.
The S-70i helicopter is able to be configured for multiple missions, including troop support, search and rescue, medical evacuation, armed patrol, humanitarian relief, and VIP transport.

"The S-70i helicopter features typical Black Hawk reliability, and excellent performance coupled with the most modern avionics to reduce pilot workload," says Leszek Pawula, S-70i test pilot at PZL Mielec. "The aircraft provides a safe and stable platform for equipment needed to perform many varied missions, retaining its extreme maneuverability. It's pure pleasure to fly this helicopter."

Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).