STRATFORD, Conn., 25 Nov. 2013. CHC Helicopter officials in Vancouver, B.C., signed a multi-year contract to purchase nine S-92 helicopters for use in transporting offshore oil workers and for possible search and rescue operations from Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) in Stratford, Conn.
CHC, based in Canada, is among the world's largest helicopter transportation services companies, operating more than 240 aircraft in about 30 countries worldwide, officials say. CHC's aircraft fleet currently includes 110 Sikorsky helicopters, including 38 S-92 and 67 S-76 aircraft.
Deliveries of the first five new S-92 helicopters are scheduled for 2015 and the remaining four in 2016. If CHC exercises options for additional helicopters, those aircraft would deliver between 2015 and 2018.
"On behalf of our customers, CHC has very high standards for the aircraft it flies to and from some of the world's most remote and challenging destinations," explains William Amelio, CHC's president and chief executive officer. "The S-92 continues to meet those benchmarks and remains an important part of our global fleet."
The multimission S-92 helicopter features a flaw-tolerant design; was certified to FAA/EASA harmonized Part 29 requirements, as amended through Amendment 47; and remains the only aircraft certified to this rigorous airworthiness standard without exception or waiver, says a company spokesperson.
"CHC is widely known throughout the aerospace industry as a company committed to safety and quality, which are commitments Sikorsky shares. For more than 50 years, CHC has flown Sikorsky helicopters, and we are thankful for their continued trust in our aircraft," says Carey Bond, president of Sikorsky Global Helicopters, the commercial aircraft business of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
Sikorsky delivered the industry's 200th S-92 helicopter on Aug. 29, and the S-92 fleet has logged more than 600,000 flight hours to date. Offshore oil operators fly the aircraft for an average of 90–110 hours per month in often challenging conditions. In addition to serving the offshore oil segment, the S-92 helicopter performs Head of State missions, search and rescue (SAR) operations, as well as a variety of transportation missions for utility and airline passengers. The aircraft first entered service in September 2004.
Sikorsky offered the S-92 platform to the U.S. Government, which is seeking to replace the "Marine One" helicopter fleet that transports the President of the United States. The aircraft already provides Head of State transportation for 10 nations.
