Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 15, 2008 - (Page 86) FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 Sikorsky Strategy Includes Multiple First Flights Lawrence of Arabia was guided by his Seven Pillars of Wisdom; Sikorsky president Jeff Pino is relying on seven imminent first flights and “four pillars of growth” as the lodestar for his helicopter company’s progress. Sikorsky returns to Farnborough (Hall 4, Stand F14) two years after Pino announced the new guidelines here. They are: growth with margin expansion, excellence in execution, technological leadership, and globalization. Sikorsky’s revenue reached a record $4.8 billion in 2007 and its backlog has grown to $12 billion from $6.9 billion in 2004. “To say that I am excited at the prospects of growth and industry-changing innovation is an understatement. Sikorsky in 2008 is poised to mark an unprecedented period of milestones and growth,” Pino said as the Show opened. Sikorsky has busy production lines and a 2008 schedule of first flights for no fewer than seven projects. Current U.S. government production programs include the on the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter for the Marine Corps under a $3 billion System Development and Demonstration contract which could lead to the production of 156 aircraft to replace roughly an equal number of CH-53E Super Stallions. S-92 and S-76 continue to lead the resurgence in Sikorsky’s commercial aircraft business. “The H-92 helicopter, a military version of our S-92 being built under a joint venture of Shanghai Sikorsky and AVIC II. And in Turkey, Sikorsky’s supply base continues to grow, with the Middle East next on the expansion timetable. In addition to the CH-53K for the Marine Corps, other current development programs include the International Black Hawk, to be produced at PZL Mielec with deliveries expected to begin in 2011; the first military variant of S-92, scheduled to fly in the fourth quarter as a prelude to delivery of 28 to the Canadian Armed Forces; UH-60M Upgrade to fly in the third quarter with fly-by-wire controls and a Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters for the Navy, and the UH-60 Black Hawk for the Army. Navy programs call for 271 of the MH-60S and 298 MH-60Rs, while the UH-60M program is expected to produce more than 1,200 aircraft. In addition, Sikorsky is working Sikorsky president Jeff Pino with the new X2, the H-92 Superhawk kicking off its world tour here this week, and, at right, CH-53K in development for the Marine Corps. Warrior UAV’s Been All at Sea Warrior (Aero-Marine) Limited has brought its Gull 36 UAV to the Farnborough static park fresh from successful sea trials. These were the first formal achievements by the new generation of stepless seaplane hulls developed by Warrior, and according to Warrior CEO James Labouchere the patented design “reflects the revolution in slender-hulled surface craft design in the last 20 years, improving performance and enabling Warrior’s seaplanes to handle waves twice as large as equivalent seaplanes. The Gull is the first UAV seaplane conceived and developed for both coastal and offshore environment.” The 4-meter wingspan Gull 36 is displayed at the UAV park, and Warrior is at Hall 4/E13 here. Gull 36 UAV back on land. aircraft, is on static display here in Farnborough, and we are preparing to bring it on a world tour beginning in Europe. We at Sikorsky are very optimistic about our future, as we see strong growth across all of our product lines, and the S-92 helicopter and its variants are a key component of that future growth,” Pino announced. In approximately four years since the start of deliveries, the S-92 fleet has accumulated 100,000 flight hours. Offshore oil S-92 helicopter operators are flying respectable totals of between 130 and 170 hours per month. In May, the S-76 fleet passed 5 million flight hours, and Sikorsky delivered the 700th aircraft in the series earlier this year. Sikorsky’s global expansion has been another key component of the company’s recent and rapid growth. Modernization projects continue at the PZL Mielec facility in Poland, and the first Black Hawk cabins are due to be delivered from there later this year. In China, S-76s are now cockpit; X2 technology demonstrator on the verge of its first flight; S-76D, the latest S-76 incarnation, expected to fly by year-end; and Sikorsky-Schweizer S-434 light helicopter, with a four-bladed rotor system based on the existing S-333, also due in the fourth quarter. Future growth will depend in no small measure on the X2, representing a new generation of rotorcraft that combines an integrated suite of technologies intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counterrotating coaxial rotor helicopter. It is designed to demonstrate that a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 kts, while retaining such desirable rotary-wing attributes as excellent low speed handling, efficient hovering and autorotation safety, with seamless and simple transition to high speed. — Paul Jackson 86 July 15, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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