Perce tury eras gtr ans tenes Reserve Base, were busy putting one arratt insi The date marks point for those wh argue that the US Air Force ne etter rescue helicopte No helicopter can rescue anybody until reaches the war zone. At Westover, under leadership of Chiet Master Sgt Tom Dzwonkus, members of the 439th Aiclift employees of Sikorsky Aircraft demonstrate how to load the new $92 helicopter into a C SA Galaxy. The 5h 68-0219 for the demonstration The Sikorsky team at Westover wos headed by 3 former sta sergeant, Chris DeWitt, now a Sikorsky marketer and an expert on optimising the $92 forthe US Air Force. The company eles to af the helicopte {2s the H-92, although the term has no affica sanction. The popular name ‘Helibus, once assigned to the S-92, became the brunt of Jokes at Sikorsky and was dropped after the 1998 retirement of chief execu Buckley. Today popular name. According to 2.9 nours to load an §-92 into he 5-92 does no eit, it takes femoving a device above the main rote assembly, folding the tall and rotor blades, and 'uneeling’ the helicopter to make ita smug fit Sikorsky claims that a C5 can carry three S 925, as against the one which can be carried by 12 een 2002 {C17 Globemaster I $92 out o (old down the blades and fly" Current helicopters require After years of dalying, the ir Force plans to ask for funds in the administration's next budget proposal to study a possible new helicopter. tong way from putting @ squadron onthe tight tine. However, while this measure i ite and lat, itis a step in the right direction towards giving crews th Said Det: "When you Rotary Requirement ‘The US Air Force needs a replacement for its 105 HH-606 Block 142 Pave Hawk comi fescue helicopters, It has other helicopter eds as well (of which more late. Howe the Pave Hawk has been crying out for replacement. Any helicopter is challenged fying high, hot, heavy, or any two out of the eee. According to a report by the Center for feavenworth, Kansas, US Army UH6OL Black Hawks - the design on which the Pave Hawk based - had aitficulty in high-altitude operations in Afghanistan due to a balky tal le older CH-47 Chinook helicopters with thei tain main rotors did most of the trooprterrying. The US Air Force has deployed few HH-60Gs to Afghanistan, relying instead on the MHE-S3M Ena ations rather which i The US Air Force never acquired an atc perations variant ofthe Black from a UH-60A withthe MH-60% spec equlvalaa equivalent, and will soon field a refined UH 60M model. On November 4, 1999, Sikorski began work to retrofit a US Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicooter with upgraded General Electric TTOO-GETOIC engines to replace 100 models, That change has been completed leet wide and has made the HH-60G n capable. Plans for a Block 152 HH-606 with cockpit improvements wil also help, but the US Air Force now seems to realise that it mace a mistake in not purchasing th HH-60D in the 1980s (se serious about wanting an Funds for replacing th would come out of the budget Command (ACC. An equally strong need fo can be found in Air Mobility 8, Maryland, equipped with 24 UN Twit HHueys and commanded in July 2002 by Lt Col Tracy Coibur, ‘Ata glance. the squadron seems H-606 H-606 3 Air Combatpeacetime. However, the press ang publ arely notice its primary mission, which is to evacuate leaders from Washington in time o much ofits safety record at the expens other issues, After all, the mos r When a thunderstorm is closing in, 8 young the clock ticking on whether to take of binet oficial on an urgent mission. Squadron member said: "In some situations, cust Such 2 tough conditions ~ but won't the decision-making process be clouded if there is an institutiona fiation on an accident iB? othe The Twin Huey is a mich-oved arratt bu rom Washington in the imm mat of terar attacks on New ¥ Pennsyvania. Privately, officials concede t it the attacks ha taken place on Jul of September 1, the ist Helicopter S ld have been unable to doit would have de URN, in ation to ACC and AMC, a hia user fo new helicopter would be Air Force Space sie sites in the US n ins, usin the US Air Force Best New Helo The Sikorsky $-92 may be the most lk andidate to become the US air Force helicopter, but the service nas al ordered to stucy the Agusta Wes Although it was designed as a civil helicopter, Sikorsky has explored the military use of the 5-92 {85 the -92". The fourth example bul is finshed In US Air Force scheme and i being promated as fulfiling several roles within the US military. tine on the Andrews fight ents since 1957, when an #9 fpp erin and the NH industries NH On March 30, 2001, the squadron after a precautionary landing atthe Andrews robust ofthe trio, the NH-90 is al. D0 accident fying ese, an incident in whieh no-one st kly forthe US ent to 8,333 days in the air, ina injured, As p 69H the company aso ce by Vice President Dick commanded ns Agusta i has been free from squadron transpo: ‘Above: The Sirsky $-92 was pushed inside a C-5 Galaxy on October 4, 200}, to ensure that it could be caried by the strategic transport. Speed of deployment Is erucil in rescue missions 2s the ‘chances of rescuing personne from behiné enemy ines diminishes steeply with tine. ° ‘An early mock-up ofthe ‘M-92" featuring an In-flight refuelling probe and large observation Windows in the eabin. Any future US Ar Fore rescue helleopte is likely to feature en inflight refueling capability. vm artorcesmonom 33Sha ta undermining the ambitious EH01 programme. During the author's visit to Sikorsky’ flight test facility at West Palm Beach, Florida, on lune 14 this year, engineering test pilot and Fetied US Air Force Lt Col Ronald § Doeponer described the 5-92 as “very smooth” and “2 very good possibilty for our mary frees” ‘The $-92 was first flown in 1998 (see table, and was pitched intially atthe cll helicopter market. Cinema patrons saw a plush executive version this summer in the Adam Sandler movie Mr Deeds. Fimmakers borrowed an S 92 - along with Doeppner and fellow plot Rick Becker = to create scenes in which an 5:92 ed the Sancler character to 2 new fe as a sudden inheritor of wealth Skorshy’s DeWitt says that aitmen remember with affection the company’s H'3, the Jolly Green Giant, which became famous for rescues In Vietnam. "People ask us ‘Why don't you give us another HS? ‘According to Sikorsky's figures (hardly unbiase, it costs $866 per hour to fy the S 92, as compared to $1025 forthe HH-60G and $1425 for the EH-101. Sikorsky says tis adds HH-GOD - A MISSED OPPORTUNITY IN nt 2,202 viewers ve th wor were gs olen ces Bloch 2 H06 Pre Hants colon eh slopes tM Hood Seen gH fetuting robe ot te ston,Ngped vet ado wail while the mai" Chewed ist apart The msn. nich no-one ns lle ot onl ustatd the fuggdtess the, bet wo showed thay ay elope a et hgh sat fragt ith per When he Sa Fre ordered the MI-OG in the Et asa west teratoma abs Black Ha cenative whch ane realy mates ‘he cstnr MOD Mah Honk cain» eter pee ty Bl nod Rave Ben any oa rescues at gh, nb eae, eid ee es. (Job eper gave he 00 ame and “rye that Hon as not ont row ein Thy meen no tertisng tha Mat Hk motrin ‘The US Ai Fre hd aeaty eres even NOAS ete Amy Back Ho. nd arte he i aane rt aca FUR ear ig an TAIF (eran avedarcefterain owing ata for ih ad bad-weater resco. eS nO Moy Leen re) ce oe co sine Ul 08 (822378 to tecme the prttye HHS. Aner US A Fre eer reel: “he ral pan was fo 21 al up Hs. Im ot sure wat was‘ contact Se what at mere aed for etic va anes er eins tial Bese, tate ee, 62278 was maid nto mae oa testbed than even a petatype th ‘he extra mont for fe, nd waste” up by Beer! atch was he pine contrac a ith he Many’ SHO). Ths art at ae Sens sch 2 FL "What sng the avons tga ron rena 8 9a comp, ton camputer te. negrated corer 15 the ine 62278 low a Ges In ene cingurtion on at 165. the rane na lnger usted ne mai etre emiiored fet ante US A Fre hd at aed the ice to oii er 60 gh Mak. 22378 was eed ut pubic ris {he FR and rata, promting foto & Ming International magazine to opine that he belcopter ns “samewhat werstequpped for dag with ash weather than the onmuter peta rau he ust the crema. A pape exec! Fed aes ost MSIE motel edn lo ceomy moe, US A Farce wel oe Above: Lockheed Martin's partnering of Agusta Westland in marketing the EH-IO! to the US itary will rest in the preduction of any ofthe type ordered in the continental United States. Three-engined safety, low acoustic signature and high speeds make the helicopter a serious contender fr 8 HH-6OG replacement. ss v.80 Below: The EH-IOT i already inservice or on order by Canada, italy, Portugal and the United ‘Kingdom, with Japan likely to jel the fls. The Canaslan Armed Forces fly the alrerat Inthe res- cue role a8 the CH-149 Cormorant. scusa wsTLN0 ess captble 606 mal Hope for 8 ob lic wae chs nd ame es ‘teases nnn Slders who were geting the capabies ey raed The As 90 {is fight tan Army MOK (32684) demonstte tat ne may src arch at least sling soe rs rece nat ot wate aby The US A Freer 10 W60Gs Between ET a 99. Ten wre ed fr 3 ie by speci operates forces an were designate MOGs. The MOG feeding ink amu, an tance ecto are suite, $0 cal HL) machin gu, ster ose. An WS ecg 3, hci fo te FTA ge let at crt kona naned te Nghthav dig Hig the Baas 5. Toy, te ‘eon forte 40 each sandr fh TOE ene nen ame her improvements he US Aiea rere ght mare MOGs thE eg in 93.4 US A Fore tics commer: "Te M0 smal anc uly operate averse weather. A pve by US A Fre Ma Renth¥Vomr wars “nay the het the CaretHi06 oy smal, mobile, suacetrac mle and ata artier is ute Moy 200 be mesa es mew reprint te aan tere retraces miles shh sth Rasa SAT an Stand he Ameren Ste The 00 Ng Hak waste ‘ou te stn oh comb recat On fone example, 6223718 sea Elin PF op Nove 1984, ns completed {ssuchand was equped with an anemic avons suite compared tet erigialy ‘nlsaged. The helper later served atthe rteype MSO wan