ikorsky copters achieve 250,000 flight hours

The S-92 fleet of medium-lift helicopters has surpassed 250,000 flight hours since the first aircraft entered service six years ago, establishing a record pace for a commercial fleet of Sikorsky helicopters, said officials on Thursday.

The first production S-92 entered service in September 2004.

Transport companies flying work crews to offshore oil and gas platforms account for 90 percent of those airtime hours.

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

?Reaching a quarter million flight hours in such a short period of time speaks well of the S-92 aircraft?s robust airframe and design,? said Anthony Moreland, Sikorsky’s regional sales executive-India. “We are excited that India?s highly skilled aerospace workforce is currently manufacturing S-92 helicopter cabins in Hyderabad as part of Sikorsky?s global supply chain.?

Sikorsky and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, a subsidiary of the Tata Group, signed an agreement in June 2009 to produce S-92 helicopter cabins from a new green field facility. The first cabin is scheduled for delivery in late 2010.

Eight offshore oil and gas transport companies fly 75 of the 117 in-service S-92 aircraft, serving platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, and the waters around Newfoundland, Brazil, Australia, Malaysia and China.

During the first six months of 2010, the worldwide S-92 fleet added 50,000 flight hours. Current mission availability across the fleet in 21 countries today stands at 94 percent and climbing.

One of the heaviest users, Bristow Norway AS, flies nine S-92 aircraft to North Sea platforms operated by Shell, BP, Statoil, ConocoPhillips and Talisman Energy. In the seven months from January 2010 to July 31, each Bristow S-92 aircraft averaged 124.5 flight hours per month (1120 flight hours for the fleet).

Bristow?s highest airtime S-92 helicopter ? operational since February, 2005 ? has flown 9,000 hours. The company?s second highest airtime S-92 aircraft is expected to reach 9,000 hours in the fourth quarter of 2010. Total airtime for the Bristow fleet is 74,000 hours.