Article Posted on : - Oct 26, 2010

S-70i Black Hawk Helicopter. Sikorsky photo

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA (BNS): Sikorsky will begin development of the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter having successfully completed its first production flight testing.

The company is slated to begin deliveries to the launch customer of the S-70i helicopter program by mid-2011.

The aircraft has flown more than 50 hours in its production flight test program. It will now undergo extensive flight testing in the coming months as options are integrated into the aircraft, Sikorsky said.

“The next phase of the program will expand the capability of the aircraft, transitioning it from a baseline configuration to a multi-faceted platform,” said Debra A Zampano, S-70i Senior Program Manager, International Military Programs.

The options that will be developed for the S-70i will enable customers to perform missions such as humanitarian relief, search and rescue, medical evacuation, command and control, and armed patrol, it said.

The S-70i Black Hawk Helicopter has advanced features such as a fully integrated digital cockpit with a dual digital automatic flight control system and coupled flight director, an active vibration control system that will smooth the overall ride of the aircraft.

The S-70i helicopter utilizes a global supply chain and is the first Black Hawk helicopter ever to be assembled in Europe. The aircraft are being manufactured at PZL Mielec, Sikorsky Aircraft’s company in Poland.