Sikorsky’s Keystone Helicopter division is gearing up to produce both the S-76D and the S-92 at its Coatesville, Pa. Heliplex campus. The first S-76D is scheduled to fly by year-end, but Keystone’s president, David Ford, acknowledges, “That’s going to be a challenge.” Keystone has received three S-76D fuselages from Aero Vodochody and hopes to ship the first completed S-76D to Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach, Fla. flight test center at the end of this month.
Keystone has already received an FAA production certificate for the S-76C++ and will add the D to that authorization. It also anticipates receiving FAA approval to manufacture the larger S-92. On its way to meeting its goal of producing 100 helicopters per year by 2012, the company is dealing with the FAA regulatory process, expanding Keystone’s physical plant and increasing required staffing and management levels. Ford said that the current order book for the D model stands at about 100 helicopters and that the backlog of S-92 orders amounts to between 18 and 24 months of production.
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