Rotorcraft
Helitech 2013: Sikorsky S-76D First Delivery Pending
The first customer delivery of the Sikorsky S-76D to an offshore operator in the Gulf of Mexico is imminent.
Delivery of the first customer S-76D was imminent at press time. The launch customer is an offshore operator in the Gulf of Mexico.
Delivery of the first customer S-76D was imminent at press time. The launch customer is an offshore operator in the Gulf of Mexico.

The first customer delivery of the Sikorsky S-76D was imminent as this was being written last month, with the first example to be handed over to an offshore operator in the Gulf of Mexico. EASA certification is expected toward the end of the year.

The company has been expanding the helicopter’s envelope since it received so-called “baseline FAA certification” in October last year, a signoff intended “to get the aircraft to the market,” according to a company executive. But one year later no aircraft had been delivered. For the last 12 months the helicopter’s limited approval has restricted operations to two-pilot VFR flights at limited altitude.