Sikorsky spent $100 million developing the new main gearbox for the S-92.
need for immediate landing after a loss of oil pressure and allows flights to safely reach their destination. Sikorsky spent more than a decade
and $100 million developing the new MGB and subjecting it to more than 800 hours of testing. The new gearbox will be part of the S-92A+ upgrade kit. The S-92 helicopter is popular in
the offshore energy industry, where many aircraft log more than 1,500 hours annually. It’s also used in search- and-rescue operations and for VVIP (very very important person) transport, including as the new VH-92A, desig- nated Marine One when the US presi- dent is aboard. Sikorsky has announced several
other enhancements to the S-92 in recent months, including increased scheduled inspection intervals and a one-time life extension for specific MGB housings. The company says these enhancements will eliminate more than a full year of downtime caused by inspections and allow operators to safely keep their aircraft in service—and generating revenue— longer. The total earned-life credit is up to 1,200 hours or 3,600 ground- air-ground cycles, representing an additional 12 to 18 months of use for an average S-92 offshore oil operator and more than 24 months for others, according to Sikorsky. Along with the new gearbox,
Sikorsky is continuing to support the installed fleet of nearly 300 S-92
Bristow recently signed a long-term
agreement with Sikorsky that includes the company’s Total Assurance Program, which provides aftermarket support for Bristow’s fleet of 60 S-92s.
helicopters with comprehensive product support. In April, the company announced its new Total Assurance Program maintenance support deal for the Bristow Group. With 60 S-92s fly- ing its livery, Bristow is the largest fleet operator of the model. The agreement includes power-by-the-hour coverage that includes over 90% of replace- ment costs for parts. The S-92 has a lifetime availability average of over 90%, according to Leon Silva, Sikorsky VP of global commercial and military systems.
Matrix Autonomy In 2013, Sikorsky announced its Matrix platform—a combination of systems and software that improves the capa- bility, reliability, and safety of flight for autonomous, optionally piloted, and piloted vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Since then, the com- pany has shown steady progress for this autonomy platform, as well as new applications for it.
Sikorsky first demonstrated the
technology in 2013 aboard a specially fitted S-76B helicopter. Subsequent additions included sensor suites and data links for progressively complex mission requirements, enabling func- tionality in low-altitude, obstacle-rich environments. The success of these flights paved
the way for Matrix to be installed on optionally piloted Black Hawk helicop- ters for demonstration programs with the US Army and Marine Corps, thanks to a collaboration between Sikorsky and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) that dates to 2015. During demonstration flights in
2022 in Yuma, Arizona, an unmanned Black Hawk equipped with the ALIAS system flew missions that included long-endurance medical resupply, cargo delivery, and casualty evac- uation. Demonstrated operations included nap-of-the-earth flights
JUN 2025 POWER UP 53
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