The Sikorsky S-76 Spirit is a twin-engine medium utility helicopter that can accommodate a basic crew of two and up to 13 passengers. The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter is mainly used for cargo and passenger transport to oil platforms, in V.I.P. version and emergency. In 1975, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation started the development of the Sikorsky S-74 medium lift helicopter for the offshore/ oil support sector. The S-74 was subsequently redesignated the S-76 in honor of the U.S. Bicentennial. Sikorsky's design work on the military S-70 helicopter (selected for use by the United States Army as the UH-60 Black Hawk) was utilized in the development of the S-76, incorporating S-70 design technology in its rotor blades and rotor heads. The first prototype S-76A, powered by two Allison 250C30S turbo shafts, flew on 13 March 1977. The FAA certification (TCDS H1NE) was achieved on 21 November 1979 and deliveries started the same year. 284 Sikorsky S-76A helicopters were manufactured, a large number were modified to S-76A+. The Sikorsky S-76B with the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B engines was flown first on 22 June 1984. Deliveries started in 1987 and the final S-76B was delivered in December 1997, with 101 S-76Bs built. In June 1989, the Model S-76C, fitted with Turboméca Arriel 1S1 engines, was announced. The Sikorsky S-76C flew first on 18 May 1990 and FAA certification was achieved on 15 March 1991. The Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopter was the version in production until 2011. Its main feature is the Arriel engine, which gives excellent single-engine performance as well as good range. In 2011, with aircraft number 882, the last S-76C++ closed out that production progam. The last development of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter was the S-76D. The S-76D helicopter featured all-composite main rotor blades, Pratt & Whitney PW210S engines and Thales TopDeck avionics. FAA approved Type Certification for the S-76D helicopter on 12 October 2012. Sikorsky delivered the first S-76D aircraft to Bristow Group, Inc. for offshore oil worker transport in December 2013. Until 2020, Keystone / Sikorsky built over 1000 S-76 helicopters in various models. The Sikorsky S-76D helicopter was the last version built. Sikorsky took the decision to end domestic production of the S-76 following an FAA mandate that all new-production helicopters be equipped with crash-resistant fuel systems.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the S-76B helicopter is S76.
On 6 November 2015, Lockheed Martin completed for $9 billion the acquisition of Sikorsky Aircraft, replacing United Technologies as Sikorsky Aircraft’s parent company.

The 1991-built Sikorsky S-76B Eagle s/n 760381 was registered PH-NZW in the Netherlands by KLM Helikopters B.V., Schiphol-Oost, on 24 June 1991. The aircraft was mainly operated on offshore flights, first out of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, later out of Den Helder-de Kooy. On 12 October 1993, name and ownership changed to KLM/ERA Helicopters BV., Schiphol-Oost. On 7 July 1994, registration PH-NZW was cancelled and the same day the S-76B was registered G-OKLE in the UK with KLM ERA Helicopters (UK) Ltd. On 23 October 1996, registration G-OKLE was cancelled and the next day registration PH-NZW was restored with KLM/ERA Helicopters B.V., Den Helder. In 1998, KLM ERA Helicopters was integrated into Schreiner Northsea Helicopters BV and S-76B PH-NZW was registered with this new operator on 3 July 1998. On 4 September 2002, registered ownership of the helicopter changed to Capital Aviation Services BV., Hoofddorp, with Schreiner Northsea Helicopters BV, Den Helder, as holder. In 2005, Schreiner Northsea Helicopters was integrated into CHC Helicopters and the PH-NZW is operated by CHC Netherlands since. On 24 April 2006, Sikorsky PH-NZW was registered to CHC Helicopters Netherlands BV, Den Helder, as operator and Capital Aviation Services BV., Hoofddorp, as owner. The helicopter was stationed at Den Helder-De Kooy until 25 October 2012. That day, Sikorsky S-76B PH-NZS; PH-NZW and PH-NZZ left Den Helder by road to Zeebrugge in Belgium. From Zeebrugge harbour, the helicopters were shipped to Boundary Bay, Canada. On 21 March 2014, registration PH-NZW was cancelled by the IVW (Dutch CAA) as the helicopter was longer then a year without CofA.

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