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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-76C++ 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. |
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In October 1985, registration N5AZ was reserved in the USA for Sikorsky S-76B s/n 760316. But instead of Sikorsky S-76B
s/n 760316, S-76B s/n 760313 was registered N5AZ. In October 1986, Sikorsky S-76B s/n 760316 was registered N34RP in the
USA with General Electric Company, White Plains, New York. In December 1986, the S-76B was re-registered N363G with
General Electric Company. On 19 November 1996, the S-76B was registered N376G with General Electric Capital Corporation,
Danbury, Connecticut. On 20 March 1998, registration N376G was cancelled as exported to the Netherlands. On 1 April 1998,
the 1985-built Sikorsky S-76B was registered PH-NZZ in the Netherlands with KLM/ERA Helicopters BV, Den Helder. The aircraft
was mainly operated on offshore flights out of Den Helder-de Kooy. In 1998, KLM ERA Helicopters was integrated into Schreiner
Northsea Helicopters BV and S-76B PH-NZZ 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 2004, while in service with Schreiner Northsea Helicopters, the helicopter
had engine problems during the landing at the helicopter landing deck of the jack-up rig "Noble Kolskaya". The PH-NZZ
was returned to Den Helder on a supply vessel. In 2005, Schreiner Northsea Helicopters was integrated into CHC Helicopters
and the PH-NZZ was operated by CHC Netherlands since. On 24 April 2006, Sikorsky PH-NZZ was registered with CHC Helicopters
Netherlands BV, Den Helder, as holder 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 27 October 2012, the
CofA of the PH-NZZ expired. On 10 December 2013, registration PH-NZZ was cancelled by the IVW (Dutch CAA) as the helicopter
was longer then a year without CofA. |
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