Sikorsky's S-92 to Be Cleared by Year-End

Sikorsky's S-92 took another step closer to FAA certification when development aircraft No. 4 performed two successfully uneventful autorotations during trials in August. The autorotations were a crucial part of the flight test program that Sikorsky hopes will lead to final FAA type approval for the new helicopter in December. The first S-92 flew in December 1998, and, although early progress was slowed by a number of technical issues, the three current test aircraft have now gathered nearly all the type inspection authorization data required of them-over a flight test total of 1,340 hours. The first production S-92 deliveries are expected in early 2004.