First S-70i Black Hawk helicopter completes flight test program

First S-70i Black Hawk helicopter completes flight test program

2010-10-26 07:46:11 GMT+7 (ICT)

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) -- Sikorsky Aircraft on Monday announced that the first S-70i Black Hawk helicopter has successfully completed the production flight testing program.

In the coming months, The S-70i Black hawk helicopter will begin development and flight testing of options that will be made available to international customers. So far, the aircraft successfully completed over 50 hours in its testing program.

"The next phase of the program will expand the capability of the aircraft, transitioning it from a baseline configuration to a multi-faceted platform," said Debra Zampano, S-70i Senior Program Manager. "The next phase of development will produce a Black Hawk helicopter that the global marketplace has never seen before."

The completed ground and flight tests involved a number of systems such as dual exportable radios, exportable transponder, an emergency locator transmitter, embedded dual GPS/INS navigation, and electromagnetic compatibility testing.

The options that will be developed for the S-70i will allow customers to perform missions of humanitarian relief, search and rescue, medical evacuation, command and control, and armed patrol. Being manufactured at PZL Mielec in Poland, the helicopter is the first Black Hawk to be assembled in Europe.

The S-70i helicopter incorporates the latest technology with advanced features such as a fully integrated digital cockpit with a dual digital automatic flight control system and coupled flight director. It also includes an active vibration control system that will smooth the overall ride of the aircraft.

The company said its customers around the world will benefit from the S-70i's modern, robust aircraft configuration and ability to leverage existing interoperability with Sikorsky's worldwide fleet of Black Hawk helicopters.

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