Modern Executive and Medical Helicopter, the Sikorsky S-76D.

Manufacturer:
Sikorsky Helicopter
Country:
United States
Manufactured:
2009 to: Onward
ICAO:
Price:
US$13 million (2014)
Avionics:
Thales Avionics
Engine:
2 X Pratt and Whitney PW210S
Turbine
Power:
1,050 horsepower
Max Cruise Speed:
155 knots
287 Km/h
Approach Speed (Vref):
Travel range:
441 Nautical Miles
817 Kilometers
Fuel Economy:
1.49 nautical mile / gallon
0.729 kilometres / litre
Service Ceiling:
15,000 feet
Rate of Climb:

Take Off Distance:
Landing Distance:
Max Take Off Weight:
5,307 Kg
11,700 lbs
Max Landing Weight:
Max Payload:
1,588 Kg
3,501 lbs
Fuel Tank Capacity:
296 gallon
1,120 litre
Baggage Volume:
1.08 m3 / 38 ft3
Seats - Economy / General:
12 seats
Seats - Business Class:
0
Seats - First Class:
0
Cabin Height:
1.35 metre - 4.43 feet
Cabin Width:
1.93 metre - 6.33 feet
Cabin Length:
2.41 metre - 7.91 feet
Exterior Length:
16 metre - 52.49 feet
Tail height:
Fuselage Diameter:
Wing Span / Rotor Diameter:
13.41 metre - 44.00 feet
Wing Tips:
No Winglets

Blog Mentions

Blog posts that mention the Sikorsky S-76D:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Hxww7piws

Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash

On 26 January 2020 a Sikorsky S-76D (model year 1991) carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and several others crashed in the hills of Calabasas, California, about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The helicopter carrying Bryant and his daughter were on their way to an AAU basketball game when the helicopter crashed in the Santa Monica mountains.

There were a total of 9 people on board of the aircraft, of which no one survived.

Causes of the crash are still unclear at the time of writing. Eyewitness reports mention the helicopter sounded like it was struggling, or as if the engine was not running properly.

Some aviation experts suspect the thick fog covering the hills on the morning of the accident may have had something to do with the crash. The morning of the crash visibility was so low the Los Angeles Police Department has grounded its helicopters.

The helicopter was flying with SFVR clearance (special visual flight rules). This allows pilots to fly in weather conditions worse than when flying under regular VFR (visual flight rules).

Flying in these conditions are not usually recommended, however they are quite common. While flying with this special clearance the pilot will keep closer contact with air traffic control.

The crash shouldn’t blemish the reputation of the helicopter. Nearly 900 Sikorsky S-76 helicopters were delivered worldwide, with a total of 7.4 million hours of flight.

Sikorsky mentioned in a statement regarding the accident they will inform customers of the S-76 model if they find any actionable findings regarding the safety of the aircraft.

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