Sikorsky Aircraft is finishing
developmental flight tests of its S-92 helicopter with a search and
rescue automatic flight control system (AFCS) that is able to lock
in and fly point-in-space approaches, hands-off, and hover for
rescues.
The system is the first to fly automated approaches to a set
position "hooked" by a search radar, flight management system way
point, thermal imager, or digital map. "This system does a fully
coupled approach, hover and departure. A nighttime, IFR rescue in
icing conditions is now possible, military or civilian, with this
system and aircraft family," said S-92 project pilot Ron
Doeppner.
The civil S-92 system is a subset of the sophisticated AFCS
prototyped in the HH-92 SUPERHAWK helicopter variant entered in the
U.S. Air Force CSAR-X competition. The search and rescue (SAR)
flight control modes were tested first on the HH-92 demonstrator
last year.
With the aircraft on an automatic descent to a set altitude and
position, the flight crew can keep eyes looking out of the cockpit
for added safety and mission effectiveness.
"I wish I'd had a fully integrated flight control system like
this when I was flying Air Force rescue and special ops
helicopters," Doeppner said. "When you put this into an aircraft
with the safety and survivability features of the HH-92, you've got
the world's most advanced SAR helicopter."
SAR rotorcraft such as the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter have long
been equipped with coupled flight control systems that can fly
stored approach profiles to a hover near a visual target. The
S-92's AFCS adds more precision and functionality over previous
systems. "We've now demonstrated a three-dimensional precision
approach system compatible with multiple aircraft sensors,"
Doeppner said. "The pilot can enter GPS coordinates through the
S-92 flight management system or 'hook' a target with the cursor on
the radar, FLIR, or map display."
The new SAR mode in the S-92 dual digital automatic flight
control system is on course to receive European Aviation Safety
Agency certification by year-end. Sikorsky is under contract to
provide four SAR-configured S-92 aircraft to CHC Helicopters, which
the United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency selected to
provide coastal search and rescue services. In the U.S., Federal
Aviation Administration certification is expected in 2007.
The SAR mode for the S-92 Avionics Management System was
developed jointly by Sikorsky Aircraft and Rockwell Collins
engineers.
The HH-92 blends the unique flaw-tolerant, crashworthy design
features of the Collier Award-winning S-92 with the ballistically
tolerant design legacy of the combat-proven BLACK HAWK. In combat
SAR deployability demonstrations, the HH-92 demonstrator was
unloaded from a C-17 transport airplane and ready to fly in 22
minutes -- a fraction of the time required by older technology
helicopters.