Page 36 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

HELICOPTERS

FIRST FLIGHT OF SIKORSKY

By Brian Garrett-Glaser

ir Force pilots
Aconducted their

first flight of the Sikorsky

HH-60W, slated to be the
service’s new combat res-
cue helicopter to replace
the aging HH-60G Pave
Hawks.
The 413th Flight test
squadron flew the new

model at Sikorsky’s de-
velopment flight centre in

West Palm Beach, Florida
recently, according to the
Air Force.

“Our entire team has
been focused on bringing
together a lot of moving
parts to get here today,”
said Lt. Col. Wayne Dirkes,
413th FLTS operations

officer. “We are really excited to be a part test pilot maintained tolerances of plus The HH-60W took its maiden flight on
of recapitalising a vital component of our or minus one knot of airspeed, 20 feet May 17, with a second development aircraft

war fighting strategy.” of altitude and less than 100 feet per lifting off on May 23.
The crew performed an instrumenta- minute vertical speed, flying by hand,” Sikorsky has logged more than 30 hours

tion and telemetry checkout with the Dirkes said. of shakedown flight time on these two

control room, gathered basic engine Major Andrew Fama, a 413th FLTS test aircraft, according to the company. But this

start data and flew referred gross pilot, was the first Air Force pilot to fly the milestone marks the beginning of integrat-

weight level flight speed sweeps be- HH-60W. ed government and contractor flight test

tween 40 knots and maximum horizontal "I’m honoured to be the first Air Force pi- operations.

speed, said Dirkes. lot to fly the ‘Whiskey’ and very excited to This month, the 413th’s HH-60W oper-

“Performance testing requires ex- deliver a new aircraft to my rescue brothers ations are scheduled to begin at Eglin Air
tremely precise aircraft control, and our and sisters,” Fama said. Force Base in Florida. Q
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World Airnews | September 2019 World Airnews | September 2019
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