The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has formally approved the S-92® helicopter for Sea State 6 (SS6) conditions – up to 20-foot waves – thus completing the S-92A emergency flotation system sea state expansion.

“We believe this is the first ever FAA certification to this Sea State (20-foot waves). This system was designed by the S-92 Landing Gear Design Group, with close coordination with electrical and airframe design and structural analysis,” said Ben Del Monte, Chief Propulsion/Landing Gear/Mission Systems.

Sikorsky tested the system using a 1/10 scale model ballasted to the proper center of gravity and inertias. The tests took place at Aberdeen Proving Ground, a U.S. Army facility located near Aberdeen, Md. Also successfully tested was the proposed large sponson configuration that met SS6 conditions with only the baseline 3 float system.

When this option is developed, the extra buoyancy of the larger sponson will save the cost and weight of the additional sponson floats and offset any weight and cost increases associated with the larger sponson.