Sikorsky Aircraft yesterday named Greenwich AeroGroup subsidiary Summit Aviation an authorized customer support center for its legacy S-76 helicopters. Since the type’s introduction in 1979, Sikorsky has delivered more than 800 S-76 models, which continue to add to the type’s six million-plus flight hours.

Summit will offer aftermarket support for scheduled maintenance on the medium twin, including maintenance management, inspections and spare parts procurement. “We have a longstanding relationship with Summit Aviation and are very pleased that the company has recently been approved as a qualified service center,” said John Johnson, president of Sikorsky subsidiary Helicopter Support. “Its ample hangar space, Sikorsky-certified mechanics and a mobile field team will provide comprehensive support to our legacy operators.” Summit provides aircraft and engine service for products from all the major rotorcraft manufacturers, including Bell, Airbus Helicopters and MD Helicopters as well as for many fixed-wing aircraft manufacturers such as Beechcraft, Pilatus and Cessna.

AAR Recognition

Here at the show, Sikorsky recognized AAR Airlift’s use of the S-92 helicopter in support of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The operator’s two large-cabin rotorcraft achieved a record 3,800 combined block flight hours in 2013, an increase of 1,000 hours over 2012, and tallied a maintenance readiness rate greater than 90 percent. “AAR’s experience validates the cargo and troop transport capabilities in the harshest of environments, and we’re grateful for our relationship with AAR and the trust they continue to show in the aircraft,” said Carey Bond, president of Sikorsky Commercial Systems & Services. The UTC subsidiary supports an off-site stocking warehouse in Bagram, Afghanistan to help contribute to the large-cabin helicopter’s availability.

AAR’s daily S-92 missions include ferrying passengers and cargo, as well as carrying sling loads at high altitudes in a wide range of temperatures. “Assets like the S-92 are critical in supporting the warfighters’ ability to execute their missions safely,” said AAR Airlift president Randy Martinez. The U.S. Transportation Command recently awarded AAR another option year based on the company’s performance and fleet capability.