Sikorsky is confident its upgraded medium twin, the S-76D, will make its first flight in the fourth quarter of next year, said Bruce McKinney, v-p for Europe. Sikorsky engineers are building the all-composite blades for the main rotor. Pratt & Whitney Canada has been running three PW210S development engines. Wind-tunnel tests have been performed to check engine inlet icing. According to McKinney, development of the Thales Top Deck cockpit is well under way. FAA and EASA certification are pegged for the fourth quarter of 2009. The program’s schedule slipped at some point because of reallocation of resources to the military CH-53K, but the S-76D program is now fully staffed, McKinney told AIN.