We have covered private jets. The G650 and Lineage 1000. But never private helicopters. The S-76 is the most luxurious helicopter. It has been owned by celebrities and billionaires alike.
The S-76 was famously flown by Donald Trump. An aircraft worth $7 million. The Sikorsky seats two pilots and 4-12 VIPs. The Sikorsky also comes with an inbuilt entertainment system. One to rival the G650’s.
Why was the Sikorsky S-76 brought into being?
The development of the Sikorsky began in the mid 1970’s. It was initially called the S-74. It was renamed to honour the US bicentennial. The main purpose of the S-74 was as a medium helicopter. For corporate transportation in the oil drilling industry. The S-74 was based on the S-70 helicopter.
The S-74 incorporated major design from the S-70. Including the rotor blades and rotor motors. The S-74 was the first Sikorsky primarily for commercial use. Sikorsky was previously known for designing military helicopters.
The first S-74 prototype flew on March 13, 1977. The FAA granted a type certificate on November 21 1978. The first consumer delivery was on February 27 1979. The S-76 was given the name “Spirit” by the media in 1978. This name was chosen by the company. However, was dropped on October 9 1980. This was apparently due to translation issues. “Spirit” invoked anger in some nations due to local superstitions and beliefs.
The first variant that was produced, was the S-76A. This model set records. Range. Climb. Speed. And ceiling. Several airlines and charter companies operate the S-76. Helijet Airways. TAG Aviation. And Air Charter.
The S-76 Mk II was introduced in 1982. And the S-76B in 1987. In 2001, Sikorsky reported over 500 had been built and delivered. The S-76C+ was introduced in December 2005. This version incorporated noise suppressors and vibration dampeners. In January 2006, the S-76C++ became the primary variant. Replacing the older variants in production. It received 92 orders in January that year.
Development of another variant was started. However, it was subject to a four year delay. Mainly due to problems in expanding the flight envelope. The aircraft’s first test flight was on February 7 2009. A type certificate was initially expected for 2011. A type certificate was certified in October 2012. No further variants have been designed. The S-76 is the helicopter of choice for a rich family. Not the Rockefellers. Not the Rothschilds. But the British Royal Family.
What are the S-76’s competitors?
Like all aircraft, the S-76 has competitors.
- Eurocopter EC145. The EC145 is the Mercedes Benz of the skies. The interior was designed by Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Division. Which is part of the reason it costs $6 million. However, there is a drawback of only 5 having been delivered.
- AgustaWestland AW109 Grand Versace VIP. As you can tell by the name “Versace”. The interior is designed by the fashion giant. It’s a super luxury version of the AW109. It costs $6.3 million.
- Sikorsky S-92 VVIP. The S-92 took the S-76’s success. And tried to capitalise on it. The S-92 is configured more like an airliner. Not like a helicopter. The FAA has voted it as one of the safest helicopters. It can be fitted with extra seating and a toilet. It‘s one of the few helicopters to have a shower!
- MD600. The MD600 was developed my McDonnell Douglas. With 8 seats and low operating costs. The helicopter has become a favourite of air charter companies. It is also relatively cheap. Costing only $2.9 million. It is also top of line. Having only been designed in the 1990’s. However, does suffer from being a significantly smaller aircraft.
- Eurocopter EC175. Much like the EC145, the EC175 is the Mercedes Benz of the sky. It holds more passengers than the EC145. It costs slightly more than the EC145 at $8 million. However, carries significantly more people.