Helikopter - Men S-61 lever videre..... AIN

S-61T er en oppgradert, men sivil utgave av Sea King. Den minner mye om Agustas AS-61NS (Silver) modell som ble lansert for 30 år siden, men som ikke nådde markedet. (Red.) 

March 31, 2022

Columbia, UAG Team To Support S-61 Helicopters

Columbia Helicopters and Brightwater United Aero Group (UAG) have entered into a memorandum of understanding to cooperatively support the Sikorsky S-61 and its GE CT58 engines. UAG—which provides parts sales, repairs, consulting, and supplier integration services—was granted the Sikorsky distributorship of total support of the S-61 platform in 2020. The company said it believes working with Columbia will lead to a more “holistic” support solution for S-61 customers. 

Operating and maintaining the CT58 engine for more than six decades, Columbia in 2018 became the total logistics support provider for T58 and CT58 engines and was licensed by GE to produce all procurable spares under its FAA production certificate. 

The S-61 was first produced in 1961 and more than 1,400 were built in both military and commercial variants. The aircraft was widely used by militaries worldwide as a search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare platform. The VH-3D variant continues to fly the President of the United States as “Marine One.” While militaries have begun retiring the type, S-61s continue to be used by select civil operators for firefighting and heavy-lift missions.  

Sikorsky and Carson Helicopters in 2010 had announced the S-61T program to modernize and extend the life of up to 110 S-61s by 20 to 30 years. However, program delays and changing government priorities substantially truncated that number. The first S-61T made its initial test flight in January 2014.