Maintenance trainer also helps fulfill Sikorsky's Industrial
and Regional Benefits obligations for Canada's Maritime Helicopter Project
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan,
Nov. 18, 2016 /CNW/ -- Sikorsky, a
Lockheed Martin company, and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of
Technologies (SIIT) today celebrated the transfer of an S-76A™
helicopter maintenance trainer to the Saskatchewan Aviation
Learning Centre. Valued at CAD 1.3
million (USD 945,000), the
non-flying, twin-engine helicopter with associated equipment and
documentation provides an important learning tool for students
pursuing a career in aviation maintenance.
"The addition of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to our aircraft
training fleet allows us to provide a greater hands-on experience
to our students in a wide array of systems typical of modern
helicopters," said Riel Bellegarde, SIIT President and CEO. "Our
students will ultimately benefit in the workforce by gaining early
first-hand knowledge of the inspection, maintenance, and repair of
a fully rigged helicopter, including its electronic, mechanical,
and hydraulic systems."
SIIT students, First Nations elders, provincial politicians and
representatives from local Saskatoon business attended the transfer
ceremony at the Aviation Learning Centre.
The maintenance trainer consists of a Sikorsky S-76A™
twin-engine helicopter recently retired from flight status, along
with supporting hardware to keep the trainer functioning. This
includes equipment to move and provide power to the trainer, and
tablet-based electronic technical manuals that help students
troubleshoot maintenance issues with interactive graphics. To
ensure familiarization with the trainer package, Sikorsky also has
provided training courses for SIIT instructors.
Transfer of the maintenance trainer to SIIT fulfills a portion
of Sikorsky's Industrial and Regional Benefits obligations for the
Canadian Maritime Helicopter Project. Sikorsky leads a team with
General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada and L-3 Communications MAS
(Canada) Inc., to equip 28
Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopters with anti-submarine
and anti-surface warfare capability for the Royal Canadian Air
Force. Fielding of a fully capable helicopter fleet is scheduled
for 2021.
During the ceremony, William
Falk, Sikorsky's director for the Maritime Helicopter
Project, who leads the program team from Sikorsky's headquarters in
Stratford, Connecticut, urged
students to embrace a life-long career in the exciting field of
aviation engineering.
"I encourage students at the SIIT to think expansively about the
knowledge they are acquiring when they learn to inspect and
maintain a modern helicopter," said Falk. "This knowledge can then
be taken to new heights – whether in Canada or internationally. This particular
S-76A helicopter was previously maintained and operated with great
care to carry thousands of passengers safely and reliably for
almost 35 years. In its second life as a maintenance trainer, this
same vessel can open up a world of opportunities for thousands of
students."
Charlie Bouchard, Lockheed Martin
Canada chief executive and a former helicopter pilot in the Royal
Canadian Air Force, who could not attend the ceremony, highlighted
the importance of the maintenance skill-set for the aviation
industry.
"I am passionate about today's announcement because, as a former
helicopter pilot who spent thousands of hours in the air, I have
first-hand respect for the importance of well-trained maintenance
workers in ensuring high quality performance and safety. This
partnership also recognizes the critical role that hands-on
training tools and courses play in producing Canada's next generation of highly skilled
maintenance workers for a rapidly growing industry," said
Bouchard.
The S-76A helicopter was withdrawn from active flight status in
2015 after performing 26,291 hours in flight, and 16,723 landings
since 1980. During its operational life, transport companies used
the aircraft to ferry up to 12 workers at a time to offshore oil
and gas rigs, among other utility roles.
Sikorsky converted the aircraft to a non-flying maintenance
trainer in the United States. In
August 2016, the trainer and support
items arrived by truck at the Saskatchewan Aviation Learning
Centre.
The S-76A helicopter is the earliest model in the
S-76® helicopter family, which has seen continuous
production since 1979. To date, Sikorsky has delivered more than
850 S-76 helicopters, contributing daily to nearly 7 million total
fleet hours in more than 40 countries on five continents. The
newest variant — the S-76D™ helicopter — was introduced in 2013
with a substantial increase in engine performance and power.
The Saskatchewan Aviation Learning Centre is a joint effort of
SIIT, the Government of Canada,
the Province of Saskatchewan, and
the Saskatoon Airport Authority.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda,
Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace
company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is
principally engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology
systems, products and services.
Link to photos of the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter at the Royal
Canadian Air Force website.
Photo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161118/441236
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161118/441235
Logo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160229/338377LOGO
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SOURCE Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company