Photograph:
Sikorsky S-62A VH-NWC(c/n 62-108) of Helicorp at Maroochydore, QLD in November 1987 (Michael Madden)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
General-purpose amphibious helicopter
Power Plant:
(S-62A)
One 932 kw (1,250 shp) General Electric CT58-110-1 turboshaft
Specifications:
- Rotor diameter: 16.15 m (53 ft)
- Length: 13.5 m (44 ft 6½ in)
- Height: 4.8 m (16 ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 162 km/h (101 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 148 km/h (92 mph)
- Hovering ceiling in ground effect: 5,425 m (17,800 ft)
- Hovering ceiling out of ground effect: 1,402 m (4,600 ft)
- Initial rate of climb: 347 m/min (1,140 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 2,012 m (6,600 ft)
- Range with max fuel and 10% reserves: 743 km (462 miles)
- Empty weight: 2,199 kg (4,860 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,574 kg (7,900 lb)
History:
The S-62A was a development of the well proven S-55 series using many components of that type, including rotor blades, main and tail rotor heads, main, intermediate and tail gearboxes, shafting, and portions of the flying control and hydraulic systems, but with a completely new amphibious fuselage. The prototype of the series flew for the first time on 14 May 1958, and deliveries of production machines began in July 1960.
The S-62B was a derivative utilising the main rotor system of the S-58; and the S-62C was a military derivative of the HH-52A variant supplied to the US Armed Forces for search and rescue, and to the US Coast Guard. In the civil role accommodation was provided for a flight crew of two and up to ten passengers. The type was adopted by the US Coast Guard which contracted for 100 machines, a further 46 being produced for civil use, and another 25 built under licence by Mitsubishi in Japan, these being designated S-62J.
A number have seen service in this region, and others have visited in the military role on board ships of the US Navy. Ansett-ANA operated two. VH-AND (c/n 62-003 – ex N882) was registered in May 1967 and operated on oil-rig support work but crashed into the sea beside the Glomar III off Bairnsdale, VIC in Bass Strait on 24 August 1967. The second, VH-ANE (c/n 62-010 – ex N980), was registered in March 1967 for similar work but later was sold to Airfast Air Services Pty Ltd and operated in Queensland. It force landed into the sea off Gladstone, QLD on 27 May 1973, reports stating the engine had failed due to a “small foreign body” being ingested. Attempts were made to tow it back to the mainland but it sank and was lost. Reports indicate one of these two suffered damage when, whilst pilot training at Lake Wellington, in the Gippsland area of Victoria, it hit the water and overturned.
Two further examples were registered in August 1986. These machines VH-NWB (c/n 62-106 – ex B-13101) and VH-NWC (c/n 62-108 – ex [VH-HBG] B13102) had previously operated with the Taiwan Provincial Government and were registered to North West Air Charter of Archerfield, QLD but had the name Helicorp painted on the fuselage. They were mainly used for scenic flights from the Gold Coast and the Big Pineapple, a tourist attraction on the Sunshine Coast. However, they were very expensive to run. VH-NWC was exported to the United States in 1991 as N4322N. VH-NWB was also exported, going to New Zealand for a period as ZK-HSS. It is believed to have been destroyed on 16 January 1990 in a grenade attack by rebels at Panguna, Bougainville, PNG during the civil war.
In January 2004 a further example was imported VH-ORP (c/n 62-124 – ex N6963R) by Omhelicopter Company of Wamuran, QLD, receiving service at Airwork Helicopters of Caboolture and Tadgel Aviation of Caloundra before proceeding to Karratha in Western Australia where it entered service ferrying fresh lobsters. It was exported to Honduras in September 2008 as HR-AVF.