Million dollar Sikorsky Helicopter donated to SIIT
- EFN Staff | November 23, 2016
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has donated a retired from flight status Sikorsky S-76A twin-engine helicopter to the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) for training for their Aircraft Maintenance Engineering students. 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.”
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SIIT students, First Nations elders, provincial politicians and representatives from local Saskatoon business attended the transfer ceremony at the Aviation Learning Centre.
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.”
The S-76A helicopter was withdrawn from active flight status in 2015 after performing 26,291 hours in flight, and 16,723 landings since 1980.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 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.