Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane

Development

Under Sikorsky

The Sikorsky S-64 was designed as an enlarged version of the prototype flying crane helicopter, the Sikorsky S-60. The S-64 had a six-blade main rotor and was powered by two 4050 shp Pratt & Whitney JFTD12A turboshaft engines. The prototype S-64 first flew on 9 May 1962 and was followed by two further examples for evaluation by the German armed forces. The Germans did not place an order, but the United States Army placed an initial order for six S-64A helicopters (with the designation YCH-54A Tarhe). Seven S-64E variants were built by Sikorsky for the civil market.

Under Erickson

Originally a Sikorsky Aircraft product, the type certificate and manufacturing rights were purchased from them by Erickson Air-Crane in 1992. Since that time, Erickson Air-Crane has become the manufacturer and world's largest operator of S-64 Aircranes and has made over 1,350 changes to the airframe, instrumentation, and payload capabilities of the helicopter. The Aircrane can be fitted with a 2650 USgal fixed retardant tank to assist in the control of bush fires. The helicopter is capable of refilling its entire tank of water in 45 seconds from a tube (which they call a snorkel) 18 in thick.

S-64 Aircranes have been sold to the Italian and Korean Forest Services for fire suppression and emergency response duties. Those in the Erickson Air-Crane fleet are leased worldwide to organizations, companies, and federal government agencies for either short-term or longer term use in fire suppression, civil protection, heavy lift construction, and timber harvesting. Erickson is manufacturing new S-64s, as well as remanufacturing existing CH-54s.

Erickson gives each of its S-64s an individual name, the best-known being "Elvis", used in fighting fires in Australia alongside "The Incredible Hulk" and "Isabelle". Other operators, such as Siller Brothers, have followed with their Sikorsky S-64E, Andy's Pride. The Erickson S-64E nicknamed "Olga" was used to lift the top section of the CN Tower into place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Variants

Sikorsky Skycrane

;S-64 :Twin-engined heavy-lift helicopter, 3 built. 1 rebuilt as S-64E. ;S-64A :Six test and evaluation helicopters for the US Army.

;S-64B : :Civil version of CH-54A, 7 built.

Erickson

;S-64E :Upgraded CH-54A helicopters, plus one new build aircraft; 17 aircraft in total. ;S-64F :Upgraded CH-54B helicopters; powered by two Pratt & Whitney JFTD12-5A engines; 13 aircraft in total. ;S-64F+ :Proposed upgraded version with new engines, avionics, and optional piloting.

Operators

;Italy

• Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco ;South Korea
• Korea Forest Service (6 in service) ;United States
• Columbia Helicopters (no longer in use)
• Erickson Air-Crane
• Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. (bought by Erickson Air-Crane)
• Helicopter Express
• Helicopter Transport Services
• Los Angeles City Fire Department (contracted by Erickson Air-Crane)
• Los Angeles County Fire Department (contracted by Erickson Air-Crane)
• San Diego Gas and Electric (contracted by Erickson Air-Crane)
• Siller Helicopters

Incidents

• N189AC "Gypsy Lady" – crashed in Ojai, California on 1 October 2006. While operating for the USFS, the Erickson S-64 snagged a dip tank and the helicopter rolled over and crashed.
• N198AC "Shirley Jean" – S-64F; sold to European Air-Crane c.2006 as I-SEAD; crashed in Italy on 2007-04-26. Aircraft was destroyed in a post-crash fire.
• N248AC "Aurora" – S-64E; named after Aurora State Airport, home to Columbia Helicopters, former owner of aircraft. Crashed on 26 August 2004 in Corsica, killing its Canadian pilot and French co-pilot. The aircrane was chartered by the interior ministry to fight fires on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica. It had been fighting a wildfire as it went down near the village of Ventiseri, trying to return to a nearby military base, due to technical problems associated with inflight breakup.
• N173AC "Christine" – S-64E; ditched into a small dam within Melbourne's water catchment with no casualties during a firefighting operation in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia on 28 January 2019. The crew, consisting of two pilots and the flight engineer, were able to bail from the aircraft in 2 to of water and swim to safety with no life-threatening injuries. The aircraft was rebuilt at Erickson's Central Point, Oregon facility and flew again in early 2021.
• N4037S - An S-64E operated by Siller Helicopters sustained damage to the right main landing gear wheel and tire assembly after a midair collision with a Bell 407 near Cabazon, California while both aircraft were responding to a reported fire on 6 August 2023. The S-64 landed near the collision site with no injuries to the two pilots on board. The Bell 407 sustained substantial damage in the collision, leaving a debris field approximately 1000 ft in length before coming to rest on a rocky hillside where it was consumed by a post-crash fire. The contract pilot along with a Cal Fire Assistant Chief and Cal Fire Captain on board the Bell 407 were killed.

Specifications (S-64E)

|prime units?=kts General characteristics

|max takeoff weight lb=42000 |max takeoff weight note= Powerplant

• Blade section: – root: NACA; tip: NACA-- Performance -- |never exceed speed kts=115 |never exceed speed note=
• Hover ceiling IGE S-64E: 10600 ft
• Hover ceiling IGE S-64A: 9700 ft |disk loading lb/sqft= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass=
• Take-off run: ft
• Take-off distance to 50 ft: ft
• Landing run: ft
• Landing distance from 50 ft: ft--

Notes

References

References

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