Sikorsky S62

United States of America

Mid size utility helicopter

Although it resembles the much larger S61/H3 Sea King series, the single engine S62 was an earlier design, based upon the piston powered S55. The S62 has the distinctions of being Sikorsky's first production design powered by a turboshaft (rather than piston) engine and Sikorsky's first amphibious helicopter, although it was only produced in small numbers. The S62 takes the S55's dynamic systems, including the rotor blades, main and tail rotor heads, main, intermediate and tail gearboxes and components of other systems including hydraulics and flight controls coupled with a General Electric CT58 turboshaft and a new, larger fuselage. The new fuselage combined a hull and outrigger floats (housing retractable main undercarriage) giving the S-62 its amphibious capability and a larger more voluminous main cabin. The comparatively light weight of the turboshaft meanwhile meant that it could be mounted above the S-62's fuselage, rather than in the nose as on the S55 and S58. The S62 was built in three versions. The prototype flew for the first time on May 14 1958, and the first of the initial production version, the S62A, was delivered to Los Angeles Helicopters in 1961. Only one S62B flew, it differed from the S62A in having the dynamic systems of the S58 (described separately). The S62C was a commercial development of the US Coast Guard's search and rescue HH52A with a more powerful engine.

S62A - One 785kW (1050shp) General Electric CT581001 turboshaft driving a three blade main rotor and two blade tail rotor. S62C - One 930kW (1250shp) GE CT581101.

S62A - Max speed 175km/h (95kt), cruising speed 158km/h (85kt). Initial rate of climb 1300ft/min. Hovering ceiling out of ground effect 8000ft. Service ceiling 15,700ft. Typical range with reserves 410km (222nm). S62C - Max speed 163km/h (88kt), max cruising speed 148km/h (80kt). Initial rate of climb 1140ft/min. Hovering ceiling in ground effect 17,800ft. Range with reserves 743km (400nm).

S62A - Empty 2175kg (4789lb), max takeoff 3405kg (7500lb). S62C - Empty equipped 2205kg (4860lb), max takeoff 3587kg (7900lb).

Main rotor diameter 16.17m (53ft 0in), fuselage length 13.60m (44ft 7in), height overall 4.32m (14ft 2in). Main rotor disc area 205m2 (2206sq ft).

Flightcrew of two. Main cabin seats 10 in typical passenger configuration. Alternatively can be configured for freight.

Approximately 175 S62s built, including 99 HH52s for the US Coast Guard, 50 Sikorsky built S62s for commercial operators and 25 under licence in Japan (including 18 for the Japanese military and three for Japanese commercial operators).

Sikorsky S62