ERICKSON AIR-CRANE: Fighting Fire From Above

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aerotvnetwork
April 16, 2009

A Unique View On A Unique Job.... Talk about a job that DOES ivolve some heavy lifting -- ask Kenny Chapman about what he does to fight the scourge of fire via one of the most incredible flying ma...

A Unique View On A Unique Job....

Talk about a job that DOES ivolve some heavy lifting -- ask Kenny Chapman about what he does to fight the scourge of fire via one of the most incredible flying machines ever built... the Sikorski/Erickson Air-Crane.

Talk about a purpose-built aircraft. The Erickson Aircrane is the epitome of a machine built for one thing, and one thing only -- to HAUL nearly anything that can fit under its massive frame. Yet for a helicopter with such a singular purpose, the Aircrane is an incredibly versatile vehicle... performing fire suppression, civil protection, construction, and timber harvesting missions, among other tasks no other aircraft could perform in quite the same way.

Originally conceived as a civilian version of the Sikorsky CH-54A "Tarhe," the S-64A Skycrane was the first helicopter built as a flying crane with an aft-facing pilot station, that gives the pilot an unobstructed view of the load being carried. Perhaps most impressively, that station also has full positive control of the aircraft during precision operations -- meaning the pilot can manipulate the aerial platform as needed, much as a ground crane operator controls the boom.

In military service, the twin-engined CH-54 "Tarhe" performed with an outstanding service -- supporting the Army's First Cavalry Division, Airmobile in Vietnam by retrieving over 380 damaged aircraft, saving an estimated $210 million.

In 1971, Erickson Lumber Company leased an S-64E Skycrane helicopter from Sikorsky Aircraft and renamed the company Erickson Air-Crane. This occurred two years after the FAA announced a Standard Transport Category certification of the aircraft for loads up to 20,000 pounds -- an STC Erickson later purchased outright, along with tooling and the aircraft's type certificate.

By 1993, Erickson Air-Crane became the manufacturer and support facility for all S-64 parts and components...

Category: News & Politics

Tags:

hai heliexpo rotorcraft helicopter rotor helo airshows airshow faa aero news aerospace space aviation skycrane Sky Crane Sikorsky Erickson Air-Crane Aircrane

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stevenpam (9 months ago) Show Hide

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Such an awesome, awesome machine. Enjoyed getting up close and having a tour of one of the Australian visitors a while back. Thanks for this interesting additional perspective on it.

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