S-61 Replacement

[Heli-Ops]

Obviously with the S-61 getting on in years there has to be a replacement aircraft looked at by the various operators soon. There is the S-92 and the AB-139 which are the ideal choices for these operators, at least in the commercial and offshore worlds. But apart from fitting Frank Carsons new composite blades to the S-61 what options are there for the logging operators.

 

Heli Ops

[CHCGrunt]

I have heard for many years now that the S61 was going to be replaced by this aircraft and that.... BUT, the fact remains that you simply cannot replace a 3 million dollar airframe, with such low operational costs with any new helicopter that can match its performance( which I realize isnt really that great). Yes, a Puma, can out class a 61 any day, but which would you rather pay for... if both can do a job? 14 mill for the Puma? I think not.

 

The only drive behind S61 replacement in the offshore industry will be from the Oil companies requiring a newer fleet. Until such time as that happens, we will happily overhaul and continue to fly the S61.

 

Even though Most 61's are showing their age, you have to remember that in fact some are less than 25 years old, going back to the short production run that ended in 1980. I have seen both 10,000 hour machines, and 30,000 hour machines, and somehow they just keep ticking along, carrying payload after payload of passengers safely to their destination.

 

To conclude, even in the event that every S61 user switches to newer Aircraft, there will still be someone who will take the old airframes and use them till they crash or disintigrate from old age. Not many helicopters of the 61's size have been as succesfull or bulletproof when properly maintained.

 

I welcome any discussion on this:)..... and I do eagerly await the S61 replacement..... I just dont believe that there actually is one..... you cant compare apples to oranges... the AB139, or the S92 are completely different beasts, with completely different costs.

 

CHCGrunt..... for now...

[Lu Zuckerman]

The best replacement for an old S-61 is a brand new S-61.  I’m sure that if the demand were high enough Agusta would put it back into production.  They are or were one of the prime suppliers of new S-61 dynamic components.