Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane

"S-64" redirects here. For other uses, see S64 (disambiguation).

The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane is an American twin-engine heavy-lift helicopter. It is the civilian version of the United States Army's CH-54 Tarhe. It is currently^[1] produced as the S-64 Aircrane by Erickson Inc.

S-64 Skycrane / Aircrane
Erickson S-64 over EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009
General information
Type	Aerial crane
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft Erickson Inc.
Status	In service
Primary user	Erickson Inc.
Number built	100
History
First flight	9 May 1962
Developed from	Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe

Sikorsky installing monopole in Langkawi, Malaysia

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 4,050 shaft horsepower (3,020 kW) 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.^[2] 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 2,650 US gal (10,000 L) fixed retardant tank to assist in the control of bush fires.^[3] The helicopter is capable of refilling its entire tank of water in 45 seconds from a tube (which they call a snorkel) 18 inches (46 cm) thick.^[4]

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.^[5]

Variants

Sikorsky Skycrane

Skycrane "Olga" with CN Tower antenna segment, Toronto, 1975

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.^[6]

Operators

An Erickson S-64 making a water drop

Italian Forest Service S-64F

Italy

• Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco

South Korea

• Korea Forest Service (6 in service)^[7]

United States

• Columbia Helicopters (no longer in use)^[8]
• Erickson Air-Crane^[9]
• Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. (bought by Erickson Air-Crane)^[10]
• Helicopter Express^[11]
• Helicopter Transport Services^[12]
• Los Angeles City Fire Department (contracted by Erickson Air-Crane)^[13]
• Los Angeles County Fire Department (contracted by Erickson Air-Crane)^[14]
• San Diego Gas and Electric (contracted by Erickson Air-Crane)^[15]
• Siller Helicopters^[16]

A Siller S-64, registered N7095B, flying near Encino, Los Angeles fighting the Palisades Fire.

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.^[17]
• N198AC "Shirley Jean" – S-64F; sold to European Air-Crane c.2006 as I-SEAD; crashed in Italy on 2007-04-26.^[18] Aircraft was destroyed in a post-crash fire.^[19]
• N248AC "Aurora" – S-64E; named after Aurora State Airport, home to Columbia Helicopters, former owner of aircraft.^[8] 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.^[20][21]
• 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 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m) of water and swim to safety with no life-threatening injuries.^[22] 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 1,000 feet (300 m) 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. ^[23]

Specifications (S-64E)

Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft^[24]

General characteristics

• Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot), plus one rear-facing aft-stick operator during external-load operations^[a]
• Capacity: up to 5 total people^[b] / 20,000 lb (9,100 kg) payload
• Length: 70 ft 3 in (21.41 m)
• Height: 18 ft 7 in (5.66 m)
• Empty weight: 19,234 lb (8,724 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 42,000 lb (19,051 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney JFTD12-4A (T73-P-1) turboshaft engines, 4,500 shp (3,400 kW) each
• Main rotor diameter: 72 ft 0 in (21.95 m)
• Main rotor area: 4,070 sq ft (378 m²)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 115 kn (132 mph, 213 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 115 kn (132 mph, 213 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 115 kn (132 mph, 213 km/h)
• Range: 200 nmi (230 mi, 370 km) max fuel and reserves
• Hover ceiling IGE S-64E: 10,600 ft (3,200 m)
• Hover ceiling IGE S-64A: 9,700 ft (3,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,330 ft/min (6.8 m/s)

See also

• Aviation portal

• Aerial firefighting
• Kaman K-MAX

Related development

• Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
• Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe
• Sikorsky S-60

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Mil Mi-10

Related lists

• List of active United States military aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of rotorcraft
• List of surviving Sikorsky CH-54s

Notes

1. The minimum crew is two and the aft-stick operation can be done by the co-pilot.
2. The helicopter has five seats but the two observer seats can not be used during external load operations; if the aft-stick seat is used when not used for external-load operations, then the controls have to be disengaged and guarded.