Rotorcraft Report: Keystone to Deliver S-76 Built Under New Ticket

PRODUCTS/AIRFRAMES

Keystone Helicopter has received FAA approval, in the form of a production certificate, to make S-76s for its parent company, Sikorsky Aircraft.

The Coatesville, Pa. completions center received the production certificate Oct. 31. Keystone started 2007 by earning its first standard airworthiness certificate for an S-76C++ that it built at the Heliplex, as it calls the Coatesville facility, as an interim step to securing the production certificate.

Sikorsky began looking at Keystone as a surge manufacturing site for S-76s and S-92s after a 10-week Teamsters’ strike disrupted its production in early 2006. Now Sikorsky is considering moving a portion of S-76 production to Keystone to help meet demand for its new S-76D. Keystone’s production of its first S-76 was to start immediately, according to Sikorsky, with that aircraft slated for delivery before the end of this month.