Sikorsky has announced the FAA has approved a one-time life extension ‘for specific MGB housings’. The extension approval will allow continued use beyond the current 4,300-hour limit, which, in certain circumstances, can extend MGB life to 5,500 hours. Explaining the approval, Sikorsky’s Vice President of Global Commercial and Military Systems explains, “The maximum earned life credit is 1,200 hours/3,600 ground-air-ground (GAG) cycles, representing an additional 12-18 months for an average S-92 offshore oil operator, and more than 24 months for others. Since it is offered as a one-time, end-of-life credit based upon individual usage, the final total hours of the serialised housings will differ, with the maximum possible being 5,500 hours.”
While the approval does not directly help operators with non-FAA registered S-92s, it seems likely that multinational operators of the type will be able to apportion the spares they receive in the short term to aircraft with timed-out equipment, not on the US register. Sikorsky said it has invested heavily in spares support for the heavy twin although any improvement in spares supply is still not keeping pace with demand. Consequently, the number of aircraft contracted but inactive is on the rise. According to an IOGP prediction, in late 2023, the number of aircraft impacted could be as high as 60 by year-end.
Photo: Bristow
