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Company Information

  Company Name Sikorsky Aircraft Company
  Company Type Manufacturer
  Foundation 1923
  Founder Igor Sikorsky
  Location City Stratford, Connecticut
  Location Country USA
  Location <!-- this parameter modifies "Headquarters" -->
  Industry Aviation
  Parent United Technologies Corporation
  Homepage http://wwwsikorskycom/


Sikorsky is an American Aircraft and Helicopter manufacturer. It was founded 1923 by a Russian born American aircraft engineer Igor Sikorsky , who made the first stable, single-rotor, fully-controllable helicopter to enter large full-scale production in 1942, upon which the majority of subsequent helicopters were based (though he did not invent the helicopter itself). The company became a part of United Aircraft in 1934, now United Technologies Corporation (UTC), and remains one of the leading helicopter manufacturers, producing such well-known models as the UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk , as well as experimental types like the Sikorsky X-Wing . It is a leading defense contractor. Sikorsky has supplied the helicopter of the President Of The United States , Marine One since 1957. (Note that in January 2005 the U.S. Government selected Lockheed Martin's AugustaWestland EH101 -based entry as the replacement to the current Marine One aircraft, which caused an outcry from many in Sikorsky Aircraft's home state of Connecticut.) Sikorsky's VH-3 ( H-3 Sea King ) and VH-60 ( UH-60 Black Hawk ) currently perform this role.

UTC has recently acquired Schweizer Aircraft Corp. , which is now a subsidiary of Sikorsky. The product lines of the two firms are complementary, and have very little overlap, as Sikorsky primarily concentrates on medium and large helicopters, while Schweizer produces small helicopters, UAV s, Glider s, and light planes. The Schweizer deal was signed on August 26 , 2004 , exactly one week to the day after the death of Paul Schweizer , the company's founder and majority owner.

Also, in late 2005, Sikorsky completed the purchase of Keystone Helicopter Corporation, located in Coatesville, PA. Keystone had been maintaining and completing Sikorsky S-76 and S-92 helicopters prior to the sale.

Sikorsky's main plant and administrative offices are located in Stratford, Connecticut . Other Sikorsky facilities are in Shelton, and Bridgeport, Connecticut; West Palm Beach, Florida and Troy, Alabama. Other Sikorsky-owned subsidiaries are in Trumbull, Connecticut; Coatesville, Pennsylvania and Grand Prairie, Texas; and the company has branches around the world.


AIRCRAFT

Sikorsky designates nearly all of its models with S-numbers; numbers S-1 through S-20 were designed by Igor Sikorsky in Russia. Later models, especially helicopters, received multiple designations by the military services using them, often depending on purpose (UH, SH, and MH for instance), even if the physical craft had only minor variations in equipment. In some cases, the aircraft were returned to Sikorsky or to another manufacturer and additionally modified, resulting in still further variants on the same basic model number.


PRODUCTS


Airplanes



Helicopters



Other Aircraft



CUSTOMERS


Sikorsky's helicopters are used in a variety of applications fairly balanced between commercial and military use. This gives Sikorsky a wide customer base within the United States as well as internationally. Some specific customers are given below:


  • Pan American used the S-40, S-42 and other models for their early "flying clippers".



  • In addition, Sikorsky is a major supplier of helicopters to the U.S. Military including Marine One and the versatile Black Hawk .



MUSEUM DISPLAYS


::1962 HH-52A Seaguard


::1930 S-39 Amphibian
::1942 VS-44A
::1947 S-51
::1958 LH-34D Seabat
::1967 HH-52A Seaguard
::1969 CH-54B Skycrane




GALLERY