Image: Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, Photo Sikorsky reveals S-92A Phase IV main gearbox The manufacturer spent more than a decade and $100 million developing the new MGB. Sikorsky (Booth #7434) expects certification approval later this year for a new main gearbox (MGB) that features an auxiliary lubrication system that automatically engages in the event of primary oil-pressure loss, eliminating the need for immediate landing and allowing operators to safely reach their destination. Sikorsky spent more than a decade and $100 million developing the new MGB and subjected it to more than 800 hours of testing. Four gearboxes have been completed at the company’s Stratford, Connecticut, headquarters. The S-92 helicopter is popular in the offshore energy industry, where many of the helicopters log more than 1,500 hours annually, and for search-and-rescue and head-of-state transportation, including as the new “Marine One,” designated VH-92A, for the US president. Sikorsky has announced several enhancements to the S-92 helicopter in recent months, including increased scheduled inspection intervals and a one-time life extension for specific MGB housings. The company says these enhancements will eliminate more than a full year of downtime caused by inspections and allow operators to safely keep their aircraft in service and generating revenues longer. The earned life credit is up to 1,200 hours/3,600 ground–air–ground cycles, representing an additional 12 to 18 months for an average S-92 offshore oil operator and more than 24 months for others, according to the OEM.
