Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has signed a major long-term agreement with Bristow Group to provide enhanced support for the world’s largest fleet of S-92 helicopters, the companies announced this week.
The agreement, which stretches well into the next decade, covers more than 60 of Bristow’s S-92 aircraft, which operate globally in sectors such as offshore energy and search and rescue.
The arrangement, say the firm, builds on a decades-long relationship between the two firms and centres around Sikorsky’s Total Assurance Programme (TAP), designed to give Bristow predictable maintenance costs while reducing operational risk.
Leon Silva, Sikorsky’s vice president of Global Commercial and Military Systems, described the deal as a reaffirmation of the company’s commitment to its customers, noting that the S-92 platform boasts “a lifetime availability average of over 90%” and that many aircraft achieve “more than 1,500 flight hours per year on average in the demanding offshore energy industry.”
Stu Stavley, Bristow’s Chief Operating Officer for Offshore Energy Services, said the support agreement would help the company “maintain our high level of service to our customers, while also controlling our operational costs and improving our overall efficiency.”
Beyond the support package, Sikorsky highlighted new technological enhancements for the S-92 platform. These include the Phase IV main gearbox with an auxiliary lubrication system, which can maintain safe operation after a loss of primary oil pressure—a major innovation now awaiting certification by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2025. Additionally, inspection intervals have been extended, and certain gearbox components will benefit from life extensions, potentially adding up to two years of additional service for some operators.
Both companies positioned the agreement as a strategic step to meet the growing demands of deepwater operations, where reliable and capable helicopter platforms are essential.
