Sikorsky S-62
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 1959 · helicopter
The Sikorsky S-62 is a single-turbine amphibious helicopter featuring a boat hull for water operations, bridging Sikorsky's piston-era and turbine-era designs by reusing S-55 rotor and transmission components with a General Electric T58 turboshaft engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.58 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Amphibious single-turbine helicopter with boat hull
- S-55 tail rotor and transmission combined with turboshaft engine
- Sponson floats for water operations
The S-62 is identified by its boat-bottom fuselage hull, large stabilising sponson floats on each side, a single turboshaft exhaust stack above the fuselage, and the characteristic S-55-derived three-blade rotor system.
Specifications
- The Sikorsky S-62 has a length of 13.58 m (45 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.16 m (53 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 165 km/h (103 mph).
- Typical crew: 2, up to 10 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in May 1959, the S-62 was certificated for civil use and adopted by the US Coast Guard as the HH-52A Sea Guard, becoming the first turbine-powered helicopter in Coast Guard service. It performed over 15,000 rescues during its service life. Mitsubishi licence-built the type in Japan.
Variants
The S-62A was the civil transport version; the S-62B had a more powerful engine; the HH-52A was the US Coast Guard search-and-rescue variant, which was the most numerous.
Where you'll see it
Served with the US Coast Guard from 1963 to 1989 as its primary rescue helicopter; civil examples operated in the Gulf of Mexico oil patch and by several international operators; Japanese versions flew with the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Related aircraft
- Sikorsky S-61
- Sikorsky HH-52A Seaguard
- Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane
- Sikorsky S-58
- Aérospatiale Alouette III
- Agusta A.103
- AS-61R
- HAL Chetak
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