New Registry - Sikorsky Blackhawk

[Scott Rose]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/heloregi ... istry.html

The initial files for this registry have been created though only one entry has been finished. If you have any images that we can use then please post them in this thread or send them to

[Chris Brame]

Scott, keep an eye on the GSA auctions - a lot of them have been advertised/sold through there lately, with plenty of photos.

[JohnB]

It will be interesting in the future to see if many end up on the civil register for commercial use as external lift machines or as govt. Agency owned firefighters.

Nice capable airframe, but I'm guessing the hourly and component costs are outrageous.

Perhaps the Huey was the last surplus type anyone other than the government can afford to operate.

[StangStung]

It will be interesting in the future to see if many end up on the civil register for commercial use as external lift machines or as govt. Agency owned firefighters.

Nice capable airframe, but I'm guessing the hourly and component costs are outrageous.

Perhaps the Huey was the last surplus type anyone other than the government can afford to operate.

I dunnow. They've made 4000 of them and they're still in production. I was just at the Heli Expo in Dallas and there were a dozen of them in civilian colors (not sure how many were ex-military). I think there's a pretty good chance they'll be around for a while.

[therealJR]

There were several on display at the HAI in Dallas last week.

[JohnB]

That's good...and surprising...to hear. When I was in Texas, I went to HAI, had a great time...and picked up a lot of freebies.

Sikorsky sold one civil Blackhawk to a California county for firefighting, other than that, I hadn't heard of any ex-military or civil S-70s on the civil fleet.

Awhile back I did read some small outfit got a ex-USMC CH-46 flying for external lift work (all of Columbia's are civil BV107s and ex-foreign military Swedish, IIRC).

As far as I know no ex-military Chinooks are on the civil register or CH-53s.
I think Columbia has the few new build Boeing civil Chinooks that are here in the U.S.. British Airways had a few in the UK for offshore work in the 90s. I think they were too expensive but given the recent continuing issues with the Airbus Puma derivatives, they probably regret that.

For awhile I recall the Trump organization had one to fly folks to their Atlantic City casinos and they replaced that with a Puma.

[eallen]

LA County Fire Department has 3 S-70 Firehawks...all with 1000 gallon fixed tanks. Probably been in service for 15 or so years. They probably have 6 412s as well. The S-70s were bought new from Sikorsky. Firehawk Helicopters/Brown Helicopters operates ex military Blackhawks for fire suppression and other jobs. Their helicopters have been used for movie work as well. Billings Flying Service in Montana has 4 Chinooks...all from the Army. Columbia has a couple ex Army Chinooks as well. Their's have internal tank systems. I think they are out of business but Heavy Lift Helicopters had a couple of CH-53s that came from the Marines. I think there are 3 companies operating sky cranes. Some are new builds some are former military. Trump's old S-61 was in the fire business for awhile here in California up in Arroyo Grande. Links below to more info and pics.

http://www.air-and-space.com/20050617%2 ... nt%20l.jpg

http://billingsflyingservice.com/

http://www.colheli.com/fleet/

http://www.firehawkhelicopters.com/

https://www.google.com/search?biw=640&b ... FE6xeUAbsk

https://www.google.com/search?q=arroyo+ ... bz6MHdvvXM:

[Avnut]

I've always wondered about civil CH-53s after seeing an ad on Controller for a S-58T. In the 3rd photo, in the left hand corner of photo is the nose of a white CH-53. Is this one of Heavy Lift Helicopters' birds?

https://www.controller.com/listings/air ... rsky-s-58t

[JohnB]

There were civil Skycranes back when they were new, and got a huge boosters Army surplus ships became available and Erickson got the ATC and started building new ones (out surplus components?).

The aside from their smaller engines, because of their six blade rotors system, I've always guessed H-53s are basically Skycranes with a fuselage, so their operating costs shouldn't be too much worse.

[Scott Rose]

There are 115+ UH-60A Blackhawks on the civil register at the moment, and with the GSA auctions I expect to see many more. No Seahawks that I can find though, not sure if thats because they are less suitable for civil conversion or if there aren't any released to GSA yet.

[Scott Rose]

UH-60A Black Hawk/79-23278

Warbird Registry

[JohnB]

With that many out there, I suspect I'll see some during the next bad fire season.

A couple of years back there was a civil Skycrane around as well as a couple of good looking, but old, Hueys at the small uncontrolled airfield nearby.

[michaelj2k]

As far as I know no ex-military Chinooks are on the civil register or CH-53s.
I think Columbia has the few new build Boeing civil Chinooks that are here in the U.S.. British Airways had a few in the UK for offshore work in the 90s. I think they were too expensive but given the recent continuing issues with the Airbus Puma derivatives, they probably regret that.

For awhile I recall the Trump organization had one to fly folks to their Atlantic City casinos and they replaced that with a Puma.

There are CH-47D's on the register. http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... 0&PageNo=1

[JohnB]

As you know, just because something is registered doesn't mean it's flying...or even exists.

Having never seen any on TV (other than the Columbia civil-build examples) or in my neck of the woods doing firefighting, I sincerely doubt if that many civil Chinooks fly.

[eallen]

"Having never seen any on TV (other than the Columbia civil-build examples) or in my neck of the woods doing firefighting, I sincerely doubt if that many civil Chinooks fly."

TV is valid proof of something...? Thought the internet was..? Read through my previous post and use the links. I think Columbia has a couple ex Army Chinooks in addition to their civilian models and Billings has at least 4.