
1977 Sikorsky S-76A

The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter, manufactured by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. The S-76 features twin turboshaft engines, four-bladed main and tail rotors and retractable landing gear. The development of the S-76 began in the mid-1970s as the S-74, with the design goal of providing a medium helicopter for corporate transportation and the oil drilling industry; the S-74 was later redesignated the S-76 in honor of the U.S. Bicentennial. The prototype first flew on March 13, 1977.
The first production variant was the S-76A. In 1982, this model set class records for range, climb, speed and ceiling. Several airlines operate the S-76A on scheduled services including Helijet Airways of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The S-76 Mk II was introduced in 1982 and the S-76B in 1987, with its top speed of 155 kn (287 km/h) at sea level. Over 500 S-76s had been delivered by early 2001. The S-76C+ was produced until December 2005. This version incorporates active noise suppression, vibration dampers and a composite main rotor. On January 3, 2006, the S-76 C++ replaced earlier versions in production. There were 92 orders for this model as of January 2006.
Development of the follow-on S-76D was subject to four years of delays due to technical problems in expanding the flight envelope. The prototype made its first flight on February 7, 2009, and type certification was initially expected in 2011, with deliveries forecast for the end of that year. Performance is substantially improved with the added power, but initial certification retains the same 11,700 lb (5,307 kg) gross weight and maximum 155 kn (287 km/h) cruise speed as earlier models.

S-76A 76-0004 / N764SA
Nicknamed the "Orange 76" is the 4th production airframe. It remained with the Sikorsky company for its entire life and was used as a test platform for various engine and avionics upgrades over the years. It was loaned to Pratt & Whitney in Canada acquiring the civil# C-GIME, and was also used as a chase aircraft for many development programs in West Palm Beach, FL. When it was initially built it had a single bifilar which is a vibration dampening system on top of the rotor head. Sikorsky used this aircraft to develop the dual bifilar which made the S-76 one of the smoothest and quietest helicopters in the world. In 2024 it was donated by Sikorsky to the CASC.

S-76A 76-0199 / N5415X
This S-76 was used by Sikorsky during the AUH-76 program, Sikorsky’s attempt at creating an economical alternative to the Apache attack helicopter program, aimed at smaller less equipped countries. It was flown to various international airshows and private government demos for numerous years, with the Philippines purchasing around 12+ examples. Once the AUH-76 program was shut down in the 1990’s, the weapons and military systems were removed and it was reconfigured and repainted into an executive configuration. Sikorsky retained this airframe as an executive transport for the company for several years. In 2024 It was donated by Sikorsky to the CASC in 2024.

S-76A 76-0080 / PT-YDI
This S-76A was operated by Lider Air Taxi in Brazil where is shuttled workers to and from off-site oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. It was eventually acquired by United Aero Group along with a second 76 and a large cache of airworthy parts. In 2016 United Aero donated this airframe, original avionics, wiring, and other components to the CASC. After acquiring 76-0004 and 76-0199, this airframe became surplus to the museum's needs and was auctioned of in April of 2025.