Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin VH-92 Marine One for VXX

Triton

Triton

Donald McKelvy
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I've seen one of these aircraft flying around DC over the last week or so. Must be starting to test their performance and integration with facilities in the DC area.
 
Earlier this year (I think) they had one land at the White House to do some test. It burned the grass.
 
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Spotted one of the VH-72s again on my drive home from work yesterday. Very low over the highway (lower than the H-60s that often fly the same route.). It's a big bird. It feels larger than the VH-3s, if only because the sponsons give it a wide, flat surface when seen from below.
 
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It will be a good replacement I think. The platform has done well in the civil market.
 
Rumor has it that the S-92 concept began with a suggestion from a Canadian Armed Force pilot. Back around 1982 or 1983, a group of Canadian pilots and navigators - from a Sea King squadron - visited the Sikorsky factory in Connecticut and politely listened to the sales pitch on the SH-60 Seahawk. While they acknowledged the superior drive train, they commented on the cabin being too small to accommodate all their anti-submarine equipment plus the admiral's barge role ... er ... misc. cargo like cross-decking the padre on Sunday mornings. When they suggested a Fat Hawk version (e.g. S-61R Jolly Green Giant SAR helicopter used by the USAF), Sikorsky salesmen chuckled and escorted them to the door. A decade or so later, Sikorsky announced their new S-92 which was essentially an S-61R fuselage hanging under updated SH-60 rotors. After too many delays to mention, the RCAF finally received their first CH-148 Cyclone helicopters in 2018.
 
riggerrob said:
Rumor has it that the S-92 concept began with a suggestion from a Canadian Armed Force pilot. Back around 1982 or 1983, a group of Canadian pilots and navigators - from a Sea King squadron - visited the Sikorsky factory in Connecticut and politely listened to the sales pitch on the SH-60 Seahawk. While they acknowledged the superior drive train, they commented on the cabin being too small to accommodate all their anti-submarine equipment plus the admiral's barge role ... er ... misc. cargo like cross-decking the padre on Sunday mornings. When they suggested a Fat Hawk version (e.g. S-61R Jolly Green Giant SAR helicopter used by the USAF), Sikorsky salesmen chuckled and escorted them to the door. A decade or so later, Sikorsky announced their new S-92 which was essentially an S-61R fuselage hanging under updated SH-60 rotors. After too many delays to mention, the RCAF finally received their first CH-148 Cyclone helicopters in 2018.
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I’ve only seen the Cyclone once and that was freezing wet Wednesday of Paris Air Show 2011 of their first one at the Sikorsky / United Technologies Chalet so here are my photos.

Absolute tragedy the other year with the loss of one in the Med / Adriatic Sea…thankfully a mate of mine who is a Combat Systems Operator on the Cyclone was not on that a/c.

cheers
 

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The Sikorsky Aircraft / Lockheed Martin VH-92A Patriot was to enter presidential service in 2024, but has been demoted to backup duty so far, due to issues with its encrypted communications systems, and because the manufacturers still can’t figure out how to keep it from scorching the White House’s South Lawn.
Sources:
Forbes [No Paywall]
Bloomberg News [Paywall]
Gulf News [No Paywall]
IMHO after the 2024 election, the next FLOTUS or "First Dude" , whoever she or he may be, should redesign the South Lawn with a heat resistant helipad. A new "helipad" or nowadays "vertiport" should have either the American flag or the presidential seal instead of the letter "H".
Disclaimer: My opinion is to be seen as non-political, because this forum and this topic is not about the 2024 presidential election. Thanks in advance. :)
 
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The USMC formally accepted the 23rd and final Sikorsky Aircraft / Lockheed Martin VH-92A Patriot. :)
Link:
https://news.lockheedmartin.com/202...etes-Delivery-of-New-Presidential-Helicopters
I hope to see this presidential helicopter taking off from the White House’s South Lawn soon, but no new news so far, if the manufacturers have already solved the two mentioned issues, regarding the encrypted communications systems and the lawn scorching.
Disclaimer: My opinion is to be seen as non-political, because this forum and this topic is not about the 2024 presidential election. Thanks in advance. :)
 
The Sikorsky Aircraft / Lockheed Martin VH-92 A Patriot was used for the first time as Marine One in Chicago today. Just for your information, the POTUS Biden will speak later today at the DNC 2024 in Chicago.
Links (X aka Twitter) :
https://twitter.com/x/status/1825625196763501034
View: https://x.com/thenewarea51/status/1825625196763501034?t=_honT4ICAjL8fz2S1T20ig&s=19

https://twitter.com/x/status/1825622022396743744
View: https://x.com/Breaking_4_News/status/1825622022396743744?t=vtnROTXiuCKNYEoL6fQRGQ&s=19
Another source:
https://www.twz.com/air/vh-92-helicopter-has-finally-flown-its-first-marine-one-mission
Disclaimer: My opinion is again to be seen as non-political, because this forum and this topic is not about the 2024 presidential election. Thanks in advance. :)
 
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fightingirish said:
The USMC formally accepted the 23rd and final Sikorsky Aircraft / Lockheed Martin VH-92A Patriot. :)
Link:
https://news.lockheedmartin.com/202...etes-Delivery-of-New-Presidential-Helicopters
I hope to see this presidential helicopter taking off from the White House’s South Lawn soon, but no new news so far, if the manufacturers have already solved the two mentioned issues, regarding the encrypted communications systems and the lawn scorching.
Disclaimer: My opinion is to be seen as non-political, because this forum and this topic is not about the 2024 presidential election. Thanks in advance. :)
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I've been seeing them fly around DC quite a lot, apparently for testing and to move people who don't need the high-assurance secure comms the President needs. I expect they will start flying as Marine One in DC very soon (perhaps even immediately after the convention).
 
riggerrob said:
Rumor has it that the S-92 concept began with a suggestion from a Canadian Armed Force pilot. Back around 1982 or 1983, a group of Canadian pilots and navigators - from a Sea King squadron - visited the Sikorsky factory in Connecticut and politely listened to the sales pitch on the SH-60 Seahawk. While they acknowledged the superior drive train, they commented on the cabin being too small to accommodate all their anti-submarine equipment plus the admiral's barge role ... er ... misc. cargo like cross-decking the padre on Sunday mornings. When they suggested a Fat Hawk version (e.g. S-61R Jolly Green Giant SAR helicopter used by the USAF), Sikorsky salesmen chuckled and escorted them to the door. A decade or so later, Sikorsky announced their new S-92 which was essentially an S-61R fuselage hanging under updated SH-60 rotors. After too many delays to mention, the RCAF finally received their first CH-148 Cyclone helicopters in 2018.
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Rumor is, once again, wrong.

Sikorsky was evaluating an enlarged design based on the S-70 (H-60) before 1980.
 
BlackBat242 said:
Rumor is, once again, wrong.

Sikorsky was evaluating an enlarged design based on the S-70 (H-60) before 1980.
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I worked in the aero group there from 1980 to 1986. When I first got there, I saw drawings of a tall fuselage S-70 (UH-60), which I think was called the MCH (Medium Civil Helicopter). I remember later seeing detailed drawings of how the S-70 fuselage frames could be split at max half breadth, with a section inserted to create a taller fuselage. I think at one point this version was designated S-78.

The S-92 came about after I left, but uses an airfoil I designed on much of the rotor blade, as does the UH-60M.

This is from Jane's 1974-75: 1724213013816.png
 
Did Sikorsky have any involvement in the redesign of the S-70 resulting in the Mitsubishi SH-60J Kai/SH-60K?
 
Silly question perhaps, what is it that burns the grass? I cannot see where that heat could be vented to do that.
 
Foo Fighter said:
Silly question perhaps, what is it that burns the grass? I cannot see where that heat could be vented to do that.
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Downdraft from the engines. The fix seems to be to adjust blade pitch so it isn't blowing as much hot air downward while sitting on the ground.

https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/...ts/FY_2022_SARS/VH-92A_SAR_DEC_2022_final.pdf
Landing Zone (LZ) Suitability Key System Attribute (KSA) for exhaust damage to the LZ does not meet the requirement 100% of the time. VH-92A exhaust can cause damage to grass with rotors turning under certain ambient conditions. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is currently on contract to complete an Increased Range in Blade Pitch Angle (IRBPA) mechanical systems change to resolve exhaust damage, on LZ surfaces, when rotors are turning.
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aim9xray said:
Did Sikorsky have any involvement in the redesign of the S-70 resulting in the Mitsubishi SH-60J Kai/SH-60K?
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The J was a more or less fully Sikorsky design built on license, a couple were even built in CT. Japan contributed their own preferred systems where appropriate, increasing over time in the K and L improvements.
 
Moose said:
The J was a more or less fully Sikorsky design built on license, a couple were even built in CT. Japan contributed their own preferred systems where appropriate, increasing over time in the K and L improvements.
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What I did not realize is that the K is actually larger than other SH-60s. Or so MHI says, anyway. (Maybe they found ways to enlarge the cabin without touching the outer mould line? Dunno.)
Other improvements include the enlargement of the cabin (enlarged by 30 cm in length and 15 cm in height compared with SH-60J), as well as the installation of additional equipments such as a multifunction FDR (flight data recorder) and video transmission system.
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If you compare their APS-124 mounting to those on USN SeaHawks, it looks as if they subtly redesigned the cabin floor to drop slightly.
 
fightingirish said:
[...]
IMHO after the 2024 election, the next FLOTUS or "First Dude" , whoever she or he may be, should redesign the South Lawn with a heat resistant helipad. A new "helipad" or nowadays "vertiport" should have either the American flag or the presidential seal instead of the letter "H".
Disclaimer: My opinion is to be seen as non-political, because this forum and this topic is not about the 2024 presidential election. Thanks in advance. :)
Click to expand...
As well predicted before in this topic, the current US administration is planning a new helipad on the south lawn in front of the White House, because the Sikorsky Aircraft / Lockheed Martin VH-92A Patriot keeps burning the grass.
Source (English, behind a paywall):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/05/18/trump-plans-build-helipad-white-house/
 
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fightingirish said:
[...]
IMHO after the 2024 election, the next FLOTUS or "First Dude" , whoever she or he may be, should redesign the South Lawn with a heat resistant helipad. A new "helipad" or nowadays "vertiport" should have either the American flag or the presidential seal instead of the letter "H".
Disclaimer: My opinion is to be seen as non-political, because this forum and this topic is not about the 2024 presidential election. Thanks in advance. :)
Click to expand...
Hey everyone, looks like my 2024 prediction is actually happening!
President Donald Trump announced the construction of a permanent, carved granite helipad on the South Lawn.
Click to expand...

An aerial view of ongoing construction of a helipad and ballroom at the White House from the U.S. Army Golden Knight DHC-8 airplane on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence,
Picture source:REUTERS/Eric Lee
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Source:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ouse-helipad-driveway-changes-xi-visit-looms/
Another source:
https://www.twz.com/air/vh-92-patri...d-will-finally-allow-vh-3d-sea-king-to-retire
 

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fightingirish said:
[...] should redesign the South Lawn with a heat resistant helipad. A new "helipad" or nowadays "vertiport" should have either the American flag or the presidential seal instead of the letter "H".
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Legally speaking, I think it has to have an H on it to indicate that it's permissible (and expected) to land there.

We could pull a disneyland and have freshly-blooming flowers making up the Great Seal.
 
Well it seems the White House Property Managers and Gardening Staff have lost the "Battle of the Lawn."
 
Scott Kenny said:
Legally speaking, I think it has to have an H on it to indicate that it's permissible (and expected) to land there.

We could pull a disneyland and have freshly-blooming flowers making up the Great Seal.
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Not for me to get too pedantic. . . . Aw, heck, why not?

It is unlikely legally required to have the typical "H" given a few factors, not the least among them, the President's role as commander-in-chief, the use of the helipad by the military (in this case, typically the Marine Corps), how highly secure the helipad is as is the airspace above the White House grounds, separation of powers issues (again, I'm diving deep into the pedantic pool), etc.

This all said, I'd imagine there will be clever visual cues built into the stone work of the forthcoming Presidential Seal stone work for the Marine Corps pilots to use, and I hope they use built-in, non-obtrusive, helipad lighting for the perimeter of the landing pad, touchdown and liftoff lights, etc.

I am slightly surprised that something akin to this landing pad was not implemented decades earlier given the unnecessary FOD risk of dislodged turf and other risks inherent in landing on turf - albeit possibly the best maintained turf in the nation.
 
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Boxman said:
I am slightly surprised that something akin to this landing pad was not implemented decades earlier given the unnecessary FOD risk of dislodged turf and other risks inherent in landing on turf - albeit possibly the best maintained turf in the nation.
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The grounds keepers knew where all the bones were buried. No one was going to mess with them.
 
Hey everyone, just for your information , POTUS 47 wants contractors to redo weeks of work on the White House helipad.
He is dissatisfied with its appearance and is considering whether the slope of the White House lawn should be altered.
The White House is aiming to complete the helipad before a planned September state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to The Washington Post.
Source (Paywall): https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ew-helipad-after-weeks-around-the-clock-work/
I prefer to withhold my personal opinion on this matter.
 
Hello folks, just for your information, POTUS 47 officially opened the new helipad at the White House today in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Shortly thereafter, he departed for the first time in a VH-92A from that helipad en route to Andrews AFB, where he will board Air Force One for travel to the UN Assembly in New York.
 

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