Canadian maintenance, repair and overhaul company Flying Colours has completed its first VIP refurbishment of a Sikorsky S-92, marking its first foray into the large/heavy-twin helicopter completions business.
The Peterborough, Ontario-based company, which has already outfitted a number of smaller S-76s, now plans to expand its helicopter interiors offering.
“We have always been interested in pursuing the helicopter market," says Flying Colours vice president Sean Gillespie. “With the combination of our experienced workforce and the hangar capacity at both our facilities [including St Louis, Missouri], we are well positioned to grow that side of our business in the future."
Work on the privately-owned S-92 began in Peterborough last October and the completed aircraft was handed over to its owner late last month.
The nine-passenger aircraft features an electric blue-themed interior designed by Flying Colours, forward four-place and aft five-place white leather club seating, a forward lavatory with a granite flooring finish and extensive cabinetry work.
The new upholstered passenger seats had to meet rigorous Part 29 rotorcraft requirements including 30g downforce and 18.4g forward force, says Flying Colours. “The leather seat cover is an integral part of the seat's safety performance, and we had to determine what design limitations were set by the original seat manufacturer,” Gillespie says. “This was a real challenge.”
Source: Flight International
