Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane
The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane is a twin-turboshaft heavy-lift helicopter with no enclosed cabin, just a slender flying-crane fuselage designed so loads are carried externally beneath the airframe rather than inside a hold. First flown on 9 May 1962, it was developed for the US Army as the CH-54 Tarhe before civil examples were sold to logging and firefighting operators; Erickson Air-Crane later purchased the type certificate and manufacturing rights from Sikorsky in 1992. Its twin 4,050 shp Pratt & Whitney JFTD12A engines and interchangeable pods or hooks let it lift loads other helicopters of its size cannot handle, particularly for wildfire water-dropping.
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Did you know?
A crew member could sit in a rear-facing seat to watch the load directly beneath the S-64 during lifts, since the pilots up front couldn't see it.
Specifications
| Length | 21.4 m (70 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 5.7 m (19 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 22 m (72 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 21.3 t |
| Range | 230 NM (426 km) |
| Maximum speed | 105 kt (194 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 12,000 ft (3,658 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 6,000 ft (1,829 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 3,330 l |
| Engines | 2x Pratt & Whitney JFTD12 |
| Units built | 105 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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