Version 1.

4 for X-­PLANE 11

ABOUT THE S-­92

The S-­92, like most Sikorsky products, is named for the year in which its development
was first announced;; 1992. It took six years for the first test model to lift itself into the air,
then another six years for PHI, Inc. to take delivery of the very first production model.

Technically, the 92 is a medium-­class

helicopter, but it’s a big medium.
It has two GE turboshaft engines
which, together, deliver more than
5,000 horsepower. This allows the
aircraft to lift-­off at a maximum gross
weight of 26,500 pounds (that’s more
than12,000 kilograms or13.25 tons).
It has become the work-­horse of the
offshore oil and gas industry due to
its all-­weather capability, speed, size
and range. It can carry 19-­20
passengers, plus drill bits, pump parts, luggage and it has a built-­in emergency
floatation system with inflatable life rafts.

The 92 is also appealing to royalty and heads of state for many of the same reasons,
though they tend to use its payload capacity for more luxurious amenities like a
lavatory, entertainment system, leather captain’s chairs. priceless art, food-­service,
and cocktails. One customer even had a shower designed and installed, in a
helicopter!

The large, open cabin space is almost infinitely customizable and can be outfitted
with modular components like medical racks, stacked litter systems, troop seats. even
a large internal fuel tank. The search and rescue community makes great use of
theses capabilities.

X-­PLANE DEVELOPMENT
It took twelve years to complete the real S-­92 and two years to complete the virtual
one, but the development doesn’t end there. Just as the real one gets avionics
upgrades, new accessories and components, the virtual 92 will continue to grow and
improve with new features, details and liveries. Feedback and comments are
welcome and encouraged;; a support thread will be available at X-­Plane.org and
you can always send a personal message to me (DMO).
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X-­PLANE DEVELOPMENT (continued)

You will find that the key features and characteristics of the S-­92 have been captured
and replicated in this add-­on package. In some cases, slight changes were made to
maximize efficiency and usability within the constraints of the native simulator data
and home computer display resolutions (e.g. governor switch and engine MFD display).
The end result is a virtual aircraft that is functional within the sim while evoking a strong
sense of the real thing.

Hopefully this package makes it easy for you to assume the mindset of a pilot who
actually flies engineers to oil platforms, rescues sailors in peril, and ferries world leaders
to and from their various functions.

STARTING THE AIRCRAFT

Unlike some smaller medium-­class helicopters, the S-­92’s main engines can not be started
from the battery. The General Electric CT7 engines require power from the auxiliary power
unit (APU);; a small (but loud) turbine engine located aft of the main rotor. You must start
the APU first and use bleed air from it to power the main engine starters.

The APU can also be used to provide electrical power by turning on the APU generator.
This allows you to test your avionics prior to starting the engines without running down the
battery. It also supplies electrical power in the event of battery or main engine generator
failures.

The S-­92 uses a FADEC system to control the engines, which keeps the temperature, speed
and fuel flow at optimal levels. This will help you to avoid a hot start and simplifies the
operation of the engines. Some of the S-­92’s FADEC functionality had to be simulated by
other means due to X-­Plane’s traditional single-­speed governor. Thus, you will find a
governor switch on the overhead panel, next to the FADEC command levers (throttles).

There is a checklist in the cockpit that will guide you through the specific steps to start the
engines, you can easily refer to it by clicking on it or toggling the speed-­brake button. It is
located in a pouch to the left of the right-­seat pilot’s anti-­torque pedals.

DUAL ENGINE FAILURE

The sudden and unexpected loss of power from your engines can be a disconcerting
experience to say the least! Waste no time lowering the collective and establishing an
autorotative descent. An S-­92 won’t autorotate and land on a dime like an R44 or a
Jetranger, especially when you’re fully loaded. There’s a good video on YouTube,
search “S-­92 Autorotation” and you will see what the flare and touch-­down look like.
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DUAL ENGINE FAILURE (Continued)

A good forward airspeed in the descent is about 75-­85 knots, a bit faster than in a
smaller helicopter. It’s good to flare about 70-­80 feet off the ground and the flare should
progress to what feels like a wildly steep angle. As soon as the RPM starts to drop out
of the green arc, pitch forward and level out so that the wheels hit the ground before
anything else does, namely the tail rotor (remember that your tail is 50 feet behind you).

Cushion the touch-­down as much as you can with every remaining bit of rotor inertia.
You will likely touch down between 20-­40 knots depending on conditions. Apply the
brakes and steer to avoid obstacles until the aircraft comes to a complete stop.

It’s a fun challenge to practice, especially when your life isn’t at stake, so practice in
X-­Plane!

LANDING OFFSHORE
As was mentioned earlier, for a medium-­lift helicopter, the S-­92 is quite large. In fact, it’s
about as large as the platforms themselves in X-­Plane. I recommend adjusting your
vantage point in the 3D cockpit or selecting the no panel forward view (or the new 2D
panel view) if you want to land well on the platform. As it turns out, it really helps to see
where you’re trying to land. Don’t forget that your main wheels are about 25 feet behind
the cockpit.

AUTOPILOT
The autopilot system in X-­Plane is really designed for airplanes, it’s easily baffled by large
amounts of torque causing a significant yaw moment and by the collective. However,
once you establish the helicopter in something close to straight and level flight above
60 knots it behaves much like an airplane and the autopilot is happy to take over. The
only modes that are of any real use to a helicopter are localizer, approach, heading and
altitude hold. Airspeed hold is tricky because, again, the autopilot doesn’t understand
where the forward thrust is coming from or how the collective works in concert with the
cyclic to propel the aircraft forward. Likewise with vertical speed;; an airplane autopilot
thinks that climbing or descending is as simple as pitching up or down, but that won’t get
you very far in a helicopter, at least not in the long run.

My recommendation is to use it for navigation in cruise flight and to fly approaches. You
can do the autopilot a favor by not excessively fiddling with the collective while the servos
are engaged. Gentle collective inputs can help to speed up or slow down;; find a setting
that gives you the desired airspeed then lock it off.
 Version 1.4 for X-­PLANE 11

GROUND TAXI
Ground taxiing is really not all that different from flying or hover taxiing, it’s just more
stable and energy efficient (provided you are on a smooth even surface). Anytime
the rotor RPM gets above 65% and especially when it’s in the green arc, the cyclic has
the ability to pitch or roll the aircraft dramatically.

To start rolling, first ensure that the parking brake is off, then pull pitch slightly to start
generating some downward thrust. The entire rotor system is already tilted forward as a
function of how the aircraft is designed, so you only need a little bit of forward cyclic to
vector your thrust backwards and start pushing the aircraft forwards.

Remember, when your main rotor is at 100% RPM so is your tail rotor. Drastic rudder
inputs (or anti-­torque pedal inputs in rotor-­head parlance) create tail rotor thrust.
The S-­92’s tail rotor is bigger than most general aviation airplane propellers;; it has the
power to create a substantial roll moment as well as yaw force.

To make a long story short[er], ground taxiing isn’t like driving a golf cart. It takes care
and coordination to ensure that you don’t roll the helicopter over.

QUESTIONS
If you have questions about the operation and controls of the virtual S-­92 please do not
hesitate to contact me (username: DMO) through the X-­Plane.org forum. There are also
videos available online which walk you through the basic start-­up and flying procedures.

SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you very much to everyone who has helped me with the development of the
virtual S-­92 for X-­Plane. The .org forum and its members have provided invaluable
guidance support. The thread for this project on the helicopter development forum is a
testament and record of all the people who took the time to support this project. Again,
thank you.

J-­Dot, Stacy, Melissa, Les, Joel and everyone at Sikorsky, thank you. I’ve learned so much
and have enjoyed making a virtual version of the amazing machine you actually build
and fly. Hopefully the virtual S-­92 represents a worthy homage to the work that you do.

Everyone at HAI, particularly Hal and Stan for always answering my, “What does this do,
how does this work and and what would happen if’s”.

Most of all my family and friends who’ve tolerated me and my virtual helicopter exploits.