Erickson converting an Air-Crane to haul military cargo without a pilot in the cockpit
It may be capable of fighting fires at night or resupplying troops
File photo. Erickson Air-Crane, Elvis, in Victoria, Australia in 2013; N179AC. Erickson photo.
The large helicopter that may be Erickson’s most well known Air-Crane, the one named Elvis, is being gutted down to the studs, so to speak. The company plans to rebuild N179AC as an S-64F+ that could operate without a pilot in the cockpit or autonomously.
The project, first announced at the Anaheim HAI convention in January, 2020, started as a way to work toward a new “pilot optional nighttime firefighting solution”, integrating Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ Technology into a digitally enabled fire management system never-before used in night firefighting. Erickson said it would enhance cockpit awareness and flight crew safety during day and night operations.
The reconstruction of Elvis will include converting it to a fly-by-wire system. When complete it will also have the other features that Erickson is building into their new line of S-64F+ helicopters, composite main rotor blades, an enhanced cockpit and flight control system, an improved water cannon, and what the company calls a modern engine enhancing range and fuel efficiency.
Erickson expects to begin ground tests of the reborn Elvis in 2022 with a first flight by the end of 2023.
It's been done before. Two K-MAX helicopters were converted for the military by Lockheed Martin Corporation and Kaman Aerospace Corporation into an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capable of autonomous or remote controlled cargo delivery.
Source:
https://fireaviation.com/2021/03/05/erickson-converting-an-air-crane-to-haul-military-cargo-without-a-pilot-in-the-cockpit/
