Aircraft

King Stallion helicopter aces first heavy load lift test

King Stallion helicopter aces first heavy load lift test
The US Marine Corps' biggest helicopter, the CH-53K King Stallion, has lifted its first 20,000 lb load in tests
The US Marine Corps' biggest helicopter, the CH-53K King Stallion, has lifted its first 20,000 lb load in tests
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The US Marine Corps' biggest helicopter, the CH-53K King Stallion, has lifted its first 20,000 lb load in tests
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The US Marine Corps' biggest helicopter, the CH-53K King Stallion, has lifted its first 20,000 lb load in tests

Last October, Sikorsky's CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter made its maiden flight. That marked the start of a three-year, 2,000-hour test program that has continued with the aircraft making its first external load flight test carrying 20,000 lb (9,072 kg).

The heavy lift replacement for the US Marine Corps' CH-53E, the CH-53K is intended to allow the movement of more material more quickly. The recent test was conducted at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation's Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

This is just one step on the road to the King Stallion's requirement to carry 27,000 lb (12,247 kg) at a mission radius of 110 nautical miles (203 km), which is three times the carrying capacity of the previous model, the CH-53E Super Stallion.

For the next tests, the King Stallion will lift the 20,000 lb load at incrementally increasing speeds, before eventually reaching its full potential of 27,000 lb.

Source: NavAir News

4 comments
4 comments
BarryWells
Still looks like an H53.
Tony Loro
And it's only 40 years after the MI 26.
Morton Sprawl
And over 50 years after the first CH-53.
MattII
@Tony Loro, I'd like to point out that the MI-26 has a much larger disc area than the CH-53K, so much more lift.