Sikorsky’s X2 Demonstrator First Flight

Among the key contributors are:

Kevin L. Bredenbeck Director, Test & Evaluation Chief Test Pilot

Bredenbeck is responsible for the global oversight of the Sikorsky Flight Office, Flight Operations, Test Engineering and the Development Flight Center (DFC). Bredenbeck’s charter is to provide the leadership and oversight ensuring that Sikorsky continues its outstanding flight test development safety record across global operations, including definition and implementation of processes and procedures that guarantee that success.

Since joining Sikorsky Aircraft in May of 1994, Bredenbeck has performed in a variety of assignments and been instrumental in developing new technologies for the various production models and the test flying on numerous growth and development programs.

Bredenbeck currently is responsible for test teams conducting six ongoing development programs at Sikorsky: the Fly-By-Wire (FBW) H-92, the FBW U.S. Army UH-60MU BLACK HAWK, the Singapore MH-60 Seahawk, the S-76D, the FBW U.S. Marine Corp CH-53K Super Stallion and the FBW X2 composite high speed demonstrator helicopter, with which he has been involved since its inception in 2004.

Prior to joining Sikorsky Aircraft, Bredenbeck was an officer in the U.S. Army, where his responsibilities ranged from aviation maintenance and contracts, to aero-medical combat operations. Prior to the Army, he was an engineer with Sikorsky Aircraft, Stratford, Connecticut and an engineer with United Space Boosters Incorporated, Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

He has flown more than 24 different fixed-wing and more than 35 different rotary-wing types including all Sikorsky series production aircraft. Both military and civilian has accumulated more than 6,000 total safe flying hours rotary wing and fixed wing in all environments; domestic, international, test and combat. Bredenbeck has received numerous decorations and awards for aviation safety, performance, and combat service and set an NAA world record in the S-70.

Steven D. Weiner Director, Engineering Sciences Chief Engineer, X2 TECHNOLOGY Demonstrator

...continued