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Huge Helicopters

In the final episode of the series,we follow the engineers preparing the world's most advanced search-and-rescue helicopter for a trip on the world's largest airplane from New York State to its new base in Scotland. Search-and-rescue helicopter pilot Ben Clark patrols the North Sea from a base on the Shetland Islands and has one of the most demanding jobs in the country. To give Ben and his team the best chance of being able to do their jobs, two new SikorskyS-92 helicopters, the ultimate search-and-rescue machines, have been ordered. Each aircraft costs £20million and is built at the Sikorsky factory in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The S-92 has a top speed of 190 miles per hour and a range of 775 nautical miles. It has two auto-pilots, two stabilisation systems and the ability to fly in freezing conditions. It is the most advanced search-and-rescue helicopter of its kind and it tops any coastguard's wish list. But, now that it is built, it needs delivering. It is more than 3,300 miles from Coatesville to Sumburgh on the Shetland Islands. It is too far for the chopper to fly and the journey by sea would take weeks. So the S-92 is delivered in the hull of an Antinov 124, the world’s largest production aircraft. The S-92 takes its maiden flight to Stewart International Airport in upstate New York, where a team of dedicated engineers is ready to take it apart,wrap and pack it for its trip across the Atlantic. The guys have just six hours to take the S-92's blades off and put them in a box. They must be removed without a scratch as any damage could be fatal when the aircraft is flying. The four main blades alone are worth over £1 million. The radio receivers and tail blades also need to be removed and cased. To combat turbulence on the flight, the team use 20 chains to keep the helicopter in place. At Glasgow's Prestwick Airport the whole process will have to be reversed and the Sikorsky's blades replaced. Can the team ensure that this remarkable machine continues

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  • Originally Aired October 4, 2013
  • Runtime 45 minutes
  • Network Channel 5
  • Created June 9, 2021 by
    PolarGeek admin
  • Modified June 9, 2021 by
    PolarGeek admin