Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

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Using fleetwide health and usage monitoring system data, Sikorsky has obtained FAA approval for a one-time life extension for specific S-92 main gearbox housings. The approval will help ease supply-chain constraints by allowing longer life for some gearboxes.
Fleet data was collected from more than 300 S-92s logging more than 2.3 million flight hours, allowing Sikorsky to develop a methodology “to more accurately determine the life limit for parts,” according to the company.
“The maximum earned life credit is 1,200 hours/3,600 ground-air-ground (GAG) cycles, representing an additional 12 to 18 months for an average S-92 offshore oil operator, and more than 24 months for others,” explained Leon Silva, v-p of Sikorsky's Global Commercial and Military Systems division. “Since it is offered as a one-time, end-of-life credit based upon individual usage, the final total hours of the serialized housings will differ, with the maximum possible being 5,500 hours.” The current life limit is 4,300 hours.
Sikorsky’s LifePlus methodology has been used before, with the first component life extension granted in 2023 for the S-92’s main rotor hub. In this case, the component’s life was revised to 15,000 hours from 9,000 hours or 45,000 GAG cycles. LifePlus “determines remaining component life of S-92 helicopter parts based on actual aircraft usage,” according to Sikorsky.

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Sikorsky Certifies S-92 Helicopter Main Gearbox Life Extension

LifePlus methodology enables extended life for certain components

Sikorsky’s LifePlus methodology has been used before, with the first component life extension granted in 2023 for the S-92’s main rotor hub.

Sikorsky Certifies S-92 Main Gearbox Life Extension

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