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TH-57 Sea Ranger

Description:

The TH-57 aircraft is the military version of the commercial Model 206 Jet Ranger helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. The JetRanger was initially designed to compete in a U.S. Army light observation helicopter competition. Bell lost that competition but the 206 was commercially successful. The primary mission of TH-57 is to train student naval aviators in the fundamentals of helicopter flight for their transition to operational fleet aircraft in the U. S. Navy, U. S. Marine Corps, and selected international armed forces. Although primarily used for training, these aircraft are also used for photo, chase, and utility missions. The aircraft is powered by one Allison Gas Turbine 250-C20J turboshaft engine downrated to 317 shaft horsepower.

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Background Information:

The TH-57 aircraft was procured as a commercial derivative aircraft certified under FAA Type Certificate. Throughout its’ life, the aircraft has been commercially supported using COTS/NDI components and a combination of Navy and FAA processes, procedures and certifications to support airworthiness. Aircraft modification efforts are "turnkey" projects (non-recurring engineering, procurement, installation, test and certification) implemented as part of competitively awarded maintenance contracts.

Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (HT-8), the Navy's oldest helicopter training squadron, is based aboard Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Florida. The TH-57 Sea Ranger provide advanced (IFR) training to several hundred aviation students a year at Whiting Field at Milton, Florida. In January 1986, the TH-57B model replaced the TH-57A, an aircraft flown by the squadron for seventeen years. HT-8 currently utilizes both B and C models of the Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger.

The USN TH-57 fleet consists of 119 total aircraft which operate in two (2) separate configurations, the TH-57B and TH-57C. The Chief of Naval Air Training operates a total of 117 TH-57 A/C ( 45 TH-57B and 72 TH-57C). The CNATRA TH-57B/C aircraft provide Primary/Instrument Helicopter pilot training for Student Naval Aviators (SNAs) at NAS Whiting Field, FL. Two TH-57C A/C are operated by the Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Directorate at NAS Patuxent River, MD. These two aircraft support various test projects at the Naval Air Warfare Center. All Navy TH-57 A/C are commercially maintained and supported under a NAVAIRSYSCOM Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) Contract, N00019- 99-D-1625. Raytheon Aerospace Services (RAS) of Madison, MS is the incumbent contractor and commenced full performance in October 2000. The current contract expires September 30, 2004.

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