US Certifies Black Hawk Helicopter Model For Civilian Use - Lockheed Martin

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2021) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted a new type of airworthiness certification for the military-designed Black Hawk S-70M helicopter, allowing civilian and commercial users to purchase the chopper directly from the factory, Lockheed Martin said.

"With type certification, new production S-70M Black Hawk helicopters in the latest configuration are available to the US commercial/civil market for the first time," Sikorsky Global Commercial & Military Systems Vice President Jason Lambert said in a press release on Tuesday.

Sikorsky is a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin.

The new type of FAA certification, known as a Restricted Category Special Airworthiness Certificate, is expected to broaden the market for military helicopters by allowing US civil and commercial operators to purchase choppers directly from the manufacturer, the release said.

While the FAA restricted category is not widely accepted outside the United States, Lockheed Martin said it plans to discuss with aviation regulators in other nations the prospect of validating the aircraft for civil operations, the release added.