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IATA S61ICAO S61
Sikorsky S-61
Sikorsky TravelerPulse profile
Iconic amphibious helicopter serving military and commercial roles.
First flight
1959
Category
Commercial helicopter
Seating
28–30
Range
796 km
Engines
Two General Electric T58 turboshaft engines
Status
In service
The Sikorsky S-61 is a twin-engine amphibious helicopter developed by Sikorsky Aircraft, first introduced in the early 1960s. Originally designed for the United States Navy as the SH-3 Sea King for anti-submarine warfare, it was subsequently adapted for commercial passenger transport, search and rescue, and offshore oil support operations.
The commercial variant, the S-61N, became particularly popular with operators serving offshore oil platforms due to its amphibious capability and relatively large passenger capacity. Its reliability and range made it well-suited for overwater operations in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Though largely superseded by more modern helicopters, the S-61 continues to fly in limited commercial and governmental service around the world. Licensed variants were produced internationally, including the Westland Sea King built in the United Kingdom.
Notable operators
British Airways Helicopters, Bristow Helicopters, Era Aviation, and various offshore oil support operators have been major commercial operators of the S-61.
Notable facts
- ›The military variant, designated SH-3 Sea King, was used to recover Apollo astronauts from the ocean after splashdown.
- ›The S-61N is fully amphibious, capable of landing on and taking off from water.
- ›Licensed production in the UK by Westland produced the Westland Sea King, widely used by the Royal Navy.
- ›A presidential transport variant, VH-3D, serves as Marine One for the U.S. President.
- ›The S-61L is a land-based variant without the amphibious hull used in some commercial airline roles.
This profile is provided for general information only. Specifications may be inaccurate or vary by variant/operator — verify with the manufacturer before relying on them.
Encyclopaedia
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the SH-3 Sea King military helicopter. They were developed and produced by the American helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft.
Read full article on WikipediaLatest news
Coulson Aviation· 6/24/2026
Coulson Aviation Canada Returns S-61 Type 1 NVG Helitanker to BC Wildfire Service for 2026 Wildfire Season
Read at Coulson Aviation
Business Wire· 6/24/2026
Coulson Aviation Canada Returns S-61 Type 1 NVG Helitanker to BC Wildfire Service for 2026 Wildfire Season
Read at Business Wire
Flightradar24· 6/15/2026
Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map
Read at Flightradar24
TWZ· 4/10/2019
You Can Buy The State Department's Totally Upgraded S-61T Helicopters That It Barely Used
Read at TWZ
Vertical Mag· 12/12/2019
Carson Helicopters further enhances S-61 performance
Read at Vertical Mag
airport-technology.com· 3/5/2014
Sikorsky S-61T™ Multi-mission Helicopter
Read at airport-technology.com
Aviation Tech Today· 3/1/2013
Workhorse in Glass
Read at Aviation Tech Today
Flightradar24· 12/13/2025
Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map
Read at Flightradar24
Operators
No operator data available.
About on Wikipedia
Sikorsky S-61
Series of civil transport helicopters
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the SH-3 Sea King military helicopter. They were developed and produced by the American helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft.
Read on WikipediaText from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA. May be out of date — verify important details.
