Large ‘Helibus’ over Fairhope

A privately owned Sikorsky S-92A passes over Fairhope’s North Beach park Saturday afternoon on its way from Mobile to Florida. Captured at about 1,325 feet up, the aircraft moves at a ground speed of 142 knots or 163 mph. The aircraft continues moving southeast over Josephine and then flies over the Gulf along Santa Rosa Island to Panama City and eastward to the FL peninsula. Built by Sikorsky for civilian and military helicopter markets, the S-92 is a twin engine medium lift aircraft whose civil transport version can carry 19 passengers, making it the company’s largest civil helicopter. Average price for an S92 purchased new is around $27 million while average operating cost is estimated at between $3,000 and $4,500 per hour. Photo shot from Fairhope, approximately 1.5 miles away…