Sikorsky S-61: How Much Does The Civilian Sea King Helicopter Cost?

Sikorsky is the manufacturer of some of the most iconic military helicopters in history, including the UH-60 Black Hawk, but its civilian S-61 Sea King is nearly as impressive. It's a twin-engine, medium-lift amphibious helicopter that, during its military service as the SH-3, became the first helicopter to combine submarine detection (sonar) with weapon delivery on the same airframe.

That said, if you're shopping for a helicopter, you'd probably be better off going with one of these cheap helicopters that you can actually buy. The site Aircraft Cost Calculator puts the current average price of a pre-owned S-61 at a cool $2.4 million, though that price is an average. The final price could be very different for an airworthy Sea King versus one requiring a major restoration.

If you're looking for the upgraded S-61T model, you can expect to pay even more. The S-61T is a modernization of the original design, combining the S-61 airframe with upgrades like composite main rotor blades, a new digital cockpit, as well as structural work and wiring updates.

Of course, if you actually plan to fly the thing, that initial price is just the tip of the iceberg. Aircraft Cost Calculator puts the annual operating cost of flying an S-61N at around $2.01 million, assuming 300 flight hours. That includes $671,946 of fixed costs, and then an additional $1.34 million in variable costs.

If you math it out, that means every flight hour in an S-61N will run you a smidge over $6,700 per hour (assuming a fuel cost of $9 per gallon). That's pretty steep for a quick hop to your favorite vacation spot, though if you're spending millions on a transport helicopter, odds are you can afford it.

A big reason for the operational price bloat is just that: the S-61 is a big, twin-engine transport, never designed to be a private runabout. The S-61N requires two crew members, but can transport up to an additional 29 passengers, so consider bringing some friends along if you're looking to defray costs. 

The upgraded S-61T can also carry up to 4,300 kgs of cargo, yet still reach a 120-knot cruising speed due to its dual engines rated at 1,500 shaft horsepower a piece; not bad for a transport, but it won't challenge some of the fastest civilian helicopters. Those stats may be a significant sweetener for a commercial operator who needs a rugged, high-capacity aircraft for utility work, firefighting, or government contract work, but as a personal transport it's a very ambitious purchase.