Carson Helicopters, Inc is a helicopter operating company based in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, United States. Carson operates a fleet of Sikorsky S-61 helicopters in aerial lift services and aerial firefighting. Carson is known for its development of the "Carson Blade" for the S-61 and H-3 Sea King. In 2010, Carson Helicopters, Inc. partnered with Sikorsky Aircraft to develop and manufacture the S-61T, an upgraded version of the S-61 helicopter. In 2015 former VP Steve Metheny was sentenced to prison for falsifying documents that led to a 2008 crash that killed seven firefighters and two pilots. A federal jury had earlier found that the primary cause of the crash was the failure of the GE designed engine, specifically issues with the engine's fuel control, of which GE had previously been notified. Founder and President, Franklin Carson, passed away on October 25th, 2024.

Upgrade Programs

British Royal Navy Upgrade Program

In 2007, Carson Helicopters partnered with the British Royal Navy to modernize its HC4 Sea King helicopters. British forces encountered challenges operating the Sea Kings in Afghanistan due to the country's higher altitude and lower air density, which significantly reduced lift and forward speed. The upgrades involved replacing the aircraft’s outdated metal main rotor blades with Carson Composite Main Rotor Blades and using the five-bladed composite tail rotor from Agusta Westland. "A Carson composite main rotor and AgustaWestland five-bladed tail rotor were installed, tested and deployed in only 12 months after a [Urgent Operational Requirement] UOR from the MoD. The program cost $10.1 million." The increased performance provided by the Carson Composite Main Rotor Blades enabled the aircraft to operate at its operational and design capability in hot-and-high environments without having to strip weight or decrease defensive aids, such as armor or weaponry and its associated ammunition.

S-61T Program

In February 2010, the U.S. State Department signed an open-ended contract for as many as 110 Sikorsky S-61 Triton Helicopters ("S-61T") for U.S. diplomatic transportation and cargo services. The S-61T, which was an upgraded SH3H, included a fully modernized glass cockpit with digital screens and avionics, crashworthy seats, a modular wiring harness derived from the UH-60 Black Hawk, as well as engine and transmission improvements. Upgrades also included the Carson Composite Main Rotor Blades which provided a 10 knot increase in cruising speed using the same horsepower and a 1750 lb. increase in lift.

Incidents and accidents