Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., which operates a commercial aircraft completion center in Coatesville, has gained Chinese certification for its Sikorsky S-76D helicopter and will soon begin delivering this helicopter to customers in China.

Yunnan Jingcheng Group will be the first company in China to take delivery of an S-76D helicopter, which was certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The S-76D is the latest S-76 model to be certified by the CACC. It was preceded by the S-76A and S-76C helicopters. More than 30 Sikorsky S-76 aircraft currently operate in China.

The company contracted for a new S-76D in 2012 and is scheduled to receive the aircraft this month. Jingcheng already flies an S-92® helicopter for use in transporting corporate and government VIPs. In September 2013, a second S-92 aircraft was purchased with delivery expected in November 2015.

“We are thrilled to have the S-76D certified by the CAAC,” said Ryan McFeaters, general manager for Sikorsky in China. “This certification helps expand our presence in a strategically important region with many potential S-76D customers.”

The S-76D helicopter has quickly proven to be popular with customers, with a current backlog exceeding $650 million. Sikorsky has delivered more than 800 S-76 helicopters to customers globally since 1979.

In September 2013, Sikorsky Aircraft and Changhe Aircraft Industries Corp. signed an agreement for Changhe to produce S-76D™ commercial helicopter cabins for Sikorsky. Changhe serves as a second source for S-76D cabins, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2016 and production volume based on market demand. Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic also supplies the cabins.

Sikorsky is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. Sikorsky Aircraft has operations on five continents, and its commercial and military helicopters are operating today in 40 nations. Worldwide, the company employs approximately 16,000 people and is growing globally.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbet recently announced Sikorsky was nominated for a state Jobs First ImPAct Award for demonstrating consistent job growth and retention over the past two years.