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Helicopters are a lifeline in Greenland. Of up to 70 inhabited towns and settlements only 13 have runways for airplanes, leaving transportation to the vast majority of the country up to the fleet of helicopters that create a highway in the sky. Out in the settlements, the heliports or helistop is simply a flat area in the terrain, and luggage arrives by ATV or snowmobile. Adaptations like this are key to keeping Greenland connected. In addition to commercial routes, Air Greenland also provides helicopter charter services in connection with mining exploration, documentary and movie filming, special interest photography, as well as for Search and Rescue missions, when needed. With so much responsibility in Greenland, one can easily see why Greenland Air proudly consider its helicopter pilots among the most amazing in the world. We honor all the brave Greenland Air pilots and staff on the 21st of June and hope that you will appreciate our selection of photos. on the 21st of June
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Photo crédits
Special photos
References
About the authors
Also by the authors
Further information
Coat of arms of Greenland
Introduction
Helicopters are a lifeline in Greenland. Of up to 70 inhabited towns and settlements only 13 have runways for airplanes, leaving transportation to the vast majority of the country up to the fleet of helicopters that create a highway in the sky.
Out in the settlements, the heliports or helistop is simply a flat area in the terrain, and luggage arrives by ATV or snowmobile. Adaptations like this are key to keeping Greenland connected.
In addition to commercial routes, Air Greenland also provides helicopter charter services in connection with mining exploration, documentary and movie filming, special interest photography, as well as for Search and Rescue missions, when needed.
With so much responsibility in Greenland, one can easily see why Greenland Air proudly consider its helicopter pilots among the most amazing in the world.
We honor all the brave Greenland Air pilots and staff on the 21st of June and hope that you will appreciate our selection of photos. on the 21st of June
Cristina & Eric
Maps of Greenland
No 1 The Air Greenland Sikorsky S-61N Nattoralik helicopter OY-HAF (in old livery) stationed in Ilulissat Airport, Greenland. 21 July 2010
In the late 1950s and early 1960s the U.S. Navy worked with Sikorsky Aircraft to create a very high performance helicopter with the latest technologies. The helicopter uses two large twin turbine engines and a boat-type hull with retractable landing gear. The S-61 requires a two person crew to fly it, but can carry a large number of passengers. Today the S-61 is used extensively in the United States for logging operations in the commercial sector.
The Sikorsky S-61 designation was assigned to the company’s first twin engine helicopter that was designed from the ground up to take full advantage of emerging turbo-shaft engine technology. This new model marked the end of reciprocating engine installations at Sikorsky and ushered in the era of the lighter and more compact turbine engines. The S-61 served all branches of the US Military as well as commercial airline service. It began its long production career as a model specifically tailored to anti-submarine warfare for the US Navy bearing the designation HSS-2.
No 2 Air Greenland Sikorsky S-61N Helicopter OY-HAF at Ilulissat Airport, Greenland. 4 July 2009
The helicopters are of great interest in the current discussion abut Greenland´s future, with concern of Chinese and Russian corruption of the local chieftains.
The threat of Soviet nuclear-armed submarines arose soon after the first Russian nuclear detonation in 1947 which immediately elevated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) to a mission of immense national importance. In 1950, at the height of the Cold War, the CIA noted an unconfirmed report that the only atomic bomb the Soviets had produced would have to be delivered by submarine.The Sikorsky S-61N was born from a 1955 Anti-Submarine Warfare ASW study.
No 3 Air Greenland Sikorsky S-61N registration OY-HAF at Kangerlussuaq Airport, Greenland. 3 July 2009
That study, Project Nobska, concluded that “Confronted with quiet submarines of long endurance, a sufficiently accurate means of navigation, and suitable weapons, defense against shore bombardment by submarines becomes a huge problem.” World War II experience in the North Atlantic demonstrated the futility of engaging submarines with surface vessels. The population of Nazi U-Boats peaked at 240 in 1943. Against this force, 875 sonar-equipped escorts could not conclusively prevail. There was a need to combine the sonar’s detection, localization, and targeting, with the speed of an aircraft.
One of the solutions was the ASW helicopter with active dipping sonar, a concept first demonstrated on a Sikorsky HOS (R-6) helicopter by the Naval Research Laboratory in 1946.
No 4 Air Greenland Sikorsky S-61N Helicopter OY-HAG 10 September 2011, 19:43 New livery.
In the period 1965-2020 the Sikorsky S-61N was the main aircraft for Grønlandsfly – now Greenland Air.
The S-61 was the first type of helicopter that Greenland Airlines acquired. The helicopter was a direct replacement for the amphibious Catalian aircraft, which had operated passenger flights since the company's inception in 1960. Greenland Air took over lease agreements from KGH – The Royal Greenland Tade Corporation - which had handled air transport since 1958. In addition to passenger flights, the S-61 was used for many kinds of tasks; oil exploration, ambulance, and was also chartered out to countries in Europe.
No 5 Livex2016 emergency drill in Nuuk Airport, 28 May 2016, 18:18:44. Sikorsky S-61 OY-HAG.
The Sikorsky S-61 helicopter became an indispensable part of Greenlandic society and a symbol of Greenlandic air transport. The fleet of S-61s numbered eight when they were most numerous.
In the period 1958-1965 Greenland Air used the Canso Catalina amphibious aircraft. The Catalinas initially flew under KGH, but were taken over by Grønlandsfly at the founding of the company. It was intended from the beginning as a temporary solution, and was phased out with the purchase of the Sikorsky S-61. Compared to the helicopter the Catalina moves through a stretch of water and is thus at risk of hitting floating ice and have other issues. In the period 1958-1960s Greenland Air used the DHC3 Otter. The otters initially flew under KGH, leased from Canada, but were taken over by Grønlandsfly at the founding of the company. The DHC3 Otter was also intended as a temporary solution, and was phased out with the purchase of DC4 and Sikorsky S-61.
No 6 Heliicopter Sikorsky S-61N OY-HAG and plane at Nuuk Airport, 19 January 2015, 07:49
Since the S-61s were to fly along the entire west coast of Greenland, the Kongelige Grønlandske Handel (KGH – Royal Greenland Trading Company) who back then was co-owner of Greenlandair, decided that all household petroleum used in homes in Greenland should be of a specific type to ensure that it could also be used by the S-61s. In this way, they made sure that there would always be fuel for a helicopter that was forced to make a stopover, regardless of the size of the town or village. OY-HAF and OY-HAG are still flying today. At the 25th anniversary of the S-61s in 1990 it was calculated that the kilometres flown by the S-61s corresponded to 65 trips to the moon.
No 7 Air Greenland Sikorsky S-61N helicopter OY-HAG lands at Narsaq Heliport, Greenland. Incoming from Qaqortoq Heliport, bound for Narsarsuaq Airport. 16 July 2009
Greenland was the first country in the world to use helicopters to carry passengers over longer distances in remote regions. Greenland’s towns and villages are geographically far from each other, but in April 1965 when Greenland Air introduced the first Sikorsky-S-61 helicopter it suddenly became much easier to move around the country.
In the period 1973-1976 Greenland Air also employed the Sikorsky S-58ET. Four S-58s were acquired during '73 -'76, for Grønlandsfly's subsidiary, Glace. The helicopter was a sister to the S-61. In the period 1960-1965 Greenland Air also used the Sikorsky S-55. The S-55s were were leased from the Canadian company Kenting Helicopters to supply DYE-1 of the United States Air Force (USAF).
No 8 Air Greenland Sikorsky S-61N helicopter OY- HAG at Narsarsuaq Airport, Greenland, 16 July 2009
