Since 1986, the Society has given the Harry T. Jensen Award for an outstanding contribution to the improvement of vertical flight aircraft reliability, maintainability, and/or safety through improved design brought to fruition during the preceding year. Established by Sikorsky Aircraft, the award honors Harry Jensen’s contributions to enhance helicopter qualification, structural reliability and safety.
Read more about Harry T. Jensen at Vertipedia.
2024
- S-92 Tail Rotor Bearing Monitoring team
- Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company
For the development, certification, and fielding of a more capable monitoring system that reduces maintenance and gives vastly increased notification time of potential bearing degradation thereby increasing the reliability, maintainability, and safety of the S-92 helicopter.
2023
- Sikorsky's 5G Radar Altimeter Team
- Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company
The team made several breakthrough innovations toward mitigating the 5G altimeter interference issue; this has contributed to the continued safe operation of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft in US airspace.
2022
- Sikorsky Usage and Load Monitoring Team
For its development of world-class fleet usage monitoring capabilities, which have proven invaluable through multiple fleet sustainment needs and investigations related to safety, reliability, logistics and maintainability for the S-92, H-60 and CH-148 fleets.
2021
- Joint US Army/Sikorsky H-60 Flight Safety Parts Program
- US Army, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company
This year, the joint US Army/Sikorsky H-60 Flight Safety Parts Program is being recognized. Initiated in the 1980s, the H-60 FSPP reached a major milestone this year: 20 million flight hours with no fatal accidents related to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) flight safety parts, demonstrating that it is a comprehensive and effective program for control of items directly affecting operational safety.
Sikorsky’s Susy Zampelli (Manager, Flight Safety Engineering) and Eddie Karedes (Senior Manager, Aviation Flight Safety Parts) were recognized for their leadership.
2020
- Leonardo TH-119 Certification Team
- Leonardo
This year’s award is given to the Leonardo TH-119 Certification Team, the first single-engine helicopter approved for instrument flight rules (IFR) in the US since the 1990s. In photo, Leonardo TH-119 Development and Certification Lead, headed by Enzo Galli, center.
IFR flight is discernibly safer than visual flight rules (VFR) flight in marginal weather; considering that a majority of helicopters in the US are single engine, it’s hoped that the TH-119 has ushered in a sea change in helicopter safety.
TH-119 Flight Test Team Members are - Pat McKerman, Cert. Test Pilot; Chris Hyder, Dev. Test Pilot; Andrea Castelli, Flt. Test; Andrea Manera, Flt. Test; and Marco Luotti, Fit. Test.
TH-119 Technical Team members are - Dean Boston, GENESYS Lead Engineer; Vince Rizzuto, TH-119 Program Management; Martin Cameron, Clay Haney, Giovanni Spampinato, Hun Senkosal and Matteo Bertolo, Engineering; and Anthony Seiter, Part 145 Maintenance.
2019
- CH-53K Flight Control System Team
- Naval Air System Command and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company
The team developed and successfully flight-demonstrated a low-speed control system that significantly reduces pilot workload while operating in Degraded Visual Environments (DVE).
The FCS Team put the CH-53K control laws through their paces in Yuma, Arizona, in September 2018 and demonstrated Level 1 handling qualities ratings in DVE in brownout conditions caused by blowing sand. Through innovative design, rigorous development and ultimately flight demonstrations, this system provides a level of safety, reliability and performance in DVE that is unprecedented.
David Engel (left) of the Naval Air Systems Command and Alex Faynberg (right), Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, accepted the award on behalf of the team.
2018
- The Combat Tempered Platform Demonstration Team
- Sikorsky and US Army's ADD
For bringing to fruition an integrated suite of safety and reliability technologies that can be realistically implemented together that exemplifies both operational durability and total survivability.
The team successfully demonstrated via full-scale ground and flight testing an optimized configuration of reliability and safety enhancing technologies which will save lives and allow aircraft to operate for extended periods with minimal maintenance.
2017
- Sikorsky-Army-Navy Operations & Sustainment (O&S) Technology Development Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft; US Army; US Navy
For their outstanding synergistic and collaborative efforts to research, develop and demonstrate high-value diagnostics, prognostics and system health management technologies that will enable a paradigm shift in O&S processes, such as comprehensive condition-based maintenance (CBM), radical reductions in maintenance burden and O&S costs, and enhanced safety.
2016
- S-92 Program
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
For an unprecedented one million hour safety record due to stringent transport category helicopter safety requirements developed by U.S. and international regulatory authorities, groundbreaking safety features, an extraordinary commitment to safety by operators, and Sikorsky's continued safety enhancements and fleet support
2015
- V-22 Structural Appraisal of Fatigue Effects (SAFE) Team
- Bell-Boeing
A joint US Navy/Bell Boeing effort to improve V-22 safety, reliability and maintainability through a data-based determination of fatigue life expended on critical components. Some structural components are seeing a three-fold increase in life
2014
- S-92A Main Rotor Hub Life Extension Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
The award was given for the team's outstanding development and implementation of a methodology that extends component life through individual aircraft usage credits
2013
- Apache AH-64E Composite Tailboom Development Team
The team was successful in bringing composite design and manufacturing
technology to military rotorcraft through successful completion of a live-fire test at the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. This new technology application greatly increases reliability, durability and
maintainability with improved strength, lower weight and lower recurring cost than the current Apache metallic tailboom
2012
- COL Gregory Masiello
- V-22 Joint Program Manager
- US Marine Corps
Recognized for his efforts leading to outstanding reductions in operating costs, significant improvements in safety records and the exceedingly low mishap rate of a complex rotorcraft system
2011
- Boeing Active Crash Protection System Development Team, consisting of The Boeing Company, the US Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Honeywell, General Dynamics Ordnance and the University of Maryland
For developing new technologies which greatly increase the effectiveness of rotorcraft crash protection systems and significantly improve rotorcraft crash survivability.
2010
- Blackhawk Survivability Suite Team
- US Army, Army Utility Program Office, DARPA, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, and Raytheon BBN
This team successfully achieved an innovative solution that directly
addresses the primary threats to the safety and lives of US warfighters in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The two key survivability technologies that constitute the suite are an Upward-Turned Exhaust System (UES) and a Helicopter Alert and Threat Termination-Acoustic (HALTT-A).
2009
- Apache Health Monitoring Team
- US Army, The Boeing Company
This team, led by Dr. Jon Keller of the US Army Aviation Engineering Directorate, developed an innovative condition indicator that detects faults in the AH-64 main transmission.
Additional members of the team include Jeremy Partain, also of the US Army Aviation Engineering Directorate; Damian Carr and Frances Love, both support contractors for the US Army at Redstone Arsenal; Paul Grabill of Honeywell; and Hieu Ngo and Perumal Shanthakumaran of The Boeing Company.
2008
- ALERTS/Appareo Systems and Bristow Group
- Appareo Systems, LLC; and Bristow Group
This year the award is presented to Appareo Systems, LLC, and Bristow Group. This team has improved helicopter safety through a new product called ALERTS, Aircraft Logging and Event Recording for Safety and Training.
The system helps operators minimize fleet risk levels by improving training and insuring compliance with standard operating procedures through flight data recording, monitoring, and 3D flight recreation. It represents an innovative and affordable way to perform flight data monitoring.
2007
- MDS-PRAD Technologies Corp.
- MDS-PRAD Technologies Corp.
This year the award is presented to MDS-Prad Technologies Corp. This -Prince Edward Island, Canada-based corporation produces an ER-7 erosion resistant coating for the General Electric T-64 engine that powers the CH-53E Super Stallion, the MH-53E Sea Dragon and the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters.
The Naval Air Systems Command’s H-53 Program Office has estimated $8 million in cost savings per helicopter annually and a return-on-investment to date of 20 to 1. This coating has increased the availability of the T-64 engines and the readiness of the CH-53E fleet. At the end of 2006, with a significant number of ER-7 coated engines deployed in theatre, low power engine removal decreased to peace time rates. These quantifiable improvements in fleet readiness and availability also translate to significant decreases in logistical support requirements and maintenance hours.
2006
- Joint Advanced Health and Usage Monitoring System Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration Team
The team developed the first even HUMS In-Flight Reporting System on operational military HUMS-equipped aircraft.
2005
- UH-60M Automatic Flight Control Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
This team developed and flight tested an enhanced, coupled flight director for the Black Hawk which reduces pilot workload and advances helicopter safety in approach, hover, landing and departures.
Significant team contribution to the advancement of rotorcraft safety through development of improved coupled flight director functions and pilot interface for the hover degraded visual environment.
2004
- Damage Tolerance Technology Team
- NRTC/RITA
For their efforts on the NRTC/RITA Damage Tolerance Technology Team.
Combined team comprised of Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, The Boeing Company, and United Technologies Research Center.
2003
- NRTC/RITA and ARL-VTD Team
- Army Research Laboratory Vehicle Techlogy Directorate, BellHelicopter Textron Inc., NASA Langley Research Center, National Rotorcraft Technology Center, Rotorcraft Industry Technology Association, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., The Boeing Co.
For "Multi-Terrain Impact Safety".
The team was represented by - Dr. Edwin Fasanella, Dr.Karen E. Jackson, Dr. Ashish Sareen, Dr. Karen H. Lyle, Andy Kerr, Rande Vause, Charles W. Clark and Akif Bolukbasi.
2002
- Cockpit Air Bag Systems Project Team
- Air Crew Integrated Systems, US Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Simula Safety Systems
For the successful introduction of air bag systems in helicopter cockpits.
2001
- NRTC/RITA Crash Safety & Navy Water Impact SBIR Teams
- Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., The Boeing Company, Sikorsky Aircraft, Simula, Dynamic Response, Inc., NAVAIR, Army - Yuma Proving Ground and the FAA
This team made significant contributions to improving helicopter crash safety for the soft soil and water impact scenarios that constitute 80 percent of helicopter crashes.
2000
- The Boeing Mesa Longbow Integrated Maintenance Support System Team
- Boeing-Mesa
The system provides an unprecedented capability for on-aircraft storage of maintenance and safety data as well as off-aircraft tools for data retrieval and analysis to aid the aircraft maintainer to be more accurate and efficient when performing maintenance.
The award presented to Richard Rodenkirk, The Bowing Co., Team Leader
1999
- Apache Longbow IETM Team
- The Boeing Company
1998
- The MH-47E Structural Usage Monitoring Systems Team
For their original work on improving cargo helicopter reliability, maintainability and safety.
Dan Deibler, U.S.Army AATD; Tory Eide, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell; and Richard Teal, Bowing- Philadelphia.
1997
- Sikorsky Cost Reduction Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
For their original work on reducing helicopter operating, support and direct maintenance costs.
1996
- No Award Presented
1995
- Technical Support Services Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
The Harry T. Jensen Award 1995 awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft Technical Support Services Team led by Richard E. Weich for its development of an interactive electronic technical manual.
1994
- Aviation Technical Test Center
- US Army
On accomplishments with its "Lead-the-Fleet" program.
1993
- The Teams of Bristow Helicopters/Westland Helicopters Ltd./ Helikopter Service A/S/Stewart Hughes Ltd.
- Bristow Helicopters; Westland Helicopters, Ltd.; Helikopter Service A/S and Steward Hughes, Ltd.
In recognition of their development of
the Helicopter Health and Usage
System.
The teams of Bristow Helicopters; Westland Helicopters, Ltd.; Helikopter Service A/S and Steward Hughes, Ltd. accept the Harry T. Jensen Award from Dean Borgman, right, in photo.
1992
- Joseph P. Cribbins
1991
- James W. Turnbow, Ph.D.
For his three decades of contributions
to the field of crashworthy engineering.
1990
- James D. Cronkhite
- Bell Helicopters Textron
1989
- Roy Fox
- Bell
1988
- Intelligent Fault Locator Team
- McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., US Army, ARTA, and AATD
1987
- Thomas P. Dixon
1986
- CH-46 Team
- NAVAIR and Boeing Vertol Co.
Given for the first time, the Jensen Award recognizes work on safety, reliability and maintainability. The NAVAIR/Vertol team was honored for its work on the H-46 program.
Harry T. Jensen, left, and Horner, right, present Jensen Award certificates to Harry Burden, Naval Air Systems Command and Joseph A. McKeller, Boeing Vertol Co.
Cached October 4, 2024 1:52:22 PM CDT