Carson Helicopters
Carson Helicopters, Inc. is a private helicopter company based in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1963, it operates Sikorsky S-61 helicopters for aerial lift work and firefighting. The company also developed the Carson Blade for the S-61 and H-3 Sea King.
In 2010, Carson partnered with Sikorsky to develop the S-61T, an upgraded version of the S-61. In 2007, Carson teamed up with the British Royal Navy to modernize HC4 Sea King helicopters, replacing the main rotor with Carson composite blades and using a five-blade tail rotor from AgustaWestland. The upgrade cost about $10.1 million and improved performance in hot and high conditions without removing armor or weapons.
In February 2010, the U.S. State Department signed a contract for up to 110 S-61 Triton helicopters for diplomatic transport. The S-61T features a modern digital cockpit, crashworthy seats, a modular wiring harness, and engine and transmission improvements. Carson’s composite main rotor blades add about 10 knots of cruising speed and 1,750 pounds of extra lift.
In 2015, former VP Steve Metheny was sentenced for falsifying documents related to a 2008 crash that killed seven firefighters and two pilots. A federal jury found the crash was mainly caused by a GE engine fuel-control issue, which GE had been notified about.
Founder and longtime president Franklin Carson died on October 25, 2024.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:59 (CET).