Aviation Today :: Sikorsky Aircraft Celebrates Donation of MH-53 PAVE LOW to Royal Air Force Museum

DUXFORD, England, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and the Royal Air Force today at Helitech celebrated the donation of an MH-53 PAVE LOW helicopter to the RAF Museum. The PAVE LOW helicopter, donated by the United States Air Force, was manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060403/SIKORSKYLOGO )

David Powell, Sikorsky Vice President, Sales, The Americas & Global Oil, presented to Dr. Michael Fopp, Director General of the RAF Museum, a ceremonial check in the amount of $38,000 USD, representing the costs defrayed by the company toward the relocation of the aircraft to the museum. The PAVE LOW helicopter, used by the USAF for special operations and combat search and rescue, will be part of a new National Cold War Exhibition at the museum.

"The National Cold War Exhibition in the RAF Museum at Cosford will provide a marvelous historical perspective of this time period, and the inclusion of the venerable Sikorsky MH-53 PAVE LOW helicopter will add to the historical perspective. We are excited about the opportunity to provide sponsorship for this exhibition and to continue to rekindle the strong legacy of Sikorsky Aircraft in the United Kingdom," Powell said.

Dr. Fopp said the new national exhibition aims to inform and educate current and future generations about the immense threat posed to world peace and security during this significant period of the 20th century.

"The PAVE LOW helicopter is a fitting addition to this exhibit, for its role in the history of search and rescue. The Royal Air Force Museum is pleased to be able to include this remarkable aircraft in our newest display, and to further educate our visitors who have a particular appreciation of aviation and world history," Fopp said.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., USA, is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., USA, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.