PH-RWX Schweizer 269C / 300C c/n S1740 - Rotor & Wings Holding - Hoogeveen airfield in Holland - 12 November 2011

The first of two prototypes of the two-seat Hughes Model 269 helicopter flew first in October 1956, only 13 months after commencement of design work. The basic design sparked US Army interest to order 5, designated YHO-2-HU, for evaluation. As a result Hughes won a US Army contract for a light helicopter primary trainer and 792 were built as the TH55A Osage. Deliveries of the commercial Model 269A, designated Hughes 200, started in 1961. The three-seat Model 269B, designated Hughes 300, flew first in 1964. In 1969, the 300 was followed by the improved Model 269C, designated Hughes 300C. Since 1983, Schweizer has built the 269C/300C, initially under licence for Hughes. Schweizer Aircraft Corp. acquired all rights to the helicopter in 1986. Already over 3400 helicopters of the 269/300/TH55 are built, of which 2800 by Hughes before production was transferred to Schweizer.  In 2005, Schweizer Aircraft Corp. became a wholly owned Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. subsidiary. In 2009, Sikorsky Aircraft announced the creation of Sikorsky Global Helicopters, a business unit made up of the manufacturer’s commercial products, including the S-76, S-92 and H-92 platforms, as well as the Schweizer helicopter line. As part of the rebranding of the commercial products, the S-300C, S-300CBi, S-333 and S-434 helicopters will no longer retain the Schweizer name.

The 1996-built Schweizer 269C s/n S-1740 was test flown with temporary registration N41S. In December 1996, the helicopter was registered D-HCWK with Hahn Helicopter GmbH at Hahn Airport in Germany. The Schweizer was sold in France and registered F-GYCB with Citicapital Societe par Actions Simplifiee as registered owner on 31 October 2001. On 24 July 2006, ownership of the F-GYCB was changed to International Lease SARL. In March 2009, the F-GYCB was seen in service at Lelystad Airport and ownership changed to Rotarywings, Uitwellingerga, the Netherlands, on 21 April 2009. Registration F-GYCB was cancelled as exported to the Netherlands on 16 September 2009, and the helicopter was registered PH-RWX with P.J.M. Bos, Rotarywings, Uitwellingerga t/a Rotarywings on 25 September 2009. Ownership of the PH-RWX changed to Rotor & Wings Holding B.V., Uitwellingerga, on 7 October 2010.

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