Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Sikorsky. Model: SH-3. Nickname: Sea King
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Helicopter
> FAA Category and Class: Rotorcraft/Helicopter
> Engine Description: twin turboshaft

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/7/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1.5
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: —

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 51
> Date First Flown: 12/29/1988
> Location First Flown: NAS Patuxent River, MD (KNHK)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Qual Eval, Tony Vanaria

Recollections: The date of this entry is suspect, as it was during the xmas-new years break and I don’t think we would’ve been flying at TPS, so either the date was entered wrong by ops (doubtful, Tammy was the best!) or it was a separate qual eval (not associated with the TPS syllabus) with our sister squadron at the Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron….probably me begging for another helo type!

Regardless, I flew what appears to be a Qual Eval with LT Tony Vanaria, a member of Class 92, just one year behind me. Only thing I remember about the flight was that the SH-3 hover was VERY stable, with less vibration than I remembered in the CH-46. 

Tony was (and, I believe still is) married to Linda (nee Shaffer), one of the earliest female Test Pilots, graduating with Class 93 and later achieving the distinction of being the Commanding Officer of the Navy’s VRC-30 squadron flying the C-2 onboard aircraft carriers (the C-2 is huge and, I suspect, very difficult to bring aboard the ship).