Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Meet the aircraft
The S-64 is the civilian relative of the military CH-54 Tarhe. Its narrow fuselage and tall undercarriage leave space below for a suspended load, making the lifting role visible in the airframe itself. Two turbine engines power the large main rotor. Erickson's Air-Crane developments have become associated with construction, logging and firefighting.
Aircraft background
Wikipedia contributors · Read more ↗Learning to be gentle with Lucille
Charles first approached Lucille as an imposing collection of exposed machinery. After ground school, he climbed into the cockpit with Bob Hawthorne and asked the instructor to make the first departure from a confined parking area. Taking the controls brought an adjustment to the long cyclic, followed by an appreciation of the aircraft’s substantial, steady feel.
AOPA Pilot · January 2010. S-64 demonstration at Medford with Canadian Air-Crane chief pilot Bob Hawthorne; no external load was carried and the aircraft was well below maximum weight.
AOPA Pilot · Read more ↗Into the cockpit
YouTube DrBear Aviation · 13 min ·
Erickson S-64F AirCrane Scramble in Response to Wildfire - N163AC 'Bubba'
An S-64F crew prepares, starts and departs on a firefighting call near Melbourne.
Real aircraft · Erickson S-64F Aircrane
Watch on YouTube ↗Preview images are served by AirframeDB. Videos open on YouTube only when you choose to watch.
Meet Erickson S-64F Aircrane
The S-64 is the civilian relative of the military CH-54 Tarhe. Its narrow fuselage and tall undercarriage leave space below for a suspended load, making the lifting role visible in the airframe itself. Two turbine engines power the large main rotor.
Erickson's Air-Crane developments have become associated with construction, logging and firefighting. A tank-equipped firefighting aircraft and a crane carrying an external load use the same basic idea in different ways. The simulator includes mission equipment for its represented roles.
Erickson S-64F Aircrane
Erickson → · Explore the family →
Erickson S-64F Aircrane
Wikipedia contributors · Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane ↗Microsoft Flight Simulator · MSFS 2024 →Aircraft type designators
Use the code for the model you are flying. The linked authority lists the applicable aircraft.
History & design
Keeping a specialised aircraft supported
Erickson manufacturing manager Sam Foster described sustaining the S-64 as work spread across engineering, parts, maintenance and planning. His 2022 interview extract identifies composite rotor blades as one response to ageing equipment and future support needs.
Erickson · Interview with Erickson’s Sam Foster ↗Manufacturer-published interview; programme context, not a claim about every airframe
Development milestones
First flight: 9 May 1962
Developed from: Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe
Wikipedia contributors · Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane ↗Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane · family/variant named by the source · Wikipedia revision 1374378711
Pilot accounts
Learning to be gentle with Lucille
Charles first approached Lucille as an imposing collection of exposed machinery. After ground school, he climbed into the cockpit with Bob Hawthorne and asked the instructor to make the first departure from a confined parking area. Taking the controls brought an adjustment to the long cyclic, followed by an appreciation of the aircraft’s substantial, steady feel.
Hawthorne encouraged smooth handling as they explored turns, climbs and approaches around Medford. A simulated engine failure was part of the organised demonstration, rather than an emergency. Charles wanted to try putting the helicopter to work, but there was nothing on the hook that day. Returning to the parking area, the space seemed less intimidating. His introduction ended with affection for the machine and curiosity about the work still beyond that first flight.
AOPA Pilot · January 2010. S-64 demonstration at Medford with Canadian Air-Crane chief pilot Bob Hawthorne; no external load was carried and the aircraft was well below maximum weight.
Read the full account · AOPA Pilot ↗The favourite aircraft comes with lessons from other people
Chapman named the S-64 as his favourite firefighting aircraft, connecting its capabilities with the considerable experience he had gained in it. Asked about memorable people, he immediately recalled colleagues who had patiently taught him when he was new. That appreciation gives his answers a personal thread running through a long and varied flying career.
He placed strong value on communication with firefighters on the ground and on pilots taking time to understand one another’s jobs. He also wished he had learned earlier how to use standby time well. These are small working-life details beside the more visible act of making a water drop. The interview presents an experienced pilot’s priorities, including his insistence that completing a fire assignment never justified losing a life.
Fire Aviation interview · January 2013. Erickson senior S-64 firefighting pilot reflecting on a career that also included several other aircraft types.
Read the full account · Fire Aviation / Wildfire Today ↗Keeping a heavy-lift skill alive
Douglass described the Skycrane as a helicopter that continued to hold his attention, even after long experience. Its power came with substantial fuel use and a ride quite different from the company’s S-61s. Construction work relied on crew coordination, with a rear-facing pilot taking the final precision placement while the front crew remained involved.
Finding the next generation of pilots concerned him as much as the aircraft itself. Logging had taught many older pilots the skills Siller needed, but that route into the work was becoming less common. Douglass wanted good judgement, adaptability and a willingness to travel. Fire assignments also brought personal satisfaction: challenging flying, unfamiliar parts of the country and the chance to help communities.
Vertical interview · June 2014. Chief pilot at Siller Helicopters, discussing its S-64E/CH-54A work and a fleet that also included S-61s.
Read the full account · Vertical ↗In your simulator
Systems, equipment and documentation for each developer’s aircraft.
MSFS 2024S-64F Aircrane
Microsoft Flight Simulator · Released
S-64F Aircrane
Microsoft Flight Simulator · Released
Aircraft specifications
Published figures for the named real-aircraft variant. Simulator equipment and performance can differ.
| Specification | Published value |
|---|---|
| Length | 70 ft 3 in (21.41 m) |
| Height | 18 ft 7 in (5.66 m) |
| Empty weight | 19,234 lb (8,724 kg) |
| Max takeoff weight | 42,000 lb (19,051 kg) |
| Powerplant | 2 × Pratt & Whitney JFTD12-4A (T73-P-1) turboshaft engines, 4,500 shp (3,400 kW) each |
| Main rotor diameter | 72 ft 0 in (21.95 m) |
| Main rotor area | 4,070 sq ft (378 m² ) |
| Maximum speed | 115 kn (132 mph, 213 km/h) |
| Cruise speed | 115 kn (132 mph, 213 km/h) |
| Range | 200 nmi (230 mi, 370 km) max fuel and reserves |
| Rate of climb | 1,330 ft/min (6.8 m/s) |
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Pilot account
Learning to be gentle with LucilleAOPA Pilot · January 2010. S-64 demonstration at Medford with Canadian Air-Crane chief pilot Bob Hawthorne; no external load was carried and the aircraft was well below maximum weight.
Charles first approached Lucille as an imposing collection of exposed machinery. After ground school, he climbed into the cockpit with Bob Hawthorne and asked the instructor to make the first departure from a confined parking area. Taking the controls brought an adjustment to the long cyclic, followed by an appreciation of the aircraft’s substantial, steady feel. Hawthorne encouraged smooth handling as they explored turns, climbs and approaches around Medford.
Michael Maya Charles
AOPA Pilot · Read the source ↗The favourite aircraft comes with lessons from other peopleFire Aviation interview · January 2013. Erickson senior S-64 firefighting pilot reflecting on a career that also included several other aircraft types.
Chapman named the S-64 as his favourite firefighting aircraft, connecting its capabilities with the considerable experience he had gained in it. Asked about memorable people, he immediately recalled colleagues who had patiently taught him when he was new. That appreciation gives his answers a personal thread running through a long and varied flying career. He placed strong value on communication with firefighters on the ground and on pilots taking time to understand one another’s jobs.
Kenny Chapman
Fire Aviation / Wildfire Today · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Manual
Microsoft Flight Simulator aircraft manualsMicrosoft / aircraft developersAircraft background
Sikorsky S-64 SkycraneWikipedia contributors · Research background · Wikipedia revision 1374378711 · retrieved 2026-09-12 Interview with Erickson’s Sam FosterErickson · Manufacturing manager interview extract · 30 September 2022Resource
MSFS 2024 FAQ and edition aircraft inventoryMicrosoftType designator
ICAO Doc 8643 — aircraft type designatorsInternational Civil Aviation Organization · Public search data retrieved 2026-09-14; authority update 2026-09-03Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261022-v1 · 1 profile choice
Erickson S-64F Aircrane
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2024
Erickson S-64F Aircrane: The cyclic’s selected centre and damping accompany the heavy-lift rendition.
Erickson S-64F Aircrane
Erickson S-64F Aircrane: The cyclic’s selected centre and damping accompany the heavy-lift rendition.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Erickson S-64F Aircrane · MSFS 2024 · family starting point
Erickson S-64F Aircrane · Erickson discusses the S-64 platform, without an exact S-64F configuration or simulator edition.
The simulator model and controls
The S-64 is the civilian relative of the military CH-54 Tarhe. Its narrow fuselage and tall undercarriage leave space below for a suspended load, making the lifting role visible in the airframe itself. Two turbine engines power the large main rotor.
This starting point selects Erickson S-64F Aircrane. Its aircraft-level settings do not select a particular developer’s custom systems.
How this profile feels
The cyclic’s selected centre and damping accompany the heavy-lift rendition. Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load. Cyclic damping adds resistance to hardware motion.
Local trim centres the hardware separately from external-load and firefighting equipment. Local force trim is off. Autopilot following is off.
Controls and trim
The S-64 leaves space beneath its narrow fuselage for a suspended load, with a large main rotor, twin turbines and tall undercarriage. Erickson’s firefighting tank and crane equipment put different mission systems around that lifting-aircraft configuration.
About the values
The gains are normalized profile settings. They describe the chosen effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its output limits. IAS references are tuning values rather than operating limits. Physical acceptance of this revision remains pending.
What the documentation establishes
Erickson discusses the S-64 platform, without an exact S-64F configuration or simulator edition.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
ReviewedThis starting point selects Erickson S-64F Aircrane. Its aircraft-level settings do not select a particular developer’s custom systems.
Flight controls
Not yet reviewedThe S-64 leaves space beneath its narrow fuselage for a suspended load, with a large main rotor, twin turbines and tall undercarriage. Erickson’s firefighting tank and crane equipment put different mission systems around that lifting-aircraft configuration.
Trim
Not yet reviewedLocal trim centres the hardware separately from external-load and firefighting equipment. Local force trim is off. Autopilot following is off.
Autopilot and stability
Not yet reviewedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
Not yet reviewedGear, flap and ground cues follow the selected settings and available simulator-reported states.
Speeds and limits
Not yet reviewedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
Not yet reviewedThe profile targets msfs2024. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
Not yet reviewedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe cyclic’s selected centre and damping accompany the heavy-lift rendition. The baseline spring is 0. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 47.5 KIAS. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.35 with an indicated-speed reference of 95 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value95.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value47.5 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 1 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe cyclic’s selected centre and damping accompany the heavy-lift rendition. The baseline spring is 0. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 47.5 KIAS. |
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.02 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.35 with an indicated-speed reference of 95 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value1 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value13.3 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value47.5 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value95.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyAdds permitted spring resistance above the full-blend speed. Zero removes this high-speed increase. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value5 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 1 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyScales supported pitch-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes pitch response. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyLocal trim centres the hardware separately from external-load and firefighting equipment. Local force trim is off. The stored latch parameters are inactive; the profile does not supply a local hold-where-left neutral. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.05 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value1 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value1 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.15 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.06 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed flap movement; a command without movement does not establish the cue. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed gear movement, separate from aerodynamic and touchdown effects. |
Limits and open questions
- The sustainment interview does not document cyclic linkages or servo loading.
- Trim and force-neutral mechanisms are not discussed.
- The interview does not describe an automatic-flight system.
- Composite rotor-blade development is described, but exact rotor count, wheels and engine configuration are not established.
- No S-64F airspeed schedule or95 knot loading reference is supplied.
- A manufacturer sustainment interview defines no simulator telemetry.
- Reported performance improvement from composite blades does not measure cyclic feel or rotor vibration at the hand.
- Erickson S-64F Aircrane documentary evidence does not establish force-feedback hardware acceptance.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.
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