Delivered new from Sikorsky to the French Armee de l'Air in 1956, this S-58 was purchased surplus by Sikorsky in the early 1970s and converted to a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T twin turbine S-58ET registered N1144U. It flew with Heli-Swiss between April 1972 and July 1983 (including on lease to Heli Union and Heliservice). It was imported to the US by Air Associates as N39790 and sold to Aris Helicopter's as N58AH still wearing the Heli-Swiss colour scheme in July 1984. It was registered to B&B Helos Llc in April 2009, but operates as Aris Helicopters, a Division of Heli Flite, Inc.

This helicopter is more than 50 years old and still going strong, fighting the deadly Esperanza fire.

The occasion was a meeting between US foreign secretary Henry Kissinger and South African prime minister John Vorster. Photo by: Jules Vogt / ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Operated by Heliswiss from 1972 to 1983 and then sold in the USA as N58AH.