Schweizer Aircraft (RSG, formerly Sikorsky)
Schweizer 300 / Sikorsky S-300
Helicopter (piston) · Helicopter trainer · Pre-1980 classic
limited revival
- Power
- 180 hp
- Cruise
- 81 kt
- MTOW
- 1,750 lb
- Range
- 195 nm
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas
🇺🇸Specs shown in Imperial.
Performance
- Cruise speed (Vc)81 kt
- Never-exceed speed (Vne)95 kt
- Stall (landing config) (Vs0)0 kt
- Climb rate750 fpm
- Service ceiling12,200 ft
- Range195 nm
- Endurance3 h
- Takeoff roll0 ft
- Landing roll0 ft
Weights
- MTOW1,750 lb
- Empty weight1,100 lb
- Useful load650 lb
- Baggage capacity50 lb
Dimensions
- Wingspan26.8 ft
- Length28.9 ft
- Height8.7 ft
- Cabin width50 in
Powerplant
- EngineLycoming HIO-360-G1A — 180 hp · 100LL · 9.5 gph
- Total horsepower180 hp
- Primary fuel100LL avgas
- Unleaded pathG100UL eligible (STC available)
Cockpit & avionics
- Cockpit typeanalog
- Autopilot commonly availableNo
- Typical packages
- Six-pack analog with single nav/com— as-delivered
Certification
- RegulatoryFAR Part 27
- Certified rolesNormal category helicopter
- IFRNo
- Spin approvedNo
- Aerobatic-categoryNo
- TailwheelNo
- Complex (FAR 61.31)No
- High-performance (FAR 61.31)No
Why is the Schweizer 300 / Sikorsky S-300 popular?
Structured popularity-driver evidence. Each axis below carries one factual statement; we don't grade, the facts speak.
Industry network effects
Commonly cited as the second-most-common piston helicopter trainer behind the Robinson R22 / R44; the type's three-blade fully-articulated rotor distinguishes its handling from the Robinson teetering-rotor family.
Pedagogy and handling
Three-blade fully-articulated rotor system handles differently from the R22 / R44 two-blade teetering rotor — schools commonly cite the Schweizer 300's rotor system as more representative of the rotor systems on larger turbine helicopters students will progress to.
Regulatory fit
Not subject to Robinson SFAR 73 — operators that prefer not to manage the SFAR 73 currency framework cite this as a competitive advantage for the Schweizer in helicopter PPL(H) and CPL(H) training.
Production volume
Approximately 3,000 airframes built across the Hughes 269 / Schweizer 300 / Sikorsky S-300 production runs since 1957; US Army TH-55 history makes the type formative for thousands of US Army helicopter pilots.
Before you buy more aircraft
The next airframe is rarely the highest-leverage move.
Flight school revenue is a function of three things — utilisation, dispatch reliability, and student progression — that multiply rather than add. Most schools running below 850 hours per aircraft per year have hidden capacity worth more than the next purchase, already paid for and sitting on the ramp.
Read: Why buying more aircraft probably won't grow your schoolHow flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize
Helicopter schools running Schweizer 300 fleets configure them in Aviatize with Lycoming HIO-360 engine reserves and standard helicopter maintenance scheduling. Unlike the R22 / R44, the Schweizer is not subject to SFAR 73 — operators don't model SFAR 73 currency rules but still track standard FAA helicopter PIC currency requirements. The three-blade fully-articulated rotor system has its own inspection cycle that is tracked as a recurring maintenance item.
Editorial confidence
Two primary sources cited (manufacturer page, FAA TCDS). RSG production-restart specifics are research-backlog candidates pending primary-source confirmation; this entry treats those claims as factual only at the level the manufacturer's own materials support.
Notes on this entry
Fleet-size figures
The RSG production-restart status and any specific order-book figures for the Schweizer 300CBi are research-stage and have not been primary-source verified for this entry. Verify against RSG Helicopters' published materials before commercial reliance.
Sources
Primary sources are POH / TCDS / manufacturer pages; derived sources record where Aviatize editorial synthesis is layered on top.
- Primary sourcePOH·Retrieved 2026-05-05
RSG Helicopters
https://schweizerrsg.com/RSG Schweizer 300CBi product pages.
- Primary sourceFAA TCDS·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/H1WEFAA TCDS H1WE covers Schweizer 300 / S-300 variants.
- Editorial synthesisAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Aviatize editorial
Entry authored by Aviatize from accumulated industry knowledge cross-referenced against the primary sources cited above. Specific fleet figures, fleet wins, and recent production status changes are research-backlog candidates and should be verified against primary sources before flipping verified: true.