Vol. 8 Q3 - Vector Aerospace

SETTING THE STANDARD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
Take - Off
Volume 8 | July 2015 Q3
WWW.VECTORAEROSPACE.COM
Vector Aerospace invests in new
multimillion dollar turboprop test cell
Extends lease on world-class turbine engine
MRO facility with Slemon Park Corporation
Vector Aerospace has announced that it is investing in the addition of a
new engine test cell at its Summerside, PEI facility in Canada, through a
financing partnership with provincial and federal governments.
This new multimillion dollar test cell, which will be capable of supporting turboprop engines producing up to 5,000 shaft horsepower, will join
three existing test stands at Summerside, two dedicated to turboprops
and one to turbofans. The new cell will expand Vector’s local test capacity
on turboprop engines such as the PW100 and PT6A, thus minimizing
turn-around times (TATs) for its customers and supporting continued
growth at the facility.
Vector Aerospace Engine Services – Atlantic (ES-A) is a fully-authorized
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF)
for the PW100 turboprop family, and a P&WC Distributor and Designated
Overhaul Facility (DDOF) for the PT6A turboprop and the JT15D turbofan.
As a further demonstration of its long-term commitment to Prince
Edward Island, Vector also announced a lease extension on its
Summerside facility with Slemon Park Corporation. Vector has provided
world-class engine MRO services at the location – a former Canadian
Forces Base – since 1992, and today employs over 440 skilled workers
at Summerside.
Photo: Aerial view of Vector’s Summerside, PEI facility
Shown in the photo above: (L - R) Arnold Croken, General Manager of the
Summerside Regional Development Corporation; Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, to the Minister of National Revenue and
for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; The Honourable Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island; Jeff Poirier, President of ES-A; and Shawn
McCarvill, President of Slemon Park Corporation
Message from the President
Vector Aerospace attends breakfast
at the Scottish Parliament
Vector Aerospace Component Services – UK, Airbus
Helicopters UK and Airbus UK were delighted to jointly
attend a business breakfast at the Scottish Parliament in
Edinburgh recently. The event, facilitated by the Scottish
Parliamentary Business Exchange (SPBE), was well
attended and gave both Vector and Airbus the opportunity
to explain to members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
the current and future state of Airbus Group businesses in
Scotland.
Mick O’Connor, Director of Vector’s Almondbank site in
Perth and Kinross, Scotland, commented “Events such as
this demonstrate to the Scottish Government how supporting
engineering companies, such as ours, helps to create high
value jobs in the Scottish economy.”
On behalf of the team here at Vector Aerospace, welcome to our
third newsletter of 2015! We hope you enjoy this review of our recent
service offerings, customer updates and facility investments.
There have been several notable milestones for our company
during the first half of 2015, including the grand opening of our new
Vector Aerospace – Asia MRO facility in Singapore, plus the formal
rebranding of our Paris-based subsidiary from SECA to Vector
Aerospace – France. With this name change now implemented
across the business, the final step in the consolidation of our French
subsidiary within Vector has been completed.
Vector Aerospace – France has a proud history spanning back
almost 70 years, and this enduring legacy of providing quality MRO
services is a common trait in our corporate DNA. As you can read
in the following pages, we have recently celebrated the 70th and
75th anniversaries of our UK facilities, with other strands of our UK
heritage extending even further back to the 1930s. Our Canadian
heritage is equally deep, spanning back almost 70 years through
Okanagan Helicopters and Helicopter Welders of Canada.
Today, Vector’s 2,300 maintenance professionals are proud to
embrace the same values that have underpinned the company’s
continued success over so many years, namely strong customer
focus, quality workmanship and reliable responsiveness.
We hope to continue providing our customers with superior service
for at least the next 70 years, and our sales teams will be happy
to share with you Vector’s latest MRO offerings during the major
industry shows taking place during the second half of the year,
including LABACE, Helitech, HAC and NBAA.
Declan O’Shea
Photo: The Scottish Parliament Building
Upcoming Tradeshows
July 15-18
ALEA
Houston, Texas
August 11-13
LABACE
Sao Paulo, Brazil
September 8-10
Viking 2015 Operators Forum
Victoria, British Columbia
September 17
NBAA Regional Forum
St. Louis, Missouri
September 30 October 2
2015 Ontario AME Symposium
Mississauga, Ontario
October 6-7
SpeedNews Business & General
Aviation Suppliers Conference
Los Angeles, CA
October 6-8
Helitech
London, UK
Editorial Board:
Raj Rawana
Colin MacDonald
Chelsie Aichelberger
Ken Doig
-
Toronto, Canada
Summerside, Canada
Langley, Canada
Fleetlands, UK
Magali Braumann
Alex Youngs
-
Paris, France
Summerside, Canada
Artwork & design: Laura Wood
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Vector Aerospace gets EASA cert for AS332 CVFDR
Vector Aerospace has received EASA certification for its cockpit voice
and flight data recorder (CVFDR) for the AS332 C, L and L1 Super Puma
helicopter, thereby becoming one of the only FAA and EASA approved
CVFDR retrofit solutions available for the platform on the retrofit market.
The CVFDR upgrade features a lightweight solid-state, low power
consumption, state-of-the-art CVFDR with an underwater acoustic
beacon and a six-year battery-life warranty. A digital flight data acquisition
unit is also included as part of the system. The CVFDR is capable of
recording over 25 flight data parameters with integrated optional recorder
independent power supply (RIPS), requiring no additional wiring.
“Receiving EASA certification for our CVFDR STC allows us to expand
our product offering across the world to markets in Europe, Australia and
Africa,” said Elvis Moniz, Vice President, Operations at Vector Aerospace’s
Langley, BC location. “This certification adds value to our already extensive
STC portfolio for the AS332 C, L and L1 platform and provides operators
with a modern digital solution to replace obsolete CVFDR systems.”
AS332 Mk1 Super Pumas to get next-generation Pro Line Fusion cockpit upgrade
via Vector Aerospace / Airbus Helicopters / Rockwell Collins partnership
During the Paris Air Show in June this year, Airbus Helicopters, Rockwell
Collins and Vector Aerospace officially signed and announced a joint
agreement to equip Airbus AS332 Mk1 Super Puma helicopters with
Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics kits. Vector will provide
engineering services, including obtaining a supplemental type certificate
for the conversion by the third quarter of 2016.
“Vector Aerospace will bring the reactivity and flexibility needed to develop
affordable upgrades,” said Declan O’Shea, President & CEO of Vector
Aerospace. “We are confident that this cooperative program will be a
great success to the benefit of our customers.”
The mission-specific operational profiles featured in Pro Line Fusion for helicopters include offshore platform approaches, hover in place,
extended search and rescue patterns, and other critical mission capabilities. Combining large, high-resolution displays with the ease of touchscreen operations, complemented by intuitive keypad and cursor controls, Pro Line Fusion can meet the demands of helicopter missions
today and in the future.
“There are 500 Super Pumas in service, so we’re starting with this one,” said Troy Brunk, Rockwell Collins VP and GM airborne solutions.
“These aircraft have 20 to 25 years more life with new avionics,” added Matthieu Louvot, senior VP of customer services at Airbus Helicopters.
Canadian politicians visit Vector Aerospace
Vector Aerospace Engine Services – Atlantic’s (ES-A) Summerside, PEI,
facility has become somewhat of a popular destination and political
backdrop for Canadian politicians recently. Back-to-back political tours
occurred at the facility this spring.
In April, Vector’s Summerside employees were honored to have Justin
Trudeau (shown in the photo on the far left), Leader of the Canadian
Liberal Party, and political colleague Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of
Prince Edward Island, visit their location for a shop tour and a brief press
conference inside the JT15D Engine Test Cell.
And in May, the Honourable Joe Oliver, Federal Minister of Finance, and the
Honourable Gail Shea, Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, dropped
by for a facility tour and a press conference, which was held on the shop
floor. ES-A’s Vice President of Finance, Mark O’Keefe (on Ms. Shea’s right
in the photo) led both tours.
Customer Profile:
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Q & A with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit
Tell us about the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit commenced
operations in the early 1970s, first utilizing a Hughes 269, later moving
to an OH-58, and then transitioning to a Bell 206 in the early ‘80s,
which was also the first medevac helicopter operating in the county.
In 2002, we transitioned to an all-Airbus Helicopters fleet with the
purchase of our first AS350 B2, which was complemented with the
addition of two B2 models in 2005 and 2007 and then a fourth AS350
B2 in 2014.
Why is Vector Aerospace the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Aviation Unit’s MRO provider of choice?
We have been a customer of Vector Aerospace for over 10 years.
Vector has consistently delivered a quality product on budget and on
or ahead of schedule. Vector is able to provide support for both our
engines and our dynamic components with competitive pricing and
delivery times.
Our helicopters are all fitted with cargo hooks, enabling the unit’s
rotorcraft to assist fire agencies during the dry summer months by
utilizing their Bambi Buckets. The unit’s 2007 AS350 B2 was fitted with
the first Goodrich rescue hoist system ever used on a law enforcement
AS350 and has a 500 lb load capacity.
All of our helicopters have air conditioning, a BMS downlink system,
Lojack tracking equipment, Avalex and Aero-Computers moving map
systems, FLIR 8500FW and HD230 systems, and are night vision
goggle (NVG) compatible.
The unit’s coverage area is approximately 1,050 square miles
(containing 216 square miles of water) with an approximate population
of 1.3 million residents incorporating the City of Tampa, Tampa Bay,
Port of Tampa, the Sunshine Skyway, and MacDill Air Force Base.
What is your department’s mission statement?
Hillsborough Aviation Hoist Training
Will you tell us about one of your successful aviation missions?
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit rescued two
individuals that were stranded out in the Gulf of Mexico after their
kayaks overturned.
The two citizens set out from Apollo Beach Nature Park earlier that
day and a large wave overturned both kayaks. One person was able
to right her kayak and get back in, but the other wasn’t able to so he
used his personal floatation device and held onto the other kayak.
One individual used her cell phone to call a family member who in
turn contacted the Sheriff’s Office.
The Hillsborough County
Sheriff’s Office Aviation
Section mission statement
is to serve, protect and
defend the community from
an airborne platform while
preserving the rights and
dignity of all.
Hillsborough Aviation Bambi Bucket Operations
The Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit located the two individuals
approximately ½ to 1 mile offshore and rescued them. Both
individuals and both kayaks were returned to the Apollo Beach Nature
Park safely that evening.
Portuguese Navy Lynx returned to service by Vector Aerospace
Vector Aerospace recently assisted with the return to service
of two Portuguese Navy Lynx Mk.95 helicopters. The initial
project involved the induction of one aircraft into Vector’s
Fleetlands, UK facility for structural repairs, together with
significant rectification of the fuel systems, flying controls,
electrical looms, engine doors, cabin doors and a complete
refinish of the airframe.
In order to meet the Portuguese Navy’s deadline, Vector
completed the work by deploying a team of three mechanics
and an electrician to Lisbon. While on-site, the Vector team
also carried out rectification work which enabled another Lynx
Mk.95 to be returned to service.
The Portuguese Navy reports that overall they are very
impressed with the level of support provided to the project and
that the route for future opportunities is opened.
Photo: Ben Barron (left), Head of Operations at Vector’s Fleetlands facility, pictured with Portuguese Navy
representatives
This support of the Portuguese Navy’s Lynx fleet follows the long-term contract signed by Vector last November to provide structural
maintenance and technical support for the French Navy’s Lynx Mk.4 fleet. Vector’s Fleetlands facility has the only main build/repair jig for
this aircraft type in the world, making Vector the leading supplier of deep structural repairs on the Lynx platform.
Vector Aerospace completes third 12-year
AS350 B3 inspection for REMSA Care Flight
Vector Aerospace has completed three 12-year inspections for Regional
Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA) Care Flight’s AS350 B3
fleet over the past year, seeing off the third AS350 in June. All of this work,
including full exterior paint, was performed in Vector’s well-equipped facility
in Langley, BC, on time and on budget.
Vector is proud to provide MRO support for REMSA Care Flight and its
critical public safety missions across northern Nevada and California.
REMSA Care Flight is on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with
experienced critical care flight nurses, specially trained flight paramedics
and skilled pilots ready to respond to requests from public safety agencies,
hospitals, physicians, or other health or public service organizations.
Vector Aerospace announces sales team and Service Center Network appointments
Engine Services – Atlantic is pleased to announce the promotion of Paul Wolfe to Sales and Service Manager for the northeastern United
States. Paul replaces Kevin Woodworth, who will now assume the role of Manager of Field Service for Vector’s Service Center Network. Both
appointments were effective as of July 1st, 2015.
Paul – who brings over 31 years of experience to the role – will, as Sales and Service Manager, represent the Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC)
PT6A, JT15D, PW100, PW150A, PW305, PW307, PW308 and Honeywell ALF502 & LF507 series engines. His territory includes Maine,
Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia.
Paul’s contact info is as follows: Tel: 1.304.454.2415; Mobile:1.724.263.6797; email: [email protected]
Kevin – who has over 25 years of experience – will, as Manager of Field Service for Vector’s Service Center Network, be responsible for all field
related operations and scheduling of Vector’s field service technicians to meet customer engine support requirements.
Kevin’s contact info is as follows: Mobile: 1.817.713.6177; email: [email protected]
Vector Aerospace – Asia
formally opened in Singapore
Proud to ‘set the standard of customer service,’ and operating with the strong
belief that customers are best served by a local presence, Vector Aerospace is
delighted to announce the grand opening of its Singapore facility – now officially
Vector Aerospace – Asia – as another example of its global expansion.
The new 55,972 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility, opened in May this year, is a Pratt
& Whitney Canada PW150A Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF), equipped with
full engine overhaul and test capability.
“By locating in the Asia Pacific region, we are able to provide the owners of PW150A
engines and operators of the popular Bombardier Q400 regional turboprop with
a cost-effective, viable and easily accessible MRO solution, while at the same
time significantly strengthening our presence in the area,” stated Declan O’Shea,
President & CEO of Vector Aerospace.
“Engine owners and operators will benefit in terms of faster turn times, minimized
shipping costs and superior customer service,” added O’Shea.
“We are pleased Vector Aerospace has chosen Singapore to be their base of
operations for South-East Asia,” says Yeoh Keat Chuan, Managing Director of the
Singapore Economic Development Board. “Vector’s turboprop MRO capabilities
further strengthen the ecosystem in Singapore, enhancing our position as the
leading aviation hub in Asia-Pacific.”
Photo: (L - R) Jeff Poirier, President of ES-A, Heather Grant, Canadian High Commissioner to Singapore, Yeo Keat Chuan, Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board, Declan
O’Shea, President & CEO, Vector Aerospace, Philip Ang, General Manager, Vector Aerospace – Asia.
Vector Aerospace – UK: 70 & 75 Years Young!
Vector Aerospace’s Almondbank and Gosport facilities both recently held actionpacked days as part of celebrations to commemorate their 70th and 75th site
anniversary years, respectively. Royal Naval Air Yard Fleetlands (established
in 1940) and Royal Navy Aircraft Workshop Almondbank (formed in 1945)
eventually became part of the UK’s Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA),
before being sold to Vector Aerospace in 2008.
Associates benefited from excellent weather on their days, with Almondbank only
having three seasons in one day! The only thing missing was the snow! Gosport
opened the doors to their site, and families and friends started the day with a
tour of the facility followed up by a number of events including motorcycle display
teams and face painting at a nearby school. Almondbank chose to celebrate with
an ‘It’s a knockout’ style competition which proved highly enjoyable – and wet –
for all those taking part and watching.
At the recent grand opening of Vector’s Singapore facility,
John Saabas (right), President of Pratt & Whitney Canada
(P&WC), presented a plaque commemorating Vector’s
continuing support of P&WC to Declan O’Shea, President &
CEO of Vector Aerospace.
Facility Showcase
customers and serviced 20 engines its first
three years. Today, the 623 employees located
around the world work on 20-plus engines a
week.
VECTOR AEROSPACE
SUMMERSIDE, PEI
In 2014, ES-A found itself counted amongst
the top 20 largest companies in Atlantic
Canada, as listed by Progress Media, sitting
pretty at number 16.
Just off the sandy shores of Malpeque Bay,
nestled away at the back of Slemon Park, lies
one of Prince Edward Island’s fastest growing
businesses and a leader in global aerospace
technology. Vector Aerospace Engine Services
– Atlantic (ES-A) is a fully-authorized Pratt
& Whitney Canada (P&WC) Distributor &
Designated Overhaul Facility (DDOF) for the
PT6A and JT15D engine series, as well as a
P&WC Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF) for
the PW100 and PW150A engine series.
More than 20-years of specialization in the
repair and overhaul of P&WC products has
earned ES-A industry-leader status. This has
been accomplished by providing high-quality
engine repairs, excellent customer service,
and superior warranty coverage. Above all,
ES-A boasts the fastest turn-around times
in the industry, and excellent service at a
competitive price, with its vision being ‘setting
the standard of customer service.’
Photo: Summerside facility in the distance, off the
sandy shores of Malpeque Bay
In the last decade, ES-A has set-up shops
across Canada (Summerside and Calgary),
the United States (Dallas, Atlanta and
Pittsburgh), Australia, Kenya, South Africa and
Singapore. Through all the expansions, teams
have been united the whole way, ensuring
the Vector brand maintains consistent quality
at each of the earth’s corners. In fact, ES-A
continues to send many of its employees to
train at shops in other countries, and often
gives them the chance to stay and work
overseas.
The largest of all the ES-A facilities, the
Summerside shop occupies over 140,000 sq. ft.
and houses three modern engine test cells:
two turboprop and one turbofan (expansion
plans are in place for a fourth turboprop test
cell to be commissioned in Q4 2015). Of ESA’s 623 employees, 440 of them work here.
From the outside, the massive concrete
building gives the impression of a fortress.
Inside, the sprawling open concept gives the
same effect, with the walls seemingly reaching
for miles to the ceiling. Lined all the way
around the workshops, the walls are covered
with the logos of some of the over 2,400
customers they serve.
Milling around inside, the workers move
between stations diligently – but like all
Islanders, find time to greet everyone who
passes with a smile and a “How’s it going?”
It’s that Island attitude – the ability to get work
done with a smile on your face – that drives
ES-A in all locations. In an industry where
all competitors are offering a similar service,
success relies entirely upon your employees.
“There is nobody else giving our type of
service,” says Jeff Poirier, President of ES-A.
“And that service, and the whole success of
this company over 23 years, is only because
of the people we have.” Despite the major
growth of the company, the entire team has
not forgotten how it all started.
In 1991, Summerside lost an integral part
of its community – Canadian Forces Base
Summerside. With the closure of the base at
Slemon Park, a void was left in the city. At the
same time, a Newfoundland and Labrador
airline, Air Atlantic, was looking for a place
to service its engines. A perfect storm of
opportunity, location and convenience opened
the door for ES-A to step into the newly formed
industrial park.
Upon beginning work in 1992, ES-A had three
In May of this year, ES-A was named as one
of the ‘Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada’
by Progress Magazine and Best Companies
Group. A two-part survey process was used to
determine the ‘Best Places to Work in Atlantic
Canada’: the first part consisted of evaluating
each nominated company’s workplace policies,
practices, and demographics. The second part
consisted of an employee survey to measure
employees’ experiences. The combined
scores determined the top companies and the
final ranking.
Photo: ES-A technicians perform work on a PW100 engine
With over 60 new jobs created in 2014 in all of
its locations, ES-A has expanded to become
a leading industry on the Island. Poirier and
his team have taken initiative along the way
to stay as local as possible, playing a big
supporting role in opening the Holland College
Waterfront Campus in Summerside in 2012.
ES-A has a great relationship and regularly
recruits from Holland College, which offers
an Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine Repair and
Overhaul Technology program. In fact, about
75% of ES-A’s employees in Summerside are
Holland College Alumni.
ES-A recognizes the valuable support of the
Island community and regularly gives back to
the community. Contributions made by Vector
are varied; providing financial support to local
youth sports teams, sponsorship in the health
care sector and funding to support education,
sports, arts & culture, and community health
care.
To catch a glimpse inside ES-A’s
headquarters in Summerside, check out www.
vectoraerospace.com/Media/Videos.aspx for a
behind-the-scenes view of the company’s dayto-day operations.
(Excerpts from the Journal Pioneer)
SECA est maintenant
Vector Aerospace – France
On May 18th of this year, it was officially announced that SECA has
changed its name to Vector Aerospace – France, thereby completing its
integration into the Vector family.
SECA, located in Gonesse close to Le Bourget Airport on the outskirts
of Paris, was founded in 1946, and the company has become well-known
for its engine support activities. The company is a leading provider
of turboprop engine maintenance for civil and military operators
worldwide. It is a Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF) for the Pratt
& Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A and PW100 engine families, and
is the only Designated Analysis Center (DAC) authorized by P&WC
amongst its engine MRO centers.
SECA became an integral part of Vector Aerospace in 2011 when the
two companies were merged following Vector’s purchase by Airbus
Helicopters.
“Following our acquisition by Vector Aerospace we chose to
temporarily retain our SECA brand, which enjoyed especially
strong brand recognition amongst our customers all over the
world,” commented Christian Venzal, President & CEO of Vector
Aerospace – France.
“Since that time, we have gradually been migrating to the Vector
Aerospace brand. Last year we undertook a major transformation
of the company with the aim of maximizing our customers’
satisfaction. With the name change now implemented across our
business, we are completing the final step in our consolidation
within Vector,” added Venzal.
“It is with great pleasure that we rebrand SECA to Vector
Aerospace – France,” commented Declan O’Shea, President &
CEO of Vector Aerospace. “Our Paris-based business has come
through a significant transformation and today we are delighted
to be in a position to offer all our customers the same level of
short turnaround times, on time delivery, value for their money
and superior customer service at each of our 21 locations on six
continents.”
Vector Aerospace signs
MOU with Singapore’s
Republic Polytechnic
In conjunction with the opening of its new
Singapore MRO facility, Vector Aerospace
announced a three-year Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with the Republic
Polytechnic of Singapore.
“As we do in other global markets, we are also
investing here in the future of Singaporeans
by supporting education and technical training
in association with Republic Polytechnic,” stated Declan O’Shea,
President & CEO Vector Aerospace. “We have signed a three-year
MOU with this prestigious educational institution aimed at training
future aviation professionals to be industry relevant and industry ready.”
long-term national movement, Skills Future, which aims to
deepen the skills of its workforce with good career progression
pathways. Vector is also the first aviation MRO company in
Singapore to partner with Republic Polytechnic in non-destructive
testing (NDT) level II certification, where students serving their
internship with the company will complete both the theoretical
and practical training to acquire this industry-wide certification.
NDT is one of the key activities performed by MROs to ensure the
structural integrity of aircraft components.
“Republic Polytechnic is delighted to partner with Vector Aerospace
– Asia to contribute to Singapore’s growth as a premier aviation
hub,” said Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO, Republic Polytechnic. “This
partnership provides students with internships at Vector for up to six
months. The students will have opportunities to deepen their skills and
acquire professional certification, and hence places them in good stead
to eventually join the workforce as aerospace professionals thereby
contributing to the growth of this sector.”
Through the MOU, Vector will regularly provide internships and
industrial attachments to the polytechnic students who, upon
successful completion of the industry attachment program, can
be recruited as employees, thus providing Vector with a pool of
industry-ready technicians/engineers. Vector will also be providing
scholarships for students.
The partnership with Republic Polytechnic is in line with Singapore’s
Photo: Declan O’Shea, President & CEO Vector Aerospace and Jeff Poirier, President
of Engine Services – Atlantic shaking hands with Republic Polytechnic senior team.
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS &
MAINTENANCE SOLUTIONS
UH-1H tailboom and airframe cracking issue
First introduced in 1967, the venerable UH-1H Huey platform has now
been in operation for almost 50 years, much longer than originally
planned, with over 1,500 still in service. This means that affordable,
reliable maintenance solutions are integral to the continued viability and
safety of this medium-lift helicopter. As a result of the repetitive heavy
usage that the UH-1H undergoes during utility operations, increased
tension, torsion and fatigue is placed on the tailboom attachment area.
This location is where the antitorque loads are transferred from the
tailboom to the airframe through the tailboom attaching bolts.
Tailboom attachment area:
There are four longerons installed within the UH-1H tailboom, attaching
it to the airframe. These longerons are made of aluminum, which can
over time stiffen and crack due to constant vibration and tension. The
upper left longeron/fitting assembly gets the most wear and tear as it
is on the tension load side of the tailboom.
To provide a solution to this problem, Vector Aerospace has developed
and certified FAA STC SR00267SE, which installs an upper LH
longeron assembly, along with push-pull control and tractor tail rotor.
This upgrade is designed to handle a higher tail rotor thrust than the
standard Huey platform.
Original UH-1H Huey tail rotor thrust
1,060 lb limit
Airframe attachment area:
A similar issue is also noticed on the airframe side of the tailboom/
airframe attachment area. The upper LH attachment fitting is made
from aluminium and has been found to crack near the attaching bolt.
Vector has developed a steel fitting and associated doublers to
reinforce this area, replacing the old fitting with one that can handle
the repetitive heavy lift requirements of the UH-1H aircraft.
Old vs. new: airframe attachment
Tail rotor thrust with STC SR00267SE installation
1,256 lb limit
Old vs. new: tailboom attachment area
Special training and tooling:
We can also replace any of the Longerons that are found to be
unserviceable due to cracks, corrosion or bonding failure.
Old vs. new: longeron replacement
Vector Aerospace has the specific training and tooling needed to
perform these upgrades or repairs, and can perform this safety
improvement both in-house at its Langley, BC and Andalusia, AL
facilities, or on-site anywhere in the world, through its MRO field
service program.
For more information, please contact John Jongema, Program
Manager, Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1.604.514.4634, or your local sales representative at
Email: [email protected] Tel: +1.888.729.2276.
The return of Air Show Atlantic
Excitement was definitely in the air during a
recent press conference held in Summerside,
PEI, to announce the return of Air Show Atlantic,
which will be held in August at Summerside
Airport, home to Vector Engine Services –
Atlantic (ES-A). Always a great supporter of the
community and Prince Edward Island events,
Vector has stepped up and is the presenting
sponsor of this year’s Air Show Atlantic.
“We are extremely proud to be the Presenting
Sponsor of Air Show Atlantic,” stated Jeff Poirier,
President of ES-A. “The last time the air show was
held in PEI was in 2012 and that show was a huge
success, so we are very excited about its return
and look forward to another outstanding event in
August for aviation enthusiasts of all ages.”
One of the many aircraft which will be on display
during the air show this summer will be a 25-yearold ¾ scale RAF (Royal Air Force) Spitfire. The
Spitfire was recently renovated by a very talented
team of employees at Vector’s Summerside
facility, led by Operations Supervisor Maurice
(Moe) Cormier. Renovations carried out by Moe
and his team included a new paint job, a new
canopy and a few other custom touch ups.
Q2 2015 trade show round-up
Vector Aerospace was active on the aviation trade show circuit during the second quarter
of 2015, exhibiting at several shows in North America, including the 37th Atlantic Region
Aircraft Maintenance Conference (ARAMC) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Regional Air
Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) Spring Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, and
the Regional Airline (RAA) Annual Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
ARAMC 2015 (L-R) Nathan Key,
Customer Service Manager and Paul
Hagen, Sales & Service Manager.
RACCA (L-R) Sales & Service
Managers Phil Borden and Phil
Reinpold.
RAA (L-R) Jeff Holdridge, Director
of Sales & Marketing, Kevin
Poulin, Director of Engine Trading
and Mike Dunham, Sales &
Service Manager.
Vector attends Heli UK Expo
Vector Aerospace recently attended the Heli UK Expo show held at Sywell Aerodrome in
Northampton, UK. Held in conjunction with UK AeroExpo, the event represented one of
the UK’s biggest aviation and helicopter shows, boasting a wide range of activities from
fly-ins and displays to seminars and exhibitions.
Vector attends CANSEC 2015
The Spitfire was also on hand for the air show
press conference. Standing behind the Spitfire
are Larry Gaudet (left), Director of Marketing,
Slemon Park Corporation and Colin MacDonald,
Marketing & Communications Manager at Vector
Aerospace.
Seated in the aircraft is Summerside Mayor Bill
Martin. To the Mayors left is Colin Stephenson,
Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada
International Air show, and Gerry Morey,
chairperson for Nova Scotia International Air Show.
As a proud supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces, Vector Aerospace exhibited at CANSEC
2015 at the Ey Center in Ottawa, Ont. CANSEC is the largest military and defence show in
Canada, organized by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI).
More than 11,000 industry professionals were in attendance, and the show was successful,
providing new opportunities for Vector to support the Aerospace Defense industry.
Vector attends EBACE
Vector Aerospace attended one of
Europe’s largest aerospace trade
shows in Geneva between May 19th
and 21st. The event was extremely well
attended and the Vector sales team
had a number of productive meetings
with customers.
Photo: Vector Aerospace team at EBACE
Engines Services – UK AI team members that have met requirements of AI Maturity Level 2
(Engineering, Procurement, Repair Services – Aircraft Parts Cleaning, Shipping, Ancillaries)
Vector Aerospace UK’s processes become even more excellent with Lean Maturity
As part of Vector Aerospace’s overall commitment to process excellence, the company’s UK Chinook business unit launched its
Associate Involvement (AI) Lean Maturity Program in 2008. AI involves a four-stage program of lean maturity, with specific learning
modules to support the AI teams through the Vector Lean Journey from “starting out” to benchmarked “world class.”
The UK production team and its direct support units have been engaged in the AI effort for many years. All AI teams are contributing
towards our continuous improvement efforts and tracking considerable benefits that are not only supporting margin improvements, but
also making working life more efficient and varied for our associates and leaders.
The UK centralized shared support functions have also committed to AI, enabling our Quality Assurance, Human Resources,
Information Services, Finance and Central Procurement departments to also contribute towards our Lean Journey. Human Resources
was the first team to pass Level 1, closely followed by Information Services, and AI. Two teams of apprentices have met the
requirements of Level 1, which enables the graduated apprentices to immediately participate in and promote AI activities within their
business units.
The UK AI teams have also been able to contribute significantly toward the major Cost Transformation Program (C3) which is currently
being undertaken across Airbus group and Vector Aerospace. They are supporting the C3 effort through the documentation of
improvements and tracking of benefits. C3 business cases are taken through a gated approval process, and reviewed by Vector and
Airbus Senior Management for sustainability before inclusion in future operating budgets.
The Engines UK business unit has also embraced AI during the past two-years, with all teams progressing through Level 1, five
advancing to Level 2. The Shipping team A has achieved the milestone of becoming the first team to pass Level 3, after demonstrating
its utilisation of the lean tools and techniques. Trained by the Continuous Improvement’s team, Shipping team A has delivered
considerable bottom line benefits through all three levels of maturity, relating to savings in freight and import/export costs to HM
Revenue and Customs The lean tools utilized have provided improvements to documentation, processes, implementation of standard
work, error proofing and reduction in turnaround times.
AI Level 2 and beyond requires projects and business cases that support genuine bottom line benefits, and that are acknowledged by
the relevant business unit director as sustainable improvements. These cost savings are then included in future operational budgets by
our Finance team.
“The contribution of continuous improvement - and in particular the AI program - has seen significant
engagement of all our associates and a cultural shift in the business unit over the past 18 months. Our
teams of AI associates are constantly proposing solutions relating to cost reduction, improving OTD and
sustaining high levels of quality, all of these having directly contributed towards the turnaround in our
overall business performance.”
Adrian Johnson, Engine Services UK Operations Director