Everybody know Airbus planes… huge flying machines that soar through the sky! But the latest gem developed by the France-based company is a small two-seater plane that is battery powered.

It is all part of the Airbus quest to develop electric aircraft that will ultimately be silent and free from CO₂ – or at least relatively so.

Photo Courtesy of AirBus

E-Fan 2.0 the Electric Plane Prototype

The key element in their goal for a quiet aircraft that will be totally free of harmful emissions is the E-Fan, a demonstrator aircraft launched at a high-profile English airshow last year (2016). Weighing in at just 500 kg (1,100 lbs) the good-looking little E-Fan 2.0 thrilled the crowds at the Farnborough Air Show mid year.

The new electric flying machine has dual motors with power totaling 60kW, and they drive two ducted fans that have blades with a pitch that is adjustable. The fans are mounted inside ducts so that the noise is decreased. Because this also increases the thrust of the fans, power efficiency is improved during takeoff.

The 120-cell lithium polymer battery enables a one-hour flight. The battery is cooled passively so that it relies on air rather than a powered cooling system that could overheat as they discharge power.

While not quite practical yet, Airbus has much more ambitious plans looking forward.

First Production Airbus Electric Planes Available This Year

The company has stated it will invest some €20 million in the design and development of this exciting new electric aircraft. Late 2017 has been pinpointed as the time for launching its first production planes, initially intended for pilot training. Soon after this, a slightly bigger electric plane aimed at the general aviation market will be produced. This will have sufficient space for four passengers.

While the prototype seen at Farnborough had two seats positioned one in front of the other, the production planes will have seats that are positioned alongside one another.

Futuristic “Intelligent” Factory Built for Assembly of Airbus Parts and Electric Planes

The factory site for the new E-fan 2.0 is in the south west of France at Pau Pyrénées Airport within the French Aerospace Valley. The specially designed facility measures 1,500 square meters and has a wonderfully sleek and futuristic design style. It also utilizes innovative manufacturing techniques intended to validate new aviation processes and technologies that Airbus aims to use across all its divisions.

Intelligent concepts the company envisions include:

• A seriously compact assembly floor that will reduce “distance” during build-up of aircraft.
• A new definition of the processes used that focus on quality, continuity, and the management and control taken by those operating the assembly line.
• Application of lean production procedures that have been designed to eliminate wastage.

In spite of this high tech scenario, Airbus has stated that its E-fan 2.0 production plane will have operating costs that will total only a third of traditional piston-engine light aircraft. The aircraft will also focus primarily on the needs of users.

Airbus Parts and Airbus Service

While Airbus parts required for the new electric planes are different to those currently used in Airbus helicopters and jet planes, Prime Industries remains a primary supplier. If you need parts or components for your Airbus, have a look at our comprehensive inventory, or contact us for more information.

Airbus has announced that during the third quarter of 2017 a total of 5,000 of the company’s commercial aircraft will be equipped with high-bandwidth connectivity platforms that will provide faster Internet and mobile telephone services in the air. By 2025 it is anticipated that 62 percent of the global Airbus fleet (a total of 16,600 jetliners) will be connected using the new high-bandwidth architecture.

High–bandwidth connectivity is just a part of the company’s commitment to making its on-board experience superior to that found on any other airliner. It is also their intention to improve the experience for the crew by enhancing their operational communications.

The innovative solutions that are currently being developed will utilize a new generation of high-throughput satellite technologies that are found in the Ka-band and Ku-band frequencies. Ku is regarded as a legacy band and is in great demand globally, so much so, available capacity has been exhausted in some parts of the world. Although not as widespread as Ku, Ka-band frequencies are gaining in popularity with new satellites and networks launching worldwide. The two bandwidths are sometimes used together to form a hybrid system.

Development of High-Bandwidth Connectivity by Airbus

Late 2016 Airbus, which prides itself on its modern, market-leading jetliners, became the first company in the airline industry to demonstrate its new-standard high-bandwidth connectivity platform in-flight.

According to the head of the company’s connectivity program and upgrade services, Bruno Galzin, Airbus is determined to find connectivity solutions that will provide passengers in the air with the same type of connectivity they are used to having at home. The Airbus solution will enable its passengers to remain connected throughout the flight so that they can access the Internet, exchange with people on the ground via chat or email programs, and participate in social media while en route from city to city or continent to continent.

Additionally, improved connectivity solutions will improve the operational communications of crew and cabin staff in various ways including by enabling:

• Digital cabin logbooks
• Telemedicine
• Credit card authentication

This will improve service and help to generate additional ancillary cabin revenues, he said.

The new high-bandwidth connectivity solutions Airbus plans to introduce will come from multiple suppliers. They will be used for applications on A320, A330, and A380 jetliners in new production aircraft as well as retrofit. They will also be used to supplement the A350 XWB that is described as a “digital native” because it was introduced into service with a high-bandwidth connectivity capability.

The fact that older A320, A330, and A380 jetliners will be retrofitted means that all these aircraft will require the same Airbus parts and parts service when it comes to connectivity.

Airbus Parts and Parts Service Specialist

Prime Industries specializes in the supply of Airbus helicopter and fixed wing aircraft parts. The company is also a parts service specialist and is available to overhaul parts and components. Prime clients come from a wide range of industries from medical to military, and we also deal with aircraft used for personal transport.

Contact us for more information about Airbus parts availability and pricing, or view our ever-changing inventory online.

As Airbus expands and improves its product line, the company is focusing on making aircraft that are more fuel efficient, quieter and more environmentally friendly than ever before.

Since 2006, Airbus has reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by nearly 30 percent in Europe alone. This is part of its Blue5 initiative that is striving for improved environmental performance by maximizing the use of eco-efficient technologies and processes at its production sites worldwide.

The Airbus Blue5 Initiative

Blue5 is an initiative that aims to make manufacturing as sustainable as possible. Working according to a five-pronged plan it is committed to:

1. Saving energy by reducing energy consumption across the board
2. Saving water by making better use of global water resources
3. Reducing waste by recycling materials where possible
4. Reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions through innovation
5. Reducing harmful VOC emissions by eliminating them at source

The company has made substantial headway in all five environmental areas, using several aircraft to benchmark its achievements. For instance, the spacious and luxurious A380, introduced in 2007, has become the yardstick for low noise levels and fuel efficiency. New-generation jets including the wide-body A350 XWB and the new engine option A320neo, are pushing the envelope even further.

The A350 XWB, introduced less than two years ago, in January 2015, boasts 25 percent lower fuel consumption to its aluminum long-range competitors. The A320neo, which had its maiden flights with different engines in September 2014 and May 2015, is faster than any other jet, and it can cruise at an altitude of up to 39,000 feet.

Airbus Commitment to Reduce VOC Emissions

Once VOCs have been produced, they are extremely expensive, difficult and time consuming to deal with. This is why it’s vital to tackle reduction at source. Not only is this a good environmental solution, but it also helps to reduce potential health risks that could affect humans for a long time.

Statistics released by Airbus show that between 2006 and 2014 VOC emissions based on revenue were reduced by 54.1 percent, and absolute VOC emissions were reduced by 22.9 percent.

The first Airbus production sites to take definitive steps to reduce VOC emissions are all based in Europe. All have focused on specific programs. For example:

• Production sites in Getafe and Puerto Real in Spain have replaced the high VOC methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) with low and zero VOC cleaners.
• The site in Hamburg, Germany has adopted the use of encapsulated spray guns for spot repairs of fuselages in the structure assembly.
• The site in Broughton, UK has replaced the use of high-solids primers with water-based primers to reduce VOC emissions.
• Various French sites have focused on new painting technologies using water-based and low VOC paints.

Replacement of MEK

MEK is a very high VOC product that has largely been replaced by Diestone DLS in liquid form and in wipes used to clean aircraft before sealing. Using wipes results in a decrease of the amount of cleaner used, and because they are packaged in small canisters, unnecessary VOC evaporation is avoided.

In Spain Airbus has gone a step further, and has substituted DLS with A8284, which is a zero VOC product. Initially delivered in liquid form and dispensed in bottles, it is being replaced gradually with wipes at both Getafe and Puerto Real sites.

Airbus reports that the Puerto Real production site has reduced VOC emissions by 1.4 tonnes annually, and the Getafe site by an estimated 3.5 tonnes annually.

Encapsulated Spray Guns Used for Spot Repairs

Spot repairs on aircraft don’t need much paint, and by introducing lightweight encapsulated spray guns, the Hamburg site has reduced its paint wastage by about 90 percent. The guns weigh only 8 kg and have a holding capacity of just 200 ml.

Since a smaller quantity of cleaning products is required for the new spray guns, VOC emissions during the cleaning process have been reduced by 80 percent. A further reduction in VOC vapors takes place via direct suction at source when the guns are in use.

Replacement of High-Solids Primers

The Broughton site is set to reduce VOC emissions by about 3 tonnes a year, by using water-based primers and topcoats instead of high solids paints in its component manufacturing paint booths.

The paint plant has been modified and electrostatic spray equipment optimized for water-based products, introduced. Modifications to mixing and recirculation equipment are being implemented.

New Painting Technologies

The French VOC reduction program has been hugely successful, with reports of a 51 percent drop in VOC emissions at French sites in general. This has been achieved by using:

• new paint technologies
• low VOC and water-based paints
• a base coat/clear coat painting system
• wipes that are pre-impregnated

The program also involves implementing a system that avoids solvent evaporations and uses new technologies for cleaning painting tools, as well as use of a solvent recycler.

Prime Industries Sells Airbus Parts

Prime Industries is an ISO 9001:2008 certified FAA AC 00-56A compliant company that supplies, repairs and overhauls aircraft parts and components for fixed-wing planes and helicopters. These include Airbus and other leading aircraft manufacturers. If you are in the market for Airbus parts or need help with Airbus maintenance, contact us for availability and pricing of parts.

It’s official: Airbus has produced a corporate jet with the best cabin of any business jet in use today.

An ACJ319, operated by the Austrian company MJet and used for charters, was on show at the recent business aviation Jet Expo in Moscow. Boasting the tallest, widest cabin of any business jet, it is aimed at customers wanting even more range and capacity than the widebody ACJ320 family of jets currently offers.

The jet on show was magnificent, and featured several open-plan luxury lounge areas at the front of the plane, as well as a bedroom with shower and en suite bathroom at the rear.

According to Airbus, the spacious and luxurious ACJ319 is already in “widespread service” with governments, companies and wealthy individuals throughout the world. Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers, John Leahy points out the importance of cabins in the business jet world, saying that the space, comfort and overall freedom of those flying in this Airbus corporate jet has to be experienced to be “truly appreciated.”

Apart from ultimate space and luxury, Airbus corporate jets are the most efficient and reliable in the business jet world. With what is an impressive heritage, these incredible flying machines deliver features that include:

• weight-saving carbonfiber,
• cost-saving maintenance that is centralized,
• advanced cockpits with leading-edge avionics, and
• fly-by-wire controls that enhance integrity with flight envelope protection and handling qualities.

While these features are now regarded as standard in new aircraft built to operate in the business jet world, a “culture of innovation” sees Airbus constantly adding major improvements to its new aircraft. These improvements include new-generation engines as well as distinctive fuel-saving wingtip-mounted Sharklets that give Airbus corporate jets and commercial airliners a significant advantage.

The ACJ319neo (which offers the new engine option – neo) has a flying time of 15 hours and sufficient power to fly eight passangers 6,750 nm/12,500 km. The larger ACJ320neo has the ability to carry 25 passengers 6,000 nm/11,400 km. Because of their improved fuel efficiency and increased range, these planes are sometimes labelled as being “green.” Additionally the ACJneo turbofan engines have higher pressure ratios and improved aerodynamic flows which also contribute to reduced fuel consumption.

As well as the extra space offered in ACJ319neo and ACJ320neo jets, lower cabin altitude also enhances passenger comfort. So even when the aircraft are crusing at the highest altitude possible, the atmosphere is similar to that experienced on the ground.

And as if this isn’t impressive enough, Airbus also offers VIP versions of its widebody jets including the A350 which is billed as the world’s newest airliner. This amazing jet features carbonfiber wings and fuselage that are lightweight and cut down the maintenance required.

Overall, Airbus Corporate Jets aims to give its customers and operators tip top services that are tailored specifically their individual needs.

According to the company, there are more than 180 Airbus corporate jets in service, and they fly on every single continent, including Antarctica.

Airbus Parts and Service from Prime Industries

Prime Industries will supply, repair and service parts for all Airbus aircraft, including helicopters. Let us know what you need.

Development of a military Airbus Helicopter H225M equipped with the HForce weapon system is on track for release at the end of next year (2017), the Airbus Group has announced.

The HForce Weapon System

The first stage of firing tests was completed early June using HForce, which is described as a “generic weapon system.” The system, which has been tested for more than five months, is an innovative one that includes a number of important Airbus Helicopter parts for use with Airbus Helicopters H225M:

• A central core unit
• Thales’ Scorpion monocular helmet mounted sight display (HMSD)
• A Wescam-manufactured electro-optical system (EOS)
• Gunner ammunition or armament weapon pods and weapon grips

According to an Airbus Group statement, the firing “campaign” or tests took place between May 25 and June 3 this year, on a safe range in some part of Belgium. This gave Airbus Helicopters the opportunity to demonstrate how the HForce-equipped H225M helicopters were able to perform using ballistic weapons.

During the firing campaign, 70 mm size rockets, 20 mm size cannons, and 12.7 mm guns were used. HForce program manager, Jean-Luc André described the campaign as an important milestone that was achieved in the time allowed. He said the results surpassed expectations and were above the required specifications. Ultimately, the results provided significant added value for tracking targets and for the procurement of day and night missions.

The HForce project was launched just over two years ago as an affordable plug and play system to manage weapons that can be added to incrementally. It was designed to cater for the defense agencies requirements worldwide that need to add light attack mission capabilities to existing fleets of specialized helicopters designed for attack.

HForce can be fitted to any of the Airbus Helicopters commercial range of aircraft – the H125M, H145M, and of course the H225M.

The company, which is a division of the Airbus Group, is well known for its highly efficient civil and military helicopters worldwide. There are currently an estimated 12,000 helicopters in service, operated in 154 countries by more than 3,000 Airbus customers.

Airbus H225M Helicopters

Originally developed as the Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, and introduced in 2005, Airbus Helicopters H225M is ideal for troop transport, combat search and rescue, and casualty evacuation. Used in many crisis areas including Afghanistan and Lebanon, it is operated from both land and ships, and flies in all weather conditions. It has a 700 nautical mile range that can be extended by air-to-air refueling. A high-performance machine that can take off in less than five minutes, the H225M travels at high speed and gets to its destination quickly. It was designed with survivability a key factor, and has a reinforced structural mail frames, as well as landing gear capable of absorbing energy, and both self-sealing and “crashworthy” fuel tanks.

Airbus Helicopter Parts and Airbus Helicopter Maintenance

Of course Airbus Helicopters makes Airbus Helicopter parts and undertakes Airbus Helicopter maintenance. However there are times when customers, particularly those with older aircraft, need parts and service that they cannot get directly from Airbus.

US-based Prime Industries specializes in the supply of Airbus Helicopter parts as well as parts for other aircraft, including other Airbus craft, Boeing, and Lockheed. The company also specializes in the repair and overhaul of Airbus Helicopter parts and components, and has an extensive inventory of new, repaired, and overhauled parts.

So if you need Airbus Helicopter parts or assistance with Airbus Helicopter maintenance, contact us for pricing and availability.

Airbus Helicopters has announced plans to use robots to paint Airbus Helicopter parts and do other repetitive tasks. The company plans to use a “new generation of humanoid robots” to do this, with the robots imitating “what they see,” rather than being autonomous.

Initially they will start using robots to paint primary Airbus Helicopter parts like the rotor hub, as well as some quite complex markings and decorations on their aircraft.

The company introduced its first robotic applications in 2015, and has said that it will continue to release additional robotic applications “every year or so.” However there is no plan to replace humans with robots. Rather, it is planned that robots will automate “high-volume repetitive activities” allowing people to focus on other important tasks.

According to Georges-Eric Moufle who heads Airbus Helicopters’ Aeronautical Factory of the Future project, robots will allow them to optimize the “finishing painting workflow” with “low energy consumption.” He further describes this workflow as a process that starts with preparation of the aircraft’s green surface and ends with curing of the final topcoat of paint.

Ultimately, the use of robots for painting Airbus Helicopter parts will help the company “optimize weight and cycle savings,” says Moufle.

The Role of Robots in Airbus Group’s Factory of the Future

According to Airbus robotics expert, Adolfo Suarez Roos, the company aims to develop robots that will be able to interact safely with humans and will be able to adapt to unexpected situations. It was working through the ICARO project to do this, he said.

ICARO (Increase of CAR Occupancy) is a European transport research project that was originally launched in 1997 to develop car-pooling policies in an endeavor to increase car occupancy rates in EU countries.

In a joint interview with Suarez Roos in 2014, Chrisoph Borst, head of autonomy and teleoperation at the German Aerospace Center’s Institute of Robotics and Mechantronics said that for 15 years they had been developing motion capabilities of robots. The next stage was to include human workers, and develop language that would enable them to work with robots. Since the process of human thinking is “really complicated,” he said they would start with relatively simple interactions and cited human collaborations with dogs as an example.

Since Airbus produces on average 1.5 aircraft every day, Suarez Roos said they needed to program robots to do tasks that last several hours.

In addition to painting Airbus Helicopter parts, the company is planning to get robots to do waterproofing tests on doors, windows and fuselages. Robots would be programed to track each bit of these various Airbus Helicopter parts, listening for noises that might indicate leaks of any sort in the airframe. They are also reportedly looking at using robots to increase automation when manufacturing the skin of helicopter blades.

Prime Industries Role in Provision of Airbus Helicopter Parts

While US-based Prime Industries doesn’t have any plans to employ robots in the foreseeable future, the company does offer new, repaired and overhauled Airbus Helicopter parts, as well as parts for Airbus planes, Lockheed and Boeing. Prime Industries also offers Airbus Helicopter maintenance services.

A new United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Helicopter parts has been designed to prevent the failure of parts that could lead to loss of control of helicopters in the air.

In a nutshell, the AD is intended to reduce the “life limits” of specific Airbus Helicopter parts and will require that these are removed from the aircraft once it has reached its life limit.

The airworthiness directive refers to six Airbus Helicopter models:

1. EC135P1
2. EC135P2
3. EC135P2+
4. EC135T1
5. EC135T2
6. EC135T2+

All six of these helicopters are approved by Germany’s aviation authority, and are approved for operation in the US. However the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an AD in August 2013 that was aimed to “correct an unsafe condition” for these and another three models, EC635T1, EC635P2+ and EC635T2+.

The new US AD does not apply to the EC635 models because these aren’t type certificated in the USA.

Published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2016, the US directive will become effective from July 11.

Background to the New FAA AD

The FAA first published its intention to amend the regulations in November 2014. The stated intention was to improve the safety of Airbus Helicopters in flight.

Only three people commented on the intention of the FAA to issue the AD. All believed the directive was unnecessary because all operators must in any case use the most current revision of the master servicing manual for Airbus Helicopter maintenance. The FAA disagreed based on information provided by EASA, believing that it was both in the public interest and interest of air safety that steps be taken to ensure that “unsafe conditions” be prevented by mandatory Airbus Helicopter maintenance – more specifically by replacing certain Airbus Helicopter parts when they reach their “life limit.”

According to the FAA there are 267 Airbus Helicopters on the US registry that are affected.

The New AD Regarding Airbus Helicopter Parts

The new AD defines an unsafe condition as “failure of a critical part” that could “result in loss of control of the helicopter.”

Actions required before any further flights are made are listed in the AD. They include updating revised life limits on component history cards or records for specific swashplate parts, including various rings and bolts, and for mixing lever gear unit parts. The original life limit as well as the new reduced life limit is given for each part, together with its part number.

Any of these Airbus Helicopter parts that have reached or exceeded the newly revised life limit have to be removed.

If a helicopter operator is not able to do this immediately, and needs to get the aircraft to a maintenance facility to replace the part, they may apply for a special one-time flight permit.

Airbus Helicopter Parts from Prime Industries

Whether your Airbus Helicopter parts are included in the new FAA AD or not, Prime Industries can help. You can check or current inventory online or contact us directly for assistance.

The fatal crash of an airbus Group SE H225 Super Puma helicopter in Norway late April has highlighted the vital importance of part service and repair work on all aircraft.

While it is still not known what caused what has been described as a “rare” accident, amateur video footage captured at the time shows the rotor head with blades still attached breaking away from the helicopter while it is flying in the air. All 13 people on board were killed when the aircraft plunged into the sea.

Helicopter flight data (FDR) retrieved from  the flight recorder and data from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is all said to be of “good quality” and is currently being analyzed in Norway. While no official report has yet been issued by the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN), the owners of the aircraft, CHC Helicopter have told media that there had not been any emergency calls from the two pilots prior to the crash. They also confirmed that the fated helicopter had been forced to return to base twice in the week before the accident because of a warning light.

The rotor was reported retrieved from a rocky outcrop more than 200 m from where the helicopter crashed just west of the city of Bergen, its destination. After the wreckage had been moved to facilities of the AIBN in Lillestrøm, AIBN reported that they will still searching for Airbus Helicopter parts that were “connected to the main gearbox.” Meanwhile, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) that stated it appeared that the main rotor hub had separated from the main gearbox, in flight.

Weather conditions on the day of the crash were normal and the AIBN has said it believes the incident was caused by “a technical failure.” As a precautionary measure, the EASA AD called for “before next flight” inspections on all EC 225 helicopters, and for “any discrepancy” to be reported to both EASA and Airbus Helicopters.

Airbus Helicopters’ Safety Management System

Airbus Helicopters has a strict safety management system (SMS) that promotes “a reactive, proactive and predicative organizational approach to safety risks.” This includes:

• Safety by training of pilots and flight crews.
• Safety by design that includes constant technological improvements aimed at safety. Aircraft design features include:
  • The Fenestron shrouded tail router
  • Starflex and Spheriflex main rotor hubs
  • Crashworthy seats
• Safety by maintenance which specifies three pillars of maintenance:
  • Maintenance procedures
  • Maintenance documentation
  • Maintenance training
• Safety by co-operation with suppliers and operators.
• Safety documents that are supplied to the industry.
• Safety news that is released regularly.
• Safety events that the company supports worldwide.

Safety Maintenance, Part Service and Repair Work Vital

Shortly after the accident in Norway, a spokesman for the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority said that maintenance of the helicopter had been delayed twice during 2015. Mr. Hege Aalstad, a senior legal advisor at the Authority said there had been applications for travel-time extensions. Each was for a delay of 100 flying hours. These were granted.

Airbus Helicopters emphasizes the importance of a proper maintenance regime, stating that it “plays a crucial role in supporting helicopter safety.” This includes providing invaluable information to help maintenance teams “make the right decisions” when it comes to keeping aircraft airworthy.

The company also offers an online technical publication service that provides documentation supporting safe operations as well as maintenance of its helicopters. These include various maintenance manuals that list processes to be followed when identifying, maintaining and repairing helicopter parts.

Prime Industries helps owners and operators ensure that proper maintenance procedures are followed by supplying new and overhauled quality Airbus Helicopter parts as well as part service and repair. So don’t delay crucial maintenance work; contact the Prime team and we’ll provide the parts you need, when you need them.

Airbus Helicopters SMS

Finding the right civil and military Airbus Helicopter parts to keep your aircraft in the air can be a challenge. But it’s absolutely essential to do regular maintenance and repairs to keep it safe and in the air.

Even though the company, previously Eurocopter Group, has four main manufacturing plants in France and Germany, and smaller subsidiaries and production plants in various parts of the world, including the US, helicopter owners often struggle to find the parts they need, when they need them.

The Importance of Part Service and Repair of Airbus Helicopters

H155 courtesy of airbushelicopters.com

It stands to reason that if an aircraft of any kind is not properly maintained it isn’t going to be safe. But it isn’t left to the discretion of individuals or companies to decide when maintenance is necessary. In its endeavor to ensure that all forms of air travel are as safe as possible, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has very specific regulations for everything from aircraft design and maintenance to pilot training.

The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) – also referred to as part of Title 14 of the FAA’s Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) – deal with just about everything from airworthiness standards of aircraft to their maintenance (and everything in between). Elements of maintenance, which of course includes part service and repair, relate to:

• Certification procedures for parts and various products
• Airworthiness directives for aircraft
• Preventive maintenance, maintenance, alteration and rebuilding of aircraft

The FAA regulations define airworthiness in terms of any aircraft’s conformation to type design and specifies that it must be in “a condition for safe operation.” And there are three main regulations that govern an aircraft’s airworthiness – Parts 21, 43 and 91 of CFR 14.

1. Part 21 relates to the various certification procedures for parts, including Airbus Helicopter parts
2. Part 43 relates to maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding and alterations to aircraft
3. Part 91 that relates to general operating and flight rules

One of the most important sections of Part 21 incorporates the instructions for continued airworthiness that predictably rely on the manufacturer’s instructions. So when it comes to part service and repair, it is essential that the service providers you use comply with the regulations.

The FAA describes Part 43 as “the heart of aviation maintenance,” because it provides standards for all civilian aircraft registered in the US, including Airbus Helicopters.

Even though it looks, at face value, as if it is purely a general regulation, Part 91 does contain issues that are related to maintenance.

Of course, while obviously not governed by regulations, there is also the issue of unexpected breakdowns that need urgent repairs. While planned maintenance allows for pre-planning of Airbus Helicopter parts, when breakdowns and other problems happen unpredictably, this often results in expensive downtime unless parts can be sourced quickly and reliably.

Where to Find Airbus Helicopter Parts and Reliable Part Service and Repair

An international trading company, the Georgia-based, Prime Industries buys parts from all over the world and sells both overhauled and new parts to meet the differing needs of customers. The company specializes in rotary-wing parts for helicopters made by Airbus Helicopters and when buying used parts, inspects every item thoroughly to ensure it meets industry and customer expectations.

No matter where in the world you are, if you’re in the market for quality Airbus Helicopter parts, the experienced team at Prime Industries can help you. In addition to supplying parts and doing part service and repair, Prime also buys and part-outs helicopters so they can offer serviceable, repaired, overhauled and “as removed” helicopter parts at affordable prices. So if you’re battling to keep you helicopter in the air because you can’t find good quality parts, contact us today for advice and pricing.