First Aviation Services Inc. has branded their four helicopter component repair subsidiaries into the strategically unified Rotary Wing Group.  Composed of Aviation Blade Services, Inc. (Kissimmee, FL), Heliblade International, LLC (Anderson, CA), Piedmont Propulsion Systems, LLC (Winston-Salem, NC) and Associated Aircraft Manufacturing and Sales, Inc. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), which together boast over 150,000 ft² of repair, overhaul and manufacturing space, the Rotary Wing Group repairs and overhauls main and tail rotor blades, various dynamic components, landing gear and shock struts for various Airbus, Bell, Boeing, Leonardo, and Sikorsky helicopters.

In particular, all four Rotary Wing Group companies support the Black Hawk market.  Aviation Blade Services (“ABS”) is the independent leader in Sikorsky UH-60 / S-70 main and tail rotor maintenance, with industry-leading turn-around times under forty-five (45) days for depot-level repairs including blade cuff changes.  ABS also supports Sikorsky S-55, S-58, S-61/H-3, S-64/CH-54 and S-76 main and tail rotor blades and holds United States Department of Defense (“DOD”) source approvals for the repair of main and tail rotor blades for both the UH-60 and H-3.   Under First Aviation’s ownership, Heliblade has expanded from its historically specialty in Airbus, Bell, and Leonardo rotor blade repair to also serves Black Hawk and Boeing (CH-47D) customers located in the western United States and Canada.  Associated Aircraft Manufacturing and Sales, Inc. (“AAMSI”) holds DOD source approval for over one hundred 120 aircraft parts and components, including the UH-60 main shock strut and is currently in the second year of a five-year contract to overhaul shock struts for the U.S. Army. Piedmont Propulsion Systems (“PPS”) holds DOD source approval for the repair of UH-60 main rotor hubs and recently won Army’s multi-year maintenance contract.  PPS is also FAA-/EASA-certified to repair several other UH-60 dynamic components and acts as the Rotary Wing Group’s rotorhead center of excellence.

Paul Bolton, First Aviation COO, said the “Rotary Wing Group is a strategic resource for our military, paramilitary, and commercial customers. We have made a major commitment to this market including expanding our engineering resources, on-demand exchange pool of Black Hawk rotor blades and dedicated modern facilities.”

First Aviation said the company expects to make additional acquisitions in the helicopter component repair sector in addition to continued re-investment into organic growth opportunities.