Have A Seat!

Executive Aircraft Completions, LLC (EAC), a certification and interior design engineering firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has completed a certification project for Aerolite Max Bucher AG, of Ennetb�rgen, Switzerland.  EAC was responsible for the overall effort for acquiring an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) validation for the MD-11 aircraft modifications, concurrently.

The STC is for the installation of courier seats and seat positions in a series of cargo-converted MD-11s. Making the certification effort more complex was that it involved seats manufactured and tested in Switzerland, and installed in Italy in a German-registered aircraft.  Coordination was a key element for success, and EAC's mandate extended to ensuring each jurisdiction was satisfied with the design, construction and installation program.

Aerolite is Europe's leading supplier to civil rescue helicopters and medevac jets. In the eight years of the company's history, it has successfully expanded into Medical
Transport Systems for the uninterrupted transport of patients in the air and on land.  Aerolite is also involved in many cargo-related aircraft modification projects.

Roger Bunter, Head of Technique with Aerolite, and Sandra Coleman, Certification Manager with EAC worked closely to ensure the project's success.  The development of relationships between the component manufacturers, the designees and the governing authorities required a substantial level of coordination and effort, since this was the first concurrent certification undertaken by either company. 

"Aerolite is very professional company to work with," Coleman said.  "Our final engineering package was something we were proud to present to FAA and EASA. Each of us at EAC looks forward to working with Aerolite again.

FMI: www.aerolite.ch