Certifies MRO Activities, FFS

The European airworthiness authority has validated Airbus Helicopters’ flight training and support services in China, endorsing the high quality standards of these operations and their contribution to safety in one of the world’s most rapidly-growing rotorcraft markets.

The approvals involve EASA certification of the CGAMEC joint venture’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities – located in Shenzhen – to Part 145 standards; along with the qualification of Airbus Helicopters China’s full-flight simulator in Beijing for the EC225 rotorcraft.

“These approvals confirm our commitment to providing training and support services in China that meet the most stringent world-class standards and contribute to enhancing operational safety,” said Sylvain Goldberg, Chief Operating Officer of Airbus Helicopters China. “We will continue to devote the resources and capabilities in responding to the market needs, positioning Airbus Helicopters as a supplier of choice for rotorcraft products and services for Chinese and Asian operators.” EASA’s Part 145 certification for CGAMEC approves the overhaul of dynamic components, the repair of rotor blades, and non-destructive testing capabilities – enabling the company to handle the most in-depth maintenance on vital helicopter elements. With this approval, the main and tail rotor gearboxes on Airbus Helicopters’ best-selling AS350 Ecureuil rotorcraft can now be overhauled in-country to the aircraft manufacturer’s quality standard.

Created in 2001, CGAMEC is a joint venture of Airbus Helicopters, CITIC Offshore Helicopter Company (COHC) and Samwell. It became the first Sino-foreign joint venture in the general aviation/rotorcraft MRO sector, and is approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The Airbus Helicopters EC225 full-flight simulator qualified by EASA provides highly realistic training for pilots and instructors, featuring a motion system and high-resolution visual displays to represent the flight environment in various operational and weather conditions. This allows pilots to be trained to react safely in critical situations without operational training risks. The simulator is located within the Airbus Training Center in Beijing and is part of Airbus Helicopters’ worldwide network of training centers.

FMI: www.airbushelicopters.com