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RBI Hawker has received official CASA approval to commence operation in its new rotary blade repair facility in Brisbane.
The business, which services commercial and military helicopter operators, expressed interest last year in expanding its facilities into Australia and has now just received Part 145 maintenance organisation approval.
Part 145 is a set of regulations outlining the minimum safety outcomes for the maintenance of aircraft and aeronautical products. This was the last regulatory hurdle required for RBI Hawker to open a base in Australia.
“With this expansion, our goal is to ensure access to rotary repair services for customers in the Asia-Pacific region, said Ian D’Arcy, Jet Aviation’s vice president North East Asia. “We have continued to expand our service offering throughout our 15 years of operation and this CASA approval demonstrates our ongoing commitment to service support and excellence.”
The company will operate out of a 1,000-square-metre hangar facility in north Brisbane
Since 2005, the company has operated in regions across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Dubai. The company is an authorised Bell CSF and Leonardo Service Centre with an extensive OEM-approved standard and expanded repair portfolio.
Brendan McDonald, RBI Hawker’s operations manager in Australia, said, “Customers are increasingly looking for more local, accessible services in the Asia-Pacific region. Our new facility will help us remain the customer’s partner of choice, and we look forward to welcoming helicopter owners and operators to our new Australian location.”
The business chose Australia as its next location because it comes with easy access to transportation links by sea, air and road. This was strategic, ensuring it could transport blades seamlessly anywhere in the region, ultimately reducing reduction in costs and time.
RBI Hawker early last year received original equipment manufacturer (OEM) approval for successfully completing the industry’s first leading-edge abrasion strip replacement on the Leonardo AW139 main rotor blade at its facility in Dubai. The company is now the only OEM-authorised facility to offer this repair, according to Defence Connect.
Part 145 maintenance organisational approval is part of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (1998) legislation.
