As summer set in on the busy VIH Aerospace facility at Vancouver Island Airport in mid-2022, the company’s expert technicians began an ambitious Sikorsky S-92 helicopter upgrade project.
VIH Aviation Group — the parent company of VIH Aerospace — had recently acquired the aircraft from an overseas operator, and planned to refurbish it for lease with the right partner.
“We knew there was demand for the aircraft, depending on the configuration,” said Arne Arneson, general manager of VIH Aerospace — an industry-leading manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MMRO) company located near Sidney, British Columbia. “This one seemed to have the skeleton that we needed. And it was something that we’re capable of — and had experience modifying.”
Omni Helicopters International voiced an interest in using the refurbished S-92 for search-and-rescue (SAR) missions, and signed on as the lessee. After showcasing the aircraft at HAI Heli-Expo 2023, it will begin operations with Omni in Guyana as their flagship SAR helicopter.
“It’s configured specifically for SAR missions,” Arneson said.
It took about eight months to upgrade the aircraft, starting with a standard 1,500-hour inspection and progressing through more than a dozen improvements to meet operational requirements.
VIH Aerospace technicians added a series of avionics upgrades, including a dual wide-area augmentation system/flight management system, deployable emergency locator transmitter and very high frequency (VHF) FM radio.
They also installed a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS II), automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capability, and a direction-finding homer.
To further ensure the aircraft is suitable for SAR missions, they also added a dual hoist, an escape hatch with bubble window, a FLIR camera, Nightsun XP Searchlight and Operator console, a SAR grab handle, sea tray, and triple-stacking litter system.
Several of these upgrades are the products of supplemental type certificates (STCs) completed in-house by VIH Aerospace, with the remainder utilizing Sikorsky kits.
Additional operational upgrades include enhanced floats, an interior upgrade with high-comfort crew seats, a passenger seating configuration, and custom exterior paint in the customer-designed Omni Guyana livery, celebrating their commitment to local content in Guyana.
“It took a lot of organization and skilled people to pull it all together,” said Jeff Norie, president and CEO of VIH Aerospace. “It was a challenge, but we have the best people on board. With our sister companies, we were one of the launch customers for the S-92, so we have quite a depth in that field. And we’ve been doing modification and STCs on a variety of aircraft platforms from the beginning of this segment of our company.”
Omni Helicopters International said it was delighted with the partnership with VIH Aerospace, and with the quality of the helicopter delivered.
“We turned to VIH for support when we had to identify a capable SAR platform for a new contract, having been let down at short notice by a lessor,” said Duncan Moore, chief operating officer of OHI Group. “It was clear that VIH shared our ‘can-do’ attitude and passion for innovation — traits that are becoming harder to find in our sector. From day one, we had complete confidence that VIH could, and would, deliver this platform for us, and we’re delighted with both our collaboration and the quality of the aircraft. We thank them for their support and we’re proud to be showing our combined technical and SAR capabilities at HAI.”
This was by no means a rookie effort. VIH Aerospace had previously upgraded multiple S-92 helicopters for SAR operators in Norway, and its expertise with the airframe runs deep.
Still, industry-wide supply chain disruptions presented unique challenges for this project, and sourcing the right parts at the right time was difficult. The project management team stickhandled those problems effectively, keeping crews busy and on schedule.
“The project managers were able to redirect manpower into areas where we had parts,” said Brian Thistle, the company’s director of business development, sales and marketing. “It took a little bit of juggling, but I think that’s one of the key things — to keep it going.”
VIH Aerospace has always prided itself on adjusting quickly to changing conditions, a strength that shone particularly bright in this upgrade project.
“We’ve always been adaptable,” Arneson said. “We started out small and kept ourselves lean, so you have to be adaptable and creative.”
This project is perhaps the perfect illustration of the unique skill set VIH Aerospace brings to every task. But it’s only one aspect of the company’s extensive portfolio of services.
VIH Aerospace’s manufacturing ability sets it apart from other MRO providers, and the unparalleled expertise of its employees is another key advantage.
In addition to developing STCs and manufacturing parts, the company is also a certified Bell Customer Service Facility and has maintenance certificates with Transport Canada, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil.
“Everybody can play the price game, but the quality of the product that you deliver, and the service that you give your customer is a differentiator,” Arneson said. “That’s something we offer, and that’s what’s really important — to stand out from others doing the same type of work.”
At Heli-Expo 2023, all are welcome to visit the Sikorsky booth to view this refurbished S-92, chat with the VIH Aerospace team, and get a sense of what’s possible for future projects.
“We have the expertise,” Arneson said. “We’re good at managing projects, managing the supply chain, following up, and managing our customers’ expectations.”
