Sikorsky has relocated and expanded its Brazilian forward stocking facility, which according to the airframer will enable it to house approximately seven times as many spare parts as its previous facility. The move from Multiterminais to Barra da Tijuca, near Jacarepaguá Airport, puts the facility closer to Brazilian operators including Líder Aviação, Omni Helicopters International, and CHC Helicopter, and is expected to reduce the parts receiving turnaround time from 24 hours to less than two.

The OEM also announced it will add rotor blade repair capability in the country for the S-92. Within the next year, Composite Technology do Brasil, a joint-venture between Sikorsky-owned CTI and Líder Aviação, which has been repairing S-76 blades since 1999, will add the same service for its larger sibling. Having the service in-country will improve repair turnaround time, removing at least 30 days of transit time from the overall repair schedule as well as eliminate taxes and fees associated with export.

Currently eight operators fly a total of 90 Sikorsky helicopters in Brazil.

“Brazil is a key country for us, the heart of our commercial business in Latin America,” said Adam Schierholz, the manufacturer’s regional executive, adding that its fleet of S-92s and S-76s have operational availability rates greater than 94 percent. “As the Brazilian economy and offshore outlook recovers, we are listening to our customers and taking steps to further increase those industry-leading availability rates.”