How Does Boeing Support the Helicopter Lifecycle?

Boeing is known around the world as a leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners, defence, space, and security systems, and a service provider of aftermarket support. But what it its involvement with helicopters?

In recent years, Boeing has focused on expanding its services capabilities by bringing Aviall, ForeFlight, Jeppesen, KLX and other companies into the Boeing family.

Operating under the Boeing Global Services (BGS) business unit, Boeing is able to provide a broad range of products, services and solutions to meet the needs of the global helicopter market.

Boeing provides integrated flight operations and technical solutions to its global customers in the civil, commercial and military rotorcraft market, and helps operators maintain and sustain their rotorcraft throughout their lifecycles.

Innovative Service Strategy

Boeing’s storied history of more than 100 years of building airplanes drives the services and solutions it provides to the helicopter OEM business. Whether it’s a helicopter OEM or a supplier to a manufacturer, Boeing has the right answer to today’s challenges.

With more than two million parts in stock and 3,000 suppliers around the world, Boeing spans all areas of consumables, chemicals, and specialty materials in the aviation production space. All products are fully traceable and compliant with international environmental standards. And with 24/7/365 AOG shipping capability in Dallas and Hamburg, parts arrive quickly and efficiently to support supply chains and production capabilities.

Boeing continues to develop an innovative, proactive and progressive service strategy. It merges the parts and products world with the services and solutions world. By taking this holistic approach, Boeing is uniquely equipped to service complete external and internal supply chains, and help solve logistics challenges.

Analysis, Forecasting, and Planning

Boeing can even partner with customers to analyse internal value streams by mapping As-Is and the To-Be states from planning to Point of Use (PoU). Changes, investments and business decisions are brought together in an interactive, tailored and collaborative project for transitioning to new suppliers and processes.

During the analysis process, potential risks are clearly defined and captured, so the teams can address them at the earliest opportunity, while ensuring fast execution with no interruption to production.

Boeing’s vast manufacturing experience and inventory management tools set the foundation for accurate forecasting and planning. Backed by data analytics and competitive pricing within the aerospace market, Boeing’s tools help customers with their decision-making and process automation, leading to lower costs and more efficiency.

Helicopter Operators and Lessors

Jeppesen provides global data and chart services (some coverages are available with helicopter procedures) including NavData, Terrain, Obstacles and OEMsupplied data. Tailored data is also available for certain unique operational needs. Jeppesen electronic charts can be used on mobile devices and/or on front panel multi-function displays, which provides redundancy and improved cockpit workflows.

ForeFlight’s leading mobile apps are well-known in the U.S. market, and now the European helicopter community is starting to realise the benefits ForeFlight can bring to their operations.

ForeFlight Mobile combines the most advanced flight app with powerful rotorcraft-specific features that support a variety of mission profiles. 

Supplemented with International Trip Planning from Jeppesen and the ForeFlight Dispatch service, all business aspects of an operation are covered.

When managing leased assets, Boeing is able to provide Lease Data Management and Technical Records-Management services. Digitising and reviewing data for redelivery compliance is part of the work by Boeing’s experienced specialists. They perform near-live completeness reviews to let lessors stay on top of their technical records.

Training Schools and Academies

Even with the recent global challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, helicopter operations remain essential around the world. Helicopter flight activities dropped only slightly, and in June 2020, exceeded the number of movements recorded in June 2019. And continued operation means continued demand for helicopter trainees.

Training offerings from Jeppesen are helping to meet these market demands with courseware and knowledge test materials for new or advancing helicopter pilots.

Flight schools and training academies benefit from Jeppesen’s integrated learning system by delivering flexible training options with self-study, ground school and distance learning in today’s virtual environment.

Various platforms (Windows, MacOS and iOS) are supported in online as well as offline versions. Through a simple, intuitive and informative user interface, schools and students can keep track of all content and progress made throughout the course.

MRO and Aftermarket

Boeing has the expertise and ability to assist in specialised repair and exchange solutions. A number of benefits that aim to drive additional value, but reduce cost to the consumer, are key.

Some of these benefits include: regionalised stocking of high-demand parts to ensure accessibility and availability is maintained; credible support from more than 240 product lines; and convenient, effortless ordering through shop.boeing.com (or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)).

Boeing has a large range of offerings within the rotables industry, and its classified inventory of helicopter parts and accessories is incredibly vast. Within Boeing’s expansive catalog, consumers have direct access to more than two million parts to cater to customer requests and needs when it comes to maintenance and quality control.

This allows consumers to purchase materials from Boeing directly without having to shop multiple distributors, which streamlines the procurement process and reduces downtime. Parts range from test equipment, to headsets, to emergency and safety materials.

Rolls-Royce lists Boeing as an exclusive distributor for their M250 and RR300 engines, including spare parts and tooling. This sole partnership garners a valuable selection of trusted, reliable parts available to consumers within the helicopter industry.

Offering USM Parts

In addition to OEM-certified new parts and spares, Boeing now offers Used Serviceable Material (USM) that exceeds company standards. This capability was born from an understanding of the needs within the rotorcraft community for a lower cost alternative when performing routine maintenance and service. It also includes an expansive list of USM for single-engine light helicopters.

Boeing entered the USM market as a natural extension of being a manufacturer and service provider. It began the programme with many offerings from the Bell helicopter models, including major drive train components, avionics, and airframe items for the B206, B407, B212 and B412.

Based on the success of those programmes and overall customer demand, Boeing expanded into the AS350 B2 platform. Boeing continues to evaluate future platforms to be used for parts supply and fleet support as part of its one-stop-shop services model. Boeing continues to acquire parts for the USM programme through multiple avenues including teardowns, consignment and brokering.

Many of Boeing’s suppliers are OEM-approved and under strict contract in order to ensure all expectations of their consumers are met. With a broad rotable exchange pool currently available, Boeing is able to help reduce incurred maintenance downtime and inventory investment. Boeing has the distinct ability to scale this programme rapidly, and is incredibly enthusiastic about its future.

Worldwide Service Network

Boeing strives to offer a wide range of services to helicopter operators and maintenance technicians within this fast-growing community. As of today, service stations are conveniently located around the world in multiple countries, ensuring their customers have easy access should an urgent need arise. Many of Boeing’s current services within the helicopter industry include: rotables, hose fabrication, kitting, battery repair, chemical management, and wheel and brake repair maintenance.

The LIFT Programme

LIFT is an exclusive programme Boeing currently offers to provide needed services to companies who utilise sizable or diverse helicopter fleets. With its integration fifteen years ago, Boeing recognised an opportunity to expand its general helicopter inventory to support this much-needed initiative.

A highly qualified customer support team will carefully analyse a customer’s fleet, methods of current operation and outlined locations. Boeing’s exceptionally trained team will then uncover and recommend helpful solutions that provide adequate support and cost-reduction measures.

These defined solutions are then prioritised into a cohesive plan of action that is tailored to the unique needs of each customer. By utilising the LIFT program, customer benefits are exponential. Fewer suppliers and purchase points are needed. There is also a noted decrease in overall purchasing costs when services are rendered.

With strategic global stocking locations in place, local inventory needs are consistently adequate for customers. An accurate and heavily stocked inventory is in place, thereby often diminishing work stops.

With an extremely accurate transaction process, Boeing has been able to put into place through this noteworthy program an acutely efficient and meticulous transaction processing, alleviating the probability of manual errors.

By providing support before and after a sale, Boeing is able to ensure the longevity of rotorcraft by ensuring customer satisfaction is top priority.

To learn more about Boeing’s helicopter rotable program, including parts and services, please visit: shop.boeing.com/aviation-supply/helicopter-support-solutions.

Learn more about ForeFlight apps and dispatch solutions: foreflight.com

Learn more about Jeppesen chart and data solutions: jeppesen.com/avionics

Boeing’s USM Expansion Includes Airbus AS350 B2

Boeing began the journey to expand product offerings to the commercial helicopter community with the acquisition of Aviall, now Boeing, in 2006.

The Boeing team has had a long history of supporting the helicopter community with various distribution agreements, including the Rolls Royce Model 250 engine, exterior lighting, replacement windows, ground support equipment, and many others, for a wide variety of helicopter makes and models.

That support has continued to grow with the acquisition of KLX (now Boeing Distribution Services Inc) which expands additional product offerings to include hundreds of consumable items.

Aftermarket Services Expertise

By providing a focus on aftermarket services, such as used serviceable material (USM), Boeing is bringing its extensive expertise and worldwide reach to locate the best possible aircraft for purchase and teardown.

These efforts provide Boeing customers with cost effective solutions during these challenging times. Operators can also rest assured that the aircraft and components selected by Boeing are of the highest quality possible as each item is thoroughly reviewed, inspected and certified per Boeing’s rigorous Quality Program.

The volume of inventory, through acquiring and tearing down the entire helicopter, and the global reach of Boeing’s distribution network allows this program to supply convenient and cost-efficient alternatives as well as brand-new parts for multiple operators in the business and general aviation market. Currently, Boeing has USM inventory located in several global locations to meet the urgent needs of our customers.

Boeing’s USM capability is an example of the depth and breadth of the services it provides, even for customers who do not own Boeing aircraft. 

The company is committed to providing support for global helicopter operators, and ensuring they have the parts when and where they need them.

With the recent expansion of its USM capability to include the Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter, Boeing’s services business provides dynamic components, engines, airframe items, blades and avionics for worldwide fleets of this platform.

The multipurpose, single-engine AS350 B2 has a long life expectancy and sizeable global fleets providing significant service opportunity for customers over their platform’s lifecycle. In addition to having inventory available for outright sale to AS350 B2 customers, Boeing offers a wide range of exchange options not only for the dynamic components, avionics and airframe related items, but for the Safran Arriel 1D1 engine as well. Boeing’s support for the Arriel 1D1 engine includes complete engines, modules and accessories.

USM – A Natural Extension of Boeing Business

Boeing announced in 2019 it would enter the USM market as a natural extension of being a manufacturer and service provider. It began the program with many offerings from the Bell Helicopter models, including major drive train components, avionics and airframe items for the B206, B407, B212 and B412.

Based on the success of those programs and overall customer demand, Boeing expanded into the AS350 B2 platform. It continues to evaluate future platforms to be used for parts supply and fleet support as a part of its one-stop-shop services model. 

Boeing continues to acquire parts for the USM Program through multiple avenues including tear-downs, consignment and brokering.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base.

Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

More from www.boeing.com or https://shop.boeing.com/aviation-supply/helicopter-support-solutions 

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