Featured Repairs: AW139 Components
Heli-One is an authorized AugstaWestland service center and is dedicated to providing the best maintenance, repair, and overhaul on the AW139. We provide maintenance activities at our facilities in Canada, Norway, and Poland. Services include: all levels of inspection, by-the-hour support, avionics, repairs & modifications, NDT, and much more. We are featuring some key repairs that will minimize aircraft downtime and lower maintenance costs.
For more info on our AW139 capabilities and these featured repairs, visit:
heli-one.ca/supported-helicopters/agustawestland/aw139
The Boundary Bay Paint Shop: How Safety Best Practices Make Environmental Sense
Learn about:
- The Boundary Bay Paint shop's eco-friendly benefits
- The complexities of aviation painting
- How safety, efficiency, and environmental-impact are integrated into facility design
The nature of helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) work is dynamic and technicians perform complex, technical work. Potential risks to persons, property, and environment are a part of the aviation industry and limiting these risks is the highest priority at Heli-One. During the design of the Boundary Bay facility (opened in 2007), designers implemented safety considerations with the goal of “no harm to people, property or the environment.” With this approach, Heli-One invested in mitigating any environmental impact the facility would have on the local community. Nearly 10 years later, Heli-One continues to have an excellent safety record, deliver industry-leading MRO services, with minimal environmental impact.
An example of safety-oriented, environmentally-conscious and efficient planning can be seen in the Paint Shop at Boundary Bay. The shop’s workflows and processes are designed to reduce paint processing waste. At over 12,000 sq ft, the dedicated paint bays, which include the preparation and painting areas, can accommodate structures as large as an aircraft fuselage. “We have a skilled team of professional aircraft painters that love what they do and it shows in the quality of their work,” said Paint Shop Manager, George Kanavaros. The Paint department provides different specialized services for Heavy Maintenance and Components. For both types of work, technicians consider the unique operating environment to apply the best treatment. For example, dynamic Components such as engines, gearboxes, and transmissions are treated with Rockhard high-heat coating to ensure durability in extreme operating conditions.
During the helicopter painting process, components or airframes are stripped, prepared, and then painted. Both use timed heat technology which can reduce drying times by up to 50%. For example, an entire Bell 412 repaint (strip and paint) can be done in 14 days which is achieved through a combination of efficient workflows, experienced technicians, and technology to expedite the process. This work can produce a considerable volume of wet waste: a Bell 412 repaint may yield up to 625L/165 gallons of wet waste. The waste liquids are by-products from the painting process such as: paint stripper, Alodine, oily water, and cleaning water. In addition to being a safety and contamination risk, this wet waste is expensive to dispose.
These factors led to the design and implementation of a wet waste diversion system to reduce waste volume. Floor drains capture liquids that are redirected to an underground holding tank that has several different layers of leak protection and insulation. The chemicals are then pumped into an incinerator, which is heated to 420F/215C. Water is evaporated as steam and the remnants, which are inert, are disposed safely. For every 1,500L/396 gallons of liquid waste only 20L/5.3 gallons of solid waste remains. Going back to the Bell 412 example, 625L/165 gallons of liquid waste is converted into 8.4L/2.2 gallons solid waste – a 98% reduction.
Reducing waste volume and volatility minimizes the risk of environmental contamination and handling exposure. Chemical liquid waste is also produced in other departments such as: Components, Cleaning, and NDT. The Boundary Bay facility has four tanks/incinerators in strategic locations which safely divert liquids from planned and unplanned spills. “At Heli-One we are responsible for providing a safe and secure working environment for our employees by ensuring that our facility is designed and maintained to the highest standards. Involving Health, Environment, Safety, and Security (HESS) specialists at the beginning of any facility project is critical to ensure Safety requirements are considered, integrated, and executed accordingly,” added Alex Peresada, HESS Manager – Americas. The success of this program is a testament to the facility, staff, and technicians’ widespread adoption of best practices around safety, efficiency, and environmental impact. The results not only limit the impact MRO work has on the surrounding environment but also benefit Heli-One and the customers’ bottom line through efficiencies and cost savings.