MRO & Manufacturing
Sikorsky and Partners Open S-92 Helicopter Center of Excellence in Brazil
Sikorsky, Heli-One, and Milestone launch an S-92 Helicopter Center of Excellence in Brazil to enhance maintenance and reduce downtime.
In a strategic move reflecting the evolving needs of the global Helicopters services industry, Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin company), Heli-One (a division of CHC Helicopter Group), and Milestone Aviation announced on July 24, 2025, the creation of a Center of Excellence (CoE) for S-92® helicopters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The initiative is designed to strengthen operational support across South America, enhancing maintenance capabilities and reducing fleet downtime for one of the most widely used helicopters in offshore oil and gas missions.
This collaboration addresses a growing demand in Brazil’s offshore energy sector, where the S-92 has become a critical asset for crew transport and search-and-rescue (SAR) operations. With over 30 S-92 helicopters currently operating in the region, the establishment of a dedicated CoE marks a significant step toward localized, efficient, and scalable maintenance and logistics support.
The announcement also aligns with broader industry trends emphasizing the importance of regional maintenance hubs to mitigate supply chain challenges and improve aircraft availability. As operators face increasing logistical complexities, this initiative aims to provide timely access to parts, technical expertise, and scheduled maintenance services, all within Brazil’s borders.
Developed by Sikorsky and introduced in 2004, the S-92 helicopter is a twin-engine, medium-lift aircraft known for its robust safety credentials and versatility. With more than 2.2 million fleet flight hours logged globally, the S-92 supports a range of missions, including offshore oil transport, executive transport, and SAR operations. Its performance in high-demand environments has made it a preferred choice for operators in regions with expansive offshore energy infrastructure.
In Brazil, the S-92 plays a vital role in supporting the operations of Petrobras, the state-owned oil company, and other operators such as CHC Brazil, Lider Aviation, and Omni Helicopters. These helicopters are primarily used to ferry personnel between the mainland and offshore oil platforms located in deepwater fields, including the pre-salt reserves off the southeast coast.
Before the CoE initiative, support for the S-92 fleet in Brazil was limited to a Forward Stocking Location (FSL) in Rio de Janeiro. While helpful, this setup lacked the embedded maintenance and repair capabilities required for rapid response and high availability. Maintenance tasks often required international logistics, contributing to longer downtimes and increased operational costs.
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is the original equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of the S-92. The company has consistently invested in technological upgrades to improve the helicopter’s safety and performance. One such innovation is the Phase IV main gearbox, designed to eliminate “land immediately” requirements during oil-loss emergencies.
Heli-One is the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) arm of CHC Helicopter Group. With over two decades of experience and support for more than 250 aircraft globally, Heli-One brings extensive technical knowledge and infrastructure to the CoE. It will lead the operations of the new center in Rio de Janeiro. Milestone Aviation is the world’s leading helicopter leasing company, financing fleets for operators worldwide. In Brazil, Milestone recently leased seven helicopters, including S-92s, to Omni Helicopters International for Petrobras-related missions. This marks Milestone’s first major placement in the Brazilian market.
The newly announced Center of Excellence will be based in Rio de Janeiro and led by Heli-One. It is designed to provide comprehensive support for the S-92 fleet in Brazil and across South America. The center will offer services such as access to critical spare parts, scheduled maintenance, and optimized supply chain solutions.
The CoE aims to reduce aircraft downtime and improve mission readiness by embedding services closer to operators. Key components like gearboxes, main rotor blades, and dampers will be stocked locally, allowing for quicker turnaround times on maintenance and repairs. This localized approach is expected to alleviate the parts supply bottlenecks that have affected global S-92 operations in recent years.
According to the announcement, the CoE will also integrate Sikorsky’s Phase IV gearbox technology, which is currently undergoing certification. This upgrade enhances the safety profile of the S-92 and reflects a broader commitment to continuous improvement and fleet modernization.
“We are committed to providing rigorous and dependable capabilities that ensure the continued success of the S-92 helicopter,” said Leon Silva, VP of Global Commercial and Military Systems at Sikorsky.
Brazil’s offshore oil and gas sector is among the most active in the world, with Petrobras leading exploration and production in deepwater and ultra-deepwater fields. The logistical demands of these operations necessitate reliable helicopter transport, especially for platforms located hundreds of kilometers offshore.
CHC Brazil, one of the major operators of the S-92 in the region, recently secured two new contracts with Petrobras for operations in the Roncador field. These Contracts have led to a 33% expansion of CHC’s local fleet, underlining the growing reliance on the S-92 platform.
With over 30 S-92 aircraft operating in Brazil, the CoE is poised to become a critical asset in maintaining fleet availability and operational continuity. By reducing the need for international logistics, the center supports Brazil’s broader goal of developing self-sustaining aerospace capabilities.
Globally, the helicopter MRO industry is experiencing transformation, driven by increasing fleet sizes and the need for faster maintenance turnaround. The civil helicopter MRO market is projected to reach $9.2 billion by 2025, with Latin America identified as a high-growth region due to expanding offshore energy activities. The S-92 has faced challenges in recent years, including parts shortages and long maintenance cycles. In 2024, it was reported that up to 7% of the global S-92 fleet was grounded due to Supply-Chain constraints. These challenges have prompted OEMs and MRO providers to rethink support strategies, leading to the emergence of regional Centers of Excellence.
StandardAero’s MRO facilities in Canada serve as an example of this trend, consolidating services to improve efficiency and reduce downtime. The new CoE in Brazil follows a similar model, tailored to the specific needs of the South American market and its offshore energy sector.
“The time is right for establishing an S-92 Center of Excellence in Brazil as more customers select the aircraft for rescue and recovery,” said Tom Burke, CEO of CHC Helicopter Group.
The establishment of the CoE represents a long-term investment in the sustainability of Brazil’s helicopter operations. As offshore energy projects expand and become more complex, the demand for reliable aerial transport will only increase. The CoE positions Brazil as a regional hub for S-92 support, potentially attracting additional operators and investment.
Moreover, the Partnerships between Sikorsky, Heli-One, and Milestone demonstrates a collaborative approach to addressing industry-wide challenges. By pooling resources and expertise, the companies aim to set a benchmark for future MRO collaborations in the region and beyond.
While the initiative is still subject to internal approvals, its successful implementation could serve as a model for other regions facing similar logistical and operational constraints.
The strategic cooperation between Sikorsky, Heli-One, and Milestone to establish a Center of Excellence for S-92 helicopters in Brazil marks a significant milestone for the region’s aviation and energy sectors. By localizing critical maintenance and supply chain services, the initiative aims to enhance fleet readiness, reduce downtime, and support the growing demands of offshore operations.
As the global helicopter industry continues to evolve, the Brazilian CoE could become a blueprint for how OEMs, MRO providers, and lessors collaborate to deliver integrated, efficient, and reliable support solutions. The move underscores the importance of regional hubs in meeting the operational needs of modern aviation fleets.
What is the purpose of the Center of Excellence in Brazil? Who will lead the operations of the CoE? How many S-92 helicopters operate in Brazil? Why is the S-92 important for Brazil’s offshore sector? What challenges does the CoE aim to address?
Strategic Cooperation: Sikorsky, Heli-One, and Milestone Establish S-92® Helicopter Center of Excellence in Brazil
Background: The S-92 and Its Role in Brazil
About the Partners
The Center of Excellence Initiative
Strategic Importance for Brazil
Global Industry Context
Future Outlook
Conclusion
FAQ
The CoE aims to provide localized maintenance, repair, and supply chain services for the S-92 helicopter fleet operating in Brazil and South America.
Heli-One, the MRO division of CHC Helicopter Group, will lead the CoE operations in Rio de Janeiro.
Over 30 S-92 helicopters are currently in operation in Brazil, primarily supporting offshore oil and gas missions.
The S-92 provides reliable transport for personnel and equipment to offshore oil platforms, which are often located far from the mainland.
The CoE addresses parts shortages, long maintenance cycles, and the need for faster, localized support to reduce fleet downtime.
Sources
Photo Credit: Lockheed Martin
MRO & Manufacturing
AkzoNobel Invests $58M to Modernize Waukegan Aerospace Plant
AkzoNobel commits $58 million to upgrade its Waukegan aerospace coatings facility, enhancing capacity and efficiency to meet rising air travel demand.
This article summarizes reporting by the Chicago Tribune and official announcements from AkzoNobel. This article summarizes publicly available elements and public remarks.
AkzoNobel has announced a significant capital injection of €50 million (approximately $58 million) into its Waukegan, Illinois, facility, solidifying the site’s status as the company’s largest aerospace coatings production plant in the world. According to reporting by the Chicago Tribune and official company statements released in early January 2026, the project aims to modernize manufacturing capabilities and expand capacity to meet surging global travel demand.
The investment involves a strategic reorganization of AkzoNobel’s North American footprint. While the Waukegan site will focus on intensified manufacturing, warehousing operations are set to relocate to a new facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. This shift allows the company to repurpose existing storage space in Illinois for production lines, directly addressing the need for higher output.
The upgrade focuses on what AkzoNobel describes as “Industrial Excellence,” a program designed to streamline operations through advanced automation and improved workflow. The Waukegan facility, located at 1 East Water Street, currently spans 11 acres and employs approximately 200 people.
According to details shared in the company’s announcement, the modernization will be executed in two phases. The primary goal is to enhance supply chain resilience in North America, offering shorter lead times for airline and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) customers.
The investment will fund the installation of state-of-the-art machinery intended to increase throughput and consistency. Key technical enhancements include:
The decision to expand comes as the aerospace industry prepares for a projected rise in global air travel. Airlines and manufacturers are increasingly requiring specialized coatings for both new aircraft deliveries and the maintenance of existing fleets. By moving finished goods storage to the new Wisconsin facility, AkzoNobel expects to significantly increase its production capacity for primers, basecoats, clearcoats, and custom colors.
Patrick Bourguignon, Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business, emphasized the strategic necessity of the move in a press statement:
“This investment will increase our comprehensive North American supply capability and solidify our position as a frontrunner in the aerospace coatings industry. Demand for air travel is expected to grow significantly over the next few years and we want to make sure our customers are able to meet that demand with aircraft of the highest quality.”
Beyond raw capacity, the upgrades are designed to offer greater flexibility in production batch sizes. Martijn Arkesteijn, Global Operations Director for AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings, noted that the improvements would directly benefit customer timelines. “We’ll be able to provide current and future customers with even more flexibility through the delivery of large batch sizes, better responsiveness to market needs and shorter lead time for color development.”
While the primary focus of the investment is operational efficiency, AkzoNobel has stated that the project aligns with its broader environmental goals. The company aims to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 (using a 2018 baseline) and transition toward 100% renewable electricity. The new equipment installed at the Waukegan plant is expected to reduce energy intensity per unit of production, supporting these corporate sustainability targets.
The separation of manufacturing and warehousing is a growing trend among industrial suppliers facing land constraints in established industrial zones. By decoupling storage from production, AkzoNobel effectively unlocks new square footage for value-added manufacturing without the need to acquire adjacent land, which can be difficult in developed areas like Waukegan. This move suggests a prioritization of speed and volume, critical factors as the aerospace supply chain continues to recover and expand post-pandemic.
Sources: Chicago Tribune, AkzoNobel Official Announcements
AkzoNobel Invests $58 Million to Modernize Waukegan Aerospace Hub
Scope of the Expansion
Technological Upgrades
Strategic Context and Market Demand
Operational Flexibility
Sustainability Targets
AirPro News Analysis
Sources
Photo Credit: AkzoNobel
MRO & Manufacturing
Daher Wins 2026 JEC Award for Thermoplastic Wing Rib Innovation
Daher received the 2026 JEC Innovation Award for developing a thermoplastic wing rib that reduces weight, cost, and production time in aerospace manufacturing.
This article is based on an official press release from Daher.
On January 12, 2026, the French industrial conglomerate Daher was announced as the winner of the prestigious 2026 JEC Composites Innovation Award in the “Aerospace – Parts” category. The award recognizes the company’s development of a “Highly Loaded Thermoplastic Wing Rib,” a critical structural component designed to meet the rigorous demands of future single-aisle Commercial-Aircraft programs.
According to the company’s announcement, this innovation represents a significant leap forward in the application of thermoplastic composites. While previous applications were often limited to thinner, secondary parts, this project demonstrates the viability of thermoplastics for thick, primary aerostructures that must withstand heavy mechanical loads.
The award-winning component is a structural breakthrough for the aerospace industry. Traditionally, primary structures like wing ribs, which maintain the aerodynamic shape of the wing and transfer loads between the skin and spars, have been manufactured using aluminum or thermoset composites that require lengthy autoclave curing cycles.
Daher’s new rib is a thick laminate structure consisting of up to 64 plies, reaching a thickness of approximately 12mm. By successfully manufacturing a part of this density and complexity using thermoplastics, Daher has proven that the material can replace metal in the most demanding areas of an airframe.
The project was executed through a strategic consortium involving several key European partners, each contributing specialized expertise to the Manufacturing chain:
The success of the “Highly Loaded Thermoplastic Wing Rib” relies on the integration of two patented processes that streamline production and eliminate traditional manufacturing bottlenecks.
First, the rib utilizes Direct Stamping®, a Daher-patented process. According to the press release, this technique eliminates the intermediate “consolidation” step typically required between layering fibers (layup) and the stamping phase. By removing this step, the production cycle is significantly shortened, and energy consumption is reduced.
Second, the assembly utilizes Infrared (IR) Welding, a patent held by the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). Instead of using heavy metal rivets or bolts to assemble the rib’s T-shaped profile, the partners used IR welding to create a continuous, integrated composite structure. This approach eliminates the weight of fasteners and improves the overall integrity of the part. “This JEC Award rewards our commitment to advancing composite technologies for aeronautics. We believe in it: by combining innovative materials and advanced processes, we demonstrate that it is possible to combine performance, competitiveness, and reduction of the carbon footprint.”
, Dominique Bailly, R&D Director at Daher
The shift to thermoplastics and the elimination of fasteners has yielded quantifiable performance improvements. Data provided by Daher highlights the following metrics for the new wing rib compared to traditional aluminum or bolted metal assemblies:
The significance of this award extends beyond a single component; it addresses the “holy grail” of next-generation aircraft manufacturing: rate. As Airbus and Boeing look toward successors for the A320 and 737 families, they face the requirement of producing wings at unprecedented rates, potentially 75 to 100 aircraft per month.
Traditional thermoset composites, while light, are chemically slow to cure, creating a bottleneck in the factory. Thermoplastics, which can be stamped, melted, and welded in minutes, are widely viewed as the necessary enabler for these high-rate programs. By demonstrating that thermoplastics can handle the structural loads of a primary wing rib, Daher is positioning itself as a critical supplier for the “Wing of Tomorrow.” Furthermore, the use of induction welding (seen in their 2025 Torsion Box project) and now IR welding suggests Daher is building a diverse toolkit of joining technologies to eliminate rivets entirely from future airframes.
Sources: Daher
Daher Wins 2026 JEC Innovation Award for Thermoplastic Wing Rib
Breaking Boundaries in Composite Manufacturing
Collaborative Development
Technical Innovations and Process Efficiency
Performance Metrics and Environmental Impact
AirPro News Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
Photo Credit: Daher
MRO & Manufacturing
ASG Helicopter Services Launches Leonardo AW189 in Caspian Region
ASG Helicopter Services integrates the first Leonardo AW189 helicopter in the Caspian Sea region for offshore oil and gas support missions.
This article is based on an official press release from ASG Helicopter Services.
ASG Helicopter Services (ASG), a prominent aviation operator based in Azerbaijan, has officially integrated its first Leonardo AW189 helicopter into its fleet. The delivery, celebrated during a presentation on December 17, 2025, marks a significant operational milestone as the first aircraft of its type to enter service in the Caspian Sea region, covering Central Asia and the Caucasus.
According to the company’s announcement, this delivery is the first of two units ordered to support offshore oil and gas operations. The second unit is scheduled for delivery in early 2026. The acquisition was executed through a partnership involving ASG, the manufacturer Leonardo Helicopters, and Exclases Group, the exclusive distributor for Leonardo in the region.
The newly delivered AW189 has been supplied in a specialized offshore configuration designed to meet the rigorous demands of the energy sector. ASG Helicopter Services states that the aircraft is tailored for long-range transport and overwater safety, bridging the operational gap between the company’s medium-class AW139s and heavy-class Sikorsky S-92As.
The “super-medium” class helicopter features a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of approximately 8.3 to 8.6 tonnes and is configured to carry 16 passengers plus two pilots. Key safety specifications highlighted in the release include a main gearbox capable of a 50-minute “run-dry” operation, exceeding standard certification requirements, and a Full Ice Protection System (FIPS) to manage the challenging winter conditions of the Caspian region.
ASG Helicopter Services indicated that the introduction of the AW189 is part of a broader strategy to modernize its fleet and enhance service offerings for major clients such as SOCAR, BP, and TOTAL. By adopting the super-medium platform, the operator aims to provide a more cost-efficient solution for missions that require significant range and payload but do not necessitate the full capacity of a heavy helicopter.
Azer Sultanov, Head of ASG Helicopter Services, emphasized the importance of this acquisition for the company’s future operations:
“Next-generation helicopters represent a significant new era for ASG Helicopter Services. The integration of the AW189 helicopter into our offshore operations strengthens our capability to meet the evolving needs of customers in the oil, gas, and energy sectors, while ensuring the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational efficiency.”
The company confirmed that the aircraft has already received all necessary registration and airworthiness certificates from the Civil Aviation Authority of Azerbaijan. The arrival of the AW189 in the Caspian region reflects a wider global trend in the offshore energy sector: the shift toward “super-medium” rotorcraft. For years, the industry relied heavily on heavy helicopters for deep-water transport. However, volatility in oil prices and advancements in avionics have driven operators toward aircraft that offer near-heavy payload capabilities with the lower operating costs of a medium airframe.
By securing the first AW189 in the region, ASG positions itself as a technological leader in the Central Asian market. This move likely anticipates stricter safety standards from International Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP), which increasingly favor modern airframes equipped with advanced terrain awareness and run-dry capabilities. We expect this acquisition to place pressure on regional competitors to upgrade their legacy fleets to maintain contracts with international oil majors.
The AW189 is powered by two General Electric CT7-2E1 engines, providing the necessary power for long-range missions to remote rigs. According to manufacturer data referenced in the report, the aircraft includes a suite of advanced avionics designed to reduce pilot workload and enhance situational awareness.
ASG Helicopter Services, which already operates as an Authorized Service Center for Leonardo’s AW139 and AW109 models, will extend its maintenance capabilities to support the new AW189 fleet.
What is the primary role of the new AW189? How many passengers can it carry? When will the second unit arrive?
ASG Helicopters Services Introduces First Leonardo AW189 to Caspian Region
Operational Capabilities and Configuration
Strategic Fleet Modernization
AirPro News analysis
Technical Specifications and Safety
Frequently Asked Questions
The helicopter is configured for offshore transport, ferrying personnel and supplies to oil and gas platforms in the Caspian Sea.
In its current offshore configuration, the aircraft seats 16 passengers and 2 pilots.
ASG expects to take delivery of the second AW189 in early 2026.
Sources
Photo Credit: ASG Helicopter Services
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