Leonardo to support PHI’s AW139 helicopters with new Special Component Plan
Leonardo Helicopters and PHI Group (PHI) have agreed a long-term deal to support the operator’s AW139 fleet. The new Special Component Plan (SCP) will bring PHI’s AW139 helicopters into the OEM’s Powered-By-The-Hour (PBH) agreement. Providing helicopter transport for energy, search-and-rescue (SAR) and air medical transport missions, the operator flies a fleet of 20 AW139 and AW109 aircraft.
The Parts-By-The-Hour scheme offers global coverage using a data-driven approach to improve efficiency, fleet management and standardised capital budgeting, according to the OEM. Its digital services are based on constant data monitoring, gathering and analysis, diagnostics and predictive maintenance services as well as smart assistance.
The new agreement, the first SCP in the US, will provide coverage in PHI’s three main operating regions: Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). The deal will help “mitigate cost uncertainty and standardise maintenance expenses that are more directly correlated to flight hours”, said the company. Key ingredients of the plan are said to be better configuration control, a forecast of the fleet behaviour and optimisation of the overall asset management.
Drawing on the new Diagnostic Services Tower based in Sesto Calende, northern Italy, combined with a renewed Fleet Operations Centre, the service is designed to build a full picture of global fleet data. The Special Components Plan will enable the collection of real-time information about aircraft status and use, material service enhancement to best manage spares, analytics for data-driven training and flight operation optimisation.
Vittorio Della Bella, senior vice president, Customer Support Services and Training, Leonardo Helicopters said: “We’re extremely pleased with the decision of PHI to come back to us to guarantee comprehensive support and maintenance coverage for their AW139 and AW109 fleet. The range of service plans and digital services we’ve developed in-house in recent years, designed around our latest generation helicopters featuring significant growth potential, provides second-to-none advantages, efficiency, low risk and high service customisation.”
Keith Mullett, MD – PHI Aviation said Leonardo has presented an innovative new approach to the legacy cost-per-hour agreements. “This new PBH agreement will not only help control costs but also improve material dispatch reliability, allowing PHI to continue providing safe and reliable aircraft for our teams, our passengers and our customers.” PHI operates a fleet of more than 200 helicopters spanning six continents.
Meanwhile, pictured are two AW139 helicopters from Miami Dade County, Florida in emergency medical services (EMS) configuration.
