Global AirParts starts AW139 part-out

AgustaWestland AW139 landing on oil rig platform

Global AirParts, which specializes in spares for Sikorsky S76 helicopters, has started its first Leonardo AW139 part-out.

“The helicopter industry continues to face significant overcapacity with significant idle assets, many of which may never fly again. We have a proven track record of accurately identifying candidate aircraft for part-out and efficiently disassembling them to ensure those parts return to service fully inspected and certified by Transport Canada and FAA approved repair stations,” said Mike Pirang, founder and CEO of Global AirParts.

The company buys helicopters and then breaks them down into parts.

“The sum of the parts is greater than the whole in this market and we’re likely to see more of these. This particular AW139 would have required millions of dollars in maintenance to return to service, which is not economically viable in the current environment.  Whether main rotor blades or cabin interior liners, a far better use of capital resources is to make these parts available to operators worldwide by helping the industry recycle its aircraft and directly lower its operating costs,” said Pirang.

Pirang says they are looking at other models.