LEADING YOUR LEGACY INTO THE FUTURE

Leading Your Legacy into the Future

Mission Statement Erickson is striving to become the recognized leader in

legacy helicopter support, providing integrated solutions to operators and OEMs for safe, sustainable and cost

effective operations.

“So what do you do?”

 • Where the OEM has discontinued product

enhancements/developments

• Where parts are scarce

• Where cannibalization is rampant

• Where new product is limited to the bare minimum  

 

“Does this sound familiar?” • In the 1980’s, Erickson began its journey to expand the Aircrane

market.

• The S-64 supply chain lacked OEM focus, leaving the only viable new parts solution to be military surplus.

• Overhaul and repair criteria were out-of-date and not an OEM priority, leading to extremely long Turn Around Times (TAT).

• Component MTBUR were far less than TBO.

This context started Erickson on its journey to develop a robust and scalable legacy helicopter support system.

 “The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of its Parts”

The Simple Solution;• “We need more parts.”

The Complete Solution: • Manage and overcome obsolescence • Address performance problems (reliable / better TBO)• Stabilize economics• Increase part availability and predictability• Enhance longevity, safety, and serviceability of parts and

components• Create a new legacy supply chain

We needed a new and complete solution, to create something new . . . a hybrid organization.

• A company that thinks like an OEM / yet nimble and responsive• Quality, airworthiness, reliability

• A company that operates like an MRO business• Cost sensitive, creative repair solutions, increased longevity

• A manufacturing business balancing vertical integration• Lead times, quality, costs, and inventory control

• A technical support organization• Resolve out of date technical challenges such as obsolescence and generate new

solutions

• An aircraft operator• Mission readiness, total cost of ownership, safety ,and reliability of operations

Do all of this in an out-of-production, low volume, high cost environment .

. .

The New Construct: Integration

 

Tipping Point • The new integrated hybrid Legacy Support system began to change

the direction of the S-64 program

• High level of aircraft availability (over 98%)

• The revamped supply chain began to deliver new parts on time

• Revitalized engineering efforts began to create improved reliability, and increases in TBO’s

• Improvements such as glass cockpit, autopilot, obsolete system replacements, composite rotor blade, increased aircraft availability

• Predictable costs reduced surprise burdens on the business

• It also began to generate additional market demand, breathing life back into this forgotten program

 

Programs were developed to redesign, reverse engineer, and modernize across the S-64 platform (examples)

• AFCS• Rotor blades• Fuel management• Torque systems• Glass cockpit

This environment parallels much of what we experience in the S-61 / Sea King world. Steps have been taken to remediate some issues, but it’s still not enough.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

 

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” (continued)

Necessary tools:• Updated supply chain including advanced semi-finished goods

strategies• New product upgrades• Reliability engineering• Forecasting • Maintenance planning• Improved maintenance practices, etc.

Necessary process:• If the OEM wants to ensure an on-going life for the product, it must

invest time in identifying the best legacy program support solutions possible.

• Consider partnerships with companies that specialize in legacy support.

• Operators should look within and recognize gaps such as forecasting or line maintenance.

 

“He Who Ignores History is Doomed to Repeat It.”  Erickson has sustained the legacy helicopter fleet of S-64 and CH-54 helicopters world-wide and will continue to do so.

For Sea King’s continued success, a legacy support system is the proven approach:

• A responsive supply chain• Active engineering initiatives• Fully trained operators and service providers• A continuous desire to improve the product• A sustainable proactive approach• A willingness from operators to rethink and question current

practices 

Sea King must be managed like a live program, by organizations that have the will, the experience and the knowledge to care for legacy programs.

 

  • Erickson has proven that it can be done with the S-64

• Erickson is applying this same program attributes to our other platforms

(S-61 / B-214 / SA-330J)

• We have committed our entire company to support legacy helicopter programs

We believe in giving new life to legacy products, as opposed to putting legacy products on life support.

Erickson : Leading Your Legacy Into the Future

Safe Sustainable Cost Effective

Erickson Legacy Helicopter Leadership

Questions?