Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a major support-by-the-hour contract with DRF Luftrettung for the engines powering its H145 helicopter fleet, the engine maker said on Tuesday. The support-by-the-hour (SBH) contract covers in-service support and MRO for more than 90 Arriel 2E engines. DRF Luftrettung ranks as one of the biggest users of the Arriel engine in Europe.
Safran Helicopter Engines Germany in Hamburg will manage the program. The facility monitors and supports 300 helicopter operators in Germany, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, for a total fleet of 2,000 engines.
“This contract demonstrates the relevance of our SBH support model," said Mathieu Albert, Safran Helicopter Engines’ executive vice president for support and services.
“DRF Luftrettung is one of the major actors in helicopter EMS in Germany, and it is important for them to have the most efficient engine MRO and support model possible.”
According to Safran, SBH provides visibility on engine operating costs and smoothes financial flows, while making scheduled and unscheduled maintenance operations more flexible. SBH integrates with a range of high-value-added digital services such as Health Monitoring, Expert Link, and Online SBH. Today, SBH service covers 50% of Safran Helicopter Engines' engine flight hours.
“We have been using Safran Helicopter Engines in our fleet for many years now and they have become an indispensable part of our life-saving missions," noted Roman Morka, DRF Luftrettung's chief technology officer. “It is crucial for us to work with partners who we can rely on in all circumstances. Therefore we are very happy that in the future we will continue to profit from Safran Helicopter Engines' experience and reliable services.”
Based in Filderstadt, Germany, DRF Luftrettung ranks among the largest air rescue organizations in Europe. The helicopters and ambulance aircraft of the nonprofit organization operate missions from 32 bases at 30 locations in Germany.