Having just completed the move of its headquarters and manufacturing facility into a structure nearly twice the size of its previous home, Ronkonkoma, New York-based aviation seating manufacturer East/West Industries is expanding, while other companies in the industry are scaling back. In operation for nearly five decades, the company also plans to increase its workforce of 75 by 40 percent over the next three years to meet demand. Its new facility features a 3-D printing lab, high-speed machining and other innovations that will reduce product development lead time.
In addition to many military support programs, the family-owned business produces passenger seats for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, delivering more than 250 to the airframer since the program began. The seats come in two varieties, VIP and utility, and are designed to be changed in less than 30 seconds each, according to Joe Spinosa, the company’s vice president for business development, leading some customers to order two ship sets per helicopter. Both are on display at the company’s booth (10337) and examples of the VIP versions are installed in the Bell 505s on the exhibit hall floor at Heli-Expo.
While this year’s production rates for the seats will depend on Bell’s output, Spinosa expects to deliver at least 75 shipsets of the lightweight, energy-attenuating seats in 2017, for Bell's replacement of the 206 model. “Today’s modern helicopters are capable of flying missions that can last six to eight hours, and helicopter flight can be fatiguing,” noted Spinosa. “Superior seating is more important than ever for commercial and military missions.”
Also on display this year at the company’s booth is its portable ground service “Master Crane,” which is becoming popular among maintenance provides and operators.