Aircraft Propeller Service, LLC (APS, www.aircraftpropeller.com, Lake Zurich, IL), a global leader in aircraft propeller maintenance services, announced today that its Atibaia, Brazil-based facility (APS Brazil) has passed its regulatory audit and has been certified as a repair station by Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (COM Nr. 1605-41/ANAC). This certification, coupled with APS’ distinction as the only MRO in the Americas licensed to support UTC Aerospace Systems’ propellers with full capability for the overhaul of the 568F blade using proprietary compression wrap technology, gives APS Brazil a significant competitive advantage.
According to APS Brazil General Manager Fabio Renato Rossi do Nascimento, there were several steps, beginning back in August 2015, leading up to the facility’s ANAC Repair Station Certification. They included: the initial operational planning for the facility, signing the building lease in Atibaia, employee onboarding, training at APS and UTC Aerospace Systems sites, setting up the MRO shop and office infrastructure, purchasing tooling and equipment, and preparing diligently for the ANAC certification audit.
“While securing the ANAC certification was a team effort, a lot of the credit goes to our Quality Manager, Mauricio Mazzini, and Technical Manager, Felipe Franco da Cruz,” said Nascimento. “Mauricio was responsible for preparing the company to receive the audit team; developing and implementing the processes described in the ANAC Repair Station Manual;and ensuring the facility conducts operations in accordance with ANAC regulations. He made sure that our processes were accurate and that the knowledge and skills of our team members met APS’ high standards prior to the ANAC audit. His over 20 years of experience in aviation maintenance have been critical to our overall quality control and training departments.”
Nascimento also noted the role of Felipe Franco da Cruz in setting up the shop floor; ensuring that all essential resources were available for the audit and beating milestone expectations with respect to a Lean layout of tooling and equipment. “Felipe’s 15-year proven track record serving in the aviation maintenance segment on behalf of GOL Airlines, TAM Airlines and UTC Aerospace Systems were clearly instrumental in our ANAC certification,” added Nascimento.
APS Vice President of Sales and Marketing Dennis Santare stated that, “With the ANAC certification, APS Brazil is well-positioned to support all of the Brazilian ATR 42/72 and CASA CN295 operators – AZUL Airlines, Passaredo, MAP, Total, Flyways and Modern Logistics, as well as the Brazilian Air Force. We are committed to helping them improve their operational costs and reduce their transportation costs and repair lead times. We built this shop for them.”
To further shore up its market position, APS Brazil is currently working to gain EASA certification by the end of the third quarter of 2016, as well as working to be authorized by ANAC to be a service provider for third-party work requiring nondestructive testing, flame spray, painting and other operations. Nascimento added, “We also are looking for ways to broaden our support of the ATR fleets.”
More About APS
Founded in 1953, Aircraft Propeller Service, LLC (APS) is one of the world’s oldest, largest and leading commercial aircraft propeller MROs. In 2015, APS relocated to a 46,000 square foot facility in Lake Zurich, Illinois and extended its license to perform MRO services on UTC Aerospace Systems regional turboprop propeller systems in the Americas. APS also deployed OEM-proprietary Blade Compression Wrap technology, becoming the first third-party MRO licensed to perform any OEM-proprietary, asset-saving repairs and inspections involving the compression wrap processes on UTC’s 568F system. The 568F six-blade electronic control composite propeller system is deployed on the ATR family of aircraft. In 2016, the company opened a facility in Atibaia, Brazil, approximately 90 kilometers from São Paulo’s international airport and will also be opening a new facility at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia later this year.
APS serves as a one-stop-shop, handling in-house all blade inspections and repairs as well as repair of hubs, actuators and other components. Air carriers, OEMs, MROs, and asset managers worldwide have come to depend on APS for its competitive pricing, fast turnarounds, in-depth OEM technical support and comprehensive exchange pool. Today, APS serves over 800 customers, processes more than 5,000 flight-critical parts annually and sells an extensive parts inventory which it also repairs. The company holds key certifications and licenses; a testament to its high quality service and commitment to delivering the highest value and return on investment in every customer engagement. APS is a proven resource across key categories of regional turboprop MRO services, general aviation MRO services, parts sales and exchanges, technical support and Aero Technologies Governors. For more information, visit: www.aircraftpropeller.com or contact: 847-541-1133 (USA).
