Line Maintenance, Removals, Re-installations Part Of The
Package
Solo Aviation in Venezuela has signed an agreement with GE
Aviation to become an Authorized Service Center for the M601 and
H80 turboprop engines.
As part of the agreement, Solo Aviation will offer comprehensive
line maintenance, removals and re-installations of engines and LRUs
and engine spares for the M601 and H80 engine families. GE Aviation
will provide Solo Aviation with comprehensive material support and
training.
"Solo Aviation has offered M601 engine maintenance,
airworthiness extensions and spare parts sales to operators in
Venezuela, Colombia, Central America and the Caribbean, and has
helped contribute to the M601 engines' reputation as the ideal
heavy duty engine for unique conditions in the region ," said Paul
Theofan, president and managing executive of GE Aviation's Business
and General Aviation Turboprops. "As the H80 engine nears entry
into service, we are looking forward to growing this partnership
with Solo Aviation, supporting the next generation of aircraft
engines in this region."
M601 Engine
Formerly know as Hangar 4, Solo Aviation Systems C.A., based in
Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela, is an engine maintenance and services
provider for more than 30 years - attending to a wide range of
aircraft models in private, corporate and commercial aviation. Solo
Aviation's highly experienced team provides maintenance and
services for M601 engines installed on L410 aircraft. Currently,
Solo Aviation, which also includes Aircraft Industries Service
Center, carries out bulletin modifications to improve the L410
aircraft, in accordance with EASA.
In addition to Solo Aviation support in the region, Premier
Turbines was selected in 2009 as a Designated Repair Center in
South and North Americas for GE's M601 and, once in service, the
H80 turboprop engines. As a Designated Repair Center, Premier
Turbines offers heavy repair services, full test capabilities,
exchange engines and rentals, line replacement unit rotable pools
and field service support to all existing and future M601 and H80
engines in the Americas region. GE Aviation provides the necessary
OEM parts to meet Premier Turbines' needs.
H80 Engine
GE Aviation's Business & General Aviation Turboprops has
more than 1,600 M601 engines in service that have accumulated more
than 17 million flight hours on 30 applications. The H80 engine is
undergoing certification testing and will power business and
general aviation, utility and agriculture aircraft. The H80 engine
combines the elegant, robust design of the M601 engine with GE's
3-D aerodynamic design techniques and advanced materials to create
a more powerful, fuel-efficient, durable engine compared with the
M601 engine, with no recurrent fuel nozzle inspections and no hot
section inspection. The H80 engine will also feature an extended
service life of 3,600 flight-hours or 6,600 cycles between
overhauls, significantly enhanced hot-day takeoff performance and
high-altitude cruise speeds. The H80 will provide the option of a
single- or dual-acting governor, allowing customers flexibility in
propeller selection. The engine will power the Thrush 510G
aircraft.