News
Team JAS and Smyrna Air Centre join forces
April 17, 2012, Jacksonville, Fla. - Team JAS announced today the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Smyrna Air Center of Nashville. The purpose of the partnership is to develop a Supplement Type Certificate (STC) for installation of the GE Aviation H80 turboprop engine into Twin Otter 100 – 300 series aircraft.
April 17, 2012 By Carey Fredericks
Team JAS’ initial role in the development of the H80 STC is focused on assisting Smyrna Air’s engineering department with engineering and design services for the purpose of retrofitting the GE aviation engine to the Twin Otter aircraft. After completion and FAA approval, Team JAS’ long-term goal is marketing the new H80 conversion option to the Twin Otter fleet worldwide and creating consumer awareness about the value the new engine can provide.
"The entrance of the GE H80 engine to the Twin Otter community is an interesting prospect for operators whose only previous options were different derivatives of the Pratt and Whitney (P&W) PT6 engines”, said Team JAS President and CEO, Andy Sanfilippo. ”This partnership is consistent with our company’s mission of serving our customers with superior quality products and services. Our company’s focus on and development of new products is based on increased performance and reduction of overall maintenance expense. We feel the H80 shows great potential from that perspective.“
Smyrna Air Center is already well known for their King Air Power90 Upgrade program with the GE Aviation M601 engine in addition to their existing line maintenance, removals and re-installations of engines and LRUs and engine spares for the H80 engine families. Through an existing partnership between Smyrna Air and GE Aviation, Smyrna Air Center currently receives comprehensive material support and training direct from the OEM. This strategic alliance brings together a winning technical support team from all participants.
"Smyrna Air Center has shown a strong commitment to GE Aviation's M601 and H80 turboprop engines with its Power90 King Air conversion," said Paul Theofan, President and Managing Executive of GE Aviation Czech s.r.o., a wholly owned subsidiary of GE Aviation. "As an Authorized Service Center for M601 and H80 engines, Smyrna Air Center provides our customers with high-quality maintenance services in North America."
The H80 is superior to the PT6 in several ways, including more power and increased efficiency. The H80 reaches a power range of 800 shaft horsepower (SHP) in comparison to the 550 – 680 SHP of the P&W installed PT6. Another important advantage of GE’s H80 engine is its hot day performance; considered by many to be one of its more significant features and reason to upgrade.
Team JAS and Smyrna had a demonstration model of the H80 engine available for Twin Otter operators to see firsthand at Team JAS’ booth during the de Havilland All Operators Forum, hosted by Viking Air Ltd.
