New supplemental type certificate (STC) projects are only one of the specialties of StandardAero, one of the largest independent maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers in the world.
The company delivers a full suite of rotary-wing services through its global helicopter division and is a leading MRO provider for the Rolls-Royce M250. StandardAero operates more than 50 facilities worldwide, with major shops located in North Carolina, Manitoba, and British Columbia. The StandardAero team — nearly 7,000 strong — prides itself on delivering thoroughly customer-centric service, going above and beyond day in and day out.
This year, StandardAero is continuing to invest in new STC projects at its airframe and modification facility in Langley, B.C.
“We will soon be expanding availability of StableLight to the European market for Airbus AS350 helicopters,” said Andrew Park, general manager in Langley.
StableLight, a robust and compact four-axis digital autopilot for light rotorcraft developed in close partnership with Thales Group, is a world first.
“We have worked closely with our European launch customer Heli-Austria, and we’re making steady progress toward achieving European [EASA] certification in addition to approvals in the U.S. [FAA], Canada [TCCA], Mexico [AFAC], and Brazil [ANAC].”
StableLight transforms the flight control experience with transparent stability augmentation that works precisely and without feedback to the control sticks. Features include stabilized climb, flight attitude recovery, and auto hover. The system drastically reduces pilot workload, helping to mitigate instances of spatial disorientation and controlled flight into terrain.
Park explained that StableLight is truly revolutionary in that it brings transport-category capabilities to an autopilot system designed for light helicopters. “Most importantly, it improves flight safety, especially for our many customers in HEMS and law enforcement,” he said.
Within StandardAero’s airframe business, 2025 marked the completion of a major military fleet refurbishment and upgrade program for the Tunisian Air Force. As part of the project, StandardAero Langley transformed six 1980s-era Airbus AS350 helicopters into modernized, purpose-built digital cockpit training aircraft in like-new condition.
The work included full D-level structural refurbishment and alignment of the fuselage and tailboom, repair and modification of composite canopies and cowls, and 12-year airframe inspections.
The aircraft also received a full suite of safety and avionics upgrades, including StandardAero’s crash-resistant fuel tank, autopilot system, glass cockpit, crashworthy pilot and co-pilot seats, and a range of mission-oriented equipment.
Expanding the STC portfolio
The StandardAero Langley team is also looking ahead to the upcoming certification of a new STC for Bell 212 and Bell 412 operators — a weight-reduction modification that delivers more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of savings.
Initially certified for FAA and EASA markets, the structural modification allows Bell medium operators to benefit not only from increased performance and payload, but also from reduced maintenance costs. StandardAero is sharing additional details on this STC during Verticon 2026.
Strengthening Engine MRO Capabilities
StandardAero has made significant recent investments in MRO resources to meet growing global demand. Throughput has been increased through new staffing, along with extensive onboarding and cross-training initiatives.
“While StandardAero has a rich 60-plus-year legacy supporting the Rolls-Royce M250 and Rolls-Royce RR300, we’ve added substantial capabilities across other OEMs and engine platforms,” said Ray Franczuk, interim vice president and general manager of helicopter programs. “StandardAero is now OEM-licensed to repair and overhaul approximately 75 percent of the helicopter engines in operation today, which is especially important for customers operating mixed fleets.”
A major MRO focus for StandardAero in 2025 was the Pratt & Whitney PW200 engine line, where technician signoffs have doubled.
“We’ve also improved our first-test-pass yield and successfully reduced gross turnaround time [TAT] for shop visits,” Franczuk said. “We have invested in overhauled exchange options to support expedited TAT, and we also maintain rental availability on the platform to help minimize operator downtime.”
In addition, approximately one year ago, StandardAero introduced an expedited TAT option for Rolls-Royce RR300 customers requiring a 2,000-hour preventive maintenance inspection. The program significantly reduces turnaround time by exchanging the turbine and time-expired line-replaceable units (LRUs), while allowing customers to retain their existing compressor and gearbox when found to be serviceable.
“Given the anticipated increase in forecasted shop events for the RR300, we have added RR300 MRO capability at our Concord, North Carolina, facility,” Franczuk said. “The first RR300 was inducted in Concord in November 2025 and underwent a rigorous first-article inspection process, supported directly by our expert team in Winnipeg. We’re very pleased to have added this additional capacity, which expands support options for our customers.”
With these advancements in place, StandardAero is positioned for a banner year. “From depot-level, in-fixture crash repairs on airframes and dynamic component repair to turbine engine overhauls across all major OEMs, our team continues to deliver high-quality, one-stop, nose-to-tail support for customers around the globe,” Franczuk said. “We look forward to providing second-to-none service this year and well into the future.”
This sponsored article was created by Insight magazine, the sponsored content division of MHM Publishing.
