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May 05, 2025 - An Essential Spare Parts Philosophy for AS350/AS355 Operators
Time in helicopter operations matters more than simply money: it impacts mission capability, safety and reputation. Maintaining operational readiness of Airbus AS350 Ecureuil (AStar) and AS355 Ecureuil 2 (TwinStar) aircraft families is paramount to operators' success. An Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situation can be more than an inconvenient distraction; it's often an irreparable system failure which affects services, delays logistics operations, and incurs unforeseen costs. At RotorLink Technical Services, we understand the stress you are under and the pressure they create. We take your needs and concerns seriously and offer support tailored to each industry sector we service. With decades of supporting helicopter operators across Canada, the US, and internationally, we know first-hand how proactive spare parts management can make the difference between seamless operations and costly delays. It doesn't stop at simply stocking parts. We offer AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 parts for sale.
Risk mitigation is at the core of any practical spare part checklist. Although it would be both physically and financially impractical to stock every possible component, a carefully chosen inventory of essential parts can drastically cut turnaround times for common maintenance tasks and unscheduled events. By anticipating probable requirements based on aircraft utilization, operating environment, component lifecycles, etc. Holding onto essential pieces at the right moments on maintenance floors could quickly turn a multi-day AOG situation into just hours of maintenance. However, this requires foresight, analysis, and in-depth knowledge about mechanical systems specific to AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 variants.
Consider rotable components - these items operate with an established service life or overhaul period or are economically repairable. These parts require substantial investments, yet their failure can cause downtime and disruptions to operations. Key examples are the AS350/AS355 series servo actuators for main and tail rotor servos. Hydraulic components play a vital role in flight control and, while generally reliable, are subject to wear that requires replacement or overhaul according to TSN (Time Since New) or TSO (Time Since Overhaul) requirements. Installing an emergency spare servo or starter-generator may save time when unexpected failure strikes and can eliminate lengthy repairs or procurement processes. Both units play vital roles in engine start and power generation needs. Hydraulic pumps and fuel control units (FCUs), though durable, have limited lifespans that should be managed closely to minimize operational downtime and save costly downtime costs for high cycle operations. Hydraulic pumps and FCUs fall within rotable components as well. Examining your fleet's component times and historical data can provide vital insight into upcoming needs, enabling early procurement before critical parts wear out or fail. RotorLink maintains an expansive inventory, including access to AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 parts for sale - often available immediately for shipping!
A supply of consumables and expendables, which include products used during routine maintenance tasks or with relatively short lifespans, is beneficial. While individually more affordable, their absence could prove equally disruptive as critical component failure. Consider a filtration system: fuel, hydraulic, and oil filters should be replaced regularly during scheduled maintenance to minimize downtime and extend service life. Any time you run short of certified filter types during scheduled service. This increases scheduled maintenance hours, which prolongs downtime longer than necessary. Seals, O-rings and specific hardware essential during specific procedures (high strength bolts & fasteners) often go unnoticed, yet they remain essential for maintenance and repairs. Imagine delaying an inspection panel closure because a necessary O-ring cannot be found! Navigation, anti-collision and cockpit illumination lamps are other common replacement items. Maintaining sufficient inventory levels of seemingly minor parts is as important in making maintenance schedules run efficiently and ensuring minor defects don't become grounding events. Our experience helps clients forecast usage rates based on operational tempo.
Troubleshooting the AS350 and AS355 aircraft's complex avionics and electrical systems requires careful analysis. Which sometimes require swapping out Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) to determine the problem. Even though keeping spare primary flight displays or GPS units may seem excessive to some operators, certain electrical components are often needed during unscheduled maintenance and need replacement immediately. Aircraft batteries typically have an anticipated service life, and performance degradation can affect starting capability and emergency power availability. Causing electrical problems to appear more quickly than necessary. Keeping a charged, certified spare battery on hand can resolve electrical issues quickly. Relays, circuit breakers and temperature/pressure sensors may occasionally break. While diagnosing their exact cause requires skillful evaluation of each component in question, having access to common electrical spares makes confirming diagnoses quicker while restoring serviceability. We have certified AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 parts for sale in avionics & electrical categories. Using unapproved or incorrect parts compromises safety & airworthiness.
Airframe and structural components require different considerations. Keeping stock of structural components such as tailbooms or landing gear assemblies would be impractical due to cost and storage considerations. However, certain items are more susceptible to wear and tear, environmental degradation or minor accidents than others. Windshields and windows that operate under demanding operational environments (e.g. utility work or flight training) may suffer pitting, cracking or delamination that compromises airworthiness or visibility. Access panels, inspection covers, and latches are frequently used and may wear down over time or become damaged from continued reliance. Keeping one handy can prevent expensive delays. Even seemingly minor damage or improper installation of panels can impact airworthiness and should be taken seriously. Fairings or non-structural composite parts might warrant consideration depending on their operating environment and potential for minor damage. Tail rotor drive shaft bearings need regular inspection and replacement intervals that you should plan for; anticipating these needs is important.
Engine spares often fall within specific engine maintenance programs or require special tooling. However, some accessories are easier to access for line maintenance and may become worn faster than expected; igniter plugs, chip detectors and sensors may all make good additions to an operator's spare parts list depending on maintenance capabilities and operating environments. Major engine modules should always coordinate with an approved MRO. However, having essential accessories on hand can facilitate quick troubleshooting or minor repairs more rapidly.
Assembling a spare parts list is no simple matter, as your strategy depends on many different variables. The size and composition of your fleet are primary drivers: an operator with multiple AS350B2s and AS355s will likely experience different demands, potential economies of scale considerations and operating efficiencies than an aircraft-only operator. Environment plays a tremendous role. Aircraft operating in challenging, remote, dusty or marine environments will experience different wear patterns and failure rates than aircraft in milder climates or providing corporate transport services. Mission type also plays a role; an emergency medical services (EMS) operator requires near zero AOG tolerance, so it should have more spares available than, say, a flight school operator might. Your maintenance philosophy and availability of reliable parts suppliers like RotorLink is another key factor. Our clients typically consult with us to assess these variables so we can provide a spare parts recommendation that balances cost against operational risk. Guaranteeing they have access to AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 parts for sale whenever needed.
Aviation's dynamic nature means that spares requirements can change frequently. The Airworthiness Directives or Service Bulletins issued by manufacturers or regulatory bodies often mandate inspection or replacement of specific components on short notice. As an operator, you have to stay on top of such directives or bulletins, which is key to meeting regulatory compliance and airworthiness obligations. Working with Rotorlink, who has the experience to understand these needs and offer compliant AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 parts for sale, makes your job easier.
A spare parts checklist should reflect your operational needs. This would require initial strategic planning, ongoing review based on operational data and maintenance findings, and a reliable sourcing partner. Continued investment is needed to maintain stocks of critical rotables, consumables, electrical components, and airframe components to keep operations running. While minimizing direct and indirect costs that arise, such as lost revenue, crew rescheduling fees, contract penalties or damage caused by AOG situations
RotorLink Technical Services goes far beyond simply offering parts. Leveraging our expansive inventory, global network and decades-long hands-on and management experience within the rotor wing industry, our goal is to support your operational requirements by meeting them effectively. As soon as an aircraft goes down, urgency becomes of the utmost importance, so our quality controls guarantee that every part, from small O-rings to major rotable components, is certified and traceable for easy procurement and installation. RotorLink provides access to an expansive inventory of AS350, AS350B2, and AS355 parts for sale, along with the expertise necessary for informed decisions about your fleet's spares program. We make the selection and purchasing processes easy and stop parts shortages from derailing your operations. Planning ahead and having a dependable supplier partner are keys to staying airborne. Talk with RotorLink about optimizing your spares strategy to maintain reliability in your AS350/AS355 fleet and maximize fleet readiness and availability.