Amman service centre boost for military

One of the military helicopter sector’s most commonly employed engines is to receive additional support with the opening of a new service centre in Jordan.

Late last summer, US aerospace giant Honeywell signed a licence agreement with Jordanian Aeronautical Systems Co (JAC) to set up the new facility in Amman. JAC personnel are in the final stages of training and obtaining OEM certification and the facility is already accepting the engines.
The facility is intended to allow Middle Eastern and African operators of types such as the workhorse Bell UH-1H Huey, the Huey II and attack helicopter AH-1H Cobra, to have their Honeywell T53 range of powerplants serviced without having to dispatch them to Europe or further afield.
There are an estimated 230-250 T53s in the Middle East and Africa, flying on approximately 200 aircraft, says Honeywell.
The new service centre will undertake a wide range of MRO services. “As the Middle East and Africa region continues to grow, we recognise the need to offer a more accessible regional repair and maintenance option,” said Honeywell Aerospace’s director, Middle East and Africa, Mosab Alkubaisy. “The new location means quicker turnaround and less downtime so [operators] can stay flying for longer.”
JAC CEO, Ziad Abuain, added: “In addition to the technical and practical benefits, we are investing in the local workforce and resources, which means reduced operational costs such as shipping.”
The JAC service centre is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) and the new agreement to service T53s builds on a long-standing Honeywell relationship to provide support for several types in the RJAF inventory.
A Honeywell spokesman said the US company had been assessing the marketplace and evaluating candidates for a new service centre for several years. It opted for JAC due to its experience in supporting the RJAF’s T53s and its track record of quality engineering and workmanship: “The two factors together made them an attractive option for Honeywell,” said the spokesman.
JAC will be able to handle depot-level repairs; it will use a network of approved specialist shops for non-depot level procedures.