Oceania choppers cleared for takeoff after safety concerns

Twenty-one of its helicopters were immediately grounded due to safety concerns. Photo / 123RF

Oceania Aviation says it has addressed Civil Aviation Authority concerns that grounded 21 helicopters in March over safety issues related to their Rolls Royce turbine engines.

A CAA audit of Oceania, one of the country's largest aviation service firms, discovered problems with the firm's repair and overhaul standards of the Rolls Royce/Allison 250 series turbine engines, commonly used across the Bell Jet Ranger and Hughes 500 series helicopters. Oceania is owned by Salus Aviation.

The review identified a total of 41 engines currently in operation - including 25 in New Zealand and 13 in Australia - that had been "maintained incorrectly," according to CAA director Graeme Harris.

Twenty-one helicopters were immediately grounded due to safety concerns based on "departures from Rolls Royce approved engine maintenance instructions that adversely affect the airworthiness of the engines," the CAA said in March.

Harris said the primary issue related to "unauthorised drilling and grinding work" on safety-critical components within the engine compressor section.

Oceania, which also operates in the US and across Australasia servicing aircraft operating across tourism, forestry and agriculture, said it has reopened its turbine repair facility at Auckland's Ardmore Airport having addressed the CAA concerns in relation to the RR 250 engines.

After operating under CAA-enforced "temporary workflow restrictions" from March, the firm had applied for an initial wage subsidy for 75 workers, receiving $503,301 in wage supplements. More recently it qualified for the extended subsidy, on the basis of at least a 40 percent decline in revenue, for its 50 remaining employees who will receive $232,433 under the covid-19 support scheme.

Oceania chief executive Nick Mair said with CAA confirmation, reopening the turbine repair service helped provide "a level of reassurance to our clients and helping us to continue the critical support role we play in supporting thousands of aviation businesses throughout the Asia Pacific region."