Ace Aeronautics: Build your own Black Hawk

This sponsored article was created by Perception journal, the sponsored content material division of MHM Publishing, on behalf of Ace Aeronautics.

When Wealthy Enderle sat down with staff on the Ace Aeronautics vacation social gathering in December 2023, he informed them the corporate can be hitting the accelerator arduous within the new yr.

“Our objective for 2024 is popping 16 plane refurbishments a yr, after which add to {that a} minimal of eight cockpits per yr,” mentioned Enderle, the corporate’s president and CEO. “Now we have 70 staff proper now and I’d prefer to be at 150 by the tip of 2024.”

Headquartered on the municipal airport in Guntersville, Alabama, Ace Aero prides itself on being a full-service useful resource for any rotary-wing wants — from upkeep, restore and overhaul (MRO) providers to airframe, avionics, paint, engineering and certification options. The corporate focus is at present the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter — a legacy platform that’s gaining renewed reputation in each civil and navy functions.

Ace Aero was based in 2015 by Frank Wallace and Darrell Kindley (the latter bought his curiosity to board chair Bob Caldwell in March 2023). The corporate’s basis was constructed upon providing a modernization plan and long-term sustainment program for the Black Hawk. The corporate obtained its begin with the Ace Deck VL-60 cockpit improve, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved supplemental kind certificates (STC) resolution which integrates Garmin’s G5000H avionics suite into the UH-60/S-70 household of Black Hawk helicopters. 

“Ace was based on that digital cockpit,” Enderle mentioned. “It was the catalyst that began all of it.”

Wallace, who’s at present the corporate’s govt vp, mentioned there are practically 5,000 Black Hawks deployed worldwide, with about 2,000 of them within the U.S. Armed Providers stock.

The remainder are scattered all through the world, together with about 500 to 600 extra protection helicopters which have been provided on the market.

“We take into account the marketplace for our Ace Deck cockpit is 1,000-plus plane,” mentioned Wallace, including that the corporate’s buyer ebook divides into about 75 p.c business and 25 p.c navy. To this point, Ace Aero has accomplished Black Hawk cockpit upgrades for Portugal, Ukraine, Austria, and a non-public operator within the U.S. Malaysia has additionally contracted for 4 Black Hawks with the modernized Ace Deck cockpit, with supply in 2024.

Enderle mentioned Ace Aero takes satisfaction in delivering a Black Hawk that’s personalized to a consumer’s particular mission necessities. The corporate’s three “your means” Black Hawk choices embody a base, refreshed UH-60 with the unique analog cockpit, new paint and preventive upkeep carried out; the Ace Deck VL-60 built-in flight deck that eliminates obsolescence points, reduces pilot workload and gives a path for simple future upgrades; and the Ace Deck VL-60 plus a mission pc that allows using FLIR, tactical maps, plane efficiency calculations, weapons administration programs, and many others.

“We are able to customise for the tip person as required,” Wallace famous. “That is among the advantages of the Ace Deck structure. Now we have bifurcated the flight vital features in order that once we add extra radios or tools, it doesn’t influence the operational flight program.”

Enderle mentioned that as 2024 unfolds, Ace Aero will proceed to spend money on the acquisition of plane that will probably be delivered to a base configuration, in preparation for eventual customization. At present, there are 14 Black Hawks within the hangar, in comparison with simply two final March.

“The place we’re going, I jokingly name it Ace 2.0,” he mentioned. “It’s kind of a reset in my view. Our plan now’s to amass plane, carry out a strong and thorough inspection, make any repairs, after which take all of the upgraded programs out there to us and apply them to the helicopter to fulfill the client’s wants — to offer them a secure, modernized plane.”

Enderle mentioned the corporate is at present creating a listing of upgrades out there for the Black Hawk. As an example, Ace Aero already holds an STC for a FLIR EO/IR mount on the helicopter, in addition to a blade fold package.

Along with its 110,000-square-foot (10,220-square-meter) Guntersville headquarters, Ace Aero additionally operates a 20,000-sq.-ft. (1,860-sq.-m) manufacturing store in Arlington, Texas. Regardless of its state-of-the-art services, Enderle mentioned it’s Ace Aero’s high quality individuals who allow its success. “The calibre of our senior management and our mechanics is second to none.” Guests to Heli-Expo 2024 in Anaheim, California, will discover Ace Aero at sales space #9039, with static shows in S63-S66. Enderle invitations present attendees to cease by to see the Ace Deck VL-60 cockpit improve and the FLIR EO/IR sensor mount, in addition to the UH-60 blade fold package, all developed by the corporate.

“Come by and see our engineering capabilities,” Enderle concluded. “It’s price a chat to debate your wants. We’re differentiating ourselves by investing in plane up entrance and preserving them in stock, guaranteeing that they are going to be out there shortly. We’re additionally providing blast and paint providers, and spares. Plus, we’re shopping for plane to reap parts, for operators all around the world. We are able to even provide UH-60 pilot and upkeep coaching by means of our partnership with U.S. Aviation Coaching Options Inc. in Titusville, Florida.”

From its early expertise upgrading the UH-60 cockpit with the Garmin G5000H, Ace Aero has remained targeted on delivering superior programs options to resolve obsolescence and functionality gaps. As the corporate accelerates into 2024, there may be definitely far more to come back.

The submit Ace Aeronautics: Build your own Black Hawk appeared first on Vertical Mag.