Ace Aeronautics: Redefining the Black Hawk

In 2015, the creators of Ace Aeronautics laid out with an easy objective– one that has actually materialized in effective methods. The business intended to establish an up-to-date trip deck for Sikorsky UH-60 and S-70 Black Hawk helicopters, dealing with obsolescence concerns as previous united state Military airplane got in the civil market or were marketed to armed forces in Europe.

That vision was recognized in 2020 with the Federal Aeronautics Management (FAA) extra kind certification (STC) for the Ace Deck VL-60– a first-of-its-kind incorporated trip deck including the Garmin G5000H avionics collection. The instinctive trip monitoring system (FMS) brings the age-old Black Hawk right into the 21st century.

” This is still taken into consideration cutting edge,” stated Rich Enderle, Chief Executive Officer of Ace Aeronautics and a previous united state Military Black Hawk upkeep examination pilot. “They see it as a substantial upgrade from anything they have actually ever before run. Whatever changes from 1970s and 1980s innovation to, currently, the 2000s.”

Over the previous years, Ace Aeronautics has actually gotten and updated lots of Black Hawks, suitable them with the Ace Deck system– with Europe working as a main emphasis of the business’s procedures.

Austria ended up being the initial consumer for the Ace Deck VL-60, appointing upgrades for a preliminary fleet of 9 S-70A Black Hawks and later on including 3 even more with the united state Military’s Black Hawk Exchange and Sales Purchase (BEST) program.

In 2023, Ace Aeronautics protected a tender to give 3 Black Hawks to the Portuguese Flying Force, while additionally including 3 airplane for Ukraine and 12 weaponized Black Hawks for Slovakia, all sourced with the very best program.

” Every airplane we have actually provided– or are providing– in Europe is a bit various,” Enderle stated. “Yet they all share the base cabin, in addition to whatever mission-specific devices is required. Whether the goal is firefighting, search and rescue [SAR], or boundary protection, we can suggest the appropriate devices and after that customize the airplane to that consumer.”

The top quality of Ace Aeronautics’ job is improved deep understanding and years of experience with the Black Hawk system. Enderle started flying the airplane in 1982 and finished his army occupation 25 years later on.

” That is not uncommon for individuals I have helping me,” he stated. “I have people that were actions far from being chosen for the astronaut program with NASA, that are speculative examination pilots, program supervisors from the Military that ran the [Boeing AH-64] Apache programs, the Black Hawk programs, and the [Boeing] Chinook programs. A lot of our staff members have army experience, particularly when it involves programs, upkeep, and logistical assistance, that I assume collections us aside from a great deal of the others.”

Europe stays main to the business’s goal, driven in component by expanding need for Black Hawks in firefighting applications. The upgrade procedure is thorough, starting with called for upkeep, architectural examinations, and fixings.

The front runner G5000 incorporated cabin, in addition to engine and blades blade maintenances, develop the core of Ace Aeronautics’ repair program. The business additionally companions with professionals to incorporate positive infrared (FLIR) systems, firefighting storage tanks, exterior hoists, and any kind of various other mission-specific devices– consisting of tools systems.

” The airplane is so functional,” Enderle stated. “A Black Hawk can do anything. I can not think about a goal it can not be set up for– and [reconfigured] in an extremely brief amount of time.

” You can go from a weaponized system to logistics sustain or a SAR ability in mins, or at many a couple of hours sometimes. The flexibility of the system is what’s so enticing to global individuals today.”

In March 2025, Ace Aeronautics got to an essential turning point that highlighted the deepness of trust fund it has actually gained from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin business. Ace Aero ended up being a Sikorsky Authorized Client Assistance Facility for Black Hawk upkeep, repair work, and overhaul (MRO).

It was additionally called a licensed repair facility for heritage UH-60A+ and UH-60L designs.

” We’re the initial, and we’re the just one in the USA– which we’re really pleased with,” stated Enderle, that formerly functioned as upkeep leader at Ft Rucker Military base in Alabama.

” They connected to us as a result of the job we’ve done and asked, ‘What can we do with each other to make the heritage fleet much more lasting? Exactly how can Sikorsky sustain those drivers?’ They chose us to be the initial solution facility in the united state, and the only heritage repair facility on the planet.”

This brand-new collaboration is sustained by a specialist labor force of around 200 individuals at Ace Aeronautics’ center in Guntersville, Alabama– a number anticipated to expand to 250 within the following year.

Enderle approximates that 25 to 30 airplane will certainly travel through the MRO center annually, with the possibility for hundreds much more Black Hawks to get in the marketplace as they are relinquished united state army solution.

Ace Aeronautics is improved straightforward however effective concepts: sincerity, honesty, and a dedication to exceeding and past for its consumers.

” We understand Black Hawks, we do Black Hawks, and we would certainly like to aid you,” Enderle stated. “What can Ace do to aid?”

” Individuals that recognize me recognize that we’re major– we wish to aid them. Yet we additionally desire the connection to be greater than simply organization. We desire it to last longer than one possibility. We wish to be right here for the long run– to aid you run for many years, not simply for days.”

This funded write-up was produced by Understanding publication, the funded material department of MHM Posting

The article Ace Aeronautics: Redefining the Black Hawk showed up initially on Vertical Mag.