The Forca Aerea Portuguesa crew for the first of six firefighting helicopters Arista Aviation is providing to the Portuguese Air Force arrived in Enterprise this week.
Michelle Mann ENTERPRISE -- It’s been a year in the works, but the first of six UH-60 Black Hawks ordered by the Portuguese Air Force is completed. It has been a true team effort, said Steve Soler, Arista Program Manager and liaison with the Portuguese government on the contract, as he welcomed pilots and supports crew members from the Forca Aerea Portuguesa to Enterprise Monday to accept the keys to the first of the six refurbished Black Hawks, now fully customized to provide firefighting service in Portugal.
The project is the first time the firm that specializes in modernizing surplus U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters has contracted with a foreign government. “This is a huge milestone for Arista,” said Daryle Pilkinton, Arista Vice President of Business Development, as he watched finishing touches put on the helicopters. “Every inch of the aircraft is touched and refreshed, customized to meet the customer’s needs.” People are also reading… Soler said Arista teamed with ACE Aeronautics from Guntersville to provide cockpits for the aircrafts and USATS from Titusville, Florida, for pilot training. Maintenance Training has been provided through Huntsville-based Pinnacle Solutions. “Through this partnership of companies we are satisfying the requirements of the Portuguese Air Force for an aircraft to use to help fight their fires, train their pilots, and then train their maintenance personnel,” said Soler. “Every aircraft we produce is custom-made.” Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula. Bordered by Spain on the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west and south, Portugal is the 18th largest country in Europe. Unfortunately, fires are a common occurrence, and while other southern European countries also fall victim to them each summer, Portugal is by far the hardest-hit. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny Studio The Portuguese Air Force signed a contract with Arista in October last year for six Sikorsky-built UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to boost its capability to fight wildfires. The contract includes the supply of material and tools, technical maintenance support until 2026, and training for six pilots and 21 mechanics. The UH-60 Black Hawk will allow transport of 12 firefighters and their equipment and has the capacity to carry up to 780 gallons of water, Soler said. “The helicopter is an extremely versatile aircraft, allowing it to be used in a variety of military, government and private sector operations,” said Soler. “Arista has taken these aircraft to the next level with instrumentation advancements and accessory upgrades, allowing the expansion of usability, and providing these workhorses second lives in many industries in addition to the firefighting mission of the six Blackhawks for Portugal, to include passenger and equipment transportation, police work, drug enforcement, air ambulance, traffic/weather reporting and high altitude observation.” Arista is an FAA Part 145 Repair Station and provider of MRO services regardless of the airframe, said Pilkinton said. “Arista specializes in depot level repairs, custom painting, custom avionics upgrades, structural enhancements, and other repairs as needed. Arista also offers airframe modification and retrofit into different configurations for a variety of industries.” Soler said the contract with the Portuguese Air Force includes the delivery of six aircraft over the next three years, training for six pilots and 21 mechanics, and five years of onsite maintenance and logistical support. With the addition of these helicopters, Portuguese Air Force aerial firefighting capabilities are greatly enhanced, as each Arista-modified Black Hawk will have the ability to quickly transport 12 firefighters and over 750 gallons of water to rural areas when needed. Arista Aviation was founded more than 10 years ago with the mission to provide a one-stop shop for our customers, said Soler. “Our leadership team and employees have been performing rotary-wing maintenance for over 40 years. “Every member of our workforce is highly skilled with a diverse array of backgrounds from FAA Airframe and Powerplant licensing, to military trained professionals,” he added. “For maintenance, modifications, or component overhauls, we are mission ready both here and internationally.” Tags The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Follow Michelle Mann Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
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