Sikorsky is marking the first year of operations for its Stavanger, Norway-based forward stocking location (FSL). The Stavanger FSL supports the largest S-92 helicopter operating region in the world and provides quick access to materials and parts.

The event was attended by the mayor of Sola Ole Ueland, Sikorsky's commercial customers, off-shore oil union members and the OEM's commercial leadership.

Since it started to serve Scandinavian operators in September 2016, the FSL has averaged a response time of less than one hour for requests for parts. More than 1,300 different parts for S-92 helicopters are stocked in Norway.

“The forward stocking location in Stavanger is an important development in parts support that further increases our aircraft availability,” says area manager Heidi Wulff Heimark. “We have already benefitted considerably by reducing down-time. Having parts so close to where we operate improves our ability to react more effectively to unexpected and disruptive repairs that require parts, improving both our safety and operations.”

Senior VP of engineering and ops Dave Balevic adds: “The Sikorsky stocking locations in Aberdeen and Stavanger have been great assets in helping us reduce AOG downtime by placing critical parts within and close to our large operating regions. Because we no longer have to wait for parts to cross the Atlantic, we now potentially reduce AOG event downtime by as much as 50-60 per cent just by having the right part in the right place.”

The Stavanger FSL, co-located with a FlightSafety International full-motion S-92 helicopter simulator and a Sikorsky authorised customer support centre, recently expanded its warehouse from 3,200 square feet to over 5,000 square feet.