Rapco:
The Dogged
PMA Manufacturer
Rapco Brakes
Rapco means ‘Replacement Aircraft Parts Company’. It is not a hip-hop
record label, but it’s music to many operator’s ears for cost savings
By James Careless
B
y replacement parts, Rapco airflow, and a reconfigured rotor with buy were expensive OEM parts. ‘Why
means PMA’d components. These optimized vane slots for maximum doesn’t somebody else make this?’
FAA-approved parts are designed pump life...When we make a PMA’d his customers would complain, and
to replace OEM spares, providing part, we try to make something that he had to agree with their complaints.
equivalent or better performance at a offers more than the OEM original,” says When the OEM is the sole source for
lower price. Rusty Keagle, sales manager for Rapco a part, there is nothing to stop them
Since being founded in 1982, Rapco Fleet Support. “Although price matters, from charging too much and delivering
Inc and sister company Rapco Fleet aircraft operators also want better parts poor customer service. That was often
Support (RFS) have been designing, if they can find them, with the most the case for his customers; particularly
manufacturing and selling PMA’d parts. common request being longer cycle life when it came to price: They were
Check their online catalogs at www. – more landings per heat stack. ” getting pummeled.
rapcoinc.com and
www.rfsbrakes.com, “In fact, the only reason we exist
and you will find PMA’d vacuum pumps, Why Rapco? is due to the OEMs’ refusal to sell
aircraft filters and gaskets, fuel pumps, Why indeed? Why did Rapco chairman replacement parts at a reasonable
aviation brake components and de-icing Mike White, who co-founded the price,” he concludes. “They made this
components, among others. company with Gary Gaylor, decide market for us, and the demand for
You will also find Rapco explaining to launch a company that now has PMA’d parts would not exist without
how it has made its PMA parts better a combined 60,000 square feet of their help.”
than the originals. Take vacuum pumps: manufacturing space in Hartland, This demand spurred the creation of
according to the company, their Wisconsin and a combined workforce Rapco for general aviation, followed
PMA’d pumps incorporate “significant of over 50 people? “It was a result of by RFS to serve larger corporate and
improvement which include: a wear port my father being a traveling aircraft parts commercial aircraft. Today, Rapco makes
to determine vane wear, cooling fins to salesman,” Rapco president Pat White parts for smaller planes such as smaller
reduce temperature and increase life, replies. “He makes a habit of listening to Beechcrafts, Cessnas and Pipers; among
a coated cavity to reduce friction, laser people, and he noticed that they were others. Meanwhile, RFS makes brake
precise ports to provide unmatched generally unhappy when all they could parts for Hawkers, Falcons, Learjets, and
Aviation Maintenance |
avmain-mag.com | December 2009/January 2010 37
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