VERTICON TAKES OFF
the 530N upgrades.” Robinson had a banner sales year in 2024,
especially for the R66, CEO Smith says, but key supply-chain issues hindered deliveries. For instance, he says the company could have delivered twice as many R66s in 2024 if not for the shortage of engines, which resulted from difficulty Rolls-Royce experienced with its supply chain. “It’s all connected, so we continue to work closely with our vendors,” Smith says. On the engine side, Safran was the winner, with
its engines selected for the new Robinson R88 and Airbus H140. Both engine variants are under- going development and certification in conjunc- tion with their new airframes. Pratt & Whitney Canada, Rolls-Royce, and
Safran engines will power
both aircraft announced at
VERTICON 2025, the Airbus H140
and the Robinson R88.
Safran reported higher demand due to increased aircraft sales. All three engine suppliers are boost- ing investment to meet the increased demand while continuing to battle supply-chain issues.
Supply-Chain Woes Despite devoting considerable resources to the problem, the vertical aviation industry continues to experience supply-chain issues. The silver
lining, however, is that OEMs and vendors are chipping away at these barriers, and the situation continues to improve. Key to the recovery has been manufacturers’ constant communication with suppliers about their future needs. Sikorsky’s Silva summarizes what most OEMs
are experiencing. “Demand is up, which means the consumption of parts, including those affected by supply-chain shortages, is also up,” he explains. “So while we’re recovering from supply-chain shortages, the demand is increasing faster. It’s a perfect storm.” Exacerbating the issue are the ongoing war in
Ukraine and sanctions on Russia that are limiting access to key minerals such as titanium and mag- nesium, forcing everyone needing those minerals to flock to remaining sources. Where a particular OEM gets its supply directly reflects the short- ages it’s experiencing. For instance, Nicolas Chabee, Pratt & Whitney
Canada VP of marketing and sales for helicopter engines, says his company is facing headwinds with forgings and castings. Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Cédric Goubet notes that while raw materials are no longer an issue, the company
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POWER UP JUN 2025
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