What can two chief helicopter engineers do when the operator they work for shuts down? One option was to put their in-depth knowledge of rotorcraft maintenance and overhaul needs to work for other operators, particularly by offering a reliable, efficient source of helicopter parts.
This is what Laurie Saindon and Steve Reeves did in 2001, when they established Tempest Heli Parts in Prince George, British Columbia. Since then, the company has grown tremendously to encompass a wide range of helicopter-related support services. This growth includes recently opening a third location in Kelowna, British Columbia, to provide overnight delivery service to all of North America, and broadening its ownership to include Brent Marshall.
But the company now known as Tempest Aviation Group is still the go-to source for hard-to-find Airbus, Bell, and Sikorsky helicopter parts, and continues to put its focus on serving customers first.
“As veteran helicopter engineers accustomed to serving operator needs directly — and with 50 years’ worth of experience between us — helping helicopter maintenance people get the parts they need affordably and fast comes naturally to us,” said Reeves. “After all, we’ve been there. We personally understand the challenges and pressures involved with keeping helicopters properly maintained, and fixing them quickly when they break down.”
“Typically, junior people in helicopter companies find themselves handling parts procurement,” added Saindon. “That’s where Tempest can really make a difference. Steve, our crew of engineers with over 200 years of experience and I can not only identify what parts a customer might need for any kind of Airbus, Bell, Sikorsky, or Schweizer helicopter, but even know when someone new has accidentally specified the wrong part number — and catch the error before the order is filled. And if you don’t actually need a part to fix the problem, we’ll let you know before you buy.”
Tempest Aviation Group knows the helicopters it supports inside and out, including the parts on each of these aircraft that are most likely to need replacement during their lifespans. This knowledge guides the company’s inventory process: The parts that a Bell 412 needs most often are stocked in quantity, while the most rarely-but-sometimes-needed parts are also stocked, albeit in smaller numbers.
In fact, Tempest is so consistently accurate in its stocking predictions that several helicopter operators hire the company to advise on stocking in-house parts inventories for their own shops.
“That’s the benefit of experience,” said Reeves. “We know the parts that helicopter mechanics are most likely to need, and can get those parts for them ahead of time, preventing any downtime.”
The company’s relocation of its head office and warehouse to Kelowna, near Canada’s southern border, allows Tempest to ship parts worldwide in a swift manner. However, Tempest’s employees are more than willing to hit the road to get parts directly to customers anywhere, especially if those customers are dealing with an aircraft on ground emergency.
“Recently, one of our people drove a helicopter door handle to a film shoot in Vancouver,” said Saindon. “The film shoot was on a tight schedule and the helicopter’s door handle had broken, making it impossible to fly the aircraft safely and finish the shoot.”
That was considered a local delivery. But Tempest Aviation Group has sent technicians with parts all over the world to help customers repair helicopters wherever they may be grounded.
In addition to providing helicopter parts wherever and whenever required, Tempest Aviation Group offers custom parts fabrication in its state-of-the-art Kelowna and Prince George facilities.
“As well, if a customer is reconfiguring a helicopter from firefighting to oil-and-gas surveying and needs to make equipment changes, all they have to do is contact us with their equipment lists,” said Reeves. “We can assemble the configuration kits they need and ship those kits to them fast, saving their technicians the hassle of collecting those parts individually.”
Tempest is also an authorized dealer and distributor of Alpine Aerotech Bell-approved helicopter upgrade parts and inlet barrier filters from Aerometals (formerly FDC/aerofilters).
Beyond these services, Tempest offers a range of helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul services, pre-purchase aircraft inspections, and sophisticated helicopter repainting using the company’s cutting-edge paint booth and an aviation repainting expert with 30 years of experience.
“We are adept at handling logistics not just for helicopter parts, but also for complete helicopters,” said Saindon. “If you need a complete helicopter shipped from Calgary to Johannesburg, we can handle all of the details for you — from proper packaging and shipping to all the paperwork and payments that go with it.”
With a large staff of experienced engineers, Tempest Aviation Group is the logical choice for finding helicopter parts quickly and affordably, from people who know what they’re talking about.
“Keeping our customers flying is what we’re all about,” said Reeves. “That’s why we founded Tempest 15 years ago, and why we’re still here today. If you need the right heli parts and informed help, we’re the people to call first.”
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