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ACS Insight profile

Getting it right the first time

James Careless | April 27, 2017

Estimated reading time 4 minutes, 6 seconds.

At the end of the day, a helicopter is only as good as its rotor blades, especially with respect to the maintenance and repairs needed to keep them flying.

Advanced Composite Structures specializes in the repair of helicopter rotor blades--and more.
Photos by Empire Photography

Ensuring that main and tail rotor blades have the most effective, reliable repair solutions possible, along with overall cost savings for the end user, is the business of Advanced Composite Structures (ACS).

Established in 1988 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with facilities there and also in Florida, California, and an affiliation in New Zealand, ACS is dedicated to the preservation and repair of metal and composite helicopter blades, plus repairs to composite products such as cowlings, fairings and body panels.

Ensuring that main and tail rotor blades have the most effective, reliable repair solutions possible, along with overall cost savings for the end user, is the business of Advanced Composite Structures (ACS).

This independent shop works on a full range of helicopters made by Airbus, Bell, MD, and Sikorsky, as well as Schweizer legacy aircraft and fixed-wing corporate, commuter and jetliner aircraft for most manufacturer types.

“Even though we are a small independent shop, ACS has earned a world-class reputation for its work and service,” said Bruce D. Anning, ACS vice-president of technical operations. “We have achieved this by adhering to our mission of fixing problems, not symptoms. When you have your rotor blades serviced at ACS, you can be assured that the actual problem that brought you to us has been dealt with properly.”

This independent shop works on a full range of helicopters made by Airbus, Bell, MD, and Sikorsky, as well as Schweizer legacy aircraft and fixed-wing corporate, commuter and jetliner aircraft for most manufacturer types.

ACS’ emphasis on repairing what needs to be repaired properly the first time is the key to the company’s success.

Throughout its 28 years of providing independent services, ACS has been extremely effective in coming up with innovative ways to support its customers, resulting in reduced operating costs for those clients.

“Through our innovation, we have developed state-of-the-art bonding fixtures and electronic moment balance equipment that is second to none, while continual efforts focus on process improvements that set us apart from all others,” Anning said proudly. “We are compared to — not compared with.”

ACS' emphasis on repairing what needs to be repaired properly the first time is the key to the company's success.

In addition to this, ACS says it prides itself on the fact its products and services outperform any competitors with respect to longevity, adding another cost-saving benefit to customers.

“Many other independent shops have disappeared over the years, but ACS has grown, and in doing so, has  acquired  some of the  handful of rotor blade experts who exist in the world, each of whom have in excess of 35 years in repairing rotor blades,” said Anning. “We’re thriving because we provide world-class products and service at a fair and competitive price, year in and year out. We make money the old fashioned way–we earn it.”

If you would like to see your company featured in Insight, contact Derek Kast at derek@mhmpub.com.

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1 Comment

  1. Hats off to ACS. Advanced Composite Structures is a highly respected name in the industry.

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