KEEPING TURBINES TURNING

The airline industry is experiencing a rapid period of growth following the COVID-19 pandemic. We take a look at Pacific Turbine Brisbane and speak to company executives about its soaring solutions

Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Kierron Rose

Pacific Turbine Brisbane (PTB), a Precision Aviation Group (PAG) company, is a gas turbine engine workshop and sales facility offering tailored solutions to its customers.

In addition to its large inventory of turbine engines and components, PTB customers benefit from the expertise offered by highly dedicated and experienced engineers, sales, and technical representatives.

In conversation with David Mast, President and CEO of PAG, we take a look at the soaring success of the group’s most recent acquisition.

“Over the past two years, we completed seven acquisitions which expanded our core capabilities in avionics, components, engines, as well as manufacturing, sub-assembly, and designated engineering representative (DER) services for fixed and rotary-wing aircraft,” he says.

“Each acquisition was strategically chosen for its expertise, reputation, and geographical location. Today, we have 23 locations and 20 FAA and EASA-approved repair stations worldwide. PAG’s focused attention on how to better serve our customers — and attract new customers — is a source of strength and growth for all our companies.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, PAG continued to expand its service capabilities, repair facilities, and inventories throughout its group of companies worldwide. While the aviation industry has grown each year post-COVID-19, expectations for even higher growth from now through to the end of the decade promise significant opportunities for all PAG companies.

“The last few years were hectic for the entire industry, but for PAG, it was also an exciting time,” Mast tells us. “We emerged from the crisis even stronger. Today, our global presence, customer-focused teams, facilities, and diverse maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities are among the best in the industry.”

“PAG’s global presence will give our customers a much broader platform of support,” adds Peter Cannon, CEO and General Manager of PTB. “It’s not just about building or repairing engines - it’s about keeping aircraft flying so that tourists reach their destination on time, miners get to their sites, skydivers get in the air, and agricultural teams get the crops sprayed for the season.”

Airline Expertise

Cannon has spent his life with aircraft. He started his career in 1989 as an aerospace engineer apprentice in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the UK, and always had a passion for all things aircraft related, reflecting on childhood summer holidays spent at air shows or travelling with the Air Cadets. After seven years as an RAF engineer working on the iconic

Ptb At The Core

Principal activities include:

• Specialist repair and overhaul of PT6A and TPE331 turbine engines at its dedicated Brisbane facility.

• Managing the repair and overhaul of engines at third party overhaul shops on behalf of its customers.

• Trading in spare parts for engines and components.

• Long-term engine management contracts for the above activities which provides PTB customers with a guaranteed efficient, expert, and timely service for all their engine and component needs. This also results in significant commercial benefits as customer cashflow is matched to their operational activity, ensuring better working capital management and peace of mind.

• Managing repair/overhaul and trading of non PT6A and TPE331 turbine engines and component parts.

• Short- and long-term aircraft, turbine engine, and turbine engine component rental, leasing, and finance.

• The addition of PAG’s four focused segments of avionics, components, engines, and manufacturing/sub-assembly/DER.

• PAG’s trademarked inventory supported maintenance repair and overhaul (ISMRO) service combines parts distribution with repair station support.