-T / T / +T | Comment(s)

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Columbia Opens Engine Test Cell at Aurora HQ

Columbia Helicopters President Mike Fahey and Chairman Nanacy Lematta officially open the engine test cell.
Aurora, Ore.-based Columbia Helicopters (Booth 7334) has opened its new turbine engine testing facility. Scheduled to be fully operational in late 2012, the facility will be used to test the Lycoming T55-714 turbine engine, which powers the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift fleet, as well as other engine lines.

 

View of Columbia Helicopter’s new engine test cell and control center in Aurora, Ore.  Photos courtesy of Columbia Helicopters
The building of the test cell allows CHI to provide “complete nose-to-tail maintenance on military Chinook helicopters,” says Scott Ellis, Columbia’s director of business development.

Ellis also notes that the new testing center will be much quieter, adding that, “We don’t expect our neighbors will even notice when the new facility is running.”


For more about recent activity from Columbia Helicopters, see the February 2012 print edition of Rotor & Wing. For news, photos and updates during and after the show, visit www.aviationtoday.com/rw/heliexpo2012

blog comments powered by Disqus