Schweizer this week completed the first helicopter of its new OEM Certified Helicopters Program. The completely refurbished S300CBi includes a new engine, blades, interior, paint, and low time components. Priced below the cost of a new model, like new aircraft offer customers a more affordable option in helicopter ownership.

“The former owners of the Schweizer brand did not maintain parts availability, leaving a number of aircraft to be cannibalized,” said Schweizer President and CEO David Horton. “We created our new OEM Certified Helicopters Program to help bring the fleet back to life and provide a more affordable way for customers to get into helicopter ownership or upgrade to a new helicopter.”

Schweizer’s OEM Certified Helicopters Program is the only one of its kind in the industry. With the program, Schweizer accepts older Schweizer aircraft, regardless of their airworthiness, for intensive inspections, repairs, and component replacement. Customers can trade in their older Schweizers for either a discount equal to the value of the aircraft on a new helicopter or receive a percentage of their aircraft’s sale price when Schweizer sells it after it completes the program.

Once at Schweizer, traded-in aircraft are evaluated and moved into one of two categories in the OEM Certified Helicopters Program – OEM Certified Refreshed Helicopters or OEM Certified Refurbished Helicopters.

OEM Certified Refreshed Helicopters 
Refreshed helicopters are relatively low time aircraft requiring few repairs and/or part replacements. These aircraft undergo an intensive OEM inspection. Parts and components needing replacement or are nearing life limitation are replaced and full 400-hour, 800-hour, annual, and 24-month inspections are conducted. The aircraft are also professionally detailed inside and out with blemishes repaired. Each OEM Certified Refreshed Helicopter comes with a 1-year/1,000-hour warranty on parts replaced or repaired by Schweizer and can be customized to the customer’s specifications before leaving the factory.

OEM Certified Refurbished Helicopters
OEM Certified Refurbished Helicopters receive a much deeper inspection, repair, and replacement process. These aircraft receive new or overhauled engines, new blades, component replacements where needed to ensure overall low time components, a completely new interior, and fresh paint. Avionics are entirely customizable to a customer’s request. The aircraft also undergo full 400-hour, 800-hour, annual and 24-month inspections. Like refreshed helicopters, refurbished helicopters come with a 1-year/1,000-hour warranty on parts replaced or repaired by Schweizer.

The Schweizer OEM Certified Helicopters Program is in full operation and available to anyone wanting to trade-in an older Schweizer for a new one or have a Schweizer they own certified and sold by Schweizer.