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Should I overhaul or exchange my helicopter engine ?
The key difference between overhauling your current helicopter engine and exchanging it for an already overhauled unit is one: availability. When choosing between an overhaul or exchange, it is also important to consider the average lead time. The usual lead time for a PT6T-3B engine (Power Section only) overhaul is somewhere between 30 and 60 days. When it comes to PT6C-67C, PW206 and PW207 engines it is not much different. If your mission profile or contract requires you to maintain aircraft availability at all times, and you don’t have a spare engine to bridge the gap, going the exchange route can be highly beneficial. While the overhaul managed by Optima Aero would typically allow for up to 20% cost reduction compared to a standard helicopter engine overhaul thanks to our preferential vendor agreements, volume discounts and large parts inventory, a readily available exchange PW&C engine is the perfect balance between cost control and availability. Built to your specific requirements and schedule, this option minimizes your downtime. Ultimately, you should choose the option that best fits your operational reality and benefit from the advantages each alternative brings with it.