TEHRAN – Despite international sanctions that have limited access to aviation components, Iranian national experts have successfully performed a complete engine overhaul with the BK 117 helicopter.
Hossein Poafarzane, head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority, announced the achievement on Monday, describing it as an unprecedented domestic feat due to years of intensive and complicated efforts.
According to Pourfarzaneh, the initiative was launched after the original helicopter manufacturer refused to cooperate and even refused to cooperate with the engines that Iran had sent for maintenance. He emphasizes the important importance of this self-sufficiency as engines constitute a large part of the aircraft’s value, and states that the local ability to repair and produce spare parts for engines is essential for the country’s aviation sector. His comments were reported by the official IRNA news agency.
The BK 117, a medium-sized twin-engine helicopter primarily used for emergency medical services, is a joint product of Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Airbus helicopters. The overhaul project was carried out by Iranian engineering company Mapna, which oversees many advanced national projects.
US sanctions have prevented Iran from obtaining foreign technology and parts, but the country is maintaining its aviation business. We’ve even started offering maintenance to international airlines. It was reported last year that Russian aerofrotto sent western-made aircraft to Iran for repairs. Furthermore, by the second half of 2024, Iranian aviation authorities declared that they had mastered the skills needed to produce spare parts for Boeing and Airbus Jet engines.