SAEDNEWS: Iran says its local technicians have managed to carry out a complete overhaul of the engine of the BK 117 helicopter amid sanctions that restrict the country’s access to aviation parts and technologies.
Iran’s civil aviation chief Hossein Pourfarzaneh said on Monday that the local overhaul of the BK 117 engine was a first of its kind in Iran, saying the project was the result of several years of intensive and complicated work inside the country.
According to Press TV, Pourfarzaneh said Iran decided to start local repair operations on helicopter engines after certain countries, where manufacturers of those helicopters are based, refused to cooperate and even confiscated engines sent by Iran for repair.
“The engines are a major part of an aircraft or helicopter’s value, and the local capability to repair and manufacture its spare parts can play a significant role in the aviation economy of the country."
A joint product of Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Airbus Helicopters, the BK 117 is a medium-sized, twin-engine helicopter mostly used for emergency services.
Iran’s engineering company MAPNA, which is in charge of many high-technology projects in the country, has carried out the overhaul project involving BK 117 helicopter engines.
Iran has managed to keep its aviation fleet afloat despite sanctions that ban the country’s access to foreign technology and spare parts.
The country has even provided aircraft maintenance services to foreign airlines, with reports last year showing that Russia’s largest airline Aeroflot had sent one of its Western-made jets to Iran for repair.
Iranian aviation authorities also said in late 2024 that the country had mastered the technology needed to manufacture spare parts for the engines of Boeing and Airbus jets.
