West Star Aviation says it is nearing completion of a total wing replacement on a Hawker 800A aircraft. This extensive project is being performed at West Star’s Grand Junction, CO, (GJT) MRO facility.
The aircraft had advanced corrosion on the wings, making repair uneconomical. West Star’s experience performing maintenance on Hawker aircraft allowed them to locate a replacement wing assembly, thoroughly inspect, and install it. The Hawker is approaching the flight testing phase, and is expected to return to service by the end of the year after interior refurbishment and paint work is complete.
“We are pleased to be able to provide our customer a more economical and technically sound solution to the corrosion problems with their aircraft. This project is a testament to the experience and skill of our Hawker team, ” said Kendall Kreiling, West Star’s Hawker program manager. “Not only did we find an economical solution, we prevented the aircraft from being permanently removed from service. We also upgraded the aircraft with API winglets,” Kreiling continued.
“Our experience with the Hawker airframe at our Grand Junction facility allowed us to work closely with both Textron and other DER engineers to ensure the aircraft meets all FAA standards for modification status, structural integrity, and quality for this wing replacement,” said Robert Lawson, Hawker technical representative, West Star Aviation.