Oceania Aviation Limited (OAL), headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, has announced that its Part 145 manufacturing division, Airborne Systems, has obtained the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certificate (STC) for its Airbus H125, AS350 and AS355 series cargo pod.

While dozens of Oceania Aviations cargo pods have been actively operating in New Zealand and Canada in heli-skiing, tourism, logging and routine utility operations; Airborne Systems managing engineer, Russell Goulden, is delighted that the much coveted FAA STC has finally been awarded after years of personal effort.

Goulden is no newcomer to developing specialist helicopter role equipment and his expertise has been recognized globally during the development of barrier inlet filtration, external hoisting and avant-garde agricultural spray systems. Goulden has led the Airborne Systems design of the worlds first H125 bike rack (also FAA approved), a H125 pilots seat slider (lateral) for VREF operations and spray systems for both the H125 and MD500 series helicopter.

The fully composite cargo pod utilizes state-of-the-art materials designed for strength and lightness and is the epitome of externally mounted cargo storage accessories for the left side of the H125 aircraft. The OAL cargo pod uniquely features the ability to carry 265 pounds (120 kilograms), complementing the highest internal capacity available.

Airborne Systems first gained Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (NZCAA) STC approval for its AS350 series cargo pod in December 2011, followed by the AS355 series in December 2012. Exploiting the U.S./N.Z. bilateral relationship and using the U.S./New Zealand Technical Implementation Procedures, attained the FAA STC on July 7, 2017.

Approvals for the Airborne Systems H125 cargo pod include the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, Transport Canada and now FAA.

Oceania Aviation is a New Zealand owned and operated business with a diverse suite of aviation solutions for fixed- and rotor-wing aircraft. These include aircraft sales, component overhaul, piston and turbine overhaul, maintenance, blade and composite repair, avionics install, and propeller overhaul.

Carrying a CAANZ Part 145, CAANZ Part 148, CAANZ Part 19F and European Aviation Safety Agency Part 145, Oceania Aviation also represents many leading aviation brands such as Robinson, MD Helicopters, Lycoming, Garmin, Continental Diesel, and Bendix King.

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Oceania Aviation awarded FAA STC for H125 external cargo pod - Vertical Magazine (press release)