QAI Aviation has received an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate for a glass‑cockpit SPIFR retrofit on the Airbus H135/EC135, replacing legacy instruments with a modern single‑pilot IFR avionics suite. The STC enables approved single‑pilot IFR operations once the modification is installed and certified.
Discovered |
Briefing
Enables legal single‑pilot IFR capability on the Airbus H135/EC135, altering operational limits and crew requirements for EMS, law‑enforcement and corporate helicopter operators; related regulatory shifts on single‑pilot permissions are underway (single‑pilot commercial permissions).
Adds to a wave of aftermarket capability upgrades via STC work; operators should benchmark retrofit timelines, installation impact and costs against other recent aftermarket STCs (aftermarket STC activity).
Raises certification, training and compliance considerations as broader FAA avionics rulemaking (eg. the proposed 25‑hour CVR requirement) could trigger additional retrofit burdens and program planning for fleets (FAA avionics retrofit rulemaking).
Reported By
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QAI Aviation Receives Supplemental Type Certificate for EC135 SPIFR Modification • helicoptermaintenancemagazine.com
FAA approves QAI's EC135 SPIFR upgrade • rotorhub.com
