The certification represents the third regulatory agency to certify the solution, in addition to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The StandardAero/Robertson CRFT features a durable composite material container that is strategically reinforced in the most susceptible areas, allowing distribution of impact loads in the event of an accident. The CRFT is fully compliant with stringent Part 27.952 fuel system crash resistance requirements both with and without cargo swing/hook equipment installed. This achievement demonstrates the intentional design process which evaluated a number of real-life external threats to ultimately produce an exceptionally robust fuel tank to reduce the threat of post-crash fires in a wide variety of emergency landing scenarios.

“With nearly 600 AS350’s flying in Canada, roughly 75 per cent of which are legacy variants for which no other CRFS solution exists, there is a clear safety gap which we are intent on addressing, so we are extremely pleased to now have a certified solution in Canada to begin retrofitting these aircraft,” said Elvis Moniz, StandardAero’s Vice President of Business Development for Airframe and Avionics Solutions. “Canadian operators have established these legacy aircraft as proven workhorses for the susceptible, low-level utility and tour flying that the majority of these machines perform, which is very unique to the region and presents a distinct challenge in terms of crew and passenger safety. In order to maintain their value, these older machines must remain competitive with newer aircraft being delivered into the market which come standard with CRFS technology. The StandardAero and Robertson CRFT provides a solution to extend the lifetime of our customers’ legacy fleets with modern, lifesaving technology which is becoming the standard for civilian helicopter operations worldwide.”