Does Sikorsky care about its customers ?
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 118
Sikorsky- spares support a joke
From those in the know is Sikorsky's spares support normally bad ?
I run threee schweizers just asked for 30 items for a couple of annual inspections coming up, here are the lead times
1.tailboom after 4 weeks factory comes back with 75 day lead time
2.M/R drive shaft they have no idea when one is available
3.M/R chip detection kit no idea of a lead time
about another 10 items they either cant give a lead time or it is 10 to 40 days
When I complained to the factory got a reply and promised communication, then to be told the contact was going away on holiday, 10 days later still havent heard a thing.
Is this what I have to put up with now ? Just like to know, if this is the support given will be changing manufacturers.
Thanks in advance
I run threee schweizers just asked for 30 items for a couple of annual inspections coming up, here are the lead times
1.tailboom after 4 weeks factory comes back with 75 day lead time
2.M/R drive shaft they have no idea when one is available
3.M/R chip detection kit no idea of a lead time
about another 10 items they either cant give a lead time or it is 10 to 40 days
When I complained to the factory got a reply and promised communication, then to be told the contact was going away on holiday, 10 days later still havent heard a thing.
Is this what I have to put up with now ? Just like to know, if this is the support given will be changing manufacturers.
Thanks in advance
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 392
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From: UK
I hope they do pull their finger out as I'm 'piggy backing' your order.
Probably not unique to Sikorsky/Schweizer though. Why do so many helicopter companies treat their customers so poorly?
I ran a 269C for several years - lovely helicopter and no issues, but got the few parts I needed from Ed Brown at Helimart. Great helicopters and, as you know, now buying another, so I hope parts support is not an issue.
What we lack in the UK is a first class Sikorsky/Schweizer Agent. In fact, I don't even know who the UK Agent is
Probably not unique to Sikorsky/Schweizer though. Why do so many helicopter companies treat their customers so poorly?
I ran a 269C for several years - lovely helicopter and no issues, but got the few parts I needed from Ed Brown at Helimart. Great helicopters and, as you know, now buying another, so I hope parts support is not an issue.
What we lack in the UK is a first class Sikorsky/Schweizer Agent. In fact, I don't even know who the UK Agent is
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 118
Does Sikorsky care about its customers ?
Guys and Gals are others having problems Sikorsky's lack of customer support ?
Have been trying for 4 months to get updates from them for S 300's to no avail !
Just discovered that They have put up their prices something terrible, TR pitch link , last year of Schweizer $ 360 now $ 1275 !!!!!!! not a bad mark up.
As for lead times they are talking the next millennium for some parts
Can anyone PM me with the last couple of FM updates please
Have been trying for 4 months to get updates from them for S 300's to no avail !
Just discovered that They have put up their prices something terrible, TR pitch link , last year of Schweizer $ 360 now $ 1275 !!!!!!! not a bad mark up.
As for lead times they are talking the next millennium for some parts
Can anyone PM me with the last couple of FM updates please
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 346
Likes: 4
From: LOWW
They just need planning 
Head of nearby FTO ordered the MR shaft one year in advace. Some months in, not getting any advance delivery notification he fired up some overseas lawyer (dunno what for, threatening them 
maybe) and voilá the shaft appeared right when the 300C needed it, e.g. 12 months after ordering.
We customers wouldn't notice any significant downtime, maybe a week to do the replacement. As he operates two of them we could lease on happily.
Apparently one needs some legal support with Lycoming, too. Inferior post overhaul engine is back to the States for proper overhaul this time.
Together with what I hear here in Rotorheads about EC my picture of small enterprises owning only a couple smaller machines is they are getting screwed by their suppliers as if they were a nuissance.
Personally I don't really understand why for instance Sikrorsky bought the Schweizer line when they don't really want to attend to it.
Head of nearby FTO ordered the MR shaft one year in advace. Some months in, not getting any advance delivery notification he fired up some overseas lawyer (dunno what for, threatening them maybe) and voilá the shaft appeared right when the 300C needed it, e.g. 12 months after ordering.We customers wouldn't notice any significant downtime, maybe a week to do the replacement. As he operates two of them we could lease on happily.
Apparently one needs some legal support with Lycoming, too. Inferior post overhaul engine is back to the States for proper overhaul this time.
Together with what I hear here in Rotorheads about EC my picture of small enterprises owning only a couple smaller machines is they are getting screwed by their suppliers as if they were a nuissance.
Personally I don't really understand why for instance Sikrorsky bought the Schweizer line when they don't really want to attend to it.
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 898
Likes: 0
From: Do I come here often?
Sir Korsky;
Spot on!! A visit to Coatesville will depress you more than you can imagine. Airbus/EC may charge like a wounded rhino, but at least the parts arrive/the aircraft are certified on time (not three years late)/ the aircraft will be delivered very close to the date they give you when you sign the purchase contract.
God knows what happened to Sikorsky, but they are in a serious muddle now.
SND
Spot on!! A visit to Coatesville will depress you more than you can imagine. Airbus/EC may charge like a wounded rhino, but at least the parts arrive/the aircraft are certified on time (not three years late)/ the aircraft will be delivered very close to the date they give you when you sign the purchase contract.
God knows what happened to Sikorsky, but they are in a serious muddle now.
SND
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania, USA
S300
As mentioned above I can't see it getting any better. I hope someone buys the type certificate and carries this aircraft on. rumours chinese are interested.
Sikorsky really didn't want the small helicopter from schwizer....
Apart from parts that have been mentioned pretty much should be able to get the other items, and yes they have escalated as the old places that made the parts stopped as sikorsky only paid every 60 days, they couldn't live waiting that long. Now there isn't the places making, for instance, drive shafts and blades.
Sikorsky really didn't want the small helicopter from schwizer....
Apart from parts that have been mentioned pretty much should be able to get the other items, and yes they have escalated as the old places that made the parts stopped as sikorsky only paid every 60 days, they couldn't live waiting that long. Now there isn't the places making, for instance, drive shafts and blades.
Joined: Aug 2009
Aviation Qualifications: Military
Posts: 9,337
Likes: 2,185
From: Texas
Darren:
What if the rumors from a decade ago are coming true?
I refer to the long running "consolidation of the rotary wing industry" talk wherein there are one too many rotary wing aircraft manufacturers in the country. (See also what happened to American Motors a while back).
If that is true, what you are seeing might make strategic sense in the longer term.
What if ... Sikorsky is going to merge with Bell sometime soon? (No, I have zero insider info, and am guessing here).
At that point, all of the light helicopters they need are now in their product list, and the S300 becomes a liability.
Sorry for topic drift, but I cannot fathom why a company in the tough, competitive business environment of the year 2014 would dis some of their customers.
What if the rumors from a decade ago are coming true?
I refer to the long running "consolidation of the rotary wing industry" talk wherein there are one too many rotary wing aircraft manufacturers in the country. (See also what happened to American Motors a while back).
If that is true, what you are seeing might make strategic sense in the longer term.
What if ... Sikorsky is going to merge with Bell sometime soon? (No, I have zero insider info, and am guessing here).
At that point, all of the light helicopters they need are now in their product list, and the S300 becomes a liability.
Sorry for topic drift, but I cannot fathom why a company in the tough, competitive business environment of the year 2014 would dis some of their customers.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 289
From: Poplar Grove, IL, USA
Sir Korsky,
Considering that the Schweizer MQ8B has been supplanted by the Bell MQ8C, and that they closed the Schweizer facility, it would seem those two reasons did not pan out.
Bryan
Edit: Sikorsky listed the reasons why they bought Schweizer in this 2004 announcement. Rapid prototyping was also one of the reasons. Remember they built X2 there. It would seem they started out with good intentions in the light helicopter market.
http://www.sikorsky.com/About+Sikors...001382000aRCRD
Considering that the Schweizer MQ8B has been supplanted by the Bell MQ8C, and that they closed the Schweizer facility, it would seem those two reasons did not pan out.
Bryan
Edit: Sikorsky listed the reasons why they bought Schweizer in this 2004 announcement. Rapid prototyping was also one of the reasons. Remember they built X2 there. It would seem they started out with good intentions in the light helicopter market.
http://www.sikorsky.com/About+Sikors...001382000aRCRD
Last edited by IFMU; 24th October 2014 at 02:31. Reason: Spelling
