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DART Aerospace acquires Paravion and Century Helicopters

DART Aerospace of Montreal has acquired aircraft equipment manufacturer Paravion Technology Inc. and Century Helicopters Inc., its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)/service center arm.

Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Paravion designs, manufactures and sells aftermarket accessories and OEM equipment for a range of airplanes and helicopters. Paravion launched in 1985 and today offers an extensive list of products including environmental control systems such as heating and air conditioning, camera mount systems, and its trademark Heliporter ground handling unit for helicopters.

Paravion holds close to 70 FAA certifications and more than 200 foreign validations including EASA, TCCA, and PMA approvals for replacement parts. This includes environmental control systems certified under OEM type certificates.

“Paravion’s diverse quality product offering, when paired with DART’s powerful global marketing strength, open incredible opportunities to boost Paravion’s products and expand DART’s leadership as a one-stop mission equipment supplier,” said Alain Madore, President and CEO, DART.

DART explains its acquisition of Paravion will allow the mission equipment and replacement parts manufacturer to broaden and diversify its product portfolio with more than 1,500 STCs. It will enable DART to offer new product categories to its global network of OEMs and helicopter operators, including heating and air conditioning systems and the Heliporter tug.

Century Helicopters built its completion reputation in the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) completion arena. Century’s facilities will remain focused on serving its existing customers and its ISR contracts, explains DART, leveraging its completion expertise to expand and grow this business segment for DART.

“This blending of capabilities and products will provide increased support and opportunity to our current customers and, through DART’s extensive network, bring quality Paravion products to a larger share of the market,” said Larry Hansen, President and CEO of Paravion and Century.

Paravion will transition into operating under the DART brand, which with the acquisition expands to nine locations worldwide, including four manufacturing centers of excellence.