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Southeast Turbines Southeast Turbines To provide exceptional aircraft turbine engine services through our commitment to quality and safety while exceeding our customers expectations.
When it comes to your aircraft, one of the last things you want to deal with is the periodical maintenance that comes along with ownership. However, if there s ever any concerns with your turbine engine, one company that s sure to make this process a little simpler is the Southeast regions largest independently owned turbine engine repair facility none other than the gem of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Southeast Turbines Corp. Engine production facility Located at the bustling Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), Southeast Turbines operates a Pratt & Whitney PT6A and JT15D turbine engine repair facility consisting of 10,000 square feet of climate controlled production space, warehouse space, administrative offices, customer lounges and conference areas. Southeast Turbines has steadily navigated its way through the aviation industry and is on its way to becoming a premier one-stop shop for turbine engine services. This once little company has been one of the areas best kept secrets, says Founder and Director of Operations Louis Velasquez. Since 1995, we ve maintained steady growth while fulfilling our customers needs one customer at a time. Velasquez has a deep history in aviation. His father flew the Constellation and the Convair 880 during the 1940s and 50s, and later dedicated himself to a lifelong career with Delta Airlines as an inspector at their jet engine facility in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in the Rolls-Royce RB211 for Delta s fleet of L-1011s. After visiting Delta s turbine engine overhaul facility and being inspired by the cleanliness and attention to detail, Velasquez followed in his father s footsteps by going to aviation school for his FAA A&P license. Velasquez further solidified the family s link to aviation by obtaining his Commercial, Multi-Engine, Instrument, pilot license, and a bachelor s degree in business administration. In the early years, Velasquez specialized in Beechcraft and Pratt & Whitney products mainly the full line of King Air models and later joined an independent turbine engine overhaul facility that specialized in Pratt & Whitney PT6A and JT15D engines. Velasquez explains, I wanted to branch out and open a business in order to have control in the way we served our customers, priced our products and delivered engine services to our clients. Thus, Southeast Turbines was formed in 1995, concentrating in two Pratt & 26 The AutoPILOT Southeast 2009
Compressor Turbine (CT) disk riveting PT6 engine spare parts Powersection Inspection As with any form of expansion, Whitney Canada engines the PT6A turboprop and the JT15D turbofan engines. The company s FAA-certified turbine engine repair station services include Hot Section Inspections, Power Section repairs; hot section component rework and pre-grinding; Compressor Turbine disk (CT disk) reblade, true and balancing; fuel nozzle cleaning and functionally testing; bleed valve repair and overhaul; and accessory gearbox repairs, propeller dynamic balancing and vibration analysis; borescope inspections, and engine changes. To complement the capabilities, Southeast Turbines holds an FBO service agreement with Pratt & Whitney, is a MORE Program service center, and a distributor for moderate growth is key, and in our case, it s been a major element to our success. -Jason Messina 28 The AutoPILOT Southeast 2009 Final adjustments to the primary governor
Fuel Nozzle Recertification JT15D High Turbine Disk Inspection Turboproducts and Timken FAA-PMA replacement parts. For 2009, the company plans to expand into engine repair capabilities for the helicopter version of the Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine the twinpack PT6T model and also PT6A compressor repairs for foreign object damage (FOD). The new capabilities will mean new tooling and equipment, which is consistent with our company growth strategy, explains the company s Director of Turbine Engine Services Jason Messina, who s been with the company since 2001 supervising all shop functions and handling all customer service inquires. As with any form of expansion, moderate growth is key, and in our case, it s been a major element to our success. A critical component to Southeast Turbines success is its human capital; staff members are customer servicecentered, including all Southeast Turbines technicians, better known as Technical Service Representatives. Combined, the Technical Service Representatives hold almost 100 years of turbine engine experience, and receive comprehensive factory training at Pratt and Whitney, Canada. As a result of a well-trained staff, Velasquez says, Customers benefit with reduced downtime, lower maintenance costs, and increased aircraft values, which translates into peace of mind. Messina adds, Our customers enjoy talking to technicians like Senior Technician William Ahern, who s been a Beechcraft King Air specialist for 30 years and enjoys helping customers with, troubleshooting tips or technical advice. Another factor both Velasquez and Messina contribute to the company s longevity has been its customer service techniques. We build relationships with every customer by understanding their needs and aircraft utilization, says Velasquez. Along with preparing a budget for engine maintenance, our customers reap tremendous savings by offering several service options. Southeast Turbines clientele runs deep. In addition to the Beechcraft King Air s, the company also services the Beechjet, Cessna Citation, Piper Cheyenne, Cessna Caravan and Cessna Conquests, among others. And its customers range from private owners and charter companies to regional airlines. Oftentimes, it s like a coffee shop around here, Messina mentions. Many customers just pop in to talk about their engine performance, or to just talk about their last flight. However, Velasquez can t stress enough how building such a strong client-base required much patience on the company s part. It s been challenging maintaining steady growth and keeping a close eye on quality while servicing the needs of our customers. he says. We made a conscious decision to expand in increments without compromising the quality of engine service. As a result, our clients have appreciated our strategy. To this end, Southeast Turbines shows no signs of slowing down, albeit Velasquez says every added capability will be made with a focus on quality while growing the company s customerbase. Already a global name, Southeast Turbines plans are to expand deeper into the North American market and possibly open another facility. Velasquez concludes, Regardless of any growth opportunities we may seek, our goal is to provide our customers with quality turbine engine service at a fair price. Q For more information, visit www.southeastturbines.com. The AutoPILOT PILOT www.autopilotmagazine.com 29