A Heritage of Innovation

  • Precision Aircraft Solutions parent company (The Erickson Group, Ltd.) was founded in the early ‘70s, by aerospace entrepreneur Jack Erickson to commercialize surplus military heavy lift Sikorsky S-64 AirCrane Helicopters.
     
    This bold move revolutionized the logging, building, powerline construction, and wildfire fighting industries around the world.
     
    Eventually Erickson purchased the type certificate and manufacturing rights from Sikorsky, becoming the manufacturer and world’s largest operator of S-64 AirCranes.
     
    Under Erickson’s leadership, over 1000 major systems, structural, performance, and airframe life extension improvements were developed, certified and applied to this revolutionary helicopter.
     
    Lessons learned — processes and techniques developed for life extension on the AirCrane Helicopter — are the foundation of Precision Aircraft Solution’s extensive aircraft modification and special mission conversion capability.
     
    Today the company is a leading design, engineering, manufacturing and certification provider of highly specialized and advanced aircraft mission conversion programs.

Partial Customer List

Our clients include:

Our History

The World's Aerial Logging Pioneer

Jack Erickson, through Erickson Air-Crane, develops the world’s first helicopter logging business, using Sikorsky Skycrane helicopters to harvest previously inaccessible forests.

1971

Skycrane Improvements, Market Expansion


While building markets for heavy-lift rotor aircraft across Asia and North America, Erickson establishes full MRO capability to dramatically improve the Skycrane’s reliability and functionality.

1980

Erickson Aircraft Expansion

Erickson forms the Erickson Aircraft Collection on the Oregon Coast to display more than two dozen vintage aircraft to honor the legacy of aviation. In 2014 the Collection moved from Tillamook to Madras, Oregon.

1983

Aerial Firefighting Takes Off

Erickson certifies the Erickson S-64 Aircrane Helitanker, used for aerial firefighting, and begins operations in North America, Australia, and Europe.

1992

Sikorsky Type Certificate Acquired

Erickson Air-Crane acquires the STC from Sikorsky, which allows for full manufacturing, repair, and support rights of the helicopter.

1992

Embracing New Opportunities

Erickson purchases a majority interest in Aero Air, an FBO airport in Hillsboro, Ore., that sells aircraft and parts, performs maintenance, conducts corporate flight operations, and provides medevac services.

1998

Precision Conversions Established

Precision Conversions is formed in Portland, Ore., to undertake the engineering, prototyping, and certification of 757-200 passenger-to-freighter conversions.

2001

Major Regulatory Approval Reached


Precision Conversions is awarded its FAA STC for 757-200 conversions, notably attained through reverse engineering and fully funded by Erickson.

2005

SF Express Receives Converted 757


SF Express orders and receives its first converted 757 from Precision Aircraft Solutions. Photo credit: SF Express

October 2009

Precision Engineering Founded


Precision Engineering is formed to provide quality aeronautical engineering to major airlines and subsidiary vendors.

2011

Fixed-Wing Firefighters

Aero Air begins operating fixed-wing firefighting services in Oregon and California while acquiring and modifying MD87s to meet U.S. Forest Service requirements.

2012

Organization Relaunches as Precision Aircraft Solutions

Now offering a comprehensive collection of aircraft modification products and services, the Precision organization is restructured into Precision Aircraft Solutions and five subsidiaries: Precision Conversions, Precision Engineering, Precision Materials and Logistics, Precision Program Development, and Precision Aviation Resources.

2014

Winglet Conversions Approved

FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approve conversion of 757-200 passenger aircraft with winglets to Precision freighter and combi configurations.

August 2014

Weight Upgrades Attained

FAA approves a maximum zero fuel weight increase of 12,000 lb. on both winglet- and non-winglet-equipped Precision freighters, taking MZFW from 188,000 to 200,000 lb.

January 2015

DHL Conversions Begin


Precision commences work on freighters to replace a portion of DHL’s European Fleet. To date, the DHL global network operates multiple Precision converted aircraft.

May 2015

Amended MD87 STC Achieved

The addition of an external pod boosts water-drop capabilities of aerial firefighting tankers.

April 2017

Precision celebrates its 100th B757 conversion

The legendary B757-200PCF freighter conversion reaches a milestone with the delivery of the 100th conversion, delivered to long-time customer DHL.

November 2018

First Flight! A321 Freighter


321 Precision Conversions, a joint venture between Aircraft Transport Services Group (ATSG) and Precision Aircraft Solutions (PAS) announce the first post-conversion flight of the firm’s A321-200PCF freighter.

October 2020

Major Regulatory Approval Reached

321 Precision Conversions receives the award of FAA Supplemental Type Certificate Number ST02716SE to the group’s new A321-200PCF freighter.

April 2021

First A321 Freighter Conversion Delivered

SmartLynx Airlines Malta received the first converted A321 for cargo service.

June 2021

Our History

A Heritage of Vision and Innovation
Our philosophy, depth, and experience were born from our parent company, Erickson Group, Ltd., which is rooted in the aviation industry and inspired by its entrepreneurial founder, Jack Erickson.
The World’s Aerial Logging Pioneer
Jack Erickson, through Erickson Air-Crane, develops the world’s first helicopter logging business, using Sikorsky Skycrane helicopters to harvest previously inaccessible forests.
1971
Skycrane Improvements, Market Expansion
While building markets for heavy-lift rotor aircraft across Asia and North America, Erickson establishes full MRO capability to dramatically improve the Skycrane’s reliability and functionality.
1980
Erickson Aircraft Collection
Erickson forms the Erickson Aircraft Collection on the Oregon Coast to display more than two dozen vintage aircraft to honor the legacy of aviation. In 2014 the Collection moved from Tillamook to Madras, Ore.
1983
Aerial Firefighting Takes Off
Erickson certifies the Erickson S-64 Aircrane Helitanker, used for aerial firefighting, and begins operations in North America, Australia, and Europe.
1992
Sikorsky Type Certificate Acquired
Erickson Air-Crane acquires the STC from Sikorsky, which allows for full manufacturing, repair, and support rights of the helicopter.
1992
Embracing New Opportunities
Erickson purchases a majority interest in Aero Air, an FBO airport in Hillsboro, Ore., that sells aircraft and parts, performs maintenance, conducts corporate flight operations, and provides medevac services.
1998
Precision Conversions Established
Precision Conversions is formed in Portland, Ore., to undertake the engineering, prototyping, and certification of 757-200 passenger-to-freighter conversions.
2001
Major Regulatory Approval Reached
Precision Conversions is awarded its FAA STC, notably attained through reverse engineering and fully funded by Erickson.
2005
Precision Engineering Founded
Precision Engineering is formed to provide quality aeronautical engineering to major airlines and subsidiary vendors.
2011
Fixed-Wing Firefighters
Aero Air begins operating fixed-wing firefighting services in Oregon and California while acquiring and modifying MD87s to meet U.S. Forest Service requirements.
2012
Organization Relaunches as Precision Aircraft Solutions
Now offering a comprehensive collection of aircraft modification products and services, the Precision organization is restructured into Precision Aircraft Solutions and five subsidiaries: Precision Conversions, Precision Engineering, Precision Materials and Logistics, Precision Program Development, and Precision Aviation Resources.
2014
Winglet Conversions Approved
FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approve conversion of 757-200 passenger aircraft with winglets to Precision freighter and combi configurations.
August 2014
Weight upgrades attained
FAA approves a maximum zero fuel weight increase of 12,000 lb. on both winglet- and non-winglet-equipped Precision freighters, taking MZFW from 188,000 to 200,000 lb.
January 2015
DHL conversions begin
Precision commences work on freighters to replace a portion of DHL’s European Fleet. To date, the DHL network operates 15 Precision-converted aircraft in India, Australia, North America, the Republic of Panama and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
May 2015
Altech Aerospace acquired
Precision expands with the acquisition of the U.S.-based engineering organization, which provides services to airlines, MROs, and aircraft manufacturers worldwide.
November 2016
Amended MD87 STC Achieved
The addition of an external pod boosts water-drop capabilities of aerial firefighting tankers.
April 2017
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