Dart Aerospace has acquired key product lines from Canadian helicopter mission equipment manufacturer Aero Design, as well as its brand trademark.

Based in Powell River, British Columbia, Aero Design has been developing and manufacturing aerial cargo expansion products since 1999 and has created an extensive catalogue of helicopter baskets, steps, bearpaws and bicycle racks for a wide range of OEMs including Airbus, Bell, MD Helicopters and Robinson. The addition of these key product lines to Dart's portfolio will allow the company to deepen its product offering, acquire over 30 STCs and optimise its current Canadian operational capabilities to contribute to its overall growth strategy. Following the acquisition, Dart will remain the leading manufacturer of helicopter cargo expansion products globally.

This is Dart's second acquisition of 2019, following its purchase of Portland-based mission equipment manufacturer Simplex Aerospace at the beginning of October. As a result, Dart's portfolio has grown from over 900 STCs earlier this year, to more than 1,100 STCs today.

“Acquiring Aero Design’s key product lines will enable Dart to offer baskets to a wider range of aircraft models and gain market share as the main provider of helicopter cargo expansion products worldwide,” states president and CEO Alain Madore. “Alongside our current aerial utility and heli-ski product offering, we are also looking forward to furthering our footprint in the adventure tourism sector with the addition of Aero Design’s helicopter bicycle racks.”

“The aerospace industry is changing at an astonishingly rapid pace. It is important to adjust our strategies and pool resources so we can help ensure that our industry meets the coming challenges as quickly and effectively as possible. I’m excited to see what comes next as we join the Dart family and move forward together,” says Aero Design president and general manager Jason Rekve. And vice president and quality assurance manager Jeff Clarke adds: “For the past 18 years, Aero Design has strived to create innovative, user-friendly products that meet the needs of operators worldwide. This transition to Dart is very positive as we have seen its desire to maintain our product lines and its plans to expand on it by integrating the best parts of both companies’ capabilities. I am confident that Aero Design's current and past partners will continue to see the quality and features they have come to expect moving forward.”