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At Hartzell, we value our relationships with the world’s greatest propeller shops. Those who have met our standards for excellence become part of our network of Hartzell Recommended Service Facilities (RSF). One of these exceptional shops is Canadian Propeller, Western Canada’s only RSF. We were fortunate enough to speak with Maurice Wills, President and GM of Canadian Propeller, about what it takes to be part of this elite squad of prop shops.

Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadian Propeller works with airlines, private operators, medevacs, and “pretty well anything with propellers on it,” according to Wills. Established in 1991, Canadian Propeller delivers aircraft propeller and governor maintenance, aircraft servicing, fleet consulting, management and valuations. Wills has over thirty years of experience in the propeller industry, and his modern, fully equipped service facility covers over 11,000 square feet. They also took home the Manitoba Aerospace Award in 2004.

When Wills and his wife Debbie started their own independent company over twenty years ago, they had no factory approvals to start. On picking up military work they found they were required to become Hartzell approved. Luckily, Wills was already familiar with the Hartzell certification process, having previously worked at a propeller shop with the designation. “Fortunately I had a really good relationship with Hartzell previous to going on our own,” Wills said. “When we were setting up, they were very supportive of us. Right from the get go. I’ll never forget that.”

Now that Canadian Propeller is certified, it’s not just their military customers who benefit from the company’s status as an RSF. Wills says he considers his company an extension of Hartzell, looking after both his customers’ interests and Hartzell’s to provide a superior service experience for his customers.

As an RSF, Canadian Propeller has direct access to Hartzell service staff for consultation, too. According to Wills, “We’ve actually had Hartzell come up and meet our customers one-on-one on several occasions so we get a better understanding of where (the customer’s) product is used and where it’s operated. With the relationship we’ve had with Hartzell we’re able to work closely with them with product improvements and we’ve been able to work with them on special programs and government operations. Hartzell’s been very receptive to listening to us about what our customers’ needs and wants are. It’s been a very good partnership.”

Another advantage to becoming an RSF has been learning from Hartzell’s expert staff. “They’re a world-class company,” says Wills. “They’re very, very vast in their fields. They have an extensive auditing program that we have to meet to be able to keep our standards nice and high. It gives Hartzell the confidence in us and it gives our customers the confidence to know that…we have a certain standard.”

Canadian Propeller’s dedication to quality and safety – and their commitment to upholding Hartzell’s high standards of excellence – has earned them a place among a proud group of aircraft service facilities around the globe.

Want to learn more about Canadian Propeller? Take a brief tour of their prop shop in this video:

To learn more about the high standards of Hartzell’s Recommended Service Facilities, or to find one near you, click here.