New, improved aerial repair and maintenance services
Neptune Aviation has been in business for over 30 years, primarily known for its wildland firefighting operations. With missions stretching from California to Canada, Chile, and Australia, the company’s core mission has remained the same: to protect lives, property, and businesses from wildfire. “When there is a fire, we want to be able to dispatch on the fire as quickly as possible,” said Kevin Condit, Director of Corporate Affairs at Neptune Aviation.
That speed depends on a deep level of reliability, not just in-flight operations but in aircraft maintenance. “Maintenance is a huge part of that. Keeping our aircraft operational is a huge part of that. And that’s where our machine shop comes in.”
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Neptune Aviation Services Inc. is an aerial firefighting company based out of Missoula International Airport in Missoula, Montana. It provides aerial support and firefighting to the United States, Canada, Chile and throughout the world. -
Neptune Aviation staff watch as their new HERMLE C 400 is unloaded at their Missoula, Montanta facility. -
Neptune Aviation team members gather as they prepare for an aerial mission to combat wildfires throughout the United States. -
The new HERMLE C 400 will be used by Neptune Aviation to produce parts for repair and maintence on their aerial firefighting fleet.
A spirit of self-reliance
Neptune’s shop was born out of necessity. In the early 1990s, the company acquired Lockheed P2V aircraft, which were already decades old. “Lockheed, the manufacturer of the aircraft, they didn’t provide parts anymore,” said Condit. “It’s very core to what we do and how we operate that we want to be self-reliant.”
That spirit of self-reliance continues today. As demand has increased and aircraft requirements have grown more complex, Neptune needed a new level of capability in its machine shop. That’s where the decision to purchase a HERMLE 5-axis CNC machine came in. A move designed to expand production, reduce lead time, and support both internal and external customers.
Seth Cohen, lead machinist at Neptune, brought deep aerospace manufacturing experience to the role. “I made the argument that we could really benefit by updating some of the machines,” he said. “Specifically, if we moved into more of the automated machining, we could significantly increase our capacity.”
His search eventually led to HERMLE. “It was already a machine that I was really interested in,” said Seth. “The level of accuracy is what we’re looking for.”
The new HERMLE machine has already become a pivotal asset to the business. “It’s a force multiplier,” said shop manager Pierre Balloon. “To expand Seth’s capabilities, to make him more than one person, basically.”
Beyond internal needs, the machine opens new business opportunities. Neptune is looking to move from seasonal to year-round contract work and expand its customer base in the aviation industry. “We’re looking to expand into different customer bases and do our business not just within Neptune, but outside of Neptune,” Pierre said.
That goal is becoming clearer every day. With a high-precision machine like the HERMLE in place, Neptune isn’t just maintaining its fleet. It is positioning itself as a regional hub for advanced aircraft repair and custom aerospace manufacturing.
“We could start going out and looking for work and truly increase capacity,” said Seth. “Having spindles running all day would be fantastic. All day and night.”
