Optimized Systems and Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rolls-Royce, has signed a contract with flydubai to support the airline's fuel conservation initiatives and to assist in European Union emissions monitoring, reporting and verification. This is the first time that flydubai has implemented a fuel management system.

KLM Engineering & Maintenance will appoint Ton Dortmans as executive VP effective Feb. 1. He sill succeed Peter de Swert. Dortmans will be responsible for maintenance of the KLM fleet, part of the Air France fleet and all third parties served by Air France and KLM. He will lead a team of about 5,500 employees and will report to KLM President and CEO Peter Hartman. Prior to this position, Dortmans served as SVP operations at KLM E&M.

BEIJING—In early 2008, Avic I, as it was then, announced it was setting up an airline that would buy its regional airliners, a move that had many industry watchers perplexed. To any trenchant doubter of China's future in civil aeronautics, it must have seemed that the product, the 50-60-seat MA60 turboprop, was so uncompetitive that Avic I could only sell it to itself.

Qantas unveiled plans for an inflight connectivity system that will be trialed on Airbus A380s. Qantas will debut a streaming WiFi system that it says will be a first for the airline industry. Qantas's inflight connectivity service will be provided by OnAir, using Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband and global satellite-based connections. Passengers can pay via credit card to browse the Internet and access email. The system will undergo trials on six A380s on Los Angeles flights from Sydney and Melbourne, starting in February in business and first classes.

Vision Technologies Aerospace has entered into an agreement with Pratt & Whitney to invest a 50.1% stake in EcoServices for a purchase consideration of $33.3 million. Vision Technologies Aerospace holds the aerospace companies of Vision Technologies Systems, the U.S. headquarters of ST Engineering. Pratt & Whitney will retain the remaining stake and EcoServices will become a subsidiary of VT Aerospace following the investment. EcoServices will provide EcoPower Engine Wash services under this agreement. The transaction is anticipated to close in March.

Ameco Beijing completed the business class modifications on 16 Airbus A330-200 aircraft operated by Air China. The six-month project marked the first time that Ameco did cabin modifications on A330-200s. The cabin and inflight entertainment systems received upgrades, many which included changes to seats, the floor, passenger service units and overhead bins. Ameco completed this work at its Airbus A380 hangar.

Complying with the mantra “serve your customer” mostly likely is second nature to you. Sure, some customers are much harder to deal with and satisfy, but aviation MRO is a service business and, first and foremost, a safety business.

Associated Air Center, StandardAero's VIP aircraft completions center in Dallas, has received a supplemental type certificate to install an Aircell ATG-5000 wireless internet system on a Boeing 757-200 aircraft. StandardAero's business aviation completion facility in Springfield, Ill. helped accomplish the STC in December. The 757-200 aircraft is owned by MLW Aviation and operated by Elan Express.