Oakenhurst Aircraft Services has opened a dedicated oxygen system workshop at its headquarters in Rayleigh, U.K. Oakenhurst is adding this repair station to other oxygen systems repair and overhaul shop in Boryspil, Kiev, to keep up with increasing demand. The new workshop will provide repair and overhaul capabilities for fixed oxygen systems, portable oxygen systems, oxygen masks, regulators, smoke hoods and passenger service units. The workshop will provide hydrostatic testing and repair and overhaul as required.
Emirates-CAE Flight Training announced that flydubai will be the launch customer for its new training center for pilots and maintenance technicians, set to open in the third quarter at Dubai's Silicon Oasis commercial park. Flydubai has signed a multi-year exclusive training services agreement with the center for next-generation Boeing 737 training. The facility will include four full-flight simulator bays, with plans to expand to up to 10 bays. The simulators will replicate the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft families.
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.
FindanIA.com Inc. has launched a new web site, www.FindanIA.com. The global website is dedicated to helping aircraft owners, aircraft maintenance facilities and technicians find FAA certified airframe and powerplant maintenance technicians with inspections authorizations. The site's parent company also specializes in placing contract FAA certified inspection authorities oversees at FAA repair stations.
Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. (Haeco) and its subsidiary Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Co. (Taeco) have acquired a 49% of shares that SR Technics holds in Shanghai SR Aircraft Technics Co. The company has been renamed to Shanghai Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Services Co. (STA) and will provide line maintenance services at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. TAECO and the new company will work together to provide line maintenance services for customers. The company has three shareholders—Haeco, Taeco and Shanghai Foreign Aviation Service Corp.
StandardAero announced today that it has signed an exclusive maintenance agreement with Slovenia's Adria Airways for its Honeywell RE220 and GTCP36-150RJ auxiliary power units. Adria Airways, the flag carrier of Slovenia, operates four Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft fitted with the Honeywell RE220 APUs and six Bombardier CRJ100/200 aircraft fitted with GTCP36-150RJ APUs. StandardAero will perform this work at its Maryville, Tenn. facility, which has delivered more than 5,000 APUs since the program's inception in 1995.
Aeronautical Engineers will provide one Boeing 737-300SF 10 pallet passenger to freighter conversion to an undisclosed customer. The aircraft was built in 1993 and is undergoing freighter modification and a dual flight management system UNS1FW modification at Commercial Jet, AEI's authorized conversion center in Miami. The company also announced that Varig Logistics has taken delivery of its second Boeing 737-400SF 11 pallet configuration passenger to freighter conversion.
STS Component Solutions has appointed Armando Barroso to its team as director, business development for engines, APUs and landing gear. Barroso has more than 26 years of aerospace experience in marketing, sales, engineering, asset management and process improvement. Airframes
Lufthansa Technik increased its share of AirLiance Materials from 50.2% to 100% after purchasing its partners' shares of the Chicago-based company that provides surplus parts services. United Airlines and Air Canada previously held 49.8% of the joint venture the three companies formed in 1998. The companies did not disclose the acquisition price.
BEIJING—The Chinese call it “daxing tumu,” being keen on large-scale construction. It seems that wherever one looks in this country someone is building a mighty new bridge, office tower, airport, freeway or aircraft hangar, more physical capital for the roaring economy.
PAS Technologies has appointed Tom Hutton as CEO. Hutton comes to the position with more than 25 years of aerospace experience in operational and executive roles. Most recently, Hutton served as VP of Pratt & Whitney's Global Service Partners. Phil Milazzo will continue to serve as the company's president and will lead PAS' business development and customer relationship activities. PAS Technologies also appointed Ronnie Ali to be general manager of its Miramar, Fla. facility, which produces platings for engine and landing gear components.
Skyteam MEMBERS: Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Tarom, Vietnam Airlines DAILY FLIGHTS: 14,500 DESTINATIONS: 926 in 173 countries
The European Union has set aside up to €12 million in research and technology funding in the latest call for proposals under the Clean Sky research program. The allocation is part of a maximum of €36.5 million the research organization has in its eleventh round of Clean Sky funding. The largest number of proposals are being invited in the Eco-Design for Airframe funding category and Systems for Green Operations—each with 14 areas for which the industry can bid.
The call by carriers to standardize composite training certification, techniques and material mounts by the minute, with the Boeing 787 an operational fait accompli, and the Airbus A350 XWB waiting to take wing.
By Dr. Stefan Weingartner, President, Commercial Maintenance, MTU Aero Engines
The commercial engine maintenance market is in a state of flux. There are new materials, new technologies and increased outsourcing by airlines. This transformation is set to continue for many years. Known market parameters are losing significance as new ones appear.
Zebra Technologies and Checkpoint Systems have entered in a non-exclusive contract and licensing agreement for RFID solutions. The agreement will bring together Zebra's active location RFID solutions with sensors made by Checkpoint's division OATSystems. The partnership will give aerospace customers increased visibility of their assets across the enterprise. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
Jet Midwest Technik signed a multi-aircraft contact with a foreign airline to perform C checks, painting and other maintenance on MD-80 aircraft at its Kansas City maintenance base. Jet Midwest continues to add heavy maintenance and modification capabilities for MD-80 and all series of Boeing 737 aircraft.
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.
Aircelle Ltd. has appointed Alan Hood as its managing director. He succeeds Andrew White, who has moved to another position within the Safran Group. Hood joined Aircelle Ltd. in May 2006 as finance director.
TP Aerospace hired Jack Torielli as its regional sales manager in North and Central America. Torielli previously held multiple positions at Tracer Corp. and will spearhead the sales effort for TP Aerospace's new offices and warehouses in Las Vegas.
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.
For years, the supply chain was looked upon as a necessary evil. Manufacturing, warehousing and transportation were part of the cost of doing business, not what drove a company forward. That is no longer the case. Every organization in every industry, including the aviation aftermarket, is challenged to do whatever it is they do better, faster and cheaper. Supply chains are no longer just overhead—the best companies view them as a competitive advantage.
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.
