EASA has taken steps to codify its rules on major aircraft type design changes impacting noise and emissions, incorporating guidance into the regulations that include specific examples of each type of change. The changes, introduced in November 2010 as notice of proposed amendment 2010-13, were adopted in August. They modify paragraph 8 (“environment”) of Appendix A to GM 21A.91, “examples of major changes per discipline.”
Air Maintenance Estonia will start operating a new three bay hangar in August 2012 at its location in Tallinn, Estonia. The new facility will allow the MRO to offer three main base maintenance lines and two light maintenance lines. It is adding the Airbus A320 family to its base maintenance capability list, joining its existing Boeing 737 capabilities.
Bolder Manufacturing issued STCs to install galley cart stops and Atlas-standard carts on Airbus A319 and Boeing 757-200 series aircraft, STCs ST02983CH and ST02953CH
Air Panama has become the fourth operator to use Fokker Services' FlyFokker program, which it will use for its two newly acquired Fokker 70 aircraft. The program will offer on-site technical training and a modification to change the aircraft from 48 to 72 seats. The operator also will use Fokker Service's Abacus per-hour lease and exchange program for major rotables, APUs, landing gear and brakes.
StandardAero signed a service agreement with Russian regional carrier, Ak Bars Aero, for aftermarket support of its General Electric CF34-3B1 engine fleet and Honeywell GTCP36-150RJ auxiliary power units. The engines and APUs power Ak Bars Aero's fleet of Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft. StandardAero will perform the engine work at its engine facility in Winnipeg and it will support the APUs at its Maryville, Tenn., location.
FL Technics, an Avia Solutions Group company, will purchase U.K.-based line maintenance provider Storm Aviation. The acquisition will give FL Technics access to a network of 24 line stations. FACILITIES
FL Technics plans to build an $18 million aviation support complex in the free economic zone in Ulyanovsk, Russia, that consists of two 5,000 sq. m hangars and one 6,400 sq. m hangar. It is scheduled to build one hangar every two years, with the first opening in 2014 and providing aircraft maintenance for short- and medium-range aircraft.
As more health monitoring and diagnostic information is cultivated at the aftermarket level, software companies are finding ample opportunities to feed aftermarket data upstream to improve component design before parts even roll off an assembly line.
Baines Simmons has appointed John Heather to fill a new business development manager role that focuses on regulatory authorities. Heather comes to the position after serving as training operations manager at CAA International and spending four years as managing partner of Personnel Development Strategies.
Sifco Applied Surface Concepts has added Reed Kimbell to its team as production manager. Kimball will be responsible for contract plating operations and the production of SIFCO's plating products.
Southern Air is the first U.S. operator to use the Amos IT system for its MRO. Swiss Aviation Software manufactures Amos and Lufthansa Systems distributes the software. Southern Air chose to upgrade its MRO IT system with Amos as it adds Boeing 747 and Boeing 777F aircraft and increases its workforce.
Iberia has opted for General Electric CF6-801E engines to power its new fleet of Airbus A330-300s. In March the airline committed to buying eight of the widebodies, with options for eight more, but held off on the engine selection. The engine deal includes a 15-year support package for the powerplants.
AFI-KLM E&M has appointed Amar Chouaki to VP regional sales, southern Europe. He comes to the role after joining the Air France KLM group in 2001 and serving in several positions within the cabin modifications business unit.
MTU Aero Engines and US Airways has extended its maintenance agreement for the IAE V2500-A1 engine until the end of 2016. The contract began in 2008. Avionics/IFE
The Nordam Group officially named Meredith Siegfried CEO, succeeding Bill Peacher and completing a transition announced in July. Peacher will continue to serve on Nordam's board and as a financial consultant to the company. Ken Lackey, executive chairman, and Hastings Siegfried, vice chairman and COO of the Transparency Group, remain in their current positions. The election of Siegfried as CEO is one of the final pieces of the company's long-term succession plan for its leadership
AAR appointed Andrew J. Schmidt as senior VP, supply chain, AAR Allen Asset Management. His duties will involve providing strategy, business planning and operational leadership for the division. This position adds to Schmidt's 25-year aviation career, which has included leadership positions at Oliver Wyman, Macquaire Capital and Taurus Aerospace. Matt Eaton has also joined AAR as VP of sales and marketing for its MRO segment.
Ethiopian Airlines has gone live with Mxi Technologies' Maintenix software for its Bombardier Q400 and Boeing 777-200LR fleets. It is working on rolling out the software across the remainder of its fleet.
AAR Corp. offers paint services at its 226,000 sq-ft. hangar in Miami, Fla., near Miami International Airport. Painting is offered in conjunction with many other maintenance procedures such as heavy checks, bridging checks, passenger-to-freighter conversions, interior upgrades, avionics upgrades, corrosion control programs, non-destructive testing and structural modifications. Other AAR locations for heavy maintenance include facilities in Hot Springs, Ark., Indianapolis and Oklahoma City. AAR offers engineering services in Indianapolis and Singapore. www.aarcorp.com
Interational Air Response, issued STC to install a removable 3,000-gal.chemical tank and release door system on a U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service C-130A operated under the restricted category for the special purposes of forest and wild life conservation, STC ST02348LA
Talk to airlines, OEMs, distributors and MROs about Spec 2000, the industry's communications backbone, and you are likely to hear that the system has been in place for years. “We have Chapter 3 for exchanging purchase orders installed in our IT system and it's managed very well,” says Adrien Guillame, a project manager for logistics services with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance.
American Fuel Cells and Coated Fabrics Co., amended STC to install an Amfuel internal auxiliary fuel system completion kit on Sikorsky S-92A helicopters, STC SR02298LA
