Supply chain management programs for consumable parts are making more inroads as airlines and MROs continue to pursue cost-cutting strategies. At the same time, suppliers see new business opportunities in the distribution of items that are generally non-repairable or directly consumed during the repair process.
EADS in late March completed the acquisition of Canadian helicopter repair company Vector Aerospace. Vector will become part of Eurocopter, which has a mandate to increase its services activity. EADS says the deal for Vector Aerospace values the business at C$625 million ($641 million), or a 15% premium over the March 25 closing price. The price already had increased on takeover rumors and represents an 80% premium above the Dec. 2 price, when Vector Aerospace said it would consider a sale.
The lines separating major carriers from regional carriers continue to blur, and that's having an impact on the way the latter look at maintenance. Consider that larger regional jet aircraft such as the Embraer 170 and 190 family and Bombardier's forthcoming CSeries are—or soon will be—ranging farther afield. These types supplant major carriers' mainline jets on routes that were once a sole province.
Lufthansa Technik's Hamburg auxiliary power unit (APU) shop added the Hamilton Sundstrand APS2300 to its repair portfolio with certification from the German Federal Office of Civil Aviation. The APS2300 APU equips Embraer 170/190 family aircraft. Lufthansa Technik says it has signed a contract with Air Dolomiti for APS2300 services, and work on the first APS2300 started in March.
The Persimmon Group appointed Ray H. (Tray) Siegfried director, aerospace services. Siegfried joins the Oklahoma-based business management consulting firm from The Nordam Group, the Siegfried family business, which he most recently served as vice chairman of the board.
Navairsyscom reissued STCs to install dual universal UNS-1D flight management systems and Raytheon APX-119 IFE transponder on various DC-9 aircraft, STCs ST01513AT and ST00022MC
Standard 1926.502 of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations for Construction (part 1926, subpart M) contains specific guidelines for lifeline systems, including the requirement that fall protection must be provided to an employee working more than 6 ft. off the ground. OSHA Standard for Occupational Safety and Health Standards (part 2010) also covers fall systems and personal protective equipment such as harnesses.
Solo Aviation in Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela, became a GE Aviation authorized service center for M601 and H80 turboprop engines. Solo Aviation now offers line maintenance, removals and re-installations of engines and LRUs and engine spares for the M601 and H80 engine families; GE Aviation will provide Solo Aviation with comprehensive material support and training.
Sargent Aerospace & Defense's aftermarket services group acquired more than 1,200 Boeing 737 line-replaceable units worth approximately $4 million in mid-March. Sargent's Miami facility was expected to receive the majority of these components—which range from avionics, fuel pumps, electromechanical actuators and engine components to landing gear top assembly units—in overhauled condition, ready for outright sale and exchange and lease programs.
Complacency has been called “the silent killer” and “the greatest threat to the survival of organizations today.” It seeps quietly into maintenance hangars over time as technicians become more comfortable in their jobs and begin taking shortcuts, such as not using checklists or using an out-of-date tool rather than making the trek to get a serviceable replacement. And complacency spreads: other technicians witness these shortcuts and figure they can get away with them, too.
Diversified Fall Protection designs, fabricates and installs custom fall protection systems for aircraft operators. Its rigid trolley beam fall arrest system is the most popular type of product for aircraft maintenance hangars; this system complies with OSHA standards. The company's Cartesian trolley system gives workers the freedom to move about on two axes. Diversified Fall Protection also supports fall systems for tarmac maintenance. www.fallprotect.com/aircraft-hangar.html
Nordam offers cabin windows and transparencies for most types of commercial aircraft, either directly to airframe manufacturers for installation during production or to third-party MRO providers as PMA parts. The company's capabilities include Airbus A320, A330, A340 and A380 models; Boeing 737, 747, 757 and 777 aircraft; Bombardier CRJ regional jets and Dash 8 turboprop aircraft; the Comac ARJ21 and Embraer 145. Nordam's transparency division supports American Airlines' Boeing fleet and Delta Air Lines' A320s and 747s. www.nordam.com
Chromalloy is developing a new technology center of excellence in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., dedicated to gas turbine engine repair, parts and coatings research and development. The company also plans to move its corporate headquarters to the new campus from its current location in Orangeburg, N.Y. It expects to employ 52 staff at the Florida site, which is slated for completion by the fourth quarter. Florida is a nexus for Chromalloy activity: parent company Sequa Corp.
Cathay Pacific completed a six-month trial of Arinc's AeroConnx electronic flight bag (EFB) on one of its Boeing 777-300 aircraft. It used the EFB to support applications such as electronic charts, documents, e-techlog, e-cabinlog and real-time credit card authorization. To support the trial, Arinc installed its GateFusion wireless datalink at Hong Kong International Airport to enable file transfer off the Cathay Pacific aircraft.
Last July, PPG launched a new transparency for the Airbus A320 family that now is available for new-production and replacement applications. PPG has outfitted these windshields with its new, chromate-free PR-2060 and PR-1425CF sealants, which use a different interlayer system to guard against moisture compared to the preceding windshield that equips Airbus A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. S-123 urethane holds together the transparency's outboard and middle glass plies. www.ppg.com/coatings/aerospace/transparencies/Pages/default.aspx
The advent of a new Congress this year brought new budget realities for the FAA. The turnover, and work left undone in the previous Congress, has left the agency to grapple with an uncertain budget. The FAA has faced a series of short-term funding extensions while key lawmakers work out the fiscal 2011 appropriations levels and a multi-year, comprehensive authorization bill.
In June 2009, the Air Transport Association published its Spec 2000 Chapter 9 data standard for the permanent identification of parts, the identification of receiving/shipping information and traceability. Contrary to popular belief, Spec 2000 Chapter 9 is strictly a “data standard”—not a technology standard. Fourteen required fields of information have been defined, including a small section providing an option to record additional information.
Baines Simmons-Americas acquired Great Circle Consulting, an Atlanta-based company focused on flight operations risk management, flight crew safety training and advanced qualification program development. Great Circle Consulting now does business as Baines Simmons-Americas, and Chris Hallman, Great Circle Consulting's founder and president, joined Jerry Allen as a Baines Simmons-Americas director and partner. Great Circle Consulting's clients include American Airlines, Air Astana and FAA Flight Inspection.
As a long-time supplier of measuring and stacking equipment for engine overhaul shops, Axiam has helped companies such as Delta TechOps, Lufthansa Technik and Pratt & Whitney improve the engine assembly process. Now Axiam is upgrading its Engine Core Restoration (ECR) software, which two commercial engine repair shops use. Axiam will add two new assembly processes called Flow Path Management and Geometric Rotor Stacking and Balancing to its software suite.
