TAT Technologies subsidiary Piedmont Aviation Component Services selected Component Control’s Quantum Control enterprise resource planning software to replace its AS400-based application. Piedmont expects to have up to 80 users on the system after it goes live this year.
TeamSAI promoted Tom Cooper and Michael Moore to senior VPs and principals from their prior roles as VPs and principals. Cooper joined TeamSAI in 2007 and brings 20 years of lexperience with Delta Air Lines and Foster’s Wine Estates; he is the consulting practice leader for certification, safety and technical services. Moore joined TeamSAI in 2009 and uses his 25 years of experience with Northwest Airlines, Timco Aviation Services and Associated Air Center to lead TeamSAI’s MRO consulting. Airframes
AFI KLM Engineering & Maintenance expanded its component, engines and engineering support work for New Caledonian airline Aircalin’s Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft.
Researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Technical Thermodynamics have begun ground testing a new technology that, if successful, could eliminate much of the fuel burn and noise generated by airport taxiing.
Phillips Service Industries acquired Skytronics Inc. Technology firm Phillips sees the acquisition of the California maker and repairer of aircraft ball screws, actuator assemblies and transmissions as an expansion of its reach into aerospace; it also owns Beaver Aerospace & Defense, Sciaky Inc., Mountain Secure Systems, Evana Automation Specialists and PSI Repair Services.
Aerospace-grade chemical supplier Socomore’s parent company Groupe Méaban acquired MagChem, based in Montreal. This acquisition is intended to reinforce Socomore’s market position in North America and complement recent investments in Dysol and Dynamold. Facilities
Lufthansa Technik gained Cameroon’s Camair-Co start-up as a line maintenance and component services customer. Under the two-year line maintenance contract, Lufthansa Technik Maintenance International will provide initial staff to service the carrier’s Boeing 737NG and 767 aircraft at Douala, Cameroon; it subsequently will hire and instruct up to 10 local employees to take over the work.
Apple just released its iPad 2 last month, and the aerospace industry is definitely taking notice of the tablet’s seemingly limitless applications, from the hangar floor to aircraft cabins and cockpits. The FAA has recently approved the use of iPads as electronic flight bags (EFB), which contain important aeronautical charts and manuals, for pilots. Because EFBs can cost thousands of dollars on the market today, many airlines find that the iPad presents a simple, flexible and economical alternative.
Aftermarket acquisitions in the second decade of the new millennium got off to a fast start. Aviation consolidation in early 2011 has been “even more robust than we predicted,” summarizes Chris Doan, president and CEO of TeamSAI. “Activity in the first month of 2011 is equal to that of the first quarter in 2010.” Doan sees that strength continuing throughout the year and predicts its aerospace acquisitions will double or triple the number in 2010
The camera heads for the 5.0, 6.1 and 8.4 mm probes have an 1/6 in. color charge-coupled device CCD image sensor with a 440,000 pixel count. These cameras also have an added temperature warning sensor. The 3.9 and 6.2 mm probes have a 1/10 in. color CCD image sensor at 290,000 pixels. GE says the titanium camera head is eight times stronger than those that equip older borescopes. www.ge-mcs.com/microsites/xlg3-videoprobe/overview.html
Abaris Training instructs more than 1,000 students a year at its three facilities in Reno, Nev.; Griffen, Ga. and London. Abaris offers a three-phase introduction to composites called Advanced Composite Structures, as well as advanced classes in structural engineering, stress analysis methods, drawing, tooling and bonded aluminum structures. Abaris also offers an introductory composites course online. www.abaris.com
Turkish Technic signed a five-year maintenance services agreement with SunExpress for its Boeing 737-800 landing gear, covering removal and installation and spare units. Turkish Technic plans to complete nine overhauls over the course of the program. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
Sabena technics renewed its agreement with Thomas Cook for line and light maintenance of the Belgian tour operator’s seven Airbus A320s for five more years from January 2011. The contract includes main base support in Brussels as well as component MRO and pool access.
One year ago, pundits predicted that 2010 would be a tipping point for the airline aftermarket. The optimistic outlook ended up being true, and this year the same people predict growth.
AuraPortal plans to launch a content management module as part of its business management platform. This platform integrates with other AuraPortal applications, including document management, customer relationship management and online commerce.
Baines Simmons appointed Ivan Christiansen head of its quality consultancy division. Christiansen joins Baines Simmons from Rolls-Royce, where he was head of global quality for On-Wing Care.
Ibaset implemented its new version of G7 software at Hamilton Sundstrand. Hamilton Sundstrand implemented the Solumina manufacturing execution system and plans to roll out the MRO and supplier quality assurance applications next.
CFM Materials officially opened a new, 48,000-sq.ft. facility in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Feb. 23. The subsidiary, which became operational in May 2010, says it has shipped more than 10,000 used serviceable parts to customers.
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) Composites and Advanced Materials laboratory at Wichita State University in Kansas is a 7,420-ft. facility that offers researchers the ability to perform comprehensive materials testing. The composites laboratory has a lay-up room and equipment for bonded repairs, and researchers can test heat and humidity on materials in the structures and fatigue laboratory. NIAR offers classes with universities through the FAA Center of Excellence for Composites and Advanced Materials. www.niar.wichita.edu/
GE Aviation is investing $60 million in purchasing and refurbishing a Boeing 747-400 for use as a flying testbed for the next generation of engines, starting with the LEAP-X. It features GE CF6-80C2s and is based at GE’s Victorville, Calif., facility.
In July 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia left intact a year-old rule that expanded drug and alcohol testing requirements to air carrier subcontractors “at any tier.” But as part of that decision, the appeals court ordered FAA to conduct a final regulatory flexible analysis (RFA) on the expansion—an order that the agency appeared to ignore over the next three years until the court threatened to put a hold on the expansion.
Irving Place Capital appointed Jeffrey D. Wood a senior advisor for its industrial practice. Wood formerly was president of Airfoil Technologies International and has 20 years of experience in aerospace, having worked at Pratt & Whitney, Interturbine and General Electric.
A J Walter signed up African start-up Senegal Airline for a five-year, power-by-the-hour component support contract for its first two Airbus A319 aircraft. The airline also inked a multi-million-dollar spares lease with AJW, for components positioned in Dakar, and a contract for integrated consumables management services.
