Do you get a sense that the term “partnership” in the aviation aftermarket is subtly morphing into something new? I do. The overused term is rather generic, but I have heard enough examples recently that make me think new ways of working together are forthcoming.
BAE Systems Info & Electronic Systems amended STC to install the BAE Systems Jeteye Performance Analysis Collection system on Boeing 767-200 series aircraft, STC ST02468CH
AAR Petrotech, a division of AAR Corp., has teamed up with New York’s Petroleum Technologies Inc. to offer hydraulic fuel reclamation services for Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft. When Petrotech’s reclamation unit connects with an aircraft’s drain and refuel valve, it cleans hydraulic fuel of contaminants such as water, dirt and gas. AAR estimates that purifying hydraulic oil regularly can save at least 10% in hydraulic maintenance costs per flight hour and eliminate the future cost of replacement fuel. www.aarcorp.com/comm/aarpetrotechhome_072808.htm
CORRECTIONS: The quote by Andrew Richardson, AkzoNobel Aerospace Coating’s global market director, pertains to the company’s interior cabin coating, Aerofine, and not to its Aerodur 3001 basecoat or Aerodur 3002 clearcoat system (October, pg. 62-63). Inventory Locator Service was misidentified as International Locator Service (November, pg. 45).
Iberia Maintenance’s new hangar in Barcelona, which opened last month, is expected to create 200 high-skilled jobs when it reaches full capacity. Its current staff of 60 was in training in October, and the facility expected two aircraft to arrive in November for simultaneous inspections.
Archeion Holdings amended STCs to install an Avionica satlink Iridium satcom communication management system on various Boeing 727, 737, 757 and 767 series aircraft, STCs ST03689AT, ST03529AT, ST03386AT and ST03508AT
Archeion Holdings amended STC to install a mini quick access recorder model MKI, MKII, or MKIII on multiple air transport and business aircraft models, STC ST02472AT
Hamilton Sundstrand opened a new, high-tech customer response center on Nov. 9, to provide a single point of access to a unified IT platform and master database. As it ramps up based on call volume, Hamilton Sundstrand says it could add specialists in areas such as health management.
As cutting-edge technology renders powerplants exponentially more reliable—able to shun shop visits in a fashion earlier engines never could—cooperative agreements among OEMs and MROs are taking off. That is the irony of it.
AJ Walter Aviation added a new warehouse in Singapore, where in early November it said it already held more than $20 million in Airbus and Boeing inventory. This investment is a second recent addition: in September, AJ Walter announced it was adding a new office in Miami.
Timco amended and issued STCs to install cell modems, other cabin systems and new interiors in Boeing 767-300 series aircraft; to install structural provisions for the Panasonic global communications suite on Boeing 737-700 series aircraft; and to install a Rockwell Collins SRT-2100 satcom system on Boeing 767-400ER series aircraft, STCs ST03604AT-D, ST03810AT-D, ST03808AT-D, ST03068AT-D, ST03552AT-D, ST03493AT-D, ST03492AT-D and ST03468AT-D
Turkish Technik is aiming for the first quarter of 2011 to begin working with Goodrich on a joint-venture company announced in July to provide nacelle and thrust reverser maintenance, and related component work, although it still has not chosen the exact location for the plant. The company, which is seeing its landing gear maintenance business provide great profits, will double its employees to 4,000-plus by 2015.
Synergy Jet Group is the name of a new, Atlanta-based business aviation advisory firm launched by veteran aviation sales executive Tom Chapman. Airframes
GE Aviation celebrated a record surpassing 100,000 flight hours for the CF6-80C2B1F turbofan engine on Lufthansa 747-400s maintained by Lufthansa Technik. Lufthansa operates a fleet of 120 CF6-80C2B1F engines, five of which have greater than 100,000 flight hours each. An additional eight engines in operation all have greater than 99,000 flight hours. Together, the fleet of Lufthansa's CF6-80C2B1F engines has achieved a grand total of 10 million flight hours.
Pratt & Whitney gained three new customers for its EcoPower engine wash program, and it added and expanded its engine management program portfolio. The IAE V2500 engines that power Jetstar Airways’ Australia-based Airbus A320 and A321 fleet will receive EcoPower engine wash services under a long-term contract with John Holland Aviation Services, a Pratt & Whitney EcoPower franchise partner in Melbourne, Australia.
LONDON—More than 12,000 aircraft could reach their end of service lives in the next 20 years, while the prices of raw and processed materials to construct their successors continue to rise. Will recycling these redundant airframes ease material costs?
