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.
Lufthansa Technik and Panasonic Avionics plan to set up a joint venture for inflight entertainment and cabin management systems for narrowbody and widebody VIP aircraft. In particular the two partners aim to combine the technologies behind Panasonic’s X series IFE system, eXConnect and eXPhone global communications systems and Lufthansa Technik’s “nice” IFE and CMS system to develop new systems with advanced features.
L3 Communications/Aviation Recorders amended STC to install the L-3 Communications Aviation Recorders micro quick access recorder on McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft, STC ST03560AT
ADDIS ABABA—While the African subcontinent represents only 4% of global MRO revenues, its markets are anticipated to witness greater demand for MRO services as a result of air traffic growth, new aircraft deliveries and airline consolidation, says Frost & Sullivan. These predictions are supported by Boeing’s September forecast, which pegs carriers in Africa to experience steady growth over the next 20 years, with a delivery of 710 airplanes in that time frame.
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 STC to install a mini quick access recorder model MKI, MKII, or MKIII on multiple air transport and business aircraft models, STC ST02472AT
Synergy Jet Group is the name of a new, Atlanta-based business aviation advisory firm launched by veteran aviation sales executive Tom Chapman. Airframes
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
Armand F. Lauzon, Jr. ➤ CEO, Sequa Corp. and President, Chromalloy
During the summer of 2008, I was asked by The Carlyle Group, one of the largest private equity firms in the world—and a company I’d been working with for a number of years—to run Chromalloy, a company it had purchased the previous December. From the outset, it was clear to me that the job would be challenging and that one of the most difficult tasks would involve driving a cultural change to establish a unified reputation—both inside and outside the company.
Ramco Systems will provide Suite 5 M&E and MRO maintenance planning software to the National Aviation Co. of India, which operates Air India, Indian Airlines, Air India Expres and Alliance, under a September contract.
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
TAM Airlines installed OnAir’s satellite-based inflight mobile communications system on one Airbus A321. The aircraft will provide telephone service and access to emails and the Internet through GPRS networks.
ARC Avionics Corp. amended STCs to install a single Universal Avionics Class A Taws system, dual Universal UNS-1F FMS and dual Universal EFI-890R EFIS on Boeing 737-300/400 series aircraft, STCs ST03354AT, ST03356AT and ST03355AT
Boeing announced plans to launch a rotable parts exchange program in conjunction with the entry into service of its 787 Dreamliner, still slated for February 2011. It aims for the program to offer another alternative to GoldCare, its comprehensive maintenance package for 787 customers. The 787 Rotable Exchange Program, which it describes as a basic, entry-level-type exchange offering, is part of its strategy to set up a shared global inventory pool for customers enlisted in 787 OEM support packages.
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.
Christchurch Engine Center (New Zealand). A JV between Pratt & Whitney and Air New Zealand. Eagle Services Asia (Singapore). A JV involving Pratt & Whitney and SIA Engineering Co. Shanghai Engine Center (China). A joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and China Eastern Airlines. Turkish Engine Center (Turkey). A joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and Turkish Technic. Asian Compressor Technology Services (Taiwan). This tripartite JV encompasses Pratt & Whitney, SIA Engineering Co., and China Airlines.
Presidential Airways amended STC to install a single Class-A Sandel ST3400 terrain awareness warning system with remote magnetic indicator function on copilot upper left instrument panel on Casa CN-235-100/-200/-300 series aircraft, STC ST03537AT
Premier Aviation announced Nov. 8 that it finalized the purchase of Rome, N.Y.-based Empire Aero Center from Israel Aerospace Industries. Negotiations for the purchase became public in early September, and the sale actually closed in early October, says Dave Diggle, VP marketing, sales and service. The companies did not disclose the purchase price, though Diggle notes that it included all of Empire Aero Center's assets. Premier has launched operations at the New York site and completed the third of five Airbus narrowbody C checks for a new U.S. customer there on Nov.
Rolls-Royce won a $390-million order from Thai Airways International for Trent 700 engines to power an additional seven Airbus A330 aircraft scheduled to be delivered from 2011. The order includes a TotalCare service agreement. Thai already operates eight Trent 700-powered A330s, 20 Trent 800 powered Boeing 777s and 10 Trent 500-powered Airbus A340s. It also picked the Trent 900 to power six A380s. Its entire Trent fleet is supported by TotalCare. Rolls-Royce will provide Trent 700s to Tunisair to power its three Airbus A330s.
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.
What have been your biggest challenges in the first year of refocusing Olympic Air’s maintenance business? Pascalis: We started our operation on Sept. 28, 2009, and the old Olympic Airlines actually concluded their operations on the same day. The first challenge was to take over the hangar facilities at Athens Airport: they were coming out while we were going in. It sounds easy, but it’s not. You have one huge, 40-year-old organization moving out, and us moving in on the same day. Logistically, it’s a big effort.
