The low-cost carrier sector in Southeast Asia is “positively dynamic,” as one MRO executive puts it, and its strategies are shaping those of the organizations that maintain its aircraft. Mostly young Airbus A320s, Boeing 737NGs and ATR turboprop fleets bring new opportunities and challenges to the region’s MRO providers, which have been busy adding narrowbody capability to historically widebody-centric work profiles.
Crane Aerospace & Electronics named David Perret general manager of its Lyon, France, site. Prior to this appointment, Perret served Crane as operations and customer support manager.
Problem: Delta Air Lines and Toshiba GE Turbine Components in Japan were having a hard time accurately measuring the dimensions of turbine blades with hand tools. Solution: ScanTek’s Maxos non-contact measuring system, distributed by NVision
LONDON—Incorrect cleaning of angle-of-attack sensors and pilot error led to the loss of an Airbus A320 off the coast of France in November 2008, according to French air accident investigation organization the Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA). XL Airways was operating the Airbus A320 on a pre-handover acceptance flight for Air New Zealand following its return-from-lease from XL Airways when it crashed off Canet-en-Roussillon, killing two XL pilots, four Air New Zealand personnel and a New Zealand CAA inspector.
ARC Avionics amended STC to install dual Universal Avionics UNS-1F flight management system or UNS-1Fw WAAS-capable FMS on Boeing 737-200 series aircraft, STC ST03362AT
BEIJING—EVA Airlines offshoot Evergreen Aviation Technologies (EGAT) plans to work longer hours rather than add capacity to take advantage of its strength amid the downturn. A surge in demand for airliner cabin refurbishment, attributed to delays in the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 programs, is also pushing the Taiwanese company to use its limited hangar space more intensively.
ST Aerospace secured two 10-year contracts with South Korean low-cost carrier T’Way Air together worth $63 million. The first is a maintenance-by-the-hour component support contract for T’Way’s Boeing 737-800s that includes repair management and access to rotables on an exchange basis; the second is an exclusive, time-and-materials based engine maintenance program for CFM56-7Bs. The deal covers engine condition monitoring and removal planning.
Air Works India Engineering set up a $10-million stocking location at Bengaluru International Airport. The inventory will enable Honeywell to ship parts within 24 hrs. of the order and enable Air Works to supply the company with products including, fuel pumps, navigation and guidance unit modules for integrated avionics systems.
One of the most notable changes Qantas has made in recent years was the reintegration of the MRO after it was set up as a stand-alone business. What was the thinking behind that?
The November elections are expected to bring a major shake-up in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. While pollsters were uncertain in October whether control of either chamber would flip to Republican control, they could say for certain that Republicans were expected to make significant gains in Congress.
New Systems to install dual Universal Avionics flight management systems with global positioning system on Bombardier DHC-8-100, -200, -300 and -400 series aircraft, STC ST10977SC
BAE Systems signed a five-year, total support deal with Air France-KLM Group company CityJet for JetSpares, continued airworthiness and technical support services and technical publications. CityJet also committed to a five-year extension of BAE Systems’ Tech 21 service for technical and engineering support and a five-year extension of technical publications support via BAE Systems Regional Aircraft’s online iSapphire service. Separately, Pelita Air Service in Indonesia extended its JetSpares agreement for its RJ85 fleet.
Delta TechOps inked a three-year contract with Cimber Sterling for time and materials services for 11 CFM56-7B engines and Honeywell GTCP131-9B APUs. The contract’s value was not disclosed.
GE Aviation held its second M601 line maintenance training course at its Cincinnati-area Customer Technical Education Center on Oct. 25 and 26. It plans to offer the course, which it launched in March, twice per year.
GE Aviation plans to invest $40 million on 1,000 new repairs in 2010, and part of this funding is focused on developing new capabilities for its CF6-80C2 engine. Although this 25-year-old model is in the last stages of its life-cycle, its manufacturer is participating in a joint repair development with Lufthansa Technik to test some tried-and-true repair techniques in the turbine engine aftermarket for the first time.
Chippewa Aerospace amended STC to install protective covers for 1K4XD relay, traffic alert and collision avoidance systems processor, horizontal stabilizer control unit, stall protection computer, data concentrator unit, slat stab control unit, slat flap extend control unit, passenger address amplifier and fuel quantity computers on various Bombardier regional jet aircraft (Series 100, 440, 700, 701, 702, 705 and 900), STC ST03336AT
Pentagon 2000 Software gained Aero Contractors Co. of Nigeria as a customer for its Pentagon2000SQL logistics management and record keeping software. Contracts
Rockwell Collins Aerospace & Electronics to install the Rockwell Collins Model 4000 head-up guidance system with enhanced vision system capability on Boeing 737-700, -700C, -800, -900 and -900ER series aircraft, STC ST00039MC
STG Aerospace amended STCs to install the Saftglo photoluminescent floor proximity emergency escape path marking system on Boeing 747-300 and -400 and 777-200 series aircraft, STCs ST02993AT and ST03684AT
LONDON—Attendees at July's Farnborough International Airshow gained insight into the crucial role that projected long-term maintenance costs play when airlines negotiate deals for a clean-sheet airliner—especially if the engine is an all-new design, too. On opening day, Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, quashed speculation about a likely show order for Bombardier’s CSeries when he told reporters that talks were in limbo until Pratt & Whitney agreed to maintenance cost guarantees for its PW1000G geared turbofan.
