While photo-catalytic cabin air filtration systems provide benefits such as reduced weight, an alternate system is passive and has been shown to generate no contaminants that could make their way into the cabin. This alternative, developed by The Donaldson Co., combines a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter with an activated carbon filtration medium and will equip the Boeing 787.
ST Aerospace will provide six years of maintenance support worth SING$363 million ($259 million) to the Republic of Singapore Air Force under two new contracts. The RSAF operates 218 aircraft in total, according to AVIATION WEEK’s World Aerospace Database. The contracts cover the RSAF’s operational fleet except for its F-15s and the trainer that has yet to be shortlisted, says ST Aero communications head Audrey Tan. Due to customer confidentiality she could not provide more detail on the work scope.
CAE SimuFlite awarded its first Master Aircraft Technician Awards to Shayne B. Graves and Dennis L. Pepin of Home Depot Aviation for successfully completing CAE SimuFlite’s three-year Master Aircraft Technician program.
Israel Aerospace Industries promoted Jack Gaber to deputy VP and general manager marketing and business development for Bedek Aviation Group. His new position brings him back to Israel after 10 years in the U.S., lastly as IAI North America VP, business development for commercial programs.
StandardAero reissued STC to install Aircell air/ground telephone system on Raytheon Aircraft/Hawker Beechcraft BAe.125 Series 800A, Hawker 800 and Hawker 800XP aircraft, STC ST01439CH-D
A $1-billion technology initiative launched earlier this year by Sikorsky focuses on areas that could have a big impact on helicopter MRO. These include the development of sensors that make helicopters aware of their environment and capable of adapting to changing conditions and threats, as well as monitoring flight and providing diagnostic and prognostic data that extend component life, optimize flying and reduce operational costs.
The CFM56 Customer Training Center opened in early March at GMR Aerospace Park in Hyderabad (see story p. 71). The aerospace park plans to focus on attracting services such as MRO and manufacturing to realize offsets coming from defense projects and logistics in the region.
Air India plans to get into Boeing 787 engine maintenance, per an agreement with GE Aviation. Air India will offer MRO for GEnx-1B engines, and GE will provide the carrier technical support. The GE Branded Services Agreement licenses Air India to service these engines, with GE assisting with work scopes, repair licenses and training.
Fully exploiting information technology to improve maintenance requires massive sharing of maintenance and performance data among airlines, shops and manufacturers. And that in turn requires standardizing data, the focus of ATA’s Spec 2000 project. Spec 2000 standards for maintenance data under ATA Chapter 11 are largely complete, although adjustments are still being made.
Chromalloy entered into a $10 million, two-year agreement with Air India to repair CF6-80C2, PW4000, CFM56-7B engines and auxiliary power units parts and components. It also inked a $2 million, three-year service agreement with Jordan Airmotive Ltd. Co. for inspections and service on gas turbine engine components, including the JT8D, RB211-524 and CF6-80C2. And, it will provide Pakistan International Airlines with FAA-approved high-pressure turbine blades and component repairs during 2010 through its joint venture BELAC and global repair network.
Etihad Airways is installing new technology on its long- and ultra long-haul aircraft to monitor the condition of passengers who display signs of sickness that could require immediate medical attention. The Tempus IC system allows cabin crew to quickly gather vital information about a passenger’s health, including blood pressure and electrocardiograms. It also enables the crew to take photo imagery.
Swiss AviationTraining received EASA Part 147 approval from the Federal Office of Civil Aviation to provide maintenance type rate training for Bombardier CRJ100/200 and CRJ700/900 aircraft types. Lufthansa Technik is Swiss AviationTraining’s first customer for the Bombardier training program. IT
UV Laser Cable/Wire Marking Equipment Laselec introduced a new machine that allows users to check the markability of cables and carry out periodic controls during production. The MT 200 marks cable samples then runs an analysis report. This product is designed to be compact and easy to use. For high to very high production volumes, Laselec offers the more robust ULYS MODENA. Its MRO 200 series is better suited for lower production levels.
I attended a meeting recently where one of the participants proclaimed, “Flat is the new up!” Everyone in the room laughed (except for the finance guy, who was less amused). With TeamSAI and Ascend predicting the commercial aviation MRO market value to drop 7.5% this year (see pg. 30-33), flat, for some, might be good. Most of the market value dip comes from older, maintenance-intensive aircraft leaving the fleet, but decreased aircraft utilization is the second biggest contributor.
SR Technics will continue maintenance services for Air India’s CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines at its Zurich engine shop per a CHF$60 million (US$55.4 million), two-year contract extension with the National Aviation Co. of India Ltd. The extension covers 61 Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737-800 aircraft. SR Technics also provides engine MRO and component support for Air India’s PW4168A-powered A330-200 aircraft. Parts/Components
Bombardier Aerospace’s aircraft dismantling operations have been accredited by the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA). The endorsement covers teardowns of CRJ100/200 regional jets at the manufacturer’s service centers in Bridgeport, W.Va., and Tucson, Ariz. AFRA promotes best practices for salvaging and recycling components during disassembly.
Commercial Jet, Aeronautical Engineers Inc.’s premier authorized conversion center, completed a heavy maintenance check and a passenger-to-freighter conversion on a Boeing 737-400SF for MNG Airlines-Turkey. Engines
Nordam Repair Group added Basil Barimo, who until recently was VP of operations and safety for the Air Transport Association, as VP of global engineering and quality, reporting to Meredith Siegfried, COO.
FL Technics went live with Ramco’s aviation MRO software solution. Ramco also released version 5.2 of Series 5 of the software. The Ramco update expands the centralized graphical planning board and provides centralized data entry for maintenance technicians.
While it doesn’t specialize in turboprops, BAE Systems sees signs that customers want specialized solutions, says spokesman David Dorman. One such customer is Condor Flugdienst, which enlisted BAE Systems' remarketing services for its 13 Boeing 757-300s. Condor's aircraft will remain in operation while BAE seeks a financial institution or leasing company to buy its aircraft then lease them back to Condor. No modifications or upgrades are involved in the work for Condor; BAE purely will seek out entities interested in buying the 13 aircraft.
As a certificated mechanic and pilot, I have learned and followed the regulations that were relevant to me since the sixties. I never needed to fret about where the regulation came from or how our democratic government made the rules. Now I work for the FAA and find myself involved in that nebulous responsibility of “rulemaking.” I am learning that rulemaking is like flying, maintenance or cooking.
There’s not much cooperation in military aircraft procurement or sustainment activities in the Middle East, but that could change if a joint venture set to begin operating very soon in the United Arab Emirates achieves its mission of becoming a profitable regional hub for military aircraft MRO.
When O&M visited Montreal-based ExelTech Aerospace in 2004, it was a rising star among MROs servicing regional aircraft. It had long-term contracts with large regional carriers such as American Eagle and was building new facilities at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport near Montreal and in Quebec City. Business was good. But in the last few years, the company faltered, and in February it filed for protection under the Canadian Companies Creditors Arrangement Act.
GKN Aerospace plans to create a £14.8 million ($22.3 million) facility to progress production of next-generation fan blades. Based on the Isle of Wight, UK, the facility will be central to the Environmental Lightweight Fan (ELF) research program between GKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce, which aims to prove advanced, high-rate production processes for an new all-composite fan blade.
