No Fault Founds (NFFs) occur when parts appear faulty on an aircraft or in a line check, but test as fault-free in the shop. They are a frustrating waste of money and effort because although they appear to be benign, they still must be vetted. Reducing NFFs remains tough to accomplish. As old causes are discovered and resolved, new challenges arise, for example in increasingly complex avionics software.

Blowing sand in the Middle East and high levels of airborne particulate matter from industrial pollution in Asia are parts of the impetus behind a new generation of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) designed to better protect engine components and withstand corrosive elements. TBC corrosion is becoming a growing issue, specifically attributable to the build-up of calcium magnesium aluminosilicates (CMAS).

As more nacelles are made of composites, their repair market is becoming quite diverse. “Fleet transitions are adding complexity, failure modes vary as aircraft age, and operators are customizing work scopes to fit their needs,” says Meredith Siegfried, CEO of Nordam, a major nacelle OEM and repair specialist. Siegfried says most of today's nacelle work stems from mature aircraft, which generally employ comparable technologies and materials, so today's primary focus is on doing the work faster and cheaper.

Finance is playing an ever-increasing role in today's airline industry, with nearly half the world's commercial fleet under lease, according to Lufthansa Technik. And that trend is growing. Banks and private-equity firms are becoming more involved, expanding their investments from aircraft into engine and component financing as well.

The recent announcement of a merger between US Airways and American Airlines does far more than create the largest airline in the U.S. (see page MRO28). It may be releasing vast amounts of cortisol into the brains of workers who are unsure what this combination may mean for their jobs and future.

Leaning the line with outsourcing

Lease returns have a tendency to generate a lot of angst. There are myriad things to check, including big objects like airframes and powerplants, and less obvious items such as lowly seat covers and cushions.

Washington Benefits Of Outsourcing A new report from the bipartisan analysts paid to educate Congress puts a pile of facts in the way of a pretty good story about the perils of airline maintenance outsourcing.