Barfield signed a five-year contract with Tame, Ecuador's flag carrier, for full support of its fleet of three newly delivered ATR42-500s. The deal provides nose-to-tail component support and repair, includeing engine LRUs and pool access.

Armstrong Aerospace reissued STC to install Panasonic Global Communications Suite system provisions on Boeing 737-800 series aircraft, STC ST03056CH

The growth of the air transport market, has triggered massive fleet renewal by the Russian carriers with Western-built aircraft carrying 89% of the country's passengers in 2011.

FRANKFURT—Europe's airlines are under enormous economic stress. Some are to be sold and some—like Malev and Spanair—already have disappeared this year. The consequences for the MRO sector are likely to be more subtle, but that does not mean no changes. Those airlines that already have big MRO organizations in the region will have to look at how to make those operations more efficient. Those that do not will be forced to seek outsourced work for even less. And those that have some in-house capabilities are facing crucial choices: sell, combine or expand.

Manufacturer: Pall Corp Applications: Pall Corp.'s aerospace division manufacturers aerospace-grade true HEPA filters for aircraft types including Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier and Embraer models. Pall has tested the HEPA cabin air filters to a microbial removal efficiency of greater than 99.999%. Pall also provides odor/VOC filters for select aircraft types to remove compounds associated with oil degradation. www.pall.com

A new composite surface preparation can lessen the labor-intensive process.

Airbus is bringing to market the A330 passenger to freighter program with ST Aerospace, with the aircraft to enter service in 2016. Both the A330-300 (to come first) and -200 (due a year later) will be part of the P2F program which also includes EADS' EFW unit. ST Aerospace will have the development lead, with EFW performing the modification and marketing. The arrangement has been under work for three years.

An MRO's perennially prickly problem is presenting itself at precisely the most inopportune of times. That problem is lack of manpower, and it's manifesting itself during an era ripe with demand for outsourced MRO. The issue seems particularly acute among at some independent North American MROs. At the same time, customers are calling on those MROs to offer nose-to-tail services, and more. In this environment, it's not just the strong that survive, it's the supple. Skills Shortage