EMTEQ ENGINEERING, to install an EMTEQ seat warmer system in Hawker Beechcraft B200, B200C, B300, B300C, 200, 200C, 200CT, 200T, B200CT, B200T, 300 and 300LW series aircraft, STC SA03669AT
UNISON INDUSTRIES , reissued STC to replace Slick 4000, 4100, 4200, and 4300 and TCM/Bendix S-20, S-200, and S-1200 series magnetos with its Limited Authority Spark Advance Regulator ignition system on various Lycoming O-320 engines, STC SE419CH
Aircraft component suppliers are urging the Department of Commerce to scuttle a proposal that they fear could vastly restrict the shipment of U.S.-built avionics and navigation components. The Aviation Suppliers Association said the proposal “would unnecessarily punish distributors and manufacturers, and cripple trade in avionics commodities without providing any correlative benefit to the U.S.”
Esterline and Avio-Diepen signed a distribution agreement for the group’s Auxitrol and Weston product lines, including sales support and product marketing of temperature sensors, transducers, probes, thermocouples and harnesses, RTDs, pressure and temperature switches, resistors, TAT Probes and pressure probes for various engines and Airbus aircraft. Boeing also formed an agreement with Esterline CMC Electronics to provide Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag hardware on selected aircraft for production and retrofit, starting with the 737NG.
In the old days, repair facilities would take on just about any job to keep the revenue stream going. But, today, MROs are more discerning, carefully considering whether a repair or engineering solution is in their best interest. Some companies have an assortment of ways to determine the various costs associated with a repair: research and development, engineering, regulatory, expediency and labor costs.
In the MRO world, configuration management (CM) is, as the name implies, the control of the parts that make up an assembly. When used to help determine the economics of repair, CM could be described as a tracking mechanism for new, repaired or re-engineered parts. First developed in the 1950s by the U.S. Department of Defense as a technical management tool, CM is used by OEMs and larger MROs to track the operational performance of a part.
Triumph Group acquired the assets of Kongsberg Automotive’s aviation segment, which produces cable control systems for commercial and military aircraft. The acquired business, located in Basildon, U.K., and Heiligenhaus, Germany, will operate as Triumph Controls-U.K., Ltd. and Triumph Controls-Germany, GmbH and will join the Triumph Aerospace Systems Group. Facilities
Flightstar Aircraft Services redelivered a converted Boeing 757-200 freighter for Precision Conversions to new owner Cargo Aircraft Management. The full 15 pallet converted freighter is the 15th 757-200PCF Flightstar has completed for Precision Conversions.
A J Walter Aviation will provide rotable component support for Czech Airlines’ Airbus fleet from Prague, under a seven-year, power-by-the-hour contract that went into effect March 1. Czech plans to phase out its Boeing 737 fleet over the course of the contract as it adds 16 additional Airbus aircraft, for a total of 33 Airbus aircraft by 2016. The contract initially will cover the two A321s, eight A320s and seven A319s in Czech’s present fleet. AJW also will support up to 54 A320s for Mexican airline Volaris under a power-by-the-hour alliance with Montreal-based Aveos.
U.S. Naval Air Systems Command’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program office (PMA-271) reported formal acceptance of the first upgraded Boeing E-6B Mercury from Rockwell Collins and L-3 Integrated Systems Group at the latter’s Waco, Texas, facility. Navy E-6B aircraft are used to conduct both the “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) and U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post missions, providing reliable and survivable communications between the president, secretary of defense and U.S. strategic forces.
Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co., Ltd. raised the 1,936-ton steel roof of its new hangar at Pudong International Airport. The first phase of construction will create a two-bay, 50,000-sq.-meter hangar and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Boeing Shanghai was established in June 2006, as a joint venture of Boeing, Shanghai Airport Authorities and Shanghai Airlines.
Trimble designed its new, all-in-one tablet computer to be rugged and fully functional in any setting. The Yuma can be used as a hand-carried computer, mounted on a pole or tripod for data collection, secured in a vehicle-mount or connected to an office docking station with external monitor, printer and other desk peripherals.
Saudi Arabian Airlines signed a $300 million contract with GE Aviation Services to provide material for the CFM56-5B engines that will power the carrier’s new fleet of 50 Airbus A320s. The exclusive 10-year materials agreement covering 100 CFM56-5B engines, means Saudi Arabian Airlines will use only CFM parts while maintaining these engines, which it plans to service in-house. Avionics/IFE
Boeing conducted successful functional check flights of two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 737-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft modified in Australia for the RAAF’s Project Wedgetail program. During each of the 2.5-hour flights on Jan. 21 and 28, Boeing crews performed functional tests that verified the airworthiness of the aircraft’s systems and structures.
Eurocopter plans to open a second service center in Hong Kong to serve customers in Asia-Pacific, where the helicopter maker says 1,264 Eurocopter helicopters currently are in service. The center, called CSC Asia-Pacific, will be operated by Helicopter CSC and local staff.
Phoenix Heliparts was appointed as a factory-authorized aircraft sales distributor and service center for Schweizer commercial helicopters, including new and used helicopter sales, MRO and custom refurbishments, supported by in-house parts inventories and technical and engineering capabilities. MD Helicopter also appointed Phoenix Heliparts an authorized service center in support of a contract with the Republic of Korea Army.
GE bought JV partner Teleflex’s shares in Airfoil Technologies International-Singapore Pte. Ltd. for $300 million in early March. Teleflex previously was the majority shareholder with 51%. GE’s motivation in the purchase was to gain a controlling interest in the Singapore business, said representative Rick Kennedy, who said GE wants to be able to expand the business and to protect proprietary repair processes. And, Singapore in particular is an important location for GE, he noted.
SuperJet International opened its North American sales and customer support office in Washington, D.C. John Buckley, VP, business development, joined SuperJet International from ATR North America. Patrick Sullivan is head of customer service Americas.
A nearly two-year-old law is prohibiting the Federal Aviation Administration from awarding certification to any new foreign repair station applicant. Now, a potential new law could prevent existing foreign repair stations from renewing their certification.
Atlantic Fasteners received Lockheed Martin-Electronic Systems’ STAR Supplier Award, one of 36 of Lockheed’s 4,625 suppliers to gain recognition for its quality, delivery and business achievements over a 12-month period.
