AeroMech, amended STC for group Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum approval for Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 Westwind Astra aircraft, STC ST01141SE Aero Union, amended and reissued STCs to install a 2,000-gallon fire retardant system on Erickson Air-Crane S-65E, S-64E and CH-54A helicopters, STCs SR01192LA and SR01192LA Aircraft Technical Development dba Aerocon Engineering, to install a cabin interior noise reduction kit on Boeing 757-200 series aircraft, STC ST02157LA
Three Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy RERP test aircraft successfully completed developmental flight tests, which paves the way for redelivering the three aircraft (one former C-5A and two C-5Bs) to the U.S. Air Force in support of operational test and evaluation, due to begin in late 2009. The three heavy-lift transports participating in the U.S. Air Force’s Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP) underwent tests for performance verification of the propulsion system, utilities and sub-systems, flight controls, airframe and avionics systems.
LONDON—Soaring oil prices might be taking a huge toll on airlines, but, according to Mark King, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, they also present opportunities for engine maintenance providers to really add value to a customer’s fleet through engine MRO. The high price of oil will have a huge impact on the trade-off between maintenance costs, fuel burn and engine time-on-wing, King said, which is why Rolls has started to develop additions to its TotalCare packages to be “more and more focused on a world of high oil prices.”
Embraer’s new spare parts warehouse in China was certified by the ANAC , Brazil’s civil aviation authority. The certification enables technicians at the facility to issue spare part airworthiness certificates through the facility’s own quality system. The facility is expected to decrease supply chain turntimes in the region.
Engine manufacturer refusal to support certain parts has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to remind aircraft owners, manufacturers and parts manufacturers of their respective responsibilities for ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. The agency released a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), noting that the aircraft owners and operators ultimately are responsible for the aircraft, but that replacement parts are interchangeable if they meet FAA standards.
Composites are paving the way for weight savings in the aviation industry, a hot topic at the moment given fuel prices. Ranging from small and thin components, such as wiring, to the backbones of large modules like lavatories and galleys, manufacturers make use of various composite formulas to take weight off the aircraft. Weight saved serves as a valuable marketing tool, and advances in composite technology are keeping pace with the price-per-barrel.
General Dynamics plans to acquire Jet Aviation for $2.25 billion. The companies expect to close the deal by the end of the year. General Dynamics plans to retain the Jet Aviation and Midcoast Aviation brands, and operate them, at least initially, as a third prong of its aerospace business (the others being Gulfstream Aerospace and General Dynamics Aviation Services).
This summer’s Farnborough International Air Show saw the introduction of a new line of adjustable actuators from U.K.-based Meggitt. The new, motor-controlled modulating actuators feature a closed-loop regulator, which should detect flow, pressure and temperature via sensors. This should produce a high degree of fine-tuning to meet required measurements. Because the system is programmable, it also should allow engineers to change test valve parameters in line with performance requirements on a laptop, making redesign work unnecessary.
Maintaining the Boeing F/A-18 represents a $100 million product line this year for the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, which plans to churn out about 110 Hornets, including 45 planned maintenance intervals (PMIs), 15 center barrel replacements and 10 crash or battle damaged repairs—the rest will be field site repairs and modifications.
SH&E added Andreas Britz and David Hinderland as new principals. Britz joins the aviation consultancy’s technical services area in New York, following 25 years at Lufthansa Technik. Hinderland, who spent 19 years with Southwest Airlines, will join SH&E’s Boston office.
Batteries and an on-board charger come standard with eTug, an electric alternative to gasoline-powered airport ramp and maintenance facility vehicles. The customizable units have 20,000-lb. towing and stopping capacity, equivalent to five fully-loaded baggage carts. Manufacturer eTug LLC points out that this should fill most operators’ needs. Other gas-powered tugs can offer 5,000 lbs. draw bar pull (for 50,000 lbs. towing capacity), but few things on the ramp require it, say the makers of eTug products.
For those of you operating in the U.K., the CAA mandates that all AOC operators and associated approved maintenance organizations have a Safety Management System (SMS) in place from Jan.1, 2009, forward. Baines Simmons is holding a three-day course on developing, implementing, measuring and managing an SMS. Baines Simmons says the course is to cover: • Identifying and mitigating unwanted business losses; • Performing meaningful Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment;
SR Technics signed an agreement with Avtrade Ltd. to support a range of Honeywell auxiliary power unit (APU) components fitted to various Airbus and Boeing types. Under it, SR Technics will provide maintenance and loan services to Avtrade for the APUs at its Dublin facility, which is equipped to service Honeywell GTCP 85, 131-9A/B, 331-200/250 and -350 series and 660 series APUs. SR Technics also announced a component support agreement with Airbus, covering 19 leased A330s operated by Singapore Airlines.
Kenya Airways awarded IAI’s Bedek Aviation Group a 10-year, $100 million contract for CFM56-3 and -7 engine overhaul and support. The exclusive agreement covers 26 engines that power the airline’s fleet of a dozen Boeing 737-300s and 737NGs.
Northrop Grumman won a firm fixed-price U.S. Air Force contract valued at more than $250 million over four years to provide contractor logistics services to U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps C-20 aircraft. Northrop Grumman and teammates M7 Aerospace, Savannah Air Center and Rolls-Royce North America will provide depot maintenance, contractor operational and maintained base supply, flight line maintenance and field team support of the C-20 at five primary Main Operating Bases (MOBs), both in the U.S. and at overseas locations.
Flightparts is establishing a facility in Xiamen, China . Flightparts Xiamen Component Services is to have full capabilities to overhaul narrowbody landing gear, hydraulic, pneumatic and flap components for Boeing and Airbus aircraft. It should receive China Civil Aviation Authority approval by December, and expects to receive U.S. FAA approval by the second quarter of 2009.
Boeing’s San Antonio military aircraft maintenance, modification and upgrade facility earned an ISO 14001 certification, and is the company’s first Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) site in 2008 to validate its environmental management system. Boeing is working to have all of its major manufacturing facilities certified to the ISO 14001 standard by the end of the year. Four other Boeing facilities—Exmouth in Australia; Everett, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; and Salt Lake City—already have achieved the certification.
Northstar Network received a follow-on order from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics for 28 shipsets under the P-3 Service Life Extension Program, supplementing the initial award for six ship sets for the six Norwegian Planes. Northstar says the follow-on award will be worth about $4 million in additional revenue over the next year.
: Boeing received an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, fixed price U.S. Department of Defense contract totaling $42 million in August. This will provide the Radar System Improvement Program capability to be installed in the five Royal Saudi Air Force Boeing E-3A AWACS airborne early-warning jet aircraft. This effort supports foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia, for which $27.3 million has so far been obligated.
For shipping share parts and other valuable mobile assets, Storopack developed FOAMplus, an integrated system that produces custom-sized, protective foam packing material. The system’s central machine, the FOAMplus Bager, measures about 80 cm-by-80 cm at its base and is 200 cm tall. It attaches to two 200-liter metal barrels, which contain polyol and an isocyanate. The machine can be preprogrammed so that the dose of foam components it dispenses fits perfectly into a film bag.
ST Aerospace completed its MD-11 passenger-to-freighter conversion program for UPS with the Sept. 3 delivery of the 38th MD-11 BCF. ST Aviation Services (SASCO) carried out the conversion program, which began in April 2001, for UPS. SASCO has redelivered 58 MD-11 BCF aircraft to various airlines to date.
Northrop Grumman received a U.S. Navy contract on Aug. 12 to upgrade Grumman E-2C AEW&C aircraft for Egypt’s Hawkeye foreign military sales program. Under this $38 million contract, the six Egyptian Air Force E-2Cs will be refurbished and upgraded to Hawkeye 2000 (HE2K) configuration, with upgrades to the radar, mission computer, tactical mission-system displays and navigation systems. Aircraft modification work will be performed at Northrop Grumman’s St.
An enhanced memorandum of understanding signed in late August by the civil aviation authorities of Hong Kong and Singapore will allow for mutual recognition and approval of aircraft and engine maintenance. A previous MoU signed in December 2004 recognized aircraft component maintenance. The two authorities estimate more than 75 MRO companies will benefit from the enhanced agreement.
Austrian inaugurated its Vienna Aviation Campus on Sept. 15, which now co-locates technical, commercial, flight attendant and pilot training. Austrian said training will increase in quality and decrease in cost because of centralized training activities. IT
