With the expected grounding of more than 400 mostly older, maintenance intensive airliners by yearend, MRO spending in 2009 will be $1.3 billion less than previously projected, with the bulk of that reduction coming in North America, according to TeamSAI, which produces O&M’s annual MRO Forecast. What this means for airline and third-party MRO providers is unclear. In mid-July, ACTS laid off 650 workers. Days later, American Airlines said it would cut up to 1,500 jobs from its maintenance and engineering unit. But AAR Corp.
Grob Aerospace launched a recruitment drive at ILA Berlin in May, intended to attract 60 new engineers and technicians to its facilities in Tussenhausen-Mattsies, Germany, and St. Gallen, Altenhrein, Switzerland. It plans to offer a number of the jobs to ab initio and trainee engineers, who will work alongside its fully qualified and experienced engineers.
Garmin AT , amended STC to install GTX 32 (mode C), GTX 33 (mode S) or GTX 33D (Mode S with diversity) remote transponders on multiple models of general aviation aircraft, STC SA01473SE
BAE Systems’ re-launched BAe 146QT Series 200 freighter successfully made its first flight on June 25 after Aerostar finished completing the conversion at its facility in Bacau, Romania. Aerostar, BAE’s partner for the conversion program, began work on the aircraft in January 2007. The aircraft is destined for service with Austrian all-cargo carrier Amerer Air, which plans to purchase it after final maintenance checks.
Lufthansa Technik will begin training 280 apprentices at its Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich training centers, in addition to other facilities, this summer as the 2008 training year begins. It says about 5,000 applied for the slots. With the new additions, LHT says it has around 800 apprentices in total.
Stretch panels and color-coding are designed to increase the comfort and safety of Kimberly-Clark's new lines of protective apparel and particulate respirators.
Barco received TSO-C113 and ETSO-C113 authorization for its 15-in. primary flight display, signaling it meets both U.S. FAA and EASA airworthiness standards. Barco's 10-in. and 15-in. PFDs are marketed by Honeywell as KDU-1080 and KDU-1500 and are integrated into Honeywell's Primus Apex integrated flight deck.
BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul added Martin Maly as regional sales manager for its international sales team, which represents Dallas Airmotive, H+S Aviation and Premier Turbines. Maly is to represent ERO's OEM-authorized service on 21 product lines, covering central and Eastern Europe and Russia.
CFM International won a firm fixed price contract for $22.6 million to manufacture F108 turbine rotors, at a quantity of 44 each. All funds have been obligated. Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., was responsible for the contracting activity.
Honeywell Aerospace plans to sell its Consumable Solutions (HCS) unit to Florida-based B/E Aerospace in a $1.05 billion cash and stock deal announced June 9. Rob Gillette, Honeywell president and CEO, said in a statement that the consumables unit, formerly known as the Hardware Products Group, no longer fits with Honeywell's strategic focus on more advanced technologies.
People attending the Farnborough International Airshow can see what aircraft recycling is all about, thanks to a big demonstration project organized by the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) and members Air Salvage International, P3 Aviation and WINGNet. Witness Air Salvage disassembling the fuselage -- from removing the interiors, recycling the plastics and tagging the reusable parts. See the harvested parts at P3 Aviation's parts management display.
Honeywell secured an agreement with AirAsia to supply its 131-9A auxiliary power unit and APU maintenance for the Malaysian carrier's recent order of up to 125 Airbus A320s. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2009 through 2013. The 131-9A, which is an option on all of the A320 family aircraft, is in use on more than 1,400 aircraft operated by 90 customers, according to Honeywell.
Pemco World Air Services named Kevin Casey president of the company. He previously was president of its cargo conversions division. Patrick Stewart, previously with Texas Aero Engine Services and American Airlines, was named COO. In addition, VP of commercial operations in Dothan, Ala., Dennis Johnson, assumed the same VP position at Pemco's new Tampa facility. Shane King will take Johnson's place as director of production- Dothan.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Global Sustainment was awarded a $142.48 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity multiple award contract to exercise an option for the P-3C sustainment, modification and installation program. Work will be performed in Greenville, S.C., and is expected to be completed in June 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., was responsible for the contracting activity.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack fighter will likely continue operating until at least 2030, according to a recent review issued from Langley AFB, Va. The U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, which has been flying since originally produced by Fairchild Republic from 1975 to 1984, is an aging airframe but still highly effective. The current official USAF Thunderbolt II inventory comprises: Active force, A-10/OA-10, 143/70; Reserve, A-10/OA-10, 46/6; Air National Guard, A-10/OA-10, 84/18.
The dynamics of the helicopter MRO industry are changing. As more operators deploy their equipment for longer stretches at increasingly greater distances from home bases, the focus of maintenance is shifting increasingly to field repairs.
Executive Jet Management's Michelle Schopp, director of technical services, received the U.S. FAA's "Good Friend" award, honoring her ground-breaking work on the electronic flight bag program.
Rockwell Collins announced Denny Helgeson, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional Systems since 2002, will retire this fall. Greg Irmen, formerly senior director, Boeing programs, was appointed Helgeson's successor. effective May 19. Hegelson has been with the company for more than 33 years and will continue to report to Kelly Ortberg, executive vice president and COO of Commercial Systems, as vice president and general manager-special assistant until September.
April 17 marked the opening of a component repair business by Boeing Australia Ltd, a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary, in a new AUS$10 million ($9.583 million) facility at Melbourne Airport, Victoria. The new business will maintain, repair and overhaul a wide range of components for commercial and military aircraft, ranging from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A/B Hornets.
Little changed in the FAA regulatory front as several rules remain in progress. The Office of Management and Budget extended its review of the final rule requiring incorporation of flammability reduction means into existing and new aircraft. The fuel tank flammability proposal was published in November 2005 and the comment period ended in May 2006. The final rule was sent for OMB review in February.
Eaton Aerospace Operations named Eric Alden director, customer support. Prior to joining Eaton, he was regional aftermarket director for Honeywell for Europe/Middle East /Africa.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has introduced a bill in the Senate that, if approved, would greatly increase FAA oversight of foreign repair stations specifically and of outsourced maintenance generally. Co-sponsors of the bill, The Safe Aviation Facilities Ensures Aircraft Integrity and Reliability Act (SAFE AIR) of 2008, or simply S.3090, include Sens. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).
Bell Helicopter received FAA's Organization Designation Authorization, which allows an ODA unit within the OEM to act on behalf of the FAA as a certification and airworthiness office. Bell worked for two years to gain ODA.
