Rolls-Royce Defense Services received a $66.3 million modification to a previously awarded fixed-price, requirements contract to exercise an option to provide Power-By-The-Hour logistics support for approximately 188 F405-RR-401 engines for T-45 aircraft. Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.
Pratt & Whitney Canada Customer Services Center Europe, a joint venture of P&WC and MTU, signed a Fleet Management Program agreement with Sloane Helicopters to provide maintenance for the PW206C and PW207C engines that power its fleet of company owned and client helicopters.
LONDON -- Headlines trumpeting huge growth in aviation have been a feature of the past two years, with predictions of the world civil airline fleet growing to more than 28,000 aircraft by 2020. In parallel, business aviation also is booming with the world corporate jet fleet growing by more than six percent to 14,421 from 13,549 in September last year, according to Ascend's CASE database.
John Holland Aviation Services picked EVO, the latest model of TRAX Maintenance software. The Australia-based MRO operation is the 64 th company to implement TRAX.
STARCO broke ground on a new MRO facility in Shanghai. Located at Pudong airport, the RMB280 million ($56 million) facility should be able to accommodate three narrowbody aircraft and two widebody aircraft, including Airbus A380s. It is scheduled to begin operations by mid-2009.
The sheer magnitude of the fines commanded attention. Roanoke-based ITT Night Vision agreed to pay $100 million and plead guilty in federal court to a pair of felonies. At issue: the firm's unauthorized export of night-vision goggle component parts to China, via a Singapore contractor. If U. S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) weren't front and center before, they certainly are now. The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the agency that administers the rules for the Department of State, is working more ITAR-related cases than ever these days.
Airborne Flying Services of Hot Springs, Ark., developed and now offers the Valve Wizard, a set of three valve spring compressor tools for Lycoming O-235, O-290, IO/O-320, IO/O-360, AEIO-360, O-435, IO-480, IO-540 series and Continental O-470, IO-470, IO-520, IO-550 and TSIO-520 series piston engines.
SR Technics opened a second component overhaul center in Spain, close to Madrid Barajas airport. The 1,400 square meter facility will initially focus on wheels and brakes, and it quickly plans to grow capacity to 500 wheels per month.
American Eagle Airlines plans to expand its Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) maintenance facility, driven in part by American Eagle's recently added service from XNA to Miami, Fla., Washington, D.C., and Raleigh/Durham, N.C. The $10 million investment in a larger hangar should allow American Eagle's XNA-based maintenance crew to take on more maintenance responsibilities.
DeWalt launched its first cordless 18 gauge XRP brad nailer, the DC608K. Powered by an 18V cordless battery system, it features a mechanical flywheel system designed to accommodate users' needed nailing rates and drive up to two-inch 18 gauge nails into hardwood. Its box-style magazine also should prevent dust and debris from clogging it.
Rockwell Collins added a program to upgrade Pro Line 4 Flight Decks with Pro Line 21 displays, designed to integrate features like Jepp View, IFIS-providing electronic charts, XM graphical weather and enhanced maps. The upgrade program is being launched with Duncan Aviation and initially will be available for Dassault Falcon 2000/Falcon 50 EX Pro Line 4 platforms.
Over the next 13 years, thousands of aircraft will be retrofitted with equipment that paves the way for the next generation air traffic control system under a proposal the Federal Aviation Administration released last month. FAA in October issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would require installation of certain Advanced Dependant Surveillance -- Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment on all aircraft flying above 10,000 feet mean sea level or in certain terminal airspace.
Finnair signed as launch customer for CF6 engines with TechCF6 upgrades. In a deal worth $140 million, Finnair selected GE Aviation's CF6-80E1 engines for its seven Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Engine delivery is scheduled to begin in March 2009.
The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration added two directors in its aerospace program. Retired Air Force Col. James Cody returned to UT, where he received his B.S. in business, as the College of Business Administration's Aerospace/Defense Clearinghouse of Tennessee's new director, and Andy White, who retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel, now serves as the director of UT's Aerospace MBA program.
In a September Boeing 787 Dreamliner program update, Mike Bair, vice president and 787 program general manager at the time, commented on delays in the aircraft's production schedule. The Achilles' heel of its production problem seemed to be one of its smallest components: a shortage of fasteners, which certainly was not on the radar when Boeing started the production process, Bair said.
Click Commerce announced four appointments to its aerospace and defense supply chain management team. David Barboro joined the company as general manager. Ted Anderson will serve as director of solutions marketing. David Nowicki will fill the role of director of product management. Judy Pitchford joined Click Commerce as account executive.
ABC COMPLETIONS, to install CMC Electronics CMA-1100 Class II electronic flight bag system on Bombardier CL-600-2B16 (CL-601-3R and CL-604) aircraft, STC ST02314NY AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT INC., amended STC to install an Aerocon Engineering Airstar on Boeing 737-400 and -700 series, STC ST01143LA ALTAIR AVIONICS, to install an Altair Avionics data transmission unit (DTU) on a Cessna Citation 560XL, STC ST00253BO CANARD AEROSPACE, amended STC to install Honeywell classic navigator systems on various Boeing 747 models, STC ST01117CH
Surveillance Australia selected Permagard Aviation to apply protective treatments to its fleet of 10 Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, used in its civilian aerial surveillance program.
Kafko's Oil Eater Cleaner-Degreaser is designed to remove oil, grease, grime and dirt from maintenance facility floors by encapsulating them in a solution that should rinse off easily and leave no residue. The water-based cleaner is biodegradable and non-flammable. It also contains no acid, abrasive or petroleum solvents, so it should not harm the skin. Oil Eater also may be used to clean tools and equipment, and it is designed to serve as a concentrate for parts cleaning and pressure washing machines, as well.
Piaggio America selected Aero Precision Repair and Overhaul (A-PRO) to maintain its Piaggio P.180 Avanti II aircraft. A-PRO, a joint venture of Dassault Falcon Jet and Messier, will service the landing gear and other components of P.180 Avanti II aircraft.
Associated Air Center delivered a Boeing Business Jet with a VVIP interior completion to an Eastern European customer and signed another BBJ custom interior completion contract with an undisclosed customer. Associated Air Center also delivered an Airbus Corporate Jet custom interior to China Sonangol, received STC approval to install Rockwell Collins Tailwind 550 satellite television systems on Airbus Corporate Jets and delivered its 16 th BBJ.
Boeing shipped a CH-47D Chinook helicopter maintenance trainer to the U.S. Army National Guard. Modified from a retired Army CH-47D, it was expected to be ready for use in training soldiers, technicians and other flight personnel by the end of October.
