As Boeing 787s re-enter service on routes around the world following the aircraft’s prolonged grounding for battery problems, the company is already busy resolving other issues that were emerging before they ceased flying in mid-January. Most of these problems, such as a string of failures concerning power panels in the electrical system unrelated to the later lithium-ion battery problem, fell into the ‘teething trouble’ category which Boeing uses to describe the steep learning curve of early service life.

Clamps improperly installed during maintenance visits have been tied to at least three serious in-service fire and smoke incidents on Boeing 737 Classics, prompting the FAA to warn operators and encourage compliance with a Boeing-suggested fix. The FAA’s Safety Alert for Operators, approved earlier this month and released this week, says that 279 737 Classics inspected in 2010-2012 turned up 71 incidents of improperly oriented flight deck ceiling/side panel gasper air duct hose thumb clamps.

As regional carriers readjust their maintenance needs and operations, a growing number of independent MROs are benefiting as new business comes their way.

VistaJet was in record-breaking mode at EBACE this morning as it enrolled 50 Bombardier aircraft into the JSSI Platinum engine and APU hourly cost maintenance programmes. The deal is valued at more than $205 million.

Delta retrofit highlights cost benefits, concerns

Are airlines good at inventory demand planning? If you answered yes, why are operators ordering more parts on an aircraft-on-the-ground (AOG) basis? A number of people say the rising AOG orders are not correlated with problematic aircraft or engines that need new parts. In many cases, the need to receive parts via express delivery—in hours instead of several days or weeks—links to the fact that airlines generally hold less inventory, and suppliers can expedite deliveries.

Speaking of strain on systems, the Swissport baggage handlers went on strike, unannounced, at the Brussels Airport on May 12. I had the joy of experiencing this firsthand when I landed there for a connecting flight on May 13. I didn't learn of the strike until 15 min. before Brussels Airlines announced the boarding of my flight to Vilnius, Lithuania.

A group of airlines operating mostly brand new Boeing 777-300ERs powered by General Electric GE90-115Bs are either replacing entire engines or transfer gearboxes on individual units after GE alerted them to the potential for a gear separation.