Low-VOC Contact Adhesives, Cements A new line of low volatile organic content contact adhesives and cements is available from Royal Adhesives and Sealants. The new Silaprene brand contact adhesives and cements contain less than 250 grams per liter of VOCs, compared to more than 600 grams per liter of VOCs in traditional solvent-based contact adhesives and cements.
The global economic downturn has dealt blows across aerospace, and neither the commercial nor military sector has gone unscathed. Program cancellations, bankruptcies, downsizing and layoffs have been in the headlines for months. Tough times such as these are where leadership and core values matter most—to both individuals and organizations. When budgets are fat and margins are healthy, organizations and individuals sometimes become laissez-faire, and accountability diffuses.
Portable Ultrasonic Flaw Detector A new, portable ultrasonic flaw detector from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies weighs just 2.2 lb. and is designed for prolonged use in harsh environments. The USM Go inspection tool is equipped with a pressure-responsive, joystick control; ergonomic design features; and a data display screen with the largest pixel count of any instrument in its category, according to GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies.
Iberia is splitting its airline division into two units: commercial and clients, focused on increasing income, and production, tasked with boosting profitability and productivity. Manuel Lopez Aguilar, who has led Iberia’s Maintenance and Engineering Division since 2004, will head the Commercial and Clients unit dedicated to developing income. To fill his former position, Iberia is promoting Jose Luis Ruiz de Castaneda de la Llave to manager of Maintenance and Engineering from industrial maintenance unit manager.
Vector Aerospace has been selected to begin upgrading the Royal Air Force’s fleet of Chinook multi-mission, heavy-lift helicopters next year, by installing the model 55-L-714A engine and spare parts from Honeywell Aerospace. The work is expected to last for five years. The contract, valued at approximately $185 million, was awarded to Honeywell in August.
Equipment for Inflight HD TV A new Flight Display Systems HDMI to CAT5E/6 transmitter and receiver product set is designed to make it easy to run high-definition video throughout an aircraft's cabin. The FDC5TX transmitter and FDC5RX receiver offer a cabling solution for connecting HD source equipment and displays; Flight Display Systems notes that the products allow customers to extend 1080i and 1080p video signals up to 100 ft. using a single Category 5E (CAT5E) or Category 6E (CAT6E) cable.
Delta TechOps inked a $7 million, four-year component maintenance and inventory logistics contract with Canadian charter airline CanJet. Delta TechOps will take care of component and logistics inventory support for the Halifax, Nova Scotia-based carrier's Boeing 737-800s. The agreement covers avionics, pneumatics, and hydraulics, and it provides access to Delta's inventory of 737-800 components for spare parts. It also signed a $1.3 million, three-year component deal with another Canadian carrier, First Air.
Business aircraft MRO shops are adjusting to a lackluster refurbishment and modification market, reeling from the impact of tight budgets, cutbacks in flying and a huge inventory of unsold pre-owned aircraft.
Ramco Systems launched its Series 5 aviation suite, a group of aviation maintenance and enterprise management software applications developed on the newest version of its Ramco Virtual Works platform. Contracts Military
There is no internationally recognized certification to indicate that one is qualified to manage an aviation maintenance human factors program. The career path to the HF manager’s job varies. The HF manager must be something of a super hero, with a unique skill set that includes great communication abilities, a positive attitude and knowledge of human factors and aviation maintenance. If the job position is a good one, then it will demand highly qualified candidates who bring “The Right Stuff” to the job.
WestWind Technologies promoted Roger Tanner to business development manager for hangar operations. Tanner has been hangar operations manager for WestWind for six years. He took on the new position in mid-August as WestWind opened its new Huntsville, Ala., aircraft modification and integration center at Huntsville International Airport. Airframes
Elbit Systems received an operation and maintenance contract from the defense ministry covering the Israel Air Force’s (IAF) new Hawker Beechcraft T-6 (Effroni) turboprop trainer. The value of the deal has not been disclosed. The contract runs for five years and contains an option for five more. Elbit has provided MRO services to the IAF for training aircraft and helicopters since 2002.
Waste and Recycling Cabinet Shure Manufacturing Corp. offers a new waste/recycle cabinet to store used materials and keep service areas looking clean organized. Tilt-out steel doors with aluminum handles should make it easy to access to included plastic waste/recycle bins. A steel top is available at an additional charge. Single, double and triple cabinets waste/recycle storage units are available in 22 Shure Signature powder coat paint colors and ship unassembled. Shure Manufacturing Corp., 1901 West Main St., Washington, MO 63090
Consultation periods for an EASA Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA 2009-06) concerning the use of composite materials in aircraft structures ends this month. With new, largely composite jetliners soon to enter the market, NPA 2009-06 aims to create a single Acceptable Means of Compliance chapter (AMC 20-29) to standardize recognized good practices for composite aircraft structure design, manufacturing and maintenance.
Part-way through the devastating slump in air traffic, the MRO industry is under severe pressure. In the short term, these pressures are pushing at least some airframe work to smaller shops that offer very low prices, at least for a while. Airframe prices industry-wide are thus softening a bit. But major providers are fighting fiercely to hold on to long-term customers without cutting prices drastically. So far, they appear to be succeeding. After the slump, the best of these firms could wind up with an even bigger share of the airframe business.
The Dutch military has formally requested modification kits to upgrade 29 of its AH-64D Apache Block I attack helicopters to a Block II configuration. The request was filed in August with the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. If, as expected, it passes a review, the deal would be worth approximately $181 million, and include support equipment, spare parts, tools, test equipment and other resources. Boeing will act as the prime contractor, but offsets have been proposed as part of the contract.
Jet Aviation appointed Frank Kusserow director and head of FBO services for EMEA and Asia, in addition to his role as director of FBO at Jet Aviation Dusseldorf. In his new position, Kusserow will report to Cristof Späth, SVP MRO and FBO services for EMEA and Asia.
—Operators of mature C-130 Hercules have three good options for upgrading the aircraft’s center wing box, the high-stress area where wings, empennage and landing gear meet. The first option is refurbishing the wing, the second option is installing a new standard wing and the third option is installing the enhanced service life wing, which flies on new C-130J models. Each choice extends the Hercules’ service lives, at different costs.
: Naval Air Systems Command plans to test a blend of biofuels and conventional jet fuel late this year or early in 2010 in a GE F414 jet engine like those in use on the F/A-18 Super Hornet. The test is part of the Pentagon’s aggressive plan to promote alternative fuels in aircraft and other military vehicles.
Midcoast Aviation to install structural provisions, data connectivity and power supply for a dual Class II electronic flight bag on Bombardier CL-600-2B16 (CL-604) aircraft, STC ST02721CH-D
Inlet Barrier Filter The European Aviation Safety Agency recently issued Aerospace Filtration Systems a Supplemental Type Certificate for its inlet barrier filter (IBF) system for MD Helicopters’ MD900/MD902 Explorer series. IBF-equipped MD900/MD902 helicopters should be able to operate freely without engine inlet imposed flight or gross weight restrictions, the Donaldson Filtration Solutions subsidiary says.
Low-Pressure Carburizing Furnace Ipsen offers a single-chamber, low-pressure carburizing furnace, the Ipsen AvaC, which recently was installed by Specialty Steel Treating in Fraser, Mich. The furnace features a 24-in.-by-36-in.-by-24-in. workspace with a two-bar gas quench, and it comes with the Ipsen AvaC control system for low pressure carburizing with Acetylene.
