FFC Manufacturing reissued STCs to install fuel cell assemblies and modifications on various Bell, Hawker Beechcraft, Piper, Twin Commander and Cessna aircraft, Several STCs
Goodrich Corp.’s Aerostructures business opened a 50,000-sq.-ft. facility at Tianjin Airport Industrial Park for MRO activities and to support original equipment manufacturing of nacelles and thrust reversers. The plant is, however, only a steppingstone to a larger facility that is scheduled to open in 2010—a 170,000-sq.-ft. site in Tianjin that will be across from the final assembly line for the Airbus A320 aircraft.
The Air Force isn’t the only service in the fast lane. The Army has its third-generation Rapid Response Command and Control project (RT23G), a fee-for-service program after which the FAST program was modeled. The Army’s streamlined acquisition process is a multiple–award IDIQ vehicle created to provide critical equipment and support services to government systems and equipment worldwide.
In 2005, Rimsky Buitrago, CEO of Coopesa, realized that his business model was changing. To remain competitive, Coopesa’s supply chain processes inside and outside the hangar would have to change as well. Based at the Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica, Coopesa is a mid-size MRO specializing in Boeing narrowbody airframe maintenance. The facility can service up to seven aircraft at once.
Fire-Safe Storage Buildings Safety Storage’s FireShield buildings are designed for installation near or within existing facilities to store potentially hazardous chemicals and other materials safely. The pre-fabricated, code-compliant buildings meet varied size, access and storage requirements: Safety Storage offers UL-approved two-hour bi-directional fire-rated (FR) model and two-hour bi-directional fire-resistance enhancement (FRE) model buildings, as well as four-hour bi-directional FR model and four-hour bi-directional FRE model buildings.
The U.S. military is known for its odd, sometimes inexplicable acronyms. But the Air Force’s F2AST program, which stands for Future Flexible and Sustainment Tool, seems to hit the nail on the head.
MTU Aero Engines and GE Aviation signed a 10-year agreement to jointly develop component repairs, with the initial focus on repairs for the hot section components in GE CF34 engines. MTU said the first repairs should be available in early 2010. This is the first agreement of this type that MTU has signed with an OEM. Repair development is not restricted to GE engines.
U.S. Navy nominated Capt. Timothy Matthews to the rank of rear admiral and he will report from commanding officer of the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in Jacksonville, Fla., to commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, as well as assistant commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations at Patuxent River, Md. Capt. Paul Sohl assumed command of the FRCSE, and Capt. Rob Caldwell became the executive officer position. Capt.
The first of four radar systems being upgraded by ITT’s Brazil PAR-2000 modernization team recently completed Site Acceptance Testing (SAT). The four-day test included logistic and quality inspections, system on- and offline checks and flight certification. The Brazilian special flight inspection group performed the flight certification. The Brazilian Air Force uses ITT’s Precision Approach Radars to ensure safe landings in all conditions, especially where visibility is impaired, including night and severe weather landings.
Jet Aviation added maintenance services at its Seletar Airport and Moscow Vnukovo International Airport facilities. Jet Aviation Singapore added services for Bombardier Challenger 601/604/605 and Cessna 560XL aircraft under its EASA 145 maintenance approval. The company also plans to add to its line maintenance capabilities in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur. Jet Aviation Vnukovo now offers 24/7 line maintenance services and AOG support, and it expanded its AOG services to Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and other Russian airports.
Even as the global economy continues to ground older-generation aircraft, MRO companies servicing the engines for these workhorse airliners will not see their business disappear overnight. In fact, for three prolific legacy engine families—the Pratt & Whitney JT8D, the GE/Snecma CFM56-3 and the GE CF6-80A and -80C2—the numbers in service today, and projections for their foreseeable future, suggest that investment in their MRO base still is justified.
Air New Zealand upped the order of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines for its 787 Dreamliners to eight firm and eight options, following its initial selection of the Trent 1000 for four firm aircraft in 2004. The new engine orders include a long-term TotalCare service agreement. In its most recent statement concerning its on-order 787-9s, Air New Zealand says it expects to receive its first aircraft in early 2012.
The U.S. Trade Development Agency (USTDA) and Bell Helicopter Textron are cooperating with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to support the growth of the Indian helicopter market. A USTDA grant for $501,849 for “rotorcraft rulemaking, capacity assessment, airspace classification and airspace design” was to be signed under the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program with the DGCA before Aug. 15.
Nov. 30–3 ➤ National Training & Simulation Assn.: Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference; Orlando, Fla. Contact: Barbara McDaniel, director of conferences and programs, +1 703-247-2569 or [email protected]. Web: iitsec.org/index.cfmOM
Lycoming Engines selected Yingling Aviation as a new authorized service center approved to sell, install and provide regular and warranty services on Lycoming’s complete line of reciprocating engines, including the IE2, which features electronic controls, and the IO-233 LSA, designed specifically for light sport aircraft applications.
Grommet Edging System Protects Superjet Sukhoi’s Superjet 100 features a grommet edging system designed to protect its wiring from wear without requiring adhesives. The Spring-Fast M22529/2 grommet edging system is fitted on Sukhoi’s original prototypes, one of which made its debut at the Paris Air Show in June. The system’s manufacturer, Device Technologies, says the grommet edging should cut production and maintenance times and enhance operational safety.
