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.
Air France Industries and KLM Engineering and Maintenance have formed a joint venture with Aircelle, part of the Safran Group, to repair and overhaul nacelles in the Middle East. The 50/50 partnership, which will be based at Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, combines Air France’s and KLM’s experience in MRO services with Aircelle’s position as a major OEM of small, medium and large engine nacelles.
Delta TechOps says it has become a partner with Lambda Technologies of Cincinnati to be the exclusive commercial aviation provider of a technology that was developed to extend the service life of landing gear, propeller hubs, turbine engine blades and other metal components. Called Low Plasticity Burnishing (LPB), the process is described as an economical alternative to shot peening and laser shock peening for imparting a thermally stable pattern of residual compressive stresses to the surface layers of parts, reducing fatigue and damage.
Cirrus Parts by API launched on July 27. API now provides Cirrus customer service centers and owner/operators with supply chain, logistics and spare parts services per a new, exclusive, multi-year services agreement. The contract’s terms provide API support for Cirrus’ 213 authorized services centers and 5,000 in-service aircraft. The arrangement also covers support for the in-development Cirrus Vision SJ50 (formerly known as The-jet), currently expected to enter service in 2012.
Goodrich Corp. and Xi’an Aircraft International Corp. (XIAC) agreed to form two new joint venture companies in Xi’an, China, focused on landing gear and engine nacelle components. The new joint ventures, both owned 50:50 by Goodrich and XIAC, are slated to compete for work on the in-development COMAC C919 single-aisle commercial aircraft as well as manufacuring various landing gear and nacelle components and subassemblies for other aircraft. Goodrich currently has three facilities in Hong Kong, Tianjin, and Xiamen, China.
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.
Pratt & Whitney Canada has opened a regional service center at Lethbridge, Alberta. The facility, co-located with the manufacturer’s PT6A main production plant, has advanced tooling and component repair capabilities. It performs light and heavy maintenance on PT6, JT15D, PW100 and PW500s, and light maintenance for the PW600 engine series.
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.
Most maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations serving the aerospace market today feel increasing pressure to boost profit margins and reduce operating costs. In the past, whenever the MRO industry prospered, the airline industry was flying older fleets that required extensive and more expensive maintenance. But the recent credit crunch has triggered a paradigm shift of sorts. Aircraft manufacturers are pitching and winning maintenance work that MROs once performed.
Nov. 4–5 ➤ AVIATION WEEK: Lean Six Sigma for MRO, Atlanta, Ga., Registration Info: Anita Joyce Wright, 800-240-7645 in the U.S. or +1 212-904-6344; fax +1 212-904-3334
Ametek Aerospace & Defense selected Hawker Pacific Pty Ltd T/A Australian Avionics in Cairns, Australia, as an authorized service center for its Measurement & Power Systems products.
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.
Australian Aerospace signed a five-year contract with Nexter Systems to provide support services for the turreted gun in use on the Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters flown by the Australian Army.
The newest applications for tracking and managing both line and base maintenance can cut costs and boost efficiency. But replacing or modifying old applications, especially legacy systems at major carriers, can be a long and expensive process. That does not fit well with the current financial predicament of most carriers.
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.
Bombardier received approval for adjustments to line maintenance intervals for CRJ700/705/900 NextGen and Q400 aircraft from Transport Canada, the U.S. FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency. Bombardier obtained approval to adjust the CRJ700/705/900 NextGen aircraft’s line maintenance check intervals from 400 to 600 flight hours; information is being distributed to operators in Revision 9 of the maintenance requirements manual.
