A new inflight GSM service is designed to give passengers access to voice and SMS communications without requiring operators to install onboard equipment. The system combines services from Skuku and TriaGnoSys. Skuku technology uses SIM card data in ground GSM servers to provide roaming for inflight voice and SMS operations, and TriaGnoSys software allows the Skuku service to work with existing aircraft IFE. The TriaGnoSys and Skuku system uses existing onboard equipment, such as in-seat screens, seat-back phones and Internet, to give passengers access to GMS services.
Air India extended its engine maintenance contract with SR Technics to include CFM56-5B engines for its Airbus A320 fleet, which currently consists of 27 of the type but should grow to 43 by 2010. SR Technics has been maintaining Air India Express’ CFM56-7B engines that power the carrier’s Boeing 737-800 fleet since May 2007 under a three-year contract. The extended contract expires in May 2010 but contains an extension clause for two additional years. SR Technics is maintaining the engines at its Zurich facility.
GE acquired the remaining shares in its Singapore-based joint venture with Teleflex in late March. Expanding the repair operation’s business and protecting proprietary repair processes spurred the acquisition, GE representative Rick Kennedy said when the deal was made public on March 2. ATI-Singapore initially repaired and serviced CF6 and CFM56 engine family compressor airfoils when it opened it 1998, but it since has expanded to service all GE commercial aviation, marine and industrial engines as well as Pratt & Whitney and Honeywell components.
Delta TechOps secured more than $200 million in extended work for Global Aviation Holdings subsidiaries World Airways and North American Airlines. This is the third such service extension with the two airlines, TechOps says. The contracts cover component repair, inventory exchange programs, drop-in A and C check inspections, time and material engine maintenance for World’s Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and GE CF6-80C2 engines, and exclusive provision of repairs for North American’s Honeywell 331-200 APUs.
Philippine Airlines awarded Lufthansa Technik a 12-year contract to overhaul the CFM5605B engines that power the carrier’s fleet of 18 Airbus A320s and four A319s. In addition, LHT’s Manila-based subsidiary, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, will perform off-wing support services for the airline, including engine shop visit support, engine preservation and fan relube. Lufthansa Technik Philippines, primarily an airframe overhaul facility, is a joint venture between LHT and Philippines-based MacroAsia Corp.
AJW Aviation brought John Avery on board as director of supply chain services. With experience at British Airways and as a consultant, Avery will manage and develop power-by-the-hour, lease, exchange and repair service programs for aircraft spares customers.
StandardAero authorized Banyan Air as an approved facility for the Cessna Caravan 208-series aircraft engine upgrade program under a support center agreement signed April 1. The upgrade replaces the aircraft’s PT6A-114/-114A powerplants with the PT6A-135A engine, an increase in power from 600 shp/675 shp to 750 shp. A redesigned air inlet also improves ram air recovery to the engine intake for increased engine performance. StandardAero said the engines should be ready for installation early in the third quarter of this year.
Phoenix Air Group, reissued STCs to install an electrical system and a Chrysler Pentastar Aviation auxiliary generator adapter assembly on Gulfstream G-159 aircraft, STC SA1699GL and SA1681GL
Bluebird Cargo will operate the first Boeing 737-400 Bedek Special Freighter Configuration aircraft , which it is leasing from General Electric Commercial Aviation Services. Bluebird, based in Iceland, already operates three 737-300BDSF aircraft. The 737-400 is the 39th passenger to freighter conversion performed by IAI, which holds supplemental type certificates from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel, the European Aviation Safety Agency and the FAA.
Women engineering majors make up only 20% of undergraduate students in the U.S., and the dropout rate among women, especially freshmen women, far outweighs the rate among male students. According to National Academies of Engineering data, only 40-60% of entering engineering students go on to earn an engineering degree—and women tend to fall on the lower end of that range. To support women engineering students, new programs provide tutoring and academic support, extracurricular and internship opportunities, and scholarship funding.
Averitt Air appointed Kevin Whitmore service manager of in-house technical support for all Bombardier Learjet aircraft, including Learjet40XR, Learjet45XR, Learjet60XR and classic Learjet aircraft. Whitmore joins Averitt Air from Bombardier’s field service division.
Dana Stanley doesn’t wear earplugs or steel-toed boots to work anymore, but she fondly remembers the days when she did. “I didn’t want to leave the flight line,” she said, explaining that she worked for more than a decade as a production manager before becoming chief of quality, safety and environmental for the 402nd Maintenance Wing at Robins Air Force Base.
Operators have more choices for maintaining auxiliary power units (APU) as usage evolves. Many carriers have dramatically reduced APU operating time to conserve fuel. Once reductions are made, often through installation of costly ground systems, it generally does not pay to increase use even if fuel prices come down. Further, newer APUs are operating for more hours before removal as technology gets better, upgrades are offered and operation is optimized.
Austrian Airlines returned a Boeing 767 to service after TIMCO Aviation installed winglets on the aircraft. It took 25 days to complete the installation on OE-LAE, with the bulk of the time spent strengthening the wing and installing sensors, with only one to two days for actual winglet installation, said Austrian spokesman Michael Braun. Austrian plans to equip a total of four 767s with winglets, with two more potentially getting converted as early as May. Braun said the fourth 767 will get upgraded at its next C check.
Rolls-Royce inked a TotalCare agreement with MexicanaClick to cover the BR715 engines that power the Mexicana low-cost subsidiary’s 25 newly leased Boeing 717-200s.
ARINC opened a new office in Miami to support its GLOBALink voice and data communications services, flight operations services, and installation and maintenance services. With the expansion, ARINC aims to better serve its customers in Latin America.
The machines come in a variety of sweeping widths to tackle various jobs. They can be pushed or pulled, with the dual action brushes designed to continuously pick up debris ranging from water bottles and soda cans to wet or dry leaves, rocks or sand, Haaga says. The sweepers feature a quiet design to reduce noise pollution, and unlike a leaf blower, they ingest debris rather than scattering it.
Precise Flight, to install high intensity discharge aviation lighting and the L3 infrared camera system on various Bell 206 and 407 models, STC SR01980SE
