Honeywell International, reissued STCs to modify the electrical system and install various electronic and avionic systems on certain Eurocopter, Agusta and Sikorsky helicopters, STCs SH4228SW, SH305NM, SH304NM, SH301NM, SH300NM, SH284WE, SH2224NM and SH2216NM
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.
United Airlines selected TIMCO Aviation Services to provide line maintenance at San Jose Airport in California. TIMCO will provide daily operational coverage and overnight servicing, as necessary. It also will provide line maintenance transit checks for Icelandair in Minneapolis, Minn. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
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.
Safran plans to start building two plants in Mexico this spring to produce landing gear components and engine parts for its Messier-Dowty and Snecma businesses. The facilities are to be built close to its landing gear repair shop and CFM56 engine overhaul facility in Queretaro, according to Marcelo Lopez, Queretaro’s undersecretary for economic development. The new plants are expected to be ready for production from 2010.
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.
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.
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
The Longbow Limited Liability Co., marked the first successful powered flight of the Radar Electronics Unit (REU) configuration of the Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) onboard an AH-64D Apache Block III prototype attack helicopter. The joint venture of Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin’s radar is designed to enable the Apache Longbow to rapidly search, detect, locate, classify, prioritize and engage both moving and stationary targets, while improving power ratios and providing built-in processor expansion growth. Parts/Components
Qantas cut 500 more management positions in mid-April, to slash costs and streamline the airline. CEO Alan Joyce said a statement that Qantas wants to avoid redundancies but is exploring alternatives to further cuts, such as part time work, various types of leave and other tactics. He said the the group’s diversified business portfolio and financial management have “cushioned” the impact of market conditions on its business. “Taking further action on costs and capacity will ensure we can continue to benefit from these strategies,” Joyce said.
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.
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.
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.
The Safran Group’s Microturbo has 4,000 APUs and Gas Turbine Systems in operation on Dassault Falcon 20s and Rafales, Bombardier CL415s, BAE Hawk 200s and Aermacchi M346s, as well as on NH Industries NH90s and Eurocopter EC725s. A new e-APU for business aircraft and helicopters has been selected for two models and made its first test-bed run on Dec. 31, 2008. Microturbo’s network supports all its APUs and offers cost per hour contracts. The company has seen no decline in APU usage because its APUs mainly serve military aircraft and helicopters.
Safety Storage manufactures prefabricated, moveable steel buildings designed for the safe storage, handling and use of hazardous materials. Its storage structures often are designed to support lean and efficient chemical management processes, while considering compliance and sustainability.
