Boeing carried out the first test flight of the third U.S. Air Force C-130 Avionics Modernization Program aircraft three weeks ahead of schedule, completing the major modifications and upgrade package on H3 about 13% faster than the upgrade to H2.5. Aircraft H3 flew Jan. 13, accomplishing both functional check flight and acceptance check flight tests. This third AMP aircraft soon will join aircraft H2 and H2.5 in the flight test program, which Boeing says is 81% complete. Boeing also transferred a third KC-767J tanker to Japanese partner Itochu Corp. on Feb.
Carlo Gavazzi Computing Solutions’ ATR enclosures are designed to protect commercial off the shelf circuit cards from damage in hazardous or extreme environments, and its new 715 series incorporates new features to better resist vibration, very high or low temperatures, humidity and contaminants.
O&M will present its annual O&M Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul on April 21 as part of AVIATION WEEK’s MRO 2009 Conference & Exhibition in Dallas/Grapevine, Texas. This year, O&M also will recognize a Lifetime Achievement Award winner during the conference.
DRB AVIATION CONSULTANTS, to install an executive interior and reduction in maximum zero fuel weight from 28,814 lbs. to 28,279 lbs. on Dornier 328-300 aircraft, STC ST10933SC
After 10 years of working on a program, you’d think it might get a little easier, the pace might slow a bit, the targets might become a little more readily achievable. But that’s not the case when it comes to performance based logistics-type sustainment efforts generally, and it certainly doesn’t appear to be true for the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership (GSP). In fact, when you hit your targets and achieve your goals, what you get are more distant targets and more aggressive goals.
SuperJet International opened its North American sales and customer support office in Washington, D.C. John Buckley, VP, business development, joined SuperJet International from ATR North America. Patrick Sullivan is head of customer service Americas.
AC TECH received a 2008 Boeing Gold Performance Excellence Award, signifying that it achieved 100% on-time delivery and quality acceptance for a 12-month period. The Garden Grove, Calif.-based company manufactures aircraft sealants and surface treatment products.
BANGALORE—Having inherited an incongruent inventory of spares for Russian-made fighter types, India now is looking at an across-the-counter spares exchange program from suppliers as a package with the original equipment purchase. The military’s job may become easier now that India has begun sourcing its equipment from Western suppliers.
A nearly two-year-old law is prohibiting the Federal Aviation Administration from awarding certification to any new foreign repair station applicant. Now, a potential new law could prevent existing foreign repair stations from renewing their certification.
Japan Airlines parent JAL Group plans to integrate its four maintenance subsidiaries : JAL Narita Aircraft Maintenance Co., Ltd; JAL Tokyo Aircraft Maintenance Co., Ltd; JAL Engine Technologies Co., Ltd; and JAL Aviation Technologies Co., Ltd. The integration is to take effect on Oct. 1, although details of what changes this will mean for the group’s maintenance business aren’t spelled out.
Northrop Grumman named Jay Shiba VP of supply chain management for its Electronic Systems sector. Shiba joined the company in 1978, and most recently served as business manager of the Surface Combatant business area.
Heroux-Devtek will overhaul the landing gear of the U.S. Navy’s P-3 patrol aircraft under a contract signed on March 12. The two-year agreement guarantees a certain number of component repairs and includes a three-year extension option. If the option is exercised, the work would be worth C$37 million to Heroux-Devtek. The U.S. Navy operates 170 Lockheed Martin P-3C aircraft.
Shannon Aerospace completed D checks on a pair of Croatia Airlines’ Airbus A319s in 24 days each, a milestone in the MRO’s implementation of Lean. Redelivery of the first aircraft to Croatia on Feb. 6 marked the first such turnaround for the company. It completed the D1-check plus sampling (which SAL says is the most comprehensive check possible on a 1998 aircraft), in 17 days. A seven-day paint job took the number of days to 24, which was ahead of the contracted time, SAL said. It achieved an identical timeframe with the second aircraft.
Warner Robins Air Logistics Center 402nd Maintenance Wing won the 2008 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Effectiveness Award in the Depot category for its work from Oct. 1, 2007 through Sept. 30, 2008, including its response to the worldwide grounding of the F-15 fleet in the fall of 2007. Airframes
Gulfstream installed its 50th Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display . It began offering the system, which was developed with Honeywell Aerospace, in February 2008.
Last December, Turboméca and the Turkish Ministry of Defense signed a contract to establish a Level 4 repair center for the French company’s Makila 1A1 turboshaft engines that equip some 50 Eurocopter Cougar helicopters operated by the Turkish Army since the 1990s. This new facility is based at Eskisehir, in the Tusas Engine Industries governmental repair center. Turkish Turboméca customers, mainly operating military equipment, also benefit from availability of an Ankara-based field representative.
Conferences & Exhibitions April 14-15 Helicopter Safety & Operations Management Forum, San Diego, Calif. April 21 2009 Lean Six Sigma for Military, Grapevine/Dallas, Texas April 21-23 MRO Americas 2009 Conference & Exhibition, Grapevine/Dallas, Texas April 22-23 MRO Military 2009 Conference & Exhibition, Grapevine/Dallas, Texas May 5-6 Forecasting for Airline Pricing & Capacity Planning, Chicago, Ill. May 6-7 Bird Strike Prevention Forum, Chicago, Ill. Contacts
The Royal Australian Air Force awarded a C-130J Hercules deep maintenance and support contract on March 11 to a team comprising Australian Aerospace (a subsidiary of Eurocopter), Lockheed Martin and StandardAero. The Team Aero members will maintain and support 12 C-130Js via a $292 million five-year rolling contract with the Defense Materiel Organization.
Pratt & Whitney’s Columbus, Ga., engine center finished the first retrofit of an IAE V2500-A5 engine to the V2500 SelectOne engine. It says benefits of the retrofit include 1% lower fuel burn and corresponding lower emissions, less noise and lower overall operating costs. The V2500-A5 engine (V10301) belongs to US Airways and has been in service for about 11 years.
