Eurocopter plans to open a second service center in Hong Kong to serve customers in Asia-Pacific, where the helicopter maker says 1,264 Eurocopter helicopters currently are in service. The center, called CSC Asia-Pacific, will be operated by Helicopter CSC and local staff.
ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE , to install a Rosemount Aerospace 8700C2-3 laptop docking station and electronic flight bag system provisions on Airbus A340 aircraft, STC ST02675CH
In the old days, repair facilities would take on just about any job to keep the revenue stream going. But, today, MROs are more discerning, carefully considering whether a repair or engineering solution is in their best interest. Some companies have an assortment of ways to determine the various costs associated with a repair: research and development, engineering, regulatory, expediency and labor costs.
3M introduced a new cleaner for sensitive electronics in its line of Novec brand cleaners, which offers non-ozone depleting, low-toxicity alternatives to HCFCs. HFCs and nPB. 3M’s new Novac Contact Cleaner Plus is designed to remove oil, grease and silicones while meeting California’s recent volatile organic compound regulations for electrical cleaners.
Esterline and Avio-Diepen signed a distribution agreement for the group’s Auxitrol and Weston product lines, including sales support and product marketing of temperature sensors, transducers, probes, thermocouples and harnesses, RTDs, pressure and temperature switches, resistors, TAT Probes and pressure probes for various engines and Airbus aircraft. Boeing also formed an agreement with Esterline CMC Electronics to provide Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag hardware on selected aircraft for production and retrofit, starting with the 737NG.
U.S. Naval Air Systems Command’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program office (PMA-271) reported formal acceptance of the first upgraded Boeing E-6B Mercury from Rockwell Collins and L-3 Integrated Systems Group at the latter’s Waco, Texas, facility. Navy E-6B aircraft are used to conduct both the “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) and U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post missions, providing reliable and survivable communications between the president, secretary of defense and U.S. strategic forces.
Trimble designed its new, all-in-one tablet computer to be rugged and fully functional in any setting. The Yuma can be used as a hand-carried computer, mounted on a pole or tripod for data collection, secured in a vehicle-mount or connected to an office docking station with external monitor, printer and other desk peripherals.
Saudi Arabian Airlines signed a $300 million contract with GE Aviation Services to provide material for the CFM56-5B engines that will power the carrier’s new fleet of 50 Airbus A320s. The exclusive 10-year materials agreement covering 100 CFM56-5B engines, means Saudi Arabian Airlines will use only CFM parts while maintaining these engines, which it plans to service in-house. Avionics/IFE
Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co., Ltd. raised the 1,936-ton steel roof of its new hangar at Pudong International Airport. The first phase of construction will create a two-bay, 50,000-sq.-meter hangar and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Boeing Shanghai was established in June 2006, as a joint venture of Boeing, Shanghai Airport Authorities and Shanghai Airlines.
Triumph Group acquired the assets of Kongsberg Automotive’s aviation segment, which produces cable control systems for commercial and military aircraft. The acquired business, located in Basildon, U.K., and Heiligenhaus, Germany, will operate as Triumph Controls-U.K., Ltd. and Triumph Controls-Germany, GmbH and will join the Triumph Aerospace Systems Group. Facilities
A J Walter Aviation will provide rotable component support for Czech Airlines’ Airbus fleet from Prague, under a seven-year, power-by-the-hour contract that went into effect March 1. Czech plans to phase out its Boeing 737 fleet over the course of the contract as it adds 16 additional Airbus aircraft, for a total of 33 Airbus aircraft by 2016. The contract initially will cover the two A321s, eight A320s and seven A319s in Czech’s present fleet. AJW also will support up to 54 A320s for Mexican airline Volaris under a power-by-the-hour alliance with Montreal-based Aveos.
Aircraft component suppliers are urging the Department of Commerce to scuttle a proposal that they fear could vastly restrict the shipment of U.S.-built avionics and navigation components. The Aviation Suppliers Association said the proposal “would unnecessarily punish distributors and manufacturers, and cripple trade in avionics commodities without providing any correlative benefit to the U.S.”
Flightstar Aircraft Services redelivered a converted Boeing 757-200 freighter for Precision Conversions to new owner Cargo Aircraft Management. The full 15 pallet converted freighter is the 15th 757-200PCF Flightstar has completed for Precision Conversions.
GE bought JV partner Teleflex’s shares in Airfoil Technologies International-Singapore Pte. Ltd. for $300 million in early March. Teleflex previously was the majority shareholder with 51%. GE’s motivation in the purchase was to gain a controlling interest in the Singapore business, said representative Rick Kennedy, who said GE wants to be able to expand the business and to protect proprietary repair processes. And, Singapore in particular is an important location for GE, he noted.
EMTEQ ENGINEERING, to install an EMTEQ seat warmer system in Hawker Beechcraft B200, B200C, B300, B300C, 200, 200C, 200CT, 200T, B200CT, B200T, 300 and 300LW series aircraft, STC SA03669AT
EAGLE HELICOPTERS, amended STC to install a SAGEM ICDS 2000 electronic flight instrument system on various Eurocopter France AS-350 and EC 130 helicopters, STC SR01665SE
Phoenix Heliparts was appointed as a factory-authorized aircraft sales distributor and service center for Schweizer commercial helicopters, including new and used helicopter sales, MRO and custom refurbishments, supported by in-house parts inventories and technical and engineering capabilities. MD Helicopter also appointed Phoenix Heliparts an authorized service center in support of a contract with the Republic of Korea Army.
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.
BAE Systems received two contracts worth £119 million ($170 million) from the U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) to provide additional support for in-service Tornado and Harrier aircraft under a strategy known as CAPS (Commodity Availability Procurement Strategy). Under CAPS, the current Tornado availability contract (known as ATTAC) has been amended to include an availability service to support key primary warning and defensive protection equipment for RAF Tornado GR.4 and Harrier fleets.
