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.
STA Systems gained recognition by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems as a Boeing MRO center for the CH-47 Chinook engine transmission. The Chinook engine transmission is the first Boeing IDS component set up for repair and overhaul by parent company ST Aerospace. With this approval, ST Aero says it is poised to take on more repair and overhaul work for other components of Boeing military aircraft.
Gulfstream opened an auxiliary power unit test cell at its Savannah, Ga., South Service Center , establishing the facility as a center of excellence for Honeywell APU testing. It is certified to test Honeywell GTCP36-100, GTCP36-150 and RE200 series APUs, which can be repaired on-site. It also completed its 2,000th Airborne Product Support flight, seven years after introducing the on-demand maintenance service.
Air Canada will deploy TRAX’s EVO maintenance software to handle maintenance and engineering IT requirements across its fleet of close to 200 Boeing, Airbus and Embraer aircraft. Air Canada Jazz, the company’s regional partner airline, already uses TRAX maintenance.
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.
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
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.
ELECTRONIC CABLE SPECIALISTS, to install ECS EZMount tilt mechanical mounting assemblies in cockpit of Boeing 747-400, -400D and -400F aircraft, STC ST02683CH
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.
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
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
SIMPLEX MANUFACTURING , amended STC to build and install a Simplex Model 316 fire attack system on Eurocopter France AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2 and EC225LP helicopters, STC SR01074SE
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.
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.
Boeing conducted successful functional check flights of two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 737-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft modified in Australia for the RAAF’s Project Wedgetail program. During each of the 2.5-hour flights on Jan. 21 and 28, Boeing crews performed functional tests that verified the airworthiness of the aircraft’s systems and structures.
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.
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.
Rite-Hite Corp.’s new Revolution Fan features an advanced design aluminum fan blade intended to provide more consistent air circulation and ventilation with better energy efficiency than traditional high-speed ceiling or floor fans.
Gulfstream named Bill M. Williams VP of materials. The former VP of product support materials succeeds Jim McQueeney, who retired after 20 years at Gulfstream. In his new role, Williams reports to Dennis Stuligross, SVP operations.
