Ansell debuted two new types of cut-resistant gloves in January: the PowerFlex 80-658 and HyFlex 11-435. The PowerFlex gloves feature a three-layer construction of steel, fiberglass and Kevlar for maximum cut resistance, and they have long, knitted cuffs to protect the forearm. These gloves also are 3/4 dipped and liquid repellent to protect wearers from water-based contaminants and EN407 level two rated for safe handling of warm objects.
Southwest Airlines is upgrading the flightdecks of its Boeing 737-300s to more closely align them with the 737-700s in its fleet and to give them advanced navigation capabilities. Southwest says this will help it reach its goal of employing Required Navigation Performance operations. Boeing is designing, installing and integrating the new hardware and software from GE Aviation, Honeywell and Rockwell Collins. Parts/Components
A new, premium line of wheeled tool storage units from Stanley-Proto are designed for technicians who need compact but sturdy chests to move their tools from place to place in crowded work areas.
Rockwell Collins, amended STCs to install in-seat equipment provisions for Rockwell Collins entertainment systems on Boeing 747-400 series aircraft, STCs ST01549LA and ST00720LA
Heli-One, an operating division of the CHC Group, with headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, announced in December its receipt of a new FMV (Swedish Defense Material Administration) contract worth C$11.2 million ($9 million) to complete avionics upgrades on two Eurocopter AS332M1 Super Puma (Hkp 10) military helicopters. From early this year, these will receive integrated defensive aids suite equipment and services, plus night vision goggles, at Heli-One’s facility in Stavanger, Norway.
API and CEA Honeywell Aircraft Wheels and Brakes Repair and Overhaul Co. Ltd. (CEASA) signed a three-year preferred customer/preferred supplier agreement under which API will provide all supply chain and logistics services including procurement and inventory management for CEASA, a joint venture of Honeywell International Finance Co. and China Eastern Airlines.
Snecma Services will provide Czech Airlines with remote engine monitoring services and CFM56-3 MRO under a seven-year engine services per operation contract. Czech operates 10 Boeing 737-400 and 10 Boeing 737-500 aircraft powered by CFMI CFM56-3C1 engines. Czech’s engines will be handled by Snecma Services Brussels.
The Fuel Cell added the IAE V2500 to its fuel component repair capabilities. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based repair station is an FAA-approved, Hamilton Sundstrand-licensed facility that also has capabilities for Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and GE fuel components.
Singapore’s SilkAir picked Panasonic Avionics’ Multiplexed Passenger Entertainment system for installation on 12 Airbus A319/A320s. A regional subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, SilkAir began the conversion work in August at SIA Engineering Co., but word of the contract was not revealed until Jan. 6. The contract includes nine options. The SilkAir fleet includes nine Airbus A320s and six A319s.
TeamSAI elected Tom Cooper VP and principal . Cooper joined TeamSAI in October 2007, and previously worked at Delta Air Lines and Foster’s Wine Estates.
Columbia Helicopters, amended STC to install improved Diamond J Inc. dual engine torque indicator on various Boeing and Kawasaki 107 helicopters, STC SR00926SE
Northwest Turbine, amended STC to install two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-35 engines and two Hartzell HC-E4N-3N/D8292B-2 propellers and associated hardware on Raytheon B60 aircraft, STC SA01672SE
GE won a 12-year PBL contract from the Australian Department of Defence for the GE F404 and F414 engines powering the Australian Defence Force’s F/A-18A/B Hornet and soon-to-be-acquired F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft. The total logistics support contract covers all aspects of logistics, intermediate and deeper maintenance, and engineering support for the remaining life of the F/A-18 Hornet fleet and the projected life of the F/A-18F Super Hornet fleet.
ST Aerospace subsidiary STARCO inducted its 10th and 11th All Nippon Airways Airbus A320 aircraft for C checks and modifications under a three-year contract announced in November 2007. Engines
A ceremony at AgustaWestlands Yeovil facility in November marked U.K. MoD acceptance of the first two Apache AH Mk.1 attack helicopters, equipped with new sighting and targeting systems, following their Nov. 14 release to service. AgustaWestland received a £194 million ($271.6 million) contract in May 2005 to integrate and test new systems in Army Air Corps Apaches and retrofit all 67 aircraft. Deliveries began on schedule on Nov. 27 at Wattisham, the U.K. Apache’s main operating base, for program completion by late 2010.
B/E Aerospace’s Flight Structures unit will convert Airbus A300-600s from passenger to freighter configuration under a supplemental type certificate (STC) it received in December from FAA. B/E developed the engineering designs and STC certification program and will manufacture the conversion kits, while MRO partner Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co. (GAMECO) will provide touch labor and install the kits.
Bar Air, to install the BAR Air supercharger system on Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N engines and install the supercharged engines in Cirrus SR22 aircraft, STCs SE10926SC and SA10925SC
Air New Zealand subsidiary TAE purchased Tenix Aviation, its second aviation services company in Australia. The deal closed on Dec. 9 and Tenix Aviation will be renamed TAE Aviation. TAE (Tasman Aviation Enterprises), headquartered in South East Queensland, provides commercial and defense aftermarket services from five sites in Australia. New Zealand’s National Business Review said the other recent acquisition was Masling Industries in New South Wales, which provides aircraft engine component maintenance.
Sequa Corp. named Andrew Farrant VP of marketing and corporate communications. Farrant most recently was SVP, marketing and corporate communications for DAE company StandardAero; Mike Turner was promoted to marketing and corporate communications director of the Winnipeg-based MRO in November 2008.
AirCell Business Aviation Services, reissued STCs to install various subscriber equipment systems on Hawker Beechcraft 95, Airbus A319 and Cessna 500 aircraft, Several STCs
When a pilot files a squawk about a malfunctioning avionics component, in nearly one out of three cases today the technician will not be able to duplicate the reported failure, making it impossible to isolate and repair the problem. No Fault Found (NFF), as this scenario is termed, is, in fact, considered a significant problem in avionics maintenance, especially as components become increasingly complex.
