On Oct. 3, Congress received Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notification of a possible $250 million foreign military sale to Taiwan, to upgrade four Grumman E-2T 2000E AEW aircraft to Hawkeye 2000 configuration, with associated equipment and services. Taiwan had previously purchased four E-2Ts in 1996, and is updating these aircraft to meet the same configuration of the most recent 2004 deliveries of two E-2 Hawkeye 2000Es. Prime contractor will be Northrop Grumman Corp.
U.S. Airways picked Goodrich to refurbish the thrust reversers on its CFM56-5B-powered Airbus A320s. The custom-tailored program is set to last through 2012, and it also provides initial exchange units. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
GE acquired Walter Engines’ assets in July, and plans to insert GE advanced materials and technologies into the M601 small turboprop engine, which has an installed base of 1,547, according to Brad Mottier, VP and general manager of GE Aviation’s Business and General Aviation organization. Doing “nominal upgrades,” according to Mottier, will improve fuel efficiency by 7% compared to the M601F and boost performance through higher temperature margins and increase power up to 800 shp.
The first Finnish Air Force (Ilmavoimat) BAE Hawk Mk.51/51A advanced jet trainer undergoing an avionics upgrade by Patria made its initial flight at Jämsä, in late September. The digital glass cockpit and systems upgrade is the second phase of a program launched in December 2006. Finland has 49 Hawk 51s, mostly assembled by Patria in 1980-1985, plus 18 ex-Swiss Hawk Mk.66s acquired in 2007.
Man Lift Engineering’s new scissor lift is designed specifically for use in hazardous locations such as aircraft painting, oil and gas processing, and dust explosion locations. It measures 32 ft. tall, with a 99.5-in. by 68-in. platform and 1,200-lb. capacity. Other standard features include a 3-ft. roll out, extendable deck and a battery condition indicator. Optional features comprise: Three-way bump protection, a movement alarm, 3/8-in. lines for air to the platform, a 250-amp hr. battery and a 40-amp charger.
BorescopesRus offers both portable and tool cart-mounted borescopes, recently picked by Premier Turbines and Dallas Airmotive for inspection operations. Both models are designed to be easy to use and compact with cost-saving features. The portable model is equipped with a handheld display and a shoulder carried, battery powered light source. It also features VPU built-in recording capability and should be suitable for inspections far away from light sources or in difficult to access situations.
The Helicopter Association International named its 2009 “Salute to Excellence” award winners . HAI’s Aviation Maintenance Technician Award was given to David Vogel, senior technical representative for American Eurocopter in Grand Prairie, Texas. Its Aviation Repair Specialist Award was given to Jeffery L. Peabody, a maintenance technician with Air Logistics of Alaska, in Fairbanks.
Iberia Maintenance refitted its maintenance hangars for painting new and overhauled aircraft for Iberia and other carriers. The first aircraft inducted into the 2,900-sq.-meter space was a Saudi Arabian Airlines 757-200, followed by a Ural Airlines Airbus A320.
Because this is our last issue of 2008, I figured I’d use this space to review the highs and lows of the year, and maybe look ahead to 2009. Turns out, Kerry Lynch and Bill Burchell both beat me to the punch. In Washington In Action, starting on p. 17, Kerry does an excellent job outlining the issues that the incoming Obama administration will face in 2009.
At the beginning of the new year the Nigerian federal government will ban aircraft operating without an emergency locator transmitter, or ELT, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Nigeria also won’t allow aircraft to be registered or to receive an air operator certificate without the device installed. Nigeria’s CAA announced the decision at a meeting to review a search and rescue operation that involved a Hawker Beechcraft 1900 that disappeared in March over Obudu in Cross River State, ASN said.
Delta G. Design , issued STC to install an EMS Technologies SATCOM AMT-3800 High Gain Antenna and DLNA on Boeing 757-200 series aircraft, STC ST10920SC
Ametek acquired U.K.-based Muirhead Aerospace, the maker of motion technology parts and avionics MRO provider. The Esterline Technologies Corp. subsidiary is to join Ametek’s Aerospace and Defense division.
Royal Jordanian Airlines will implement TRAX Maintenance’s EVO application, a suite of software that manages technical records, materials management and production. TRAX says the Amman-based airline is the second Middle Eastern carrier to pick its software this year.
Pratt & Whitney Engine Services , issued STCs to install Pratt & Whitney Engine Services hybrid aircraft data acquisition systems and data transmission units on Cessna 560 and 560XL and Raytheon 400A aircraft, STCs ST00279BO, ST00278BO, ST00277BO and ST00276BO
Gulfstream Aerospace won a firm fixed price contract modification for around $10 million to provide continued fleet maintenance support for nine Gulfstream aircraft owned by the Egyptian government.◗
Airbus Americas added Tom Anderson , recently of Virgin America, as SVP, Airbus North America Customer Services. He will report to Airbus Americas President and CEO Barry Eccleston and succeeds Francois Mourareau, who is retiring after nearly 40 years with Airbus.
AAR Corp. elected Donald J. Wetekam an officer of the company. Wetekam is group VP of AAR’s maintenance, repair and overhaul segment and oversees its domestics and international MRO business.
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft Customer Services and Support opened a regional support office at Garching , near Munich. The facility is Bombardier’s first customer support office in Europe.
AAR Corp. is carrying out mods on six Allegiant Air MD-80s at its Will Rogers World Airport facility in Oklahoma City. Work on the first aircraft began in October.
Metal Improvement Co. added a Boric/Sulfuric Acid Adonizing line at its Bensalem, Penn., facility. BSAA is approved as a more environmentally friendly alternative to chromic acid adonizing. MIC Bensalem is equipped with automated chemical processing tanks that measure 40 ft. long by 12 ft. deep by 4 ft. wide, and can accommodate BSAA of large single components or batches of smaller components. The facility also offers grit blasting, fluorescent penetrant inspection, chromic/phosphoric acid adonizing, Alodine, glass beading, shot peening and other metal finishing services.
O&M: Bedek opened new hangars in July. Are they primarily for passenger to freighter conversions, or do you plan to do heavy airframe work there, as well?
Onboard Systems , amended STC to build and install an Onboard Systems Model E-51 cargo hook load cell system on various MD Helicopter 369, 500N and 600N models, STC SH4908NM
