Reductions in refurbishment and upgrades of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) long-serving F/A-18A/B Hornets, with potential cost savings of over $400 million, recently were announced. Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said on Sept. 4 that extensive work by the Defense Science and Technology Organization (DSTO) and the Defense Materiel Organization (DMO), indicates that fatigue in the fuselage center-barrel structure of the RAAF’s Hornets is less developed than originally anticipated.
Embraer opened a hangar at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, in Mesa, Ariz., dedicated to servicing Phenom 100, Phenom 300, Legacy 450, Legacy 500 and Legacy 600 aircraft.
Pratt & Whitney Canada inked an 11-year fleet management program deal with JetSuite, a private jet charter company. P&WC will maintain its charter fleet of PW617F-powered Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft, including scheduled and unscheduled engine maintenance and engine trend condition monitoring.
JKL Components Corp. introduced a new line of LED boards intended as replacement upgrades for both incandescent and first generation LED wedge based lamps. The 12V Flatwedge LED line is available in T13/4 (12VDC) and T31/3\4 sizes (12V AC/DC) and have a warm white color output with a Kelvin temperature of 3300K.
October’s Upgrades/Retrofits referred to OGMA - Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal, S.A., by its former name, Oficinas Gerais de Manutenção Aeronáutica.
Learjet , to install the Universal Avionics Systems UNS-1B Plus flight management system software upgrade and Rockwell Collins DME-42 system upgrade on Learjet 35A (C-21A) aircraft, STCs ST00018MC-D and ST00017MC-D
GKN Aerospace modified an autoclave to incorporate a hot bonder, allowing the company to carry out “hot bond box” repairs within the autoclave. This new repair method applies heat only to the damaged area of the part to minimize distortion, reduce turnaround times, cut energy and tooling costs, and make use of standard production materials rather than the more expensive ones required by lower-temperature repairs, according to GKN.
Empire Aero Center will perform heavy C checks on at least 20 Airbus A320s for JetBlue Airways beginning early next year under a new contract. The MRO has been doing lighter C1 and C2 checks for the carrier this year.
The National Aviation Co. of India Ltd. and the EADS plan to create an MRO joint venture at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The facility will become part of the Airbus MRO Network. The $40 million JV would like to start operating next year and launch business with Airbus airframe maintenance. It could add other aircraft, such at ATR, capabilities later, as well as component MRO.
Nomad Aviation picked Inmedius’ S1000D publishing suite management, authoring and publishing modules to manage its technical content and support its S1000D and ATA iSPEC 2200 projects. Contracts
Shannon Aerospace completed D checks on two Philippine Airlines Airbus A320s as part of the airline’s summer maintenance schedule. The PAL contract was undertaken by SAL via a Lufthansa Technik Philippines request, underlining ongoing synergies at work within the Lufthansa Technik Group.
StandardAero and Silverhawk Conversions formed a pact to extend their STC portfolios to each other’s organizations. This adds the option for engine upgrades to StandardAero’s overhaul and repair capabilities for King Air C90 and E90 airframes. Instead of a traditional overhaul, StandardAero now can give customers the option to upgrade existing PT6A–20, -21 or –28 engines to new PT6A-135A engines. Avionics/IFE
Gulfstream Aerospace , to install airplane interiors on GIV-X and GV-SP aircraft, STCs ST03576AT-D, ST03577AT-D, ST03566AT-D, ST03586AT-D, ST03583AT-D and ST03584AT-D
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) ordered 91 additional F110-GE-129C turbofans, costing more than $750 million, to re-engine its F-15S multi-role combat aircraft. This contract follows the 2007 RSAF selection of 65 F110 engines to re-engine 29 F-15S fighters, with a combined value of the 156 F110 powerplants and logistics support package exceeding $750 million. Deliveries will start later this year.
Jet Support Services, Inc. named Kelly Simmons COO and CFO . Simmons most recently was president and CFO of GlobalSCAPE, a software company specializing in file transfer over the internet.
IAI Bedek won a contract to convert up to 14 Boeing 767-200 s from Air Transport Services Group subsidiary Cargo Aircraft Management. Bedek will modify the aircraft from ABX Air PC configuration to Bedek Special Freighter configuration in a deal exceeding $100 million. Work on the prototype aircraft was underway in mid-September. A second 767-200 is to be inducted in March.
Micro AeroDynamics , issued STC to install vortex generators on the wings and horizontal and vertical tail surfaces of Rogers 15AC and S15AC aircraft, STC SA01869SE
Bombardier added the Learjet 85 to its Smart Parts program, which will be available to support the all-composite aircraft once it enters service. The base program provides cost-per-flight-hour support for airframe system component and avionics support, and it can be upgraded to include engine support and/or comprehensive maintenance coverage.
Soloy Conversions , amended STC to install the Soloy Turbine Pac (Rolls-Royce 250-C20S engine modified) and related changes on Cessna 206 aircraft models, STC SA2353NM
ARINC added Inmarsat Swiftbroadband to its portfolio, and its Oi Onboard Internet product has been enhanced to take advantage of the increased bandwidth, the company said. Swiftbroadband should give Oi users real-time credit approval capabilities, which means that airlines could use the application to offer passengers pay-per-view entertainment during flights. Other sales and revenue opportunities are possible, according to ARINC. ARINC Inc., 2551 Riva Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401-7465
Pratt & Whitney Canada and Aviall Services signed an agreement under which Aviall will supply new P&WC OEM spare parts to JT15D engine clients around the world, beginning in the first quarter of 2009. The companies reached a similar agreement for JT9D distribution in August. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
I am pretty cynical when it comes to airline mergers. I quickly lose patience with all the “wave of consolidation” talk that sweeps through the industry every few years. If all the mergers happened that the “experts” predicted would happen over the past two decades, there’d be maybe a half dozen airlines left in the world.
Pre-sintered preforms (PSP) can be used to repair cracks or reestablish wear areas in expensive engine components such as turbine blades or vanes. Composed of a customized blend of brazing and superalloy powders, PSPs can save time and money, says manufacturer Wesgo Metals. Its PSPs are designed to extend engine component life by up to 300%. It further notes that unlike traditional brazing pastes and green tapes, its PSPs exhibit less than 2% porosity, which helps reduce shrinkage; the preforms also should require minimal post-braze grinding or machining.
