Vector Aerospace appointed Tim Rice new U.K. managing director, as part of its strategy to strengthen its management in line with its acquisition of the former DARA businesses at Fleetlands and Almondbank from the U.K. Ministry of Defence. Vector President and CEO Declan O’Shea, who joined the company in April, is to remain acting managing director until Rice takes up his position on Oct. 20, based at Vector Aerospace Helicopter Services Fleetlands, in Gosport, Hampshire, U.K.
LONDON—Soaring oil prices might be taking a huge toll on airlines, but, according to Mark King, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, they also present opportunities for engine maintenance providers to really add value to a customer’s fleet through engine MRO. The high price of oil will have a huge impact on the trade-off between maintenance costs, fuel burn and engine time-on-wing, King said, which is why Rolls has started to develop additions to its TotalCare packages to be “more and more focused on a world of high oil prices.”
Two new finish formulas from Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings are designed for use on plastic, metal and composite surfaces in aircraft cabins and cockpits. Its interior aircraft finish can be ordered in unlimited solid colors and multiple gloss ranges with an intermix system, and two formulas are available: solvent-based polyurethane enamel and a water-reducible polyurethane dispersion coating.
L-3 Communications subsidiary SPAR received an $18 million contract from the U.K. Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force to perform outer wing replacements on three C-130K aircraft. The outer wing refurbishment contract commenced in August at L-3 SPAR’s Edmonton, Alberta, Canada facility. The wings are being reconditioned to meet the Royal Air Force’s Hercules Outer Wing Replacement Plan.
ST Aerospace completed its MD-11 passenger-to-freighter conversion program for UPS with the Sept. 3 delivery of the 38th MD-11 BCF. ST Aviation Services (SASCO) carried out the conversion program, which began in April 2001, for UPS. SASCO has redelivered 58 MD-11 BCF aircraft to various airlines to date.
An enhanced memorandum of understanding signed in late August by the civil aviation authorities of Hong Kong and Singapore will allow for mutual recognition and approval of aircraft and engine maintenance. A previous MoU signed in December 2004 recognized aircraft component maintenance. The two authorities estimate more than 75 MRO companies will benefit from the enhanced agreement.
Data Link Solutions (DLS) will provide the U.K. Ministry of Defence with post-design engineering and logistics support services for Link 16 communications terminals under a $12.2 million contract. DLS, a joint venture of Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems, will support Link 16 products installed on several platforms, including the Royal Air Force E-3, Tornado, and Typhoon; Royal Navy Sea King helicopter and Type 42 destroyers; and the U.K. Air Defense Ground Environment.
Britain’s BAE Systems recently received several support packages worth more than £4 million ($7.66 million) for the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), to maintain the operating capabilities of its Hawk advanced jet trainers and light ground attack twin- and single-seat aircraft. The RAFO received four two-seat Hawk Mk 103s from 1993, followed by a dozen single-seat Hawk 203s from 1994, supplementing 22 SEPECAT Jaguar combat aircraft and five two-seat trainer versions operated since 1977.
For those of you operating in the U.K., the CAA mandates that all AOC operators and associated approved maintenance organizations have a Safety Management System (SMS) in place from Jan.1, 2009, forward. Baines Simmons is holding a three-day course on developing, implementing, measuring and managing an SMS. Baines Simmons says the course is to cover: • Identifying and mitigating unwanted business losses; • Performing meaningful Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment;
WestWind Technologies, Dynetics and U.S. Falcon were the prime contractors awarded the Scientific, Professional and other Technical Services program through the U.S. Army Materiel Command. The 5-year, $50 million program calls for engineering and technical services for the Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) in Ft. Eustis, Va.
Engine manufacturer refusal to support certain parts has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to remind aircraft owners, manufacturers and parts manufacturers of their respective responsibilities for ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. The agency released a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), noting that the aircraft owners and operators ultimately are responsible for the aircraft, but that replacement parts are interchangeable if they meet FAA standards.
This summer’s Farnborough International Air Show saw the introduction of a new line of adjustable actuators from U.K.-based Meggitt. The new, motor-controlled modulating actuators feature a closed-loop regulator, which should detect flow, pressure and temperature via sensors. This should produce a high degree of fine-tuning to meet required measurements. Because the system is programmable, it also should allow engineers to change test valve parameters in line with performance requirements on a laptop, making redesign work unnecessary.
StandardAero consolidated its management team , signaling an apparent change in parent company Dubai Aerospace Enterprise’s (DAE) aggressive aftermarket acquisition strategy. StandardAero President & CEO Paul Soubry, a long-time industry veteran, was replaced by Rob Mionis, president & CEO of DAE Engineering, the aftermarket division of DAE.
Northrop Grumman won a firm fixed-price U.S. Air Force contract valued at more than $250 million over four years to provide contractor logistics services to U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps C-20 aircraft. Northrop Grumman and teammates M7 Aerospace, Savannah Air Center and Rolls-Royce North America will provide depot maintenance, contractor operational and maintained base supply, flight line maintenance and field team support of the C-20 at five primary Main Operating Bases (MOBs), both in the U.S. and at overseas locations.
US Airways promoted David Seymour to SVP, technical operations, and expanded the roles of Andrew Nocella, SVP, marketing and planning, and Daniel Pon, VP, human resources. With these changes, SVP and CIO Joe Beery and VP Sales and Marketing Travis Christ will depart; while VP, culture Larry LeSueur is to retire at the end of this year. The airline also received its tenth consecutive Diamond Award for maintenance training excellence from the Federal Aviation Administration for its Charlotte, N.C., hub line maintenance facility.
Tactair Fluid Controls received a $3 million U.S. government contract to provide Self Displacing Accumulators (SDA) to retrofit C-5A Galaxy aircraft. The Tactair SDA, a piston-type hydraulic accumulator that does not require a gas precharge, is used in military applications where its Kevlar wrapping protects it from projectiles and in emergency situations to provide auxiliary hydraulic pressure to the flight control system. Tactair was the original equipment supplier for the SDA on all C-5B model aircraft and continues to provide field support.
Virgin Blue signed a six-year GE OnPoint agreement to cover the maintenance and overhaul of all CFM56-7B engines it operates, along with those of its international carrier Pacific Blue. The agreement is valued at up to $300 million.
Rockwell Collins’ PAVES analog IFE system now can be retrofitted with a digital package that retains the systems’ overall architecture. dPAVES, designed as an upgrade for the analog system PAVES, is the retrofit solution for PAVES-equipped aircraft, and it also has proven a very popular linefit selection, said Rockwell Collins representative Pam Tvrdy. The system is standard selection for ILFC’s Boeing aircraft, she added.
MADRID—It’s easy to get depressed about the current state of the airline industry and the impact it could have on the MRO world. In early September, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicted that the world’s scheduled carriers would suffer a combined net loss of $5.2 billion this year and $4.1 billion in 2009. IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani said that record fuel prices and falling passenger and cargo traffic continue to “poison” industry profitability.
Maintaining the Boeing F/A-18 represents a $100 million product line this year for the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, which plans to churn out about 110 Hornets, including 45 planned maintenance intervals (PMIs), 15 center barrel replacements and 10 crash or battle damaged repairs—the rest will be field site repairs and modifications.
Aircraft damage caused by large mammals like deer can be dangerous and expensive. From 1990 to 1999, Nixalite says 430 civil aircraft were involved in collisions with deer. As an alternative to metal or plastic fencing, the company offers its heavy duty polyethylene mesh Deer Blocker fencing. It should be lighter weight, easier to install and less expensive than traditional fencing materials, according to its manufacturer.
SR Technics signed an agreement with Avtrade Ltd. to support a range of Honeywell auxiliary power unit (APU) components fitted to various Airbus and Boeing types. Under it, SR Technics will provide maintenance and loan services to Avtrade for the APUs at its Dublin facility, which is equipped to service Honeywell GTCP 85, 131-9A/B, 331-200/250 and -350 series and 660 series APUs. SR Technics also announced a component support agreement with Airbus, covering 19 leased A330s operated by Singapore Airlines.
Commercial and military customers can source aerospace fasteners by part number and place orders by email, toll-free telephone or fax via Atlantic Fastener’s redesigned website, www.atlanticfasteners.com.
Goodrich Corp. and Rolls-Royce signed a letter of intent proposing a joint venture company to develop and supply engine controls for Rolls-Royce aero engines. If formed, the 50/50 JV would combine Goodrich’s existing U.K.-based engine controls design and manufacturing business and Rolls-Royce’s expertise in the integration of controls into the engine. Goodrich would retain the aftermarket products and services business associated with the joint venture’s products. [See Q&A with Goodrich Chairman, President and CEO Marshall O. Larsen on p.
