For months the Transportation Security Administration's final rulemaking to impose new security rules for repair stations in the U.S. and abroad has appeared imminent. TSA issued the notice of proposed rulemaking in 2009 for new security requirements, including a mandate for all repair stations to have security programs in place.
The term “winglet” caused a stir in the aviation aftermarket industry a decade ago with promises of more efficient aircraft via wing attachments that could be retrofitted. Major airlines undergoing extensive retrofit projects include United, which ordered 14 767-300ER units from APB in June. Operators are still buying these devices, but manufacturers such as Aviation Partners Boeing and Quiet Wing have realized that once most fleets are outfitted with winglets, they will need a strategy for capturing new market opportunities.
AAR Corp. has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Telair International and Nordisk Aviation Products from Teleflex, Inc. The transaction is expected to generate $225 million of revenue in fiscal 2013. The acquisition will enhance AAR's ability to capitalize on commercial aircraft build cycles as a tier-one supplier to Airbus and Boeing. Telair designs, manufactures and supports cargo loading systems for widebody and narrowbody aircraft. Nordisk designs and manufacturers heavy-duty pallets and lightweight cargo containers for commercial airlines.
Delivering value to your customers and really listening to them might require you to do business in a different way. The article on gauging customer satisfaction (pg. 31) describes how several aftermarket companies gain insights about their services and take corrective measures. It's about proactively using your customers' feedback to better serve them. (Coincidentally, a reader suggested this O&M article subject. Thanks!)
Kelowna Flightcraft operates heavy maintenance facilities in Kelowna, B.C., Canada and Hamilton, Ont., Canada. Kelowna is a preferred vendor for Aviation Partners Boeing winglets and undertook the task of installing the prototype winglets for the Boeing 757-300. Overall, Kelowna has installed more than 70 sets of both Aviation Partners and Quiet Wing winglets and specializes in installing winglets on both provisioned and non-provisioned aircraft.
Scandinavian Airlines System has entered into an agreement with Sunrise Asset Management to sell 13 MD82/83/87 aircraft and an additional 12 spare engines. The order is valued at about $20 million and delivery of the aircraft and engines is ongoing and will be completed in Feb. 2013. SAS is phasing out its MD-80 fleet and replacing them with Boeing 737NG and Airbus A320s.
Quiet Wing manufactured the first commercial winglets for an aircraft in 1993, and it continues to produce winglets for the Boeing 727 and Boeing 737-300/-400/-500 series aircraft. Quiet Wing works with MROs such as Kelowna Flightcraft and Commercial Jet to provide parts and support to install the winglets, and the company continues to see a strong demand for the Boeing 727 winglets for VIP aircraft. As these aircraft become older, Quiet Wing realizes that the demand for winglets for the legacy Boeings will decrease with time.
BEIJING—The frames of new hangars keep rising, and plenty more are on the drawing board as China's march into heavy airframe maintenance continues unabated.
Sherwin-Williams has added several executives to its management team: Karen O'Hara will fill the position of global aerospace sales manager, Christopher Cook will become global aerospace business development manager and Anthony Azarve has become an account executive for aerospace coatings sales in the U.S.
Sabena Technics has signed a three-year agreement with ULS Airlines Cargo for component repair on its fleet of three Airbus A300-B4 and three Airbus A310-300 aircraft. Both companies have collaborated on repair management for some years.
Sherwin-Williams has announced its aerospace coatings training program for 2012, which will be held in Andover, Ks. The two-day training sessions will now include work with the SkyScapes basecoat/clearcoat paint system and focus on trends in surface pre-treatments, primer systems and topcoats. The classes are designed for all levels of paint shop personnel and conducted in a training center with electrostatic guns. The cost of the class is $229 per person, including materials, safety equipment and a training certificate.
Turkish Technic has signed a landing gear maintenance services agreement for five Airbus A320 family aircraft with IzAir. The work, which includes landing gear removal and installation as well as overhaul activities, will be carried out at Turkish Technic's Istanbul facility. It plans to complete the overhaul of five sets of landing gear in June 2013. IT
By Ken Jones ➤ Director of Electronic Data Standards, Air Transport Association
I participated in a recent executive roundtable developed by Aviation Week, hosted by Boeing, and led by United Airlines' SVP Technical Operations Jim Keenan. The theme was “One Step Closer to Data Harmonization.” Participants seemed to intuitively understand that if we as an industry did a better job of data harmonization and data sharing, many of our processes would operate more efficiently, faster and at lower cost. But a couple of common themes emerged: How can we do a better job of quantifying the ROI, and how can we get more buy in from all stakeholders?
Commercial Jet in Miami offers winglet installations for classic and next-generation Boeing 737s, 757s, 767s and MD-80s. It provides the installations for both passenger aircraft and VIP conversions. In addition to winglet installations, Commercial Jet offers an array of heavy maintenance services and modifications that can be done in tandem with that modification to provide a value-added service for heavy checks. Commercial Jet can modify the Airbus A300, A310 and A320 families, all classic Boeing models, DC-8/9/10 and MD-11/80/90 aircraft types.
LAN Airlines has performed its 1,500th Lufthansa Technik Cyclean engine water wash. It begun the washes in June 2010 and has four leased equipment units based in Santiago, Lima and Miami. The equipment enables LAN to perform cleanings of its entire engine portfolio, which includes the GE CF6-80C2, Pratt & Whitney 4000 and 6000 engines, the IAE V2500 and the CFMI CFM56-5C.
The Aviation Suppliers Association welcomed Sheri Murray, Air Parts & Supply Co. president and CEO, as a new member of its board of directors. Greg McGowan, Boeing Commercial Airplanes quality leader of product support engineering, returns as a member of the board. Jimmy Wu, Infinity Air president and CEO, also returns.
Revima APU has appointed Antoine Marez as director of strategic purchasing. Marez will oversee the development of long-term agreements with suppliers in support of new and existing APU programs. Marez came to the position after serving as aftermarket supplier manager at Pratt & Whitney Canada.
Super98 issued STC to installation of modifications to improve the airplane cruise performance of Boeing DC-9-81 (MD-81), DC-9-82 (MD-82), DC-9-83 (MD-83), DC-9-87 (MD-87) and MD-88 aircraft, STC ST02372LA
Aeromexico plans to add three more lines to the four currently available at its Guadalajara, Mexico, maintenance facility as it prepares to expand MRO operations under its joint venture with Delta Air Lines. The expansion will be completed in the third quarter of 2012 and the facility should be “fully functional” by the end of next year, Aeromexico's CEO Andres Conesa told Aviation Week during the carrier's third quarter results conference call. Total investment, he added, will amount to $30-35 million.
Concorde Battery issued STCs to install a lead acid battery as a replacement for the existing nickel-cadmium on Boeing 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 aircraft,
Lion Air has scrapped its plan to have its MRO business centered on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island, citing disagreements with the Manado International Airport airport operator. The airline says the new plan is to have maintenance operations at Hang Nadim International Airport in Indonesia, which has the longest runway in that country.
