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.
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.
PATS Aircraft Systems will install auxiliary fuel systems on 10 Boeing 737-900ER auxiliary fuel systems on Turkish Airlines aircraft. The first two aircraft have been inducted at the PATS facility for installation of the auxiliary fuel system, which will be delivered in a two-tank aft configuration, adding 962 gallons of fuel and extending the range of the aircraft up to 450 nm.
Delta Air Lines has outsourced airframe heavy maintenance and interior modification work to MRO companies overseas, but the carrier has found that the cost savings are getting harder to come by, and there is a lot of time and effort involved in managing relationships with MRO suppliers.
Correction: November's Biznet incorrectly stated that Component Control's Web store is located at aeroinv.com. Aeroinv.com, an aftermarket supplier of aircraft parts, launched its online commerce store for aftermarket parts and services and selected Component Control's ERP system for the technology backbone. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
National Science Foundation issued STC to install three fuselage optical window assemblies to support atmospheric research and meteorological observations in accordance with National Center for Atmospheric Research Optical Window Project on Gulfstream GV aircraft, STC ST00734DE
Heico has entered into an agreement to purchase Switchcraft, a privately held manufacturer of connectors for industrial, pro audio and lighting, medical, defense and aerospace applications.
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
Garuda Indonesia selected a 15-yr. rate per flight hour support package for its fleet of CFM56-7B engines, which power 63 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The $500 million contract with CFM includes GMF Aero Asia, the carrier's maintenance company, jointly developing overhaul capability for the engine with CFM.
While fuel burn grabs the big headlines in the battle for market share between the mid-thrust engine makers, it is more often maintenance cost which becomes the real acid test when it comes to decision time.
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.
StandardAero announced that it has appointed Jeffrey Wood as senior VP of its airlines and fleet business, which is the largest of the company's six business sectors. Wood will take over for interim leader Jennifer McNeill, who is returning to her former role as VP sales, marketing and business development for airlines and fleets. Airframes
Arinc Managed Services has opened a new headquarters in Annapolis, Md. The wholly owned subsidiary of Arinc, Inc. provides 24-hr. maintenance and support for airline check-in systems and technologies.
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,
Precision Conversions has announced the continuation of the 757-200PCC Combi program. The 1994 Pratt & Whitney-powered Boeing 757-200 has been inducted at Flightstar Aircraft Services' facility in Jacksonville, Fla., as part of a deal for two aircraft with the option of up to four from Cargo Aircraft Management.
Aviation Partners Boeing is a joint venture between Aviation Partners and Boeing. It makes and holds certifications for blended winglets to install on the Boeing 737-300/-500/-700/-800/-900 aircraft as well as the Boeing 757-200/-300 and the Boeing 767-300ER. Airlines that buy retrofit packages from Aviation Partners Boeing receive engineering, tooling, a full deck of installation task cards, on-site technical support as well as 24/7 engineering liaison coverage and AOG parts support.
Whether the radome conventionally has a honeycomb or foam core, testing for moisture ingress involves the use of either a thermal imaging system or a moisture meter. Thermal imaging requires the radome to be heated to detect moisture. In contrast, technicians simply hold a moisture meter that relies on eddy currents against the radome to detect moisture—making it the more common method.
Mubadala Aerospace has formed a new senior leadership team to manage its MRO companies, Zurich-based SR Technics and Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT). The United Arab Emirates-based company says it will use the new executive team to create synergies between the two MROs. However, both SR Technics and ADAT will remain separate legal entities. The new leadership appointments are Homaid Al Shemmari, chairman of the MRO network; Jeremy Chan executive vice chairman; and James Stewart group CEO.
Ameco Beijing first started installing winglets in 2009 on a Boeing 767-300 for Condor Airlines. The MRO has done 11 winglet installations for both Condor and Austrian airlines and holds a capability for the Boeing 737-300. Since that first installation, Ameco Beijing has made adjustments to work flow control, on-site control, deviation handling and tooling control to optimize turnaround time. The result is the ability to deliver the Boeing 767-300 with a turnaround time of less than 18 days.
Jet Midwest appointed Tom Corum to VP of business development for Jet Midwest Technik. He comes to the company after three years in the financial services and business brokerage industry. He has spent more than 30 years in the aviation industry.
Jet Midwest Technik has entered into an agreement with SkyWest Airlines to perform premium paint services for the airline's Bombardier CRJ-200 fleet, operated on behalf of United Express.
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.
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.
Emirates signed a 12-yr. OnPoint services contract with GE Aviation for maintenance and inventory support. The deal covers Boeing 777 avionics, electrical power and mechanical products on Emirates' current fleet and firm orders, for a total of 135 777s.
Bombardier announced at MRO Asia that it has extended its repair capability for the Trent 700 inlet cowl to Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO), which will join Belfast and Dallas MRO facilities in offering the repair. The work will take place at HAECO's component and avionics overhaul center in Tseung Kwan O, near Hong Kong International Airport. Bombardier is the OEM of the Trent 700 inlet cowl.
