Who will maintain the next generation of aircraft -- or the aging aircraft that linger in both the commercial and military fleets -- is a question few can answer with confidence. Whether they're experienced maintainers with newly honed skills or newbies fresh out of training programs, aviation maintenance technicians are part of a rapidly changing industry. The technologies that training must address are numerous and ever-increasing.
Barco received TSO-C113 and ETSO-C113 authorization for its 15-in. primary flight display, signaling it meets both U.S. FAA and EASA airworthiness standards. Barco's 10-in. and 15-in. PFDs are marketed by Honeywell as KDU-1080 and KDU-1500 and are integrated into Honeywell's Primus Apex integrated flight deck.
Although FAA wouldn't talk with O&M about the wiring issue in May or June, at AVIATION WEEK's MRO Conference & Exhibition in April, the agency said it found a 99% compliance rate with the first phase of its audit of airworthiness directives, but "it's the 1% that keeps us focused and soul searching" for what went wrong, said Jim Ballough, FAA director of Flight Standards.
Japan Airlines has decided to equip its 40 in-service Boeing 777s with Boeing's Class 3 electronic flight bag (EFB). It began testing the EFB on two 777 aircraft last June. Retrofit installation for JAL's remaining 777s is scheduled to begin in April 2009, with installation across the fleet finished by the end of 2011. Three 777-300ERs JAL is scheduled to receive this year will be delivered with the EFB. Boeing says about 80% of 777 customers have selected the EFB option in production and then retrofitted their existing fleets.
An Airbus A320-233 operated by El Salvadorian carrier TACA International Airlines overshot the runway at Honduras' Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport on May 30, crossing onto a busy street and slamming into an embankment. TACA Flight 390 was en route from San Salvador to Miami, and was making an intermediate shop at Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the country's capital.
Snecma Services and TAP Portugal signed new agreements to share work on CFM56 engines and parts. Under a new, two-year agreement, TAP will send high- and low-pressure nozzle guide vanes for CFM56-3, -5C, -5B and -7B engines to Snecma Services' Chatellerault facility in France for inspection and repair. The contract supplements one signed two years ago under which TAP sends CFM56-3 HP turbine blades to Snecma for repairs. The CFM56 overhaul overflow agreement is to allow TAP to receive and overhaul engines from and on behalf of Snecma Services.
Bump a catering truck into the fuselage and you will put a dent in a metal airframe. The damage will be visible, and the consequences clear. Not so with composites. A low-velocity impact that would produce easily detectable surface damage on a metal aircraft could wreak invisible havoc inside a composite structure. Increasing use of the new materials in exposed primary structures such as fuselages is making detecting such damage more crucial. (See this month's Viewpoint, p. 80, for more on composite damage.)
SR Technics extended its existing agreement with Air Arabia to continue providing component support for its 13 Airbus A320 aircraft for six more years. The integrated component solutions contract covers component exchange, maintenance, repair and logistics for Air Arabia's A320 fleet, which is set to grow to 30 aircraft over the contractual period. It further includes setting up a dedicated component consignment stock in Sharjah, UAE.
BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul added Martin Maly as regional sales manager for its international sales team, which represents Dallas Airmotive, H+S Aviation and Premier Turbines. Maly is to represent ERO's OEM-authorized service on 21 product lines, covering central and Eastern Europe and Russia.
CFM International won a firm fixed price contract for $22.6 million to manufacture F108 turbine rotors, at a quantity of 44 each. All funds have been obligated. Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., was responsible for the contracting activity.
Pemco World Air Services named Kevin Casey president of the company. He previously was president of its cargo conversions division. Patrick Stewart, previously with Texas Aero Engine Services and American Airlines, was named COO. In addition, VP of commercial operations in Dothan, Ala., Dennis Johnson, assumed the same VP position at Pemco's new Tampa facility. Shane King will take Johnson's place as director of production- Dothan.
Current halon-based fire suppression systems only are designed for use in cargo compartments because the chemical is harmful to humans. To increase passenger safety, Life Mist Technologies and Pacific Scientific HTL/ Kin-Tech Division have developed an acoustic water mist/nitrogen technology to replace existing aircraft fire suppression systems with a solution that is more people- and environment-friendly.
Stretch panels and color-coding are designed to increase the comfort and safety of Kimberly-Clark's new lines of protective apparel and particulate respirators.
Honeywell secured an agreement with AirAsia to supply its 131-9A auxiliary power unit and APU maintenance for the Malaysian carrier's recent order of up to 125 Airbus A320s. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2009 through 2013. The 131-9A, which is an option on all of the A320 family aircraft, is in use on more than 1,400 aircraft operated by 90 customers, according to Honeywell.
The dynamics of the helicopter MRO industry are changing. As more operators deploy their equipment for longer stretches at increasingly greater distances from home bases, the focus of maintenance is shifting increasingly to field repairs.
AAR, surrendered STC to install a Brownline lower lobe cargo system on Boeing 747 aircraft, STC SA3381WE AeroMech Inc., one-only STC for non-group approval for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum for a Lockheed Martin 1329-25 aircraft, STC ST01360SE AeroNautique, to install interior cabinets/components, including a guest lavatory, closet assembly station 400, RH galley, LH galley pantry, lounge area cabinets, guest bedroom, master bedroom, master lavatory and associated pocket doors, on Boeing 737-700 series aircraft, STC ST10826SC
People attending the Farnborough International Airshow can see what aircraft recycling is all about, thanks to a big demonstration project organized by the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) and members Air Salvage International, P3 Aviation and WINGNet. Witness Air Salvage disassembling the fuselage -- from removing the interiors, recycling the plastics and tagging the reusable parts. See the harvested parts at P3 Aviation's parts management display.
Cascade Aerospace landed a three-year contract to perform heavy checks on WestJet's fleet of Boeing 737NGs. Cascade expects to complete 32 heavy checks for WestJet by the end of 2010. WestJet's fleet currently comprises 75 Boeing 737-600s, -700s and -800s, and the airline has another 33 -700s and -800s on order, according to Ascend's CASE database.
Rockwell Collins announced Denny Helgeson, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional Systems since 2002, will retire this fall. Greg Irmen, formerly senior director, Boeing programs, was appointed Helgeson's successor. effective May 19. Hegelson has been with the company for more than 33 years and will continue to report to Kelly Ortberg, executive vice president and COO of Commercial Systems, as vice president and general manager-special assistant until September.
April 17 marked the opening of a component repair business by Boeing Australia Ltd, a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary, in a new AUS$10 million ($9.583 million) facility at Melbourne Airport, Victoria. The new business will maintain, repair and overhaul a wide range of components for commercial and military aircraft, ranging from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A/B Hornets.
Flight Safety Foundation and AviAssist Foundation will work together on improving aviation safety and security in the East and Southern Africa region. Maintenance and engineering issues could be included. The agreement gives AviAssist access to Flight Safety Foundation's aviation safety information, including best practices and materials, and AviAssist brings 10 years of security expertise to the partnership.
The European Aviation Safety Agency this summer will take another step forward as the primary aviation authority in Europe as it releases proposals that will allow the agency to establish regulation of aviation operations, flight crew licensing and validation of third-country operating licenses.
Executive Jet Management's Michelle Schopp, director of technical services, received the U.S. FAA's "Good Friend" award, honoring her ground-breaking work on the electronic flight bag program.
Eaton Aerospace Operations named Eric Alden director, customer support. Prior to joining Eaton, he was regional aftermarket director for Honeywell for Europe/Middle East /Africa.
