AERO Vodochody in late November formally delivered to the Czech government four L-159T1 two-seat advanced training and light ground-attack aircraft, following factory conversion from their original single-seat configuration. With a design airframe life of 32,000 flight hours, the four L-159T1s incorporate MIL-STD-1553B Advanced Human Machine Interface, with head-up and color multi-function displays; hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls; and an autonomous navigation system, with ring laser-gyro based inertial navigation system (INS) and GPS.
Lufthansa Technik Shenzhen and Shenzhen Airlines inked a 10-year Total Component Support contract to cover the carrier's A320 fleet, currently numbering 13 aircraft. Under the agreement, Lufthansa Technik Shenzhen is to supply components locally, including more than 500 line replaceable units, for up to 70 of Shenzhen Airlines' aircraft.
Bell Helicopter and the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) have signed an agreement to develop condition-based maintenance (CBM) technology. The 50/50 cost sharing agreement calls for developing and putting into action an integrated set of diagnostic, prognostic and system health technologies to help the U.S. Army transition from condition-based maintenance to a CBM-centered philosophy.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association elected Dave Latimer president to fill the post left open by Ian Cheyne. Latimer, current vice president of regulatory compliance for TIMCO Aviation Services and ARSA's former senior vice president, will serve in the position for a one-year term, effective Oct. 29, 2007.
Saudi Arabian Airlines Technical Services division signed an MoU with Air France Industries and KLM Engineering & Maintenance to "jointly survey potential opportunities and [a] partnership agreement." The signing is "in line with Saudi Arabian Airlines' strategic plan to privatize its technical services division," according to a joint AFI/KLM E&M press release.
H.I.G. Capital finished acquiring Flight Options from Raytheon, and at that same time, Flight Options ordered 100 Embraer Phenom 300 light jets, with options for 50 more. The deal is worth $746 million but could climb to $1.12 if the operator exercises all options. Flight Options has service and maintenance operations in Cleveland, Ohio; Las Vegas; Sacramento, Calif.; Teterboro, N.J.; and West Palm Beach, Fla.
The European Commission Nov. 28 adopted the sixth update of its list of international carriers banned within the EU. It has lifted the ban on Blue Wing Airlines (Surinam) and the operating restrictions imposed on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), since both carriers have successfully implemented a "corrective action plan" after being placed on its blacklist.
Dallas Airmotive plans to open a regional turbine center at Washington County Airport, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh International Airport, by the end of January 2008, bringing the total number of RTCs it operates in North America and Europe to 10. It initially will provide hot section inspection services for Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A and JT15D engines, fan repairs on JT15D and power section repairs on PT6A at the new 5,300 square foot facility, in addition to field service support for aircraft operating these engines, the PW300 and PW500.
For all their advanced IT, today's modern aircraft are "among the most isolated places on the planet," according to Kevin Michaels, principal at aviation consultancy AeroStrategy. Dennie Schmitz, senior director of program management and business development for Teledyne Controls, put it this way: The airlines' "most important and expensive asset" is also their "most disconnected and least integrated."
Winners of the 2007 Best European Airline MRO Operation award and the Best European Independent MRO Operation award went to Monarch Aircraft Engineering and Fokker Services, respectively. Accepting the awards at MRO Europe were (L to R) Dave Norton, Monarch's account manager; Mick Adams, Monarch's aircraft maintenance director; Hans Berends van Loenen, Fokker Services' president; and Stephen Hands, Fokker Services' VP marketing and sales.
Christophe Bernardini has been CEO of Sabena technics and president of TAT Industries board since May 2006. He joined Sabena as president and managing director following its acquisition by TAT in July 2005. His MRO experience started with TAT European Airlines, where he created a maintenance center at Paris Orly airport after British Airways took a stake in the airline. He recently talked to O&M about integrating various MROs within TAT and reorganizing Sabena technics. Edited for length and clarity.
Qatar Airways picked GE's OnPoint maintenance solution for the GEnx and GE90-115B engines that will power the 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and five 777 freighters it has on order -- a service agreement worth $2.5 billion.
Duncan Aviation appointed Dan Arrick manager of engine services at its Battle Creek, Mich., facility and added Andy Fernandes to its Lincoln, Neb.-based installations sales team.
Air France Industries added 200 apprentices, bringing its 2007 total to 400 -- a 25 percent increase from 2006. AFI added that it offers nine out of 10 trainees employment following their training.
MTU Aero Engines promoted Dr. Stefan Weingartner to president and CEO, Commercial Maintenance, effective Nov. 1. Weingartner has served as MTU's senior vice president, Defense Programs, since 2002. In his new position, he succeeds Bernd Kessler, who will join SR Technics as CEO.
Pratt & Whitney and United Services signed an agreement to give the MRO provider capability to sell P&W CFM56-3 parts to third-party customers, making it the first MRO operation aside from P&W itself capable of providing the Pratt-made parts, according to United Services.
Shanghai Technologies Aerospace Company (STARCO), a joint venture of Singapore Technologies Aerospace and China Eastern Airlines, inducted the first of 30 Airbus A320 family aircraft it will maintain for All Nippon Airways. The Shanghai MRO facility signed a letter of intent in October to provide C check inspections and modifications for the ANA A320 fleet over the next three years.
Precision Conversions redelivered a 757-200PCF freighter to DHL-European Air Transport, which it said is the carrier's first full 15-pallet position converted aircraft.
AMETEK Aerospace & Defense and Macrolink have developed an actively cooled Mil-Spec ATX server, with a rugged design for use in extreme environments. The 1.5 ATR-long enclosure is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, altitude, humidity, shock and vibrations, as well as EMI and chemical exposure, and it is self-contained and sealed to keep dirt, sand, humidity, salt and other contaminants out of its electronics department.
Lockheed Martin's maintenance and modification facility in Greenville, S.C., recently redelivered a U.S. Navy P-3C that had undergone phased depot maintenance and a special structural kit mod at the same time. The company said this is the first time the two tasks have been completed simultaneously. The aircraft was completed on-time in November. The P-3 Orion, a four-engine turboprop aircraft, entered Navy service in 1962 as an anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft, but its mission has been expanded to include battle space surveillance over land and sea.
CTRL Systems was contracted by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marines aviation to provide its kit configuration CTRL UL101 as the new ultrasound test kit for multiple aircraft, including the KC-135, C-130 Hercules, AV-8B Harrier, F-16 Falcon, F-18 Hornet, H-60 Black Hawk, P-3 Orion, F-22 Raptor and others.
GE Aviation received a $9.2 million extension to a previously awarded performance based logistics contract for repair, replacement, consumables and program support for F414 engine components. Work is expected to be complete by January.
Jet Aviation Basel has signed completions contracts and letters of intent for two A340s, four Boeing Business Jets and three Boeing 787s to be completed through 2014. It also has begun construction of a new 9,600 square meter widebody hangar, scheduled for completion in the first half of 2008.
Imagine talking with an expert hundreds (or even thousands) of miles away via the Internet to get the information you need to solve a problem, including real-time video, voice over IP and data files -- while he's commuting to work, and you're miles away from a landline. The technology sounds far-off, but it's more accessible than you might think.
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast won the Shingo Bronze Medallion for Excellence in Manufacturing for its EA-6B aircraft depot level maintenance program.
