Spirit AeroSystems plans to offer MRO services, initially for engine nacelles and thrust reversers on Boeing 737NG and 777 aircraft, from its Prestwick, Scotland, facility for operators in Europe and the Middle East beginning in mid-2008.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Alaska Airlines completed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and renewed its place on the IOSA registry, on which it has been listed since 2006.
WASHINGTON, D.C./SHANGHAI -- With an increase in MRO work driven by, among other things, growing passenger and cargo traffic, increased asset utilization and the coming of age of aircraft delivered earlier in this decade, comes a demand for more MRO capacity. Add to the mix that many MRO providers are feeling the need to be closer to their customers and that airframe overhaulers are, as usual, on the look out for low-cost labor, and it's easier to see what's driving the current building boom in many areas of the world. Asia-Pacific
FlightSafety International appointed Chip White, who retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of captain, manager of its Columbus, Ohio, learning center. To fill White's previous position as manager of its Long Beach, Calif., learning center, FlightSafety promoted Pete Nily, who most recently served as assistant manager of the Greater Philadelphia/Wilmington center. FlightSafety also promoted Charlie Harvich to manager of its Gulfstream Maintenance Training Center in Savannah, Ga.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Boeing Aerospace was awarded an $8.9 million modification to a previously awarded time and materials, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to exercise an option for contractor engineering technical services in support of F/A-18, AV-8B, F-22, F-15, C-17, C-32, C-40 and KC-135 aircraft and associated systems from The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif. It provides for and combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, as well as the governments of Kuwait and Malaysia.
Turkish Technik and Goodrich signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture, Goodrich HABOM, in Istanbul to perform nacelle work for Turkish Airlines and carriers in neighboring regions. The companies anticipate opening the 43,000-square-foot facility at Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in 2009.
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast won the Shingo Bronze Medallion for Excellence in Manufacturing for its EA-6B aircraft depot level maintenance program.
Lufthansa Technik has signed technical and component support contracts with Jazeera Airways, a growing Kuwaiti carrier, and Abu Dhabi-based Maximus Air Cargo. It will support the CFM56-5B thrust reversers on Jazeera's five A320 family aircraft as well as the 30 additional A320s it has scheduled for delivery through 2014. Maximus Air Cargo's two A300-600s will receive component support for over 500 different part numbers of LRUs, as well as engine and APU-related components, from Lufthansa Technik.
COVER STORY: Latin American MRO A burst of activity in Latin America is giving the Asia/Pacific MRO market a run for its money. Embraer Expands Executive Jet Service Centers, 34 Departments From the Editor 4 Biznet 9 Interview 14 Christophe Bernardini, Sabena technics Safety & Regulatory News Washington in Action 19 Human Factors 22 International Safety & Regulatory Briefs 24
