Behold the "unbundled airline," the carrier that charges extra for extras, and assiduously sheds anything that doesn't directly relate to flying folks from Point A to Point B. Spirit is that kind of carrier, so too is Skybus. And while start-up Virgin America throws in lots of frills for its flyers, operationally it's extraordinarily lean. What all three airlines have in common is dependence on outsourced maintenance -- not just to heavy check their flying machines, but to provide the gamut of support. Total support.
AMG Flite Components received FAA certification of its new repair center near Dallas Love Field. The 30,000-square-foot facility will offer in-house composite and sheet metal repairs and metal bonding on all ATA systems for commercial and regional aircraft.
Cooper Power Tools introduced Cleco D Series pulse tools, an update to its existing pulse tool set. The Cleco D Series features a patented three-chamber air motor designed to improve productivity by providing a higher level of power during fastening applications. It also features an adjustable pulse chamber, which Cooper said is an industry first. Cooper claims its improved pulse tool set should allow service technicians to perform preventative maintenance in approximately two minutes.
SAAB Aerospace and its associated companies in the Gripen group are well-advanced in a systems upgrade program for 31 Swedish Air Force JAS 39A/B combat aircraft to JAS 39C/D standards. The first of these are being redelivered this year, and the remainder will follow until 2013, with program unit costs of about SEK130 million ($19.33 million), within an overall SEK4.1 billion ($595 billion) budget.
GE Aviation, won an extension of its Performance Based Logistics non-compete requirements contract from The Naval Inventory Control Point worth $11.7 million. Work should be completed by Nov.
The Lincoln Electric Co.'s Surface Tension Transfer (STT) arc welding process is designed to reduce splatter and smoke using high frequency inverter technology and waveform control. Although it has the same basic power platform as other inverter power sources, STT's design monitors and controls the electrode current throughout the gas metal arc welding process. 100-percent carbon dioxide, blends or argon and carbon dioxide or helium mixtures for stainless steel can be used as arc shielding gases with the STT process.
Air Salvage International, a U.K. company specializing in aircraft decommissioning and recovery, volunteered to undergo the first test audit of the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association's (AFRA) used aircraft parts best practices.
Clifford Development appointed Threshold Aviation Group of Chino, Calif., as a new service center to support its Cessna Citation II re-engining program. The Supplemental Type Certificate development program, nearing completion, involves re-engining Citation II (CE-550) aircraft with 3,000-lb. thrust Williams International FJ44-3 engines, including integration of the FADEC system.
The "Five Ss." The key pillars upon which Lean MRO stands: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. To that list add another "S:" safety. That sixth "S" is an organic, virtually axiomatic outgrowth of the first five. Experts think there is no way you can cull it.
Kent Statler, executive vice president of services for Rockwell Collins, is responsible for the company's global network of service centers that support commercial, business and military aircraft. Statler also leads customer services for inflight entertainment system maintenance and avionics parts management, as well as training businesses. He joined Rockwell Collins in 1987 and was senior vice president of operations before accepting his current position. Edited for clarity and length.
Flight Support Ltd. And Airbase Interiors recently merged. Isle of Man-based Flight Support offers ground handling services, while Airbase Interiors supplies cabin interior maintenance and support services from its base at Gatwick.
MALTA -- Anticipating a surge in demand for widebody heavy checks, Lufthansa Technik plans to open a new Airbus widebody MRO facility next year by expanding its presence in Malta. The €55 million facility, which will be LHT's largest outside of Germany, is being funded by Malta Industrial Parks Ltd. (€39 million) and Lufthansa Technik Malta (€16 million). Once completed the facility will have two bays for widebody aircraft and two for narrowbodies and is expected to create more than 500 new jobs.
Emirates Airlines chose Boeing to provide in-flight support and maintenance-support systems for its rapidly growing fleet of Boeing 777s and new 747-8s. Boeing will install its Airplane Health Management (AHM) in-flight decision-support system and Maintenance Performance Toolbox, its maintenance-support software, for the aircraft in the Dubai-based carrier's fleet, which is expected to grow to 51 777s by the end of the year.
In mid-July, Britain's Ministry of Defense (MoD) welcomed a National Audit Office (NAO) report on successful improvements in MRO and logistic support to Royal Air Force Harrier and Tornado combat aircraft during the past six years. These resulted in overall savings exceeding £1.4 billion ($2.8 billion) and helped improve front-line aircraft availability, reliability and capability. Whereas all repairs had previously been undertaken at multiple sites, the MoD has rationalized how it repairs and maintains its jets to achieve significant economies.
AEROMECH, one-only STC for individual approval of Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum for a Learjet 36, STC ST01753SE AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT, amended STC to install an Aerocon Engineering Company Crew Stair in the electronic equipment bay of Boeing 767-200 and -300 series aircraft, STC ST01429LA BE AEROSPACE, to install the B/E Aerospace LED indirect wash lights and/ or reading lights assemblies on various Hawker Beechcraft 800 and 850 models, STC ST03438AT
AEI announced it received an STC to convert Boeing 737-400 passenger aircraft to full freighter configuration, to first serve launch customer RPK Capital. The converted freighter, which is designed to hold 10 full 88-inch by 125-inch pallets and a payload of up to 48,000 lbs., will be operated by Flyant Cargo airlines, a subsidiary of Spanish carrier Futura International Airways.
CAE unveiled Presagis, its new modeling and simulation software company. Combining CAE's acquisition of Engenuity Technologies, MultiGen-Paradigm and TERREX with its existing off-the-shelf software team, Presagis is designed to deliver an integrated suite of COTS software.
The Moroccan air force reportedly is the first customer for major Mil-Std-1553B digital avionics and systems upgrades being offered, with French government support, by SAGEM and Thales for long-serving but still potent Dassault Mirage F1 combat aircraft. Morocco has been operating 30 air defense Mirage F1CHs and 20 multi-role F1EHs since 1978, 27 of which are now scheduled for SAGEM/Thales upgrades.
Further reinforcement of the RAF's support helicopter forces is scheduled from the long-awaited mid-June MoD decision to refurbish and upgrade eight Boeing Chinook HC3 heavy-lift helicopters. These have been grounded since completion of their 2001 delivery from Boeing because of U.K. flight-control software integration problems for originally specified special operations roles. MoD funding finally has been approved for their immediate conversion to operational RAF standards for battlefield support helicopter roles.
U.S. Navy won approval for full-rate production of 437 next-generation APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars for its fleet of Block II Super Hornet and EA-18G aircraft.
Jet Source's new facility in Henderson, Nev., will have two 35,000 square foot hangars -- one will handle aircraft management and charter, and the other hangar will handle avionics and maintenance.
Boeing signed a GoldCare contract with Rolls-Royce, maker of the Trent 1000 engine that is one of two powerplant options on the 787. Under terms of the GoldCare Material Management agreement, Boeing will provide repair and overhaul for underwing rotable airplane components as an option to Rolls-Royce customers who opt for the OEM's TotalCare program to support their Trent 1000s.
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