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 Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association has 28 members who annually process about 150 aircraft, 1,000 tons of aircraft specialty alloys and 25,000 tons of aircraft aluminum. AFRA members hope to be recycling 5 tons of carbon fiber daily by 2008.
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.
Air France Industries received a full airborne warning and control system (AWACS) maintenance contract from the French Defence Ministry through the ministry's integrated aeronautical material support structure, SIMMAD. The contract covers support for AWACS (except for engine maintenance, which AFI already provides), including: the E-3F airframe, mission system, simulator support, technical management and logistics computer system, maintenance and management documentation, related ground components, transport logistics and engineering support.
Mxi Technologies announced the addition of an automated line planning feature to its Maintenix aviation maintenance management software. It is designed to generate and schedule a realistic set of work packages, taking routing, part availability and even weather into consideration.
Rockwell Collins appointed Ken Estelle vice president and general manager of Technical Service Solutions. Estelle will oversee Rockwell Collins' network of service centers providing repair and overhaul of aviation electronics, as well as parts management and logistics for commercial, business and military aircraft worldwide.
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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.
GE Aviation's CF6-80E1 engine, which powers about 140 Airbus A330-200 and -300 aircraft, completed one million takeoffs/landings, or cycles. In mid-2008, the CF6-80E1 will include Tech CF6 program advancements, including a new high-pressure turbine airfoil, which should lower maintenance costs, improve fuel burn and enhance operational reliability.
Textron's Bell Aerospace Services subsidiary received a $4.5 million contract award for U.S. Marine Corps Bell H-1 helicopter support. This is the fourth year of a five-year contract to provide field-level support for UH-1N and AH-1W helicopters of the 2nd and 3rd Marine Air Wings. BellAero, via its BA Support Services business unit, provides turnkey technical assistance and maintenance support teams at numerous field locations throughout the world, including support teams embedded with operational units deployed overseas.
Wright Tool offers two 10-piece 12-point 1/4 in. drive socket sets, both with the patented Wright Drive design, intended to provide more torque with less fastener damage. Number 209, the 12-point standard socket set, consists of 3/16 in., 7/32 in., 1/4 in., 9/32 in., 5/16 in., 11/32 in., 3/8 in., 7/16 in., 1/2 in. and 9/16 in. socket sizes on a clip rail. Number 210, the 12-point deep socket set, includes 3/16 in., 7/32 in., 1/4 in., 9/32 in., 5/16 in., 11/32 in., 3/8 in., 7/16 in., 1/2 in. and 9/16 in. sizes on a clip rail. Both sets are made from WrightAlloy steel.
With a tool engineered by Brookhouse Holdings, British Airways Engineering's Fleet Support Facility (FSF) at Heathrow now can perform another costly engine repair in-house. Two years ago, Brookhouse and BA Engineering collaborated to develop a bonding and support tool for damaged GE90 engine D-duct repairs. A similar tool designed to support an inlet skin damaged by a bird strike recently made that repair more convenient and cost-effective as well.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) recently honored China Southern Airlines with a "Four-Star Flight Safety Award" for four million safely-flown hours. Yang Yuan Yuan, CAAC minister, added that China Southern has maintained the longest safety record of any Chinese carrier. The airline currently operates more than 310 aircraft and over 1,300 daily international flights.
In early August, Indra Sistemas was granted a two-year maintenance service contract for avionics systems on Rota naval base aircraft and rotary wing aircraft, which include BAe AV-8B Harrier V/STOL fighters and Cessna C550 light jet-transports, as well as Agusta-Bell AB 212, Hughes 500, and Sikorsky SH-3D and SH-60B helicopters. Indra will undertake preventive and corrective maintenance, plus updates, of all aircraft on-board avionics and navigation systems, as well as install its customized Galia integrated logistics management system to monitor the fleet's maintenance.
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.
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.
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.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) named outgoing FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey its new president and CEO, effective Nov. 12. Since September 2002, Blakey has served as the 15th administrator of the FAA. Her term as Administrator ends Sept. 13. At AIA, Blakey succeeds John W. Douglass, who is retiring.
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.
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.
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.
Raytheon Co., Electronics Systems, Goleta, Calif., received a $24.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract with Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. The modification will allow Raytheon to exercise an option for 24 full-rate production lot 10 AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver systems for the Royal Australian Air Force, from a foreign military sales program.
