Skymark Airlines has opted for Rolls-Royce Trent 900s to power its Airbus A380 fleet. The deal is to power six A380s, which are to delivered starting in 2014, although Skymark officials have indicated they eventually plan to take two more of the aircraft. The contract includes a long-term maintenance support package.
EASA has taken steps to codify its rules on major aircraft type design changes impacting noise and emissions, incorporating guidance into the regulations that include specific examples of each type of change. The changes, introduced in November 2010 as notice of proposed amendment 2010-13, were adopted in August. They modify paragraph 8 (“environment”) of Appendix A to GM 21A.91, “examples of major changes per discipline.”
FL Technics, an Avia Solutions Group company, will purchase U.K.-based line maintenance provider Storm Aviation. The acquisition will give FL Technics access to a network of 24 line stations. FACILITIES
Dassault Systemes will continue to provide MROs with CAD, data and 3D environments for simulating maintenance work with its upgraded PLM 2.0 concept, available across the releases of its major project portfolios. PLM 2.0 is based on the idea of offering a 3D environment for all teams across a company to innovate products. Operators can use Delmia to schedule and plan maintenance as well as define and manage the manufacturing bill of materials. Enovia, another product within the PLM suite, is the product data management system in a 3D environment. www.3ds.com
Prime Turbines has promoted Joe Kolo to VP and general manager. He is now responsible for all Prime Turbines operations. Kolo comes to the position after serving in senior roles at Atlantic Turbines and Dallas Airmotive.
Lufthansa Technik Sofia is investing €15 million ($20.5 million) to nearly double its narrowbody airframe MRO capacity. As the new capacity comes online next year, the Lufthansa Technik-Bulgarian Aviation Group joint venture plans to increase its number of employees by more than 150, to about 500.The first bay of a new 56,000-sq.-ft. hangar is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2012, and a second bay will come online a few months later. Additionally, a separate “light weight” hangar will be built and used for line maintenance and lighter checks.
ATR is establishing a global network of ATR-recognized MRO companies, and the first to join will be one from the Asia-Pacific region. The decision will be made by year-end, says ATR Eastern Support President Laurent Negre. There are eight companies in Asia-Pacific providing heavy maintenance checks on ATR airframes—Air New Zealand Engineering Services, Air Works (India), Air Tahiti, Bangkok Airways, Fokker Services Asia (Singapore), Malaysia Airlines Engineering & Maintenance, Vietnam Airlines and TransAsia Airways (Taiwan).
Coopesa completed a Boeing 737-700 C check, structural inspection and exterior paint job for GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes before the leased aircraft returned to ILFC.
As more health monitoring and diagnostic information is cultivated at the aftermarket level, software companies are finding ample opportunities to feed aftermarket data upstream to improve component design before parts even roll off an assembly line.
Austrian Airlines finished modifying its 21 Airbus A320 aircraft with new cabin furnishings. It also just finished installing new cabins in its 11 Boeing 737 aircraft. The star of the cabin modifications is Austrian's new Europe seat, which the airline designed in conjunction with Recaro. The new grey and red seat is up to 11 lbs. lighter than the previous Austrian seats and offers more space for each passenger, adding up to 4 in. of leg room. The new seats will lighten Austrian Airlines' aircraft by more than 31,500 lb., saving fuel.
In the last couple of weeks, I have heard about a surprising number of new hangars that are, or will be, opening in the not too distant future around the world.
Timco Aviation Services' Macon, GA maintenance operation has received an Award of Excellence from the Georgia Dept. of Labor. The Macon employees are recognized for not getting injured on the job for more than 250 days. IT
StandardAero signed a service agreement with Russian regional carrier, Ak Bars Aero, for aftermarket support of its General Electric CF34-3B1 engine fleet and Honeywell GTCP36-150RJ auxiliary power units. The engines and APUs power Ak Bars Aero's fleet of Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft. StandardAero will perform the engine work at its engine facility in Winnipeg and it will support the APUs at its Maryville, Tenn., location.
Air Europa has chosen A.J. Walter Aviation to provide a five-year power-by-the-hour support agreement for its Airbus A330 Rolls-Royce Trent engine component accessories. The agreement will cover two aircraft and it is A.J. Walter's first contract with the Spanish airline.
GKN Aerospace has launched a “one stop” repair facility for fixed and rotary wing flexible fuel tanks in Portsmouth, U.K. It hopes to halve the repair times that operators in Europe and the U.K. normally experience. The EASA Part-21 repair services will encompass all types of flexible fuel tanks, including self-sealing, crashworthy and explosion suppressing products.
Satair USA has acquired aviation battery distributor Aero Quality Services for $30 million. Atlanta law firm Chamberlain Hrdlicka assisted in the sale, which involves the acquisition of assets in the United States as well as the shares of Aero Quality Sales' U.K.-based subsidiary.
Airstream Aviation signed a five-year deal with Commsoft to use its OASES maintenance management software to support the aviation consultancy's Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization and its inventory-related operations.
Avionics Support Group amended STC to install an Adam Communication and Information Management System with Iridium satcom system and three Class 2 electronic flight bags on various McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and MD-11 aircraft, STC ST03046AT
Beginning this month, FAA inspectors will have to wait two years after they leave the agency before they can take certain industry jobs. While the new “cooling off” period—imposed through a recent rulemaking—will only impact a limited number of agency employees, it closes another chapter in the spring 2008 controversy surrounding Southwest Airlines management of airworthiness directives (ADs).
The International Bureau of Aviation added Kane Ray as an aviation analyst to its consultancy team. Ray's primary focus will be to support IBA's consultancy and appraisal division with aircraft engine valuations and related research.
PPG Industries has named Mark Cancilla global platform director for coatings. Brent Wright will succeed Cancilla as global platform director for transparencies. Cancilla started his PPG career in 1985 and has served in many roles, including engineering, sales accounting and product design.
Aircraft hangars hold millions of dollars of equipment, making high-tech but easy-to-use security systems a must for any MRO. KapLogic has partnered with Mate Intelligent Video to create intelligent security software for airports, hangars and facilities that already have a security guard performing real-time monitoring.
Sanad Aero Solutions has signed agreements valued higher than $50 million with Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) and SR Technics. All three companies are owned by Mubadala Aerospace and will work together to expand the parent company's MRO offerings. SR Technics and ADAT will manage additional spare inventories to expand services for customers such as Ethiad Airways, One Air and Maximus Air Cargo.
BEIJING—Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance & Engineering (Gameco) will try specialization as a way to drive up efficiency by allocating one of its sites to Airbus A320 maintenance.
