Nobody wants to do it, but most airlines will probably have to adopt new maintenance information systems eventually. Challenges abound. Fortunately so do choices, one of the most important of which is whether to go for a Big Bang or a phase-in approach. If the phased approach is selected, should it be by fleet or by function? Which functions should go first?
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.
Bolder Manufacturing issued STCs to install galley cart stops and Atlas-standard carts on Airbus A319 and Boeing 757-200 series aircraft, STCs ST02983CH and ST02953CH
Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group has appointed Ken Moon to the position of regional manager of its aircraft sales division for western Canada. Moon comes to the position with 32 years of experience in aircraft logistics and management.
[Editor's Note: This story is the second part of a series about the Canadian MRO industry. The first, Onward in Ontario, appears in the July/Aug. issue.]
Vistagy's AeroSuite software tools are designed to address the challenges of repairing composite structures. FiberSIM, Vistagy's computer-aided engineering software, integrates with the CAD and PLM systems that airframe and component manufacturers use the most: CATIA V5 and V4, SiemensNX and PTC's Creo Parametric. The current version is FiberSIM 2010, which provides composite engineers an environment specialized for advanced composite materials.
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
Wire Masters provides wires and cables in standard and custom sizes. Its custom inflight entertainment cable, MasterFlight, comes in a version with a fluorinated ethylene propylene jacket and a ethylene tetrafluoroethylene jacket. Wire Masters also stocks a collection of connectors, termination sleeves, braid, tapes, cable ties and accessories. It also has laser marking and laser stripping capabilities with legible print in four sizes. www.wiremasters.net
FL Technics plans to build an $18 million aviation support complex in the free economic zone in Ulyanovsk, Russia, that consists of two 5,000 sq. m hangars and one 6,400 sq. m hangar. It is scheduled to build one hangar every two years, with the first opening in 2014 and providing aircraft maintenance for short- and medium-range aircraft.
Talk to airlines, OEMs, distributors and MROs about Spec 2000, the industry's communications backbone, and you are likely to hear that the system has been in place for years. “We have Chapter 3 for exchanging purchase orders installed in our IT system and it's managed very well,” says Adrien Guillame, a project manager for logistics services with Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance.
AAR appointed Andrew J. Schmidt as senior VP, supply chain, AAR Allen Asset Management. His duties will involve providing strategy, business planning and operational leadership for the division. This position adds to Schmidt's 25-year aviation career, which has included leadership positions at Oliver Wyman, Macquaire Capital and Taurus Aerospace. Matt Eaton has also joined AAR as VP of sales and marketing for its MRO segment.
Iberia has opted for General Electric CF6-801E engines to power its new fleet of Airbus A330-300s. In March the airline committed to buying eight of the widebodies, with options for eight more, but held off on the engine selection. The engine deal includes a 15-year support package for the powerplants.
Alaska Air Group has announced several leadership changes at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Yvonne Daverin has been elected VP of maintenance and engineering at Horizon after serving as managing director of airframe, engine and component maintenance at Alaska Airlines. Ann Ardizzone has been elected VP of strategic sourcing and supply chain management for the group after previously serving as Alaska Airlines' VP of inflight services.
American Fuel Cells and Coated Fabrics Co., amended STC to install an Amfuel internal auxiliary fuel system completion kit on Sikorsky S-92A helicopters, STC SR02298LA
MTU Aero Engines and US Airways has extended its maintenance agreement for the IAE V2500-A1 engine until the end of 2016. The contract began in 2008. Avionics/IFE
Ethiopian Airlines has gone live with Mxi Technologies' Maintenix software for its Bombardier Q400 and Boeing 777-200LR fleets. It is working on rolling out the software across the remainder of its fleet.
Interational Air Response, issued STC to install a removable 3,000-gal.chemical tank and release door system on a U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service C-130A operated under the restricted category for the special purposes of forest and wild life conservation, STC ST02348LA
The Nordam Group officially named Meredith Siegfried CEO, succeeding Bill Peacher and completing a transition announced in July. Peacher will continue to serve on Nordam's board and as a financial consultant to the company. Ken Lackey, executive chairman, and Hastings Siegfried, vice chairman and COO of the Transparency Group, remain in their current positions. The election of Siegfried as CEO is one of the final pieces of the company's long-term succession plan for its leadership
Southern Air is the first U.S. operator to use the Amos IT system for its MRO. Swiss Aviation Software manufactures Amos and Lufthansa Systems distributes the software. Southern Air chose to upgrade its MRO IT system with Amos as it adds Boeing 747 and Boeing 777F aircraft and increases its workforce.
AAR Corp. offers paint services at its 226,000 sq-ft. hangar in Miami, Fla., near Miami International Airport. Painting is offered in conjunction with many other maintenance procedures such as heavy checks, bridging checks, passenger-to-freighter conversions, interior upgrades, avionics upgrades, corrosion control programs, non-destructive testing and structural modifications. Other AAR locations for heavy maintenance include facilities in Hot Springs, Ark., Indianapolis and Oklahoma City. AAR offers engineering services in Indianapolis and Singapore. www.aarcorp.com
Inventory Locator Service customers using the company's ILSmart parts marketplace have the option of participating in the Accredited Vendor Program, which lets them see a higher number of RFQs than non-subscribers. ILS also offers the Auto Quote service for faster RFQs and the Quick Catalog tool, which allows companies to embed an inventory list on the ILS website or display it on their own page. ILS can match the design of this list to the company's existing web site as requested.
