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.
Chromalloy has received Approved Organization Exposition certificates from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) for its service centers in Phoenix, Ariz. and Carson City, Nev. The JCAB approval will allow Chromalloy to perform designated engineering representative repairs on engine components for Japan Air Lines and All Nippon Airways without needing individual repair approvals from the bureau.
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
Problem: Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services was tasked to turn a DC-9 flightdeck dependent on analog systems into a new, NextGen-compliant cockpit. Solution: Nine months of engineering preparation and three months of installing brand-new systems.
Ancra International Corp., reissued STC to install power drive unit (cargo system) on Boeing 767-200, 300 and 400ER; 747-100, 200B, 300 and 400; and 777-200 and 300 series aircraft, STC ST01388LA
AeroStar named Greg Guzman general manager and executive VP of marketing and sales for the company and will oversee its strategic direction. Gordon Smart, VP of operations for Star Aviation, will assume the role of executive VP of operations for Aerostar and will assist the company as a managing partner.
Locatory, owned by Avia Solutions Group, specializes in the Eastern European, African, Middle Eastern and Asian emerging markets. It provides access to Russian aircraft parts in addition to those of Western aircraft. The platform is offered in seven languages and enables paid subscribers to upload unlimited data on parts and MRO services. Companies can upload their profiles to the website and access statistics on the number of RFQs Locatory has received, as well as how many times prospective buyers viewed its parts in a search. www.locatory.com
Wall Colmonoy has added two new management employees to their team. Ed Ridge has been named COO for the Aerobraze Engineered Technologies and Gary Peterson joined the company as operations. Airframes
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
Continuum Applied Technology has announced the release of version 10 of its Corridor Aviation Service Software. It offers more than 200 enhanced features including compliance and work order integration and quoting and an archiving scheduler.
Virgin Australia signed a multifaceted component maintenance, financing and training contract with SR Technics, a Mubadala Aerospace company, for its Airbus A330, the value which it did not disclose. The contract initially covers the carrier's two A330 but it will expand to cover at least five A330s in 2013 as the airline grows. The 13-year nose-to-tail component deal includes component exchange, repair, engineering services and access to spares.
