Bombardier expected to receive Transport Canada and FAA approval for its Bombardier Enhanced Vision System in July. BEVS is designed to provide improved situational awareness in all phases of flight including taxi, takeoff, approach and landing over wide terrains and in adverse weather conditions. Bombardier expects to receive EASA approval in the third quarter.
Honeywell expects to certify a new carbon brake for Lufthansa's 747-400s this year that are supposed to be a seamless retrofit. Honeywell expects entry into service in the first quarter 2006.
TAECO signed an agreement with the government of Xiamen, China, to build its fifth hangar and ancillary facilities, which will be able to accommodate two widebody aircraft, at Gaoqi International Airport in Xiamen. The new facility will cost approximately $70 million and is scheduled for completion in early 2007.
Aeronavali is exploring strategies for the next 10 years in addition to work on Boeing 767s, according to CEO Agostino Melani. He hopes to capitalize on Aeronavali's close relationship with Boeing to enter the Boeing 737 passenger to cargo conversion market, where Bedek and Pemco already have a head start. "There are more than 300 aircraft likely to be converted, and there is room enough for three players," he said.
Duncan Aviation promoted Steve Craig to Designated Alteration Station administrator. Duncan Aviation also announced Alan Huggett accepted the position of airframe service sales representative.
Rolls-Royce announced that the number of its civil engines in service will increase by 40% over the next five years, with half the fleet being managed through the company's long-term service agreements.
Goodrich will provide additional C-5 landing gear spares to the U.S. Air Force. The $22.8 million contract is in addition to ones awarded in 2003 and 2004.
International Airlines Technical Pool's Management Committee announced the positions of four recently elected delegates: Yoshirhiro Yawata of ANA, facilities/finance coordinator; Carson Benner of Evergreen International Airlines, custodian and EDP doordinator; Giorgio Pietra of Alitalia, project coordinator; and Edyta Michalak of LOT Polish Airlines, legal adviser and standby member. The appointments will be effective Nov. 1.
THE ARINC LOGISTICS ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT (ALARM) SYSTEM is designed to predict when electronic parts and components may become obsolete. ALARM should identify high-risk components, suggest alternatives and help engineers determine a cost-effective design solution. ALARM can assign obsolescence risk ratings to all types of parts, including avionics and hydro-mechanical ones.
Turkish Airlines and Singapore Technologies Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding to be equal partners in establishing a maintenance repair and overhaul facility at Kurtkoy Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. The new MRO center will perform commercial aircraft maintenance and modifications, engine and component maintenance, repair and overhaul as well as integrated component support for Boeing and Airbus aircraft. The two companies plan to complete a feasibility study within a year.
Max Moutoussamy is an interpreter of sorts, a maintenance middleman who helps airline pilots understand what engineers know -- the tradeoffs between engine performance and cost containment. With oil topping $60 a barrel and maintenance costs the bane of budget-cinching airlines, he's a popular guy with airline management at the moment.
Selex Sensors, Finmeccanica's Airborne Systems and Thales UK formed Avionics Alliance, a group that will provide avionics support to Westland Helicopters, which is the prime contractor for the Sea King Integrated Operational Support (SKIOS) program. The SKIOS program provides the U.K. Ministry of Defense integrated support and maintenance program for supporting Sea King helicopters.
Zodiac's IN-SNEC released its UMA2000 data acquisition system for military and civilian aircraft. The UMA2000 is a smaller version of the original design delivered to Airbus for its A380 flight tests. It is designed to include better network capabilities, hold acquisition boards, and be available in different chassis sizes that can be connected. The UMA2000 uses a high-speed internal backplane bus that allows it to acquire big chunks of data. It also can be installed on a wide range of acquisition boards to help simplify the instrumentation on an aircraft.
Sagem Defense Security (SDS), a branch of the Safran Group, and Thales are joining forces to propose complete upgrade solutions for Dassault combat aircraft, excluding current Mirage 2000 and Rafale series. Thales will provide expertise for onboard radars, electronic warfare, communications and laser-designation pods. SDS will add its know-how in navigation and mission planning systems, computers, software and integration, plus new-generation weapons deployment.
Aeronavali delivered its first modified MD-11 combi aircraft to Alitalia Cargo. This was Aeronavali's first of five full-freighter aircraft modifications to be delivered to Alitalia Cargo by the end of the year.
In June, BAE Systems announced first flight-tests of the Boeing CH-47 Chinook Digital Advanced Flight-Control System (DAFCS), just over a year after contract award, representing a significant advance in this major upgrade program. The DAFCS replaces a legacy flight-control system in CH-47D helicopters, as Boeing upgrades 300 of those to F-model standards under a U.S. Army contract.
COVER STORY: Partnership Prowess Bringing Holism to Military Maintenance Finding the right readiness at the right price. Business & Operations 27 Composite Erosion Control: Is it Possible? Commercial and military operators and MROs tackle erosion but admit there's the unknown factor for future materials' reparability. 31 Landing Gear Overhauls With a wave of landing gear coming due for overhaul, operators and MROs explore cost-cutting options.
ARINC Engineering Services selected Rockwell Collins to provide Pro Line 21 avionics systems to upgrade the U.S. Navy's fleet of 55 T-44A aircraft over four years. L3 Communications is the prime contractor and ARINC is the purchasing and installation agency.
Air China selected the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 to power its fleet of 20 Airbus A330-200 widebody aircraft. The total value of the contract, including a long-term TotalCare services agreement for the engines, is $800 million.
From the Editor 4 Biznet 9 Interview 12 Nobert Lohl, European Aviation Safety Agency Safety & Regulatory News Washington in Action 15 Human Factors 18 Calendar 53 O&Marketplace 54 Advertiser Index 59 At Presstime 60 Use AVIATIONNOW.COM for the latest aviation news.
Bauer's Model 6057 aircraft brake assembly test stand is designed to provide accurate testing of aircraft brake assemblies. The stainless steel stand features a modular design consisting of a pump and control section and a test sink section that can be sized to accommodate a single brake assembly or multiple ones at the same time. All controls are designed to withstand Skydrol. Bauer, Attn: Lou Auletta, 175 Century Dr., Bristol, CT 06010
Russian RSK MiG engineers and technicians recently started upgrading a dozen of the air force's 18 MiG-29 combat aircraft, from an estimated $72 million government contract placed last November, in Slovakia. Few details have been revealed of the proposed enhancements, which apart from structural airframe and engine life-extensions, appear to be based on the MiG-29SMT's digital avionics mission systems, with numerous components from western sources to achieve NATO-interoperability standards.
