Shawn Lane is in possession of a decades-old technology balm that may help salve airline financial wounds. Lane, vice president of solution engineering for Servigistics, said Multi-Echelon Inventory Optimization (MEIO), a computationally intense technology first developed in 1969, has become a practical supply chain aid thanks to advances in computer technology. Now that it's here, however, MEIO is quickly gaining popularity as a tool that can help commercial and military operators reduce their inventories by 25% to 40% while improving aircraft availability, said Lane.
Boeing and KLM Engineering & Maintenance are jointly offering a component services program for Next-Generation 737s. The program is designed to provide airlines a 30% cost savings on their component repair and inventory costs by providing access to pooled components.
Russia's Rosoboronexport State Corp. arms sales agency was a major exhibitor at April's fifth International AEROEXPO-2005 Aviation Exhibition/ Conference at the Santa-Fe Central Exhibition Complex and Toluca International Airport. Partnered with the St. Petersburg Aircraft Repair Co. (SPARC), Rosoboronexport was publicizing the Helicopter Maintenance & Repair Center being constructed at the Vera Cruz Mexican Navy air base.
Aeroflex's IFR 4000 navigation communications ramp test set features emergency beacon testing capability. The new emergency locator transmitter option combines two test sets into one to allow maintenance personnel to eliminate the hassle of having to use two test sets. It weighs under eight pounds and features a battery life of eight hours. It is designed to measure short-range swept tone 121.5 MHz/243 MHz emergency transmitter frequency, output power and AM modulation.
Finmeccanica's AgustaWestland company received a £300 million ($564 million) five-year contract for future technical support of U.K. Defense Ministry (MoD) Sea King helicopters. To meet MoD economy targets, Westland Helicopters Ltd., as prime contractor, has teamed with BAE Systems Avionics and Thales U.K. in a new industrial partnership to secure the long-term future of Sea King support. Originally built in the 1960s by Westland under Sikorsky S-61 license, the Sea Kings have given excellent service to U.K.
PENTAR Avionics' latest airborne network computer, the JetLAN AR230, is designed to provide aircraft operators with high-speed data satcom systems with reliable ways to connect amongst multiple users at the same time. The system features dual processors, nine port ethernet switches, a wireless access point, ISDN interfaces, avionics interfaces and networking input/output. The package weighs less than six pounds.
Military aircraft increasingly exceed originally projected lifespans, and their systems are stressed beyond initial design expectations. "It's a big issue and getting bigger," said David Finch, director of program management for L-3 Communications. "Since 2001, quite a few [military] airframe owners are keeping their fleets longer than originally intended."
Binks offers a new one-quart stainless steel siphon feed cup and pressure assist cups for spray guns that are designed to provide more precise fluid pressure control and interchangeability of cups for reduced inventory levels. Chuck Scott, Binks marketing manager, said, "With the new cup line, we've added the benefits of more precise fluid pressure control and interchangeability of cups and cup parts.
Continental Airlines finished its first 6C maintenance check on a Boeing 737-800 on May 18 at its Orlando facility, which will do more 6C checks and will continue conducting 4C checks. Continental's Orlando facility also recently finished installing Aviation Partners' winglets on a second 737-700. The facility will install winglets on 36 -700s, each of which takes about 1,000 hours.
Boeing Wichita Development and Modification Center, Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a $216.7 million cost plus fixed-fee DOD contract to begin the system design and development (SDD) phase for the B-52H Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) program. This will enhance the B-52's in-theater combat communications capabilities for Network-Centric Operations (NCO) and allow the Air Force to transform the aircraft's mission within the integrated battlespace through both on- and off-board information integration.
SAGEM and SNECMA merged to form a new company called SAFRAN, which will have four branches: defense/security, aerospace equipment, propulsion and communications.
Investigators probing the in-flight loss of a rudder from an Air Transat Airbus A310-300 have discovered little that would explain why the flight-control surface tore away from the plane's tailfin without warning. But data analyzed thus far has allowed investigators to conclude that there are few similarities between this incident and two others in which rudders played a key role, including the November 2001 crash of American Airlines Flight 587.
Kitty Hawk Aircargo took delivery of its first Boeing 737-300SF converted to cargo configuration by Israel Aircraft Industries' Bedek Aviation Group. Kitty Hawk plans to lease seven 737-300SFs from GE Commercial Aviation Services.
Airbus predicts its fleet will double in size over the next 10 years to 2,000 aircraft, so MROs and suppliers should expect a heavy check bulge to come, according to John Dickie, vice president maintenance and engineering services, Airbus North America. "By 2007, 75% of maintenance on the Airbus fleet will be done not by the operator," he said.
Stevens Aviation plans to expand its Greenville-Spartanburg facility, including its maintenance operations, which could create 50 new maintenance jobs over the next several years.
3M Aerospace introduced new pre-formed polyurethane protective tapes to help decrease cycle time while inspecting main landing gear cylinders on Boeing MD-80 and MD-90 aircraft. Polyurethane Protective Boots SJ8667HS FP502 replace the labor-intensive removal and reapplication of the primer and paint topcoat during the FAA-mandated maintenance process, thereby returning aircraft to service more quickly.
Hawaiian Airlines is the launch customer for Sabre Airline Solutions' web-hosted Maintenix software from Mxi Technologies. Sabre eMergo web access will provide Hawaiian full visibility of its maintenance and materials information.
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Sensistor Technologies' H2000 industrial leak detection system uses hydrogen as a tracer gas to detect leaks that are smaller than a bacteria. The compact system uses a non-hazardous 5% hydrogen/95% nitrogen mixture to disclose and localize leaks. The transportable electronic system does not require pumps, valves or vacuums, making it easy to move around an aircraft while searching for a leak. The probe can include a protective cover that is designed to allow leak detection on wet objects. Sensitor Technologies, 2 Survey Circle #2A, North Billerica, MA 01862
Dallas Airmotive will perform depot engine maintenance work for the U.S. Air Force's fleet of Honeywell TFE731 engines that power 76 C-21A aircraft. Dallas Airmotive is a subcontractor to Computer Science Corp. and expects to receive at least 30 MPI/CZI inputs per year.
LOT Polish Airlines awarded a contract to Goodrich for servicing its Embraer ERJ-145 wheels and brakes. The agreement includes heat sink refurbishment and exchange support, all of which Goodrich will do at its Hatfield, U.K., service center.
