Enigma expanded its license agreement with AFI KLM E&M to include the Engima 3C InService MRO and Revision Manager solutions, designed for technical content publishing and management support, in addition to the 3C solution that it has used for seven years.
GE Aviation inked engine, fuel and carbon management OnPoint contracts with Air India and Alitalia. The 20-year contract with Air India includes expanding the carrier’s MRO capabilities at Mumbai to include engine overhaul for the GE90. Eventually, it aims to add an engine MRO facility in Nagpur. For Alitalia, GE will analyze fuel spend and operations using proprietary software and consulting services. It expects to reduce the airline’s fuel consumption by 3% on certain segments.
3M experts recommend the FF-400 respirator for repairs on aircraft components made of glass, boron and carbon fibers. The respirator’s design has features for added comfort such as a soft silicone nose cup, a “cool flow” valve for easier breathing, a large lens and a head cradle. The FF-400 is the only respirator with a Scotchguard-coated lens, which beads coatings and paints on the surface for easy removal. www.3m.com
Premier Aviation formed a partnership with the City of Windsor to provide MRO services at Windsor International Airport at a new, 143,000-sq.ft. facility slated to be ready in the first quarter of 2012.
Timco Aviation Services opened a second line for Boeing 737NG C checks. It will be located in Greensboro, N.C., where Timco carries out winglet installation modifications on the type. Its first 737NG C check line is in Lake City, Fla. Training
Lufthansa Technik’s three-year-old subsidiary in Sofia, Bulgaria, completed its 50th maintenance check, an event that also marked the MRO group’s 100th such check for BMI and subsidiary bmibaby.
Pyramex’s dual-pane safety lenses feature a polycarbonate outer lens and an acetate interior lens to trap heat away from a worker’s face. The goggles provide 99% UVA and UVB protection as well as resistance to glare and are secured with an adjustable elastic strap. These goggles can work with prescription frames. www.pyramexsafety.com
If the demand for passenger cabin power is propelling STC and retrofit growth, so too might the cockpit. Some carriers are considering adopting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment, such as iPads, for use as electronic flight bags (EFB). To make such a switch, “You have to have a power supply that satisfies the certification requirements of a power supply system for a [portable electronic device], like the passenger has in the back” of the airplane, says ASIG's managing director Luke Ribich.
LONDON—The 230 airline members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that operate Western-built jets are significantly safer than non-IATA carriers, according to figures recently released by the association. In 2010, it recorded 26 fatal airline accidents that resulted in the deaths of 817 passengers and crew, compared to 28 accidents causing 749 deaths in 2009.
Barfield entered into a 10-year support contract with Avianca-TACA for its Airbus A320 fleet. Barfield will provide components support for Avianca, TACA, Aerogal and Ocean Air. It also plans to open repair facilities in Colombia.
SINGAPORE—Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) firms are set to benefit from a wave of new start-up carriers in Asia. Carriers are preparing to launch operations in an effort to capitalize on the next travel boom, but because these start-ups are small, each will be relying heavily on outside parties for line and heavy maintenance.
When it comes to retrofitting landing gear on in-service fleets, operators look at two main trends: lighter-weight components and “intermixability,” a buzz word that signifies new landing gear equipment that works well with older but still functional equipment. For example, Goodrich’s lightweight wheels and brakes system for the Boeing 777 can be used with the aircraft’s existing landing gear assembly, which allows operators to upgrade if they want the weight reduction or as the older parts wear out.
Fokker Services lined up Italian start-up Eagle Airlines for a FlyFokker Take Off contract to support the entry into service of its two Fokker 100s. PGA-Portugalia Airlines signed a FLYFokker Take Care contract to support six Fokker 100s.
AFI KLM E&M inked a six-year, two-stage contract with Air Mauritius for nacelle maintenance and support for its Airbus 319 and 340 aircraft. AFL KLM E&M will inspect the fan thrust reversers and then design an optional refurbishment program.
Until 2010, Boeing 737NG and 737 Classic aircraft models had metal proximity sensors with a design that facilitated moisture damage. Over the years, the possibility of damage increased. Newer deicing fluids such as potassium formate catalyzed the corrosion inside these sensor casings. To solve the fluid ingress problem, Crane has developed new titanium proximity sensors for the 737NG, with support for the 737 Classic following early this year. Crane’s new titanium sensor configuration, 80-207-01, will replace the 1-899-29 metal sensors that have been developing corrosion.
Air France Industries received renewed approval for its single and global certification for nine sets of guidelines, including the new ISO 26000 social responsibility standard, per Bureau Veritas Certification audits.
AJ Walter will manage component repair and overhaul for Frankfurt-based MRO Haitec for three years. Slovenia-based Adria Airways Technika also enlisted AJ Walter for consumables support services; AJ Walter will position a spares consignment in Ljubljana for Adria, with replenishment on demand and payment on consumption. New African operator Senegal Airlines also paired with AJ Walter on a five-year, power-by-the-hour contract for its first two Airbus 319 aircraft.
PIA Engineering Location: Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan PIA Fleet: 40 in total Seven ATR42-500s, six Airbus A310-300s, six A310-320s, six Boeing 737-300s, one Boeing 747-200B Combi, five 747-300s, four Boeing 777-200ERs, two 777-200LRs and three 777-300ERs Expertise: Boeing 777, 747 and 737; Airbus A310 and A300; ATR72
For the past five years, Boeing and Fujitsu have been working together to develop an aircraft maintenance solution that incorporates radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and contact memory buttons (CMBs) with an integrated suite of software applications. Boeing will begin rolling out the system, known as automated identification technology (AIT), in the spring.
Sargent Aftermarket Services’ wheel and brake shop in Miami provides wheel and brakes overhaul and repair for most Boeing aircraft, MD-80 series, MD-11, L1011 and Airbus A300 and A320 aircraft. MRO capabilities at the Sargent facility support components from multiple OEMs: Goodrich, Honeywell Landing Systems, Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems, Cleveland Wheel and Brakes and Messier-Bugatti. www.sargentaerospace.com
The knock-on effects of the Trent 900 failure look likely to disrupt Airbus’ A380 delivery schedule. Speaking at Airbus’ annual press conference in Toulouse, Tom Williams, executive VP for programs, says his company removed Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines from its A380 production line to keep the fleet flying. This left the aircraft in final assembly short of engines.
Rockwell Collins Aerospace & Electronics amended STC to install a Model 4000 head-up display system guidance system on Boeing 737-700/-700C/-800/ -900/-900ER series aircraft, STC ST00845SE
