Keystone's Kilfrost anti-freeze lubricant is designed to lubricate pneumatic tools, equipment and fittings used by airlines. Because such equipment can be left overnight at a job site under unheated conditions, that equipment can be covered with frost in the morning. The lubricant is designed to lubricate the tools and absorb the moisture so frost and ice do not accumulate. The company also says the lubricant can help prevent corrosion by creating a barrier against moisture. Keystone Lubricants (c/o Flanagan Advertising), 1109 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn, PA 19312-1243
U.S. government approval, and India's agreement to include 10% to 15% Russian industrial participation in the program, cleared the way on Sept. 10 for IAF acquisition of three Ilyushin Il-76-based Beriev A-50EhI airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft costing about $1 billion. As prime contractor, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has joined Elta Electronics in Israel, Taganrog Beriev Technical Complex (TANTK) in Russia, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
3M Aerospace's Paint Preparation System is a closed paint system that eliminates the need for separate mixing cups and filters, which is designed to make jobs cleaner and to reduce solvent usage by up to 70%. The one-cup mixing and spraying system mixes the paint in a liner, which is connected to a filter and is mounted to a spray gun and adapter. Because it is all one system, the possibility of contaminating paint during mixing is reduced. The operator discards the liner and filter after completing the paint job.
Boeing and Korean Air Aerospace Business Division signed a teaming agreement to establish a new Asian Support Center to offer life-cycle maintenance and service for military aircraft around the world. The Asian Support Center will provide front office, customer support, engineering, repair management and comprehensive warehouse services as part of a larger Global Support Network. The center will begin by supporting CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
Four multi-role electronically scanned array (MESA) radar systems are to be supplied by Northrop Grumman for Turkey's ``Peace Eagle'' Boeing 737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) program, from a $160 million contract signed in September with Boeing. The Turkish government selected the Boeing-led team in 2001. Contract negotiations were completed in late 2002, and the ``Peace Eagle'' program officially started in July. Delivery of the four MESA systems is scheduled to begin in August 2005 and conclude in June 2007.
Cascade Aerospace President David Schellenberg has been elected to the board of the Aeropsace Industries Association of Canada. Schellenberg, one of 30 board members, was elected to a three-year term.
KVH Industries' new DSP-3000 fiber optic gyro for military and commercial aviation applications features a multi-axis modular design and a small size (about the size of a deck of cards). It is designed to offer low noise, insensitivity to cross-axis error, and shock and vibration robustness. KVH Industries, 50 Enterprise Center, Middletown, RI 02842
PPG Aerospace-Transparencies has begun selling replacement cockpit windows for all Boeing aircraft to airlines as a result of a licensing agreement with Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Airlines previously bought their PPG-made replacement cockpit windows from Boeing for all Boeing and McDonnell Douglas airplanes, except for the main windshields on 747s.
MTU Aero Engines concluded the first Silencer tests for the EC-sponsored engine noise reduction technology program. The program's goal is to validate noise-reduced blades in high-speed, low-pressure compressors and turbines designed for use on turbofan engines. Over the next 15 years, the Silencer program hopes to cut noise levels by 50%.
Mesaba will outsource C checks on its Saab 340s and Avro RJ85s to TIMCO. Carrier will cut 65 jobs at its maintenance bases in Wisconsin and Ohio as a result.
Renegade Ventures' Hamilton Aerospace Technologies subsidiary delivered two former United Airlines 737-200s to a Nigerian start-up airline called Space World. Hamilton purchased and completed the two Boeing aircraft.
Boeing Commercial Aviation Services is helping Lufthansa Cargo convert five MD-11 passenger airplanes to freighters. Boeing is providing the engineering and project oversight, and ST Aviation Services Co. (SASCO), a Singapore Technologies Aerospace company, will provide touch labor. SASCO will start the modification work in June and is scheduled to deliver the first two aircraft in mid-December 2004.
Boeing promoted Louis Mancini to senior vice president of Commercial Aviation Services. Mancini succeeds Michael Dave, who was named senior vice president of airplane programs. Mancini joined Boeing in 2002 as vice president of maintenance services after serving as vice president of engineering and technical operations for United Airlines from 1995 to 2002. Mancini reports to Alan Mulally, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO.
Texas Engineering Experiment Station, a member of the Texas A&M University System, received more than $4 million to help the U.S. Department of Defense develop, test and implement new technologies for the care and maintenance of aging aircraft.
French Ministry of Defense recently renewed a full support contract with TAT Industries for its Pacific aircraft fleet. The six-year agreement covers CASA CN-235s and PUMAs for the French air force and Falcon 200s and Panther helicopters for the navy. TAT employs 100 engineers in the Pacific to support the French military with airframe, engine and component maintenance.
Innotech Aviation of Montreal has developed and launched an interactive website featuring customer work order tracking programs and a complete parts and spares inventory listing. Address is www.InnotechAviation.com.
Lockheed Martin received a $20 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense, the Italian air force and the Royal Australian Air Force to collaborate on defining a C-130J avionics and hardware block upgrade program. Known as Cooperative Systems and Software Upgrade Requirements Management (COSSURM), the three-year program will ensure that enhancements and upgrades to areas such as radio communications, aircraft diagnostic displays and collision avoidance systems will be shared across the user community. A total of 106 C-130Js have been delivered to date.
Honeywell also announced an electric APU, the RE50, which weighs only 55 lbs. and is gearless. The APU, for business jet and helicopter applications, is gearless because the generator is part of the APU shaft. Honeywell is designing it to stay on wing three to five years and then be replaced, so it is designed to be virtually maintenance free.
When talking to executives at Grupo TACA's maintenance arm, Aeroman, one learns pretty quickly where they think their operation ranks in terms of MRO providers in the Americas: They consider Aeroman a ``first tier'' MRO, like Goodrich Aviation Technical Services, Timco, Pemco and ST Mobile Aerospace. ``In terms of quality and capability, we're in a league with them,'' said Phil Gaudet, director, North American sales. At least on paper, Gaudet would seem to have a point.
Bell Helicopter's multi-billion dollar H-1 Upgrade Program received a major boost in October when the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) approved Bell to remanufacture six U.S. Marine Corps UH-1N and three AH-1W helicopters to the UH-1Y and AH-1Z standard during FY04. A second LRIP (low rate initial production) batch, currently scheduled to be another six Hueys and three SuperCobras, should enter production in FY05.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. named Sarah C. Hoyt director of corporate communications. Before joining Ball Aerospace, Hoyt was director of marketing communications for Raytheon Co.'s Intelligence and Information Systems business.
Honeywell introduced its latest LTS101 turboshaft engine, the -850, which is designed to provide 14% more takeoff power at sea level and 25% more at hot-day conditions. The -850 can be installed in Eurocopter/Kawasaki BK117, Eurocopter AS350D and Bell Textron 222B and 222UT helicopters.
The debate over how far design approval holders must go to satisfy an FAA requirement for providing instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) to qualified third-party repair stations may be put to rest soon. FAA is considering a formal complaint against Airbus filed by the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA).
