Have you ever wondered how tools and other paraphernalia can get left behind when a technician closes up a workspace? From the flashlight left in a nose wheel steering cable run to rags left in engines, the maintenance world is often left scratching its head trying to answer this question: How did a maintenance professional miss something so obvious?
Delta TechOps will provide engine overhauls for at least half of GOL's CFM56-7s and maintenance services for various parts and components on GOL's Boeing 737NG fleet. Delta TechOps also will assist GOL as it works toward FAA Part 145 repair station certification. In return, GOL will assist Delta with line maintenance services in Brazil. The five-year contract includes a five-year option.
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
Structural health monitoring (SHM) denotes an integrated system capable of facilitating real-time or on-demand nondestructive inspection without manual intervention. These technologies have the potential to transform MRO industry standard practices, improving vehicle safety, reliability and readiness while reducing overall life-cycle costs.
Rockwell Collins Aerospace & Electronics flight dynamics division amended STC to install a head-up guidance system Model 4200 on Bombardier CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700/701/702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) and CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) aircraft, STC ST01390LA
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.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) is fighting perception issues. It has begun the second phase of its multi-year Positive Publicity Campaign, designed to educate decision makers in Washington on the importance of contract maintenance. ARSA launched the campaign about a year ago and initially focused on public opinion data. Its second phase is designed to develop economic data on the aviation industry’s impact, in the U.S. and internationally.
Ultra Electronics Controls and Satair renewed their 1996 partnership, which covers Ultra’s landing gear control interface units on several Airbus aircraft. Satair also partnered with Dasell Cabin Interior and will take on exclusive distributorship in Asia. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
CT Aerospace brought Steve Walden onboard as director of sales for commercial engine and airframe EMEA. Steve most recently ran international marketing and sales for engine and airframe parts for Dublin-based Inventory Navigators.
Rolls-Royce is facing court action from Qantas to recover losses the airline maintains it suffered after the uncontained blade failure of a Trent 900 engine on one of its Airbus A380s in late 2010. The airline was forced to ground its A380 fleet for several weeks following the incident for safety checks, which meant using Boeing 747s on its A380 routes to avoid service disruptions.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded charter airline Omni Air International and Aviation Business International (ABI) with a Leadership in Health and Environmental Stewardship recognition for switching to PreKote, Pantheon Chemical’s non-chromium surface pretreatment. Last summer, ABI started working with Omni to transition the airline’s coatings and treatments from chromated primers and pre-treatments, such as Alodine.
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.
Lufthansa Technik inked an agreement with Oman Air that will send 15 Boeing 737NG C checks to Lufthansa Technik Budapest. The contract extends an agreement for base maintenance that has been in effect for the last year, as well as component support that LHT provides for Oman Air’s Airbus A330s. It also links to plans for a “wider cooperation,” as LHT says, related to a 2009 agreement that set plans for a joint venture MRO in Oman.
Crane Aerospace’s enhanced landing gear control interface unit (LGCIU) now is standard on new-production Airbus A320 aircraft, and it is available for retrofits. The new LGCIU offers weight savings and has improved operational reliability. The inter-communication of the LGCIU is designed to optimize maintenance by providing better BITE functionality and fault isolation. www.craneae.com
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.
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft is preparing to open a sales office in Asia, says VP of sales for Asia Pacific Trung Ngo, who declines to name the location, but industry executives say it is Singapore.
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.
Mxi Technologies appointed Scott Helmer CFO and named Blair Geddes to its board of directors. Both have senior finance positions with both public and private companies.
When it comes to supply chain and maintenance software, should you turn to an ERP vendor for all of your solutions, like SAP or Oracle? Or should you add on-point solutions from the likes of Mxi, Trax, Servigistics or their best-of-breed competitors? Both sides make a persuasive case for their approach.
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.
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.
