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 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.
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
SensGard’s Zem hearing protector sits outside the ear canal and acts as an alternative to earmuffs or earplugs. For staff working in areas with loud noises such as running engines, SensGard suggests they use the 31-decibel hearing protection device, available online for $39.99. Hard hat clips that connect helmets to the Zem are available for $3.99. www.sensgard.com
AeroTurbine recently forged a few major asset management agreements around the globe, made possible by four years of investing in people, processes and infrastructure. The culmination of quietly building the company and its aircraft and engine component spares capabilities generated a 25-30% compound annual growth rate during this time, and it also enabled AeroTurbine to craft a multi-million-dollar deal with American Airlines.
Mubadala Aerospace is progressing toward the merger of its two MRO subsidiaries in Zurich and Abu Dhabi, says Mubadala Aerospace senior business development manager Abdulla Shadid. “We continue to work on [the merger of SR Technics and Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies]," Shadid says. "Airlines are being approached with a Mubadala network-type offering." The ultimate objective, he says, is to unify the companies under a global brand. “Behind the scenes, a lot of that work has gone into place.”
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) is converting a Boeing 727-200 to a 12-pallet freighter configuration for an unidentified customer. Commercial Jet Inc. in Miami is doing the conversion. AEI also received approval from the Commonwealth of Independent States for its Boeing 737-300SF and 737-400SF conversions.
Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co. will do heavy checks on S7 Airlines’ Boeing 767s for two years and A checks on World Airways’ Boeing 747-400s for an undisclosed term.
Delta TechOps requires line maintenance workers to wear Class 2 vests such as this one from Ergodyne. The 8205HL model is made from ANSI-compliant polyester mesh and tape, and has a hook and loop closure. The vest can be purchased from a list of distributors available on Ergodyne's website. www.ergodyne.com
The global economy and environmental concerns are changing the aircraft painting business as more MROs seek coatings with fewer hazardous materials and greater efficiency.
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.
Chromalloy started construction of a $5 million ceramic core production facility in Tampa, Fla. It will sit beside its castings facility, which opened in December.
Lufthansa Technik will manage component support for five USA3000 Airbus A320-200 aircraft under a multi-year contract that covers several hundred part numbers. Repair work will take place in Frankfurt and Hamburg, but Lufthansa Technik also will set up a home base lease in Fort Myers, Fla. Air New Zealand also picked Lufthansa Technik rotable component pooling support for its Boeing 777-200 and -300 aircraft, becoming the MRO’s first New Zealand-based customer.
Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued revised guidance Feb. 14 stressing that repair or replacement work on all aircraft must comply with minimum flammability requirements, with updated regulatory references and advice on seat covers.
Ameco Beijing started C checks on five Boeing 737NGs operated by South Korean low-cost airline Eastar Jet on Jan. 17. Four of the aircraft also will receive landing gear overhauls during their layovers.
