Parker Hannifin's Seal Group launched www.parofluor.com, a multi-industry website that features a collection of seal engineering tools and resources. The website includes an online fluid compatibility guide, a dimensional calculator and separate utilities for failure analysis and pressure.
Sypris Test&Measurement was awarded a $20 million, five-year contract to provide on-site and off-site calibration services to FAA. The contract covers government-owned test, measurement and diagnostic equipment used in maintaining the nation's flight control radar systems at over 400 airports. The contract began in October.
Qantas plans to relocate its Boeing 767 heavy maintenance work from Sydney to Brisbane as part of an effort to streamline its engineering maintenance for its various fleets.
`Co-opetition' was the concept that emerged from Aviation Week's MRO Europe Conference&Exhibition in Hamburg in September. Despite the depressed state of the airline and MRO industries over the past 12 months, the mood among the 1,400 delegates was positive and exhibition stands remained busy. That said, reaction was more muted when the big OEMs spoke of partnerships, cooperation and alliances.
NTSB wants FAA to weed out aircraft cabin pressure altimeters that, under extreme circumstances, can display inaccurate information. The board, probing several incidents, found that certain dial-type altimeters can, as pressure drops, inaccurately show a high pressure as the gauge falls below the lowest value, comes around the bottom of the gauge, and goes back into the high-value zone. Installing a hard stop for the pointer or upgrading the dials to digital displays are two ways to fix the problem, NTSB said in a letter to FAA.
Spirent Systems was awarded a follow-on contract to supply military flight operations quality assurance (MFOQA) software to the USAF Safety Center at Kirtland AFB, N.M., in support of C-17 operations. The software, which can detect trends in the way aircraft are operated, is used to facilitate improvements in operational safety and efficiency.
Gulfstream Aerospace introduced a new product line comprising seven aircraft. The new fleet will offer customers the flexibility to choose from different option packages such as multiple cabin layouts and different avionics packages and cockpit technology. The new product line consist of products that range from 2,700 to 6,750 nautical miles and carry six to 18 passengers.
JetCorp named Jack Brooks as the company's Southeast regional sales manager. Brooks is responsible for the management and development of technical service sales, including aircraft maintenance, avionics installation, paint/interior modifications and refurbishment services in the Southeast.
A J Walter Aviation signed a three- year representation agreement with two divisions of the HEICO Corp.: Radiant Power Corporation and Aero-Design. The agreement covers all global aviation markets except the U.S. Under the terms, AJW will stock a portfolio of products that include emergency power supplies, batteries, battery chargers and lighting controls.
Former NTSB Chairman Marion Blakey was sworn in as FAA administrator on Sept. 13, becoming the agency's 15th administrator. She succeeds Jane Garvey, who's five-year term ended in August. In addition to NTSB chairman, Blakey has held four previous presidential appointments, including two that required Senate confirmation. In 1992 to 1993, she served as administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Jet Aviation Zurich installed its first moving terrain system into a Citation Excel aircraft. The moving map indicates the position of an aircraft on the ground and in flight on an LCD display screen and immediately alters the position when the aircraft moves. The system consists of a control display computer, a GPS receiver and a GPS antenna.
Maintenance work has slowed down in Europe, although not as much as in the U.S., according to Pascal Eymery, a Paris-based partner in Accenture's airline practice. But the key players in European maintenance, Lufthansa Technik, Air France Industries and Airbus-affiliate Sogerma, should have a growing market in the coming years. Europe's low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair, GO and EasyJet, are expanding. ``Low-cost airlines are increasing their market share, and they outsource a lot of MRO,'' Eymery said.
ARINC Inc. appointed Randolph F. Pizzi to the new position of managing director, Asian operations. Pizzi joined ARINC in 1987 and most recently served as head of commercial aviation marketing and sales. He led ARINC's Asian business development activity between 1998 and 2001.
Air New Zealand Engineering Services (ANZES) plans to add Airbus A320 maintenance to its capability list as the carrier gears up to begin taking delivery of the European-made twinjets in October 2003. ANZES also plans to add either V2500 or CFM56 engine overhaul to its list of offerings, depending on which powerplant the carrier chooses for the A320s. Air New Zealand has 15 A320s on order (10 from Airbus and five from GECAS) and holds options on 20 more. Deliveries are expected to continue until late 2005.
Lufthansa Technik ordered a fourth ATEC Series 6 test station from EADS Test&Services and 13 test programs for the maintenance of Airbus A320 and A340 avionics. Lufthansa Technik is one of the first ATEC customers with the ATEC 4000. It now has six ATEC 5000 and four ATEC Series 6 test systems.
Jet Aviation Dallas annouced an expansion of its transient ramp, which will double the size to accommodate additional aircraft. Construction for the expansion is currently in the engineering and bidding stages and will be completed in the first quarter of 2003.
Jet Aviation Dusseldorf got LBA maintenance approvals for the Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 regional jets. This makes the company's Dusseldorf location the first Jet Aviation facility to hold an approval for these aircraft types.
Rockwell Collins International Inc. and China Eastern Airlines formed a joint venture to provide full repair and maintenance services for commercial air transport avionics and in-flight entertainment equipment throughout China. The joint venture company, called Collins Aviation Maintenance Services Shanghai Ltd. (CAMSS), will offer maintenance, repair and overhaul of equipment manufactured by Rockwell Collins and other original equipment manufacturers.
U.S. Congress this year approved a $1.5 billion upgrade of 30 Abu Dhabi air force Boeing/ MDH AH-64A attack helicopters with mast-mounted Longbow fire-control radar and associated systems, to AH-64D standards. The contract also includes 240 Boeing/Rockwell AGM-114L Longbow RF Hellfire laser-guided fire-and-forget blast/ fragmentation missiles and 49 AGM-114M versions, with anti-ship capability.
Marshall Aerospace has received a contract from the Royal Netherlands Air Force for heavy maintenance of one of its two McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 tanker/ transports. A Heavy Maintenance Visit (HMV) is required every six years, and will be completed in a 42-day program. This involves removal of all significant components, flying surfaces and removable structure, followed by reassembly and repainting.
ASG, a division of Jergens, Inc., announced a new line of rotary actuators for small parts handling. The actuators have an air-over-oil feature that run on standard shop air, but have a self-contained hydraulic system to absorb large quantities of kinetic energy, offering the advantages of hydraulics without traditional hydraulic plumbing. They are available in 90 or 180 degree rotation. Torques range from 47.7 lbs./in. up to 711.8 lbs./in. Rotation times are between .5 and 5 seconds, depending on size. ASG, 15700 South Waterloo Road, Cleveland, OH 44110-3898
Goodrich Corp. completed its acquisition of TRW Inc.'s Aeronautical Systems businesses for $1.5 billion in cash. The acquired businesses are expected to be realigned and integrated into existing Goodrich segments, effective Jan. 1, 2003.
