Elliott Aviation broke ground on a new 48,000-square-foot aircraft paint and completions facility that will include a 5,600-square-foot downdraft paint bay capable of handling small to medium jets.
High Tech Finishing offers a new service to expedite the downtime required to refinish aircraft interior metal pieces. Its program, QuickTurn, includes disassembly, repair, plating finish, reassembly and return of the part in as little as three days. The company does not charge extra for rush orders or AOG situations because those requests are processed in the same manner as normal ones. High Tech Finishing, 6201 Royalton, Houston, TX 77081 Circle 505 on Reader Service Card
With more than 800 sales or orders for its Hawk advanced and lead-in fighter trainers (LIFTs) from 16 air forces to date, BAE Systems is convinced that there still is a lot of mileage left in the basic design. In a personal briefing at the group's Warton, U.K., facility, Dave Potter, head of Hawk sales, told O&M that BAE has advanced studies to maintain the viability of this well-proven design to meet next-generation military training requirements.
Southwest Airlines became Boeing Commercial Aviation Services' launch customer for its Mainstream Planning Pack Plus maintenance software, which is designed to streamline the airline's maintenance processes. The software includes planning, scheduling and tracking functions for maintenance activities -- from delivering job instruction cards to managing long-term maintenance forecasts.
If there was a single phrase to describe business conditions at Aviation Management Systems, Inc., better known in the industry as AMS, it surely would be ``in transition.'' Not only is Phoenix, Ariz.-based AMS in the midst of consolidating from two facilities to one, it also is transitioning that single location from a set of hangars, which still bears some resemblance to their military heritage, into a more modern facility. At the same time, the company is rebuilding its workforce and workload after suffering some devastating contract losses following the Sept.
Bombardier Aerospace appointed British European Aviation Services (BEAS) as the first recognized Q series/ Dash 8 maintenance facility in Europe. BEAS is authorized to perform C checks and other heavy maintenance services on the Dash 8-100, -200 and -300; and on the Bombardier Q200, Q300 and Q400. BEAS also can perform aircraft modifications and upgrades on Bombardier's behalf.
The MRO Forecast is a macro forecast of global MRO activity over the next 10 years. For the second year in a row, the team of BACK Aviation Solutions and Strand Associates, Inc. (SAI) produced the forecast for O&M. Like last year, the forecast looks at projected MRO activity in three different scenarios: slow economic growth, moderate growth and rapid growth. This year, BACK and SAI built the forecast on a regional basis with key elements of the forecast varying by region (including economic growth, labor rates, aircraft retirements and deliveries.)
Redhill Aerodrome, some 10 miles north of London's Gatwick Airport, long has been known for its flying club, the ``Tiger Club,'' named after the De Havilland Tiger Moths flown by its founding members. Those halcyon days are long gone and despite its lack of a tarmac runway, it's home to Bristow Helicopters, one of the world's largest helicopter operators.
Southwest Airlines opened a new maintenance hangar at Dallas Love Field that accommodates its one-quarter and one-half D checks, which until recently have been contracted out. The 67,689-square-feet hangar holds two 737s and will include 300 mechanics. SWA's maintenance and engineering division plans to hire 104 additional employees by year end.
Pentar Avionics sold its test equipment division to Ideal Aerosmith of East Grand Forks, Minn. This transaction transfers all of Pentar's test equipment, technologies and customer base to Ideal Aerosmith's automated test equipment business. Pentar plans to focus on its expanding data communications product line.
The worldwide commercial jet transport MRO market took a $4.4 billion hit in 2001, and it likely will be mid-decade before the market again achieves its early 2001 size, according to O&M's fourth annual MRO Forecast, prepared by BACK Aviation Solutions and Strand Associates Inc. (SAI). In setting the baseline for this year's forecast, SAI and BACK valued the MRO market at $37.8 billion, a decline of 10.4% from its value of $42.2 billion in early 2001.
Jet Aviation Singapore signed an agreement with Bombardier to install RVSM equipment into Learjet aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region. This agreement enables Jet Aviation Singapore to supply and install RVSM modifications to 25 Learjet aircraft in the region.
Dallas Airmotive received a two-year contract worth $10 million from The Pinnacle Air Network to provide turbine engine, APU and accessory overhaul and repair. The agreement covers services for the Pratt&Whitney PT6A and JT15D, Honeywell TFE731 series, and Honeywell and Hamilton Sundstrand APUs and accessories.
Cox&Co. created its Model 3400 series of water and drain line freeze-protection systems for both corporate and commercial aircraft. The 3400 Innerline System consists of a heater, clip-on temperature sensor and a remotely mounted temperature controller/status panel. The resistive element heater is installed inside an aircraft water line so its heat transfer ability is designed to be close to 100%. The heater's outer jacket is FEP Teflon and is approved for contact with potable water.
Gulfstream Aerospace received FAA Supplemental Type Certificate to install the Northstar Technologies' CT-1000G Flight Deck Organizer System on its Gulfstream IV and IV-SP business aircraft. Gulfstream also is trying to secure certification for the system's installation on GV and GIII/GII aircraft. The Northstar system consists of one CD-ROM and a laptop-like computer that fits on the pilot's control yoke.
Boeing's Electromagnetic Dent Removal makes dents in aircraft disappear within seconds. The hand-held machine shoots out two different eddy currents that work in opposite ways to pull out the dent: one penetrating through the skin and the other meeting it from the top. Boeing said the device is used mostly for cosmetic repairs of all sizes. The unit typically outputs 400 to 800 volts, so Boeing prefers to sell its dent removal service instead of offering the actual unit. Boeing charges a flat fee per day plus the number of dents removed.
Sabena Technics received orders for its line of test equipment from China Zuhai, All Nippon Airways, Korean Air and GAMCO. In addition, the Yemen-based carrier Yemenia awarded Sabena Technics a contract to perform C4 checks on two of its A310 aircraft. Sabena Technics also receive a contract from CIT Aerospace for heavy maintenance on its 737 aircraft.
LEDtronics introduced linear bargraph LEDs that are designed to be readable in sunlight and to improve the visual information presentation on aviation industry panels. The bargraph LEDs come in two intensities: standard and super. The standard-intensity lights are available in ultra red, red, yellow and high-efficiency green. The super-intensity version comes in super orange, super yellow and aqua green. Either variety can include single or multiple colors, and each are available with five, 10 or 15 LEDs per segment. LED-
The U.S. Air Force realized in the early 1950s that its fleet of Boeing-built, four-engine, propeller-driven KC-97 tankers was too slow and inefficient for inflight refueling of turbojet bombers and fighters. To address this, Boeing proposed a sleek, swept-wing, four-engine jet aircraft that would provide the speed and range the Air Force required. That proposal led to the development of a prolific military family known as the KC/C-135, and on the civil side, the 707 airliner.
Safety officials working the investigation into November's mysterious crash of American Airlines Flight 587 haven't found anything remotely close to a smoking gun that would explain why the Airbus A300-600's tail snapped off and caused the plane to tumble out of control.
MTU Aero Engines' maintenance division received a five-year contract to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul for British Carrier Heavy Lift Cargo Airlines' CF6-50C2 engines that power four Airbus A300B4s.
Enigma collaborated with Click Commerce to combine the latter's specialty in multi-channel order management and post-sales applications with its 3C Platform, which is a software package designed to strengthen the post-sale relationship between OEMs and operators. Enigma says the addition of Click Commerce's tools will speed MRO processes by streamlining the parts ordering and tracking processes, while quickening warranty-processing procedures. Enigma's new products are called 3C Order Manager and 3C Warranty Managers.
At a small airport in West Virginia east of the Allegheny Mountains, engine and airframe manufacturers have built major facilities to maintain regional jets.
