As both an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket service provider, Sargent Aerospace & Defense has a unique advantage in creating high-value repairs. In late November, Sargent announced that its new, 70,000-sq.-ft. facility in Tucson, Ariz., set to open in March, will launch a new product introduction (NPI) department.
HNA Group formed a joint venture with GE Aviation to repair GE CF34-10s, the engines that power Embraer E-170/190s and Comac ARJ21s, in Tianjin, China. HNA Group airlines—Hainan Airlines, China Xinhua Airlines, Chang’an Airlines, Shanxi Airlines and Grand China Logistics—operate E-190 aircraft powered by CF34-10E engines, and GE’s investment arm has several of ARJ21s on order.
Lufthansa Technik Aero Alzey extended its designated overhaul facility (DOF) agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada to continue MRO services for the PW901A auxiliary power unit (APU), which equips the Boeing 747-400. PWC also named Lufthansa Technik Aero Alzey a DOF for the 747-8’s PW901C APU.
Doors of opportunity will open in 2011 as passenger and cargo traffic pick up. Narrowbody aircraft will generate the most maintenance checks this year, and International Aero Engines IAE V2500, CFM International CFM56-5B and Pratt & Whitney PW100 engines will propel the most overhaul events. Airbus A320, Bombardier CRJ100/CRJ200 and Boeing 737 variants lead demand for nose landing gear MRO. Emerging technologies, including complete automated identification technology packages for aircraft, will manifest in maintenance to produce retrofit services.
Certified Aviation Services has created a Web-based maintenance application for clients to track real-time drywashing services for each aircraft in their fleets, complete with before-and-after photos. Customers can see the time since an aircraft’s last wash and specific cleaning services provided by accessing a unique URL. www.certifiedaviation.com/cas.nsf/html/Appearance+Services
Precision Conversions redelivered a third high-payload variant full-15 pallet configuration Boeing 757-200PCF freighter to Aerolease Aviation—the last of three 757-200PCFs converted for Aerolease under a multi-aircraft deal announced in April. The aircraft, which features a weight upgrade option that brings its total payload to 80,000 lb., will be operated by DHL Americas.
GE Commercial Aviation Services opened new offices in Accra, Ghana; and Cape Town, to serve customers in west and central Africa and southeastern Africa, respectively. Gecas’ Dubai office will continue to serve North Africa customers.
FAA has yet to set its timeline for regulating safety management systems (SMS) for Part 145 repair stations, but the agency has indicated that it plans to move forward on such a rulemaking and intends to use the recently released notice of proposed rulemaking requiring all Part 121 operations to implement SMS as its template.
Tarmac Aerospace started dismantling a 15-year-old Indian Airlines Boeing 777 in early December at its facilities at Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrenees airport in France. It said the dismantling process should take about 15 weeks.
International Aircraft Associates added Mike Molli as COO. Molli previously led SAS Technitrade’s U.S. office; he also serves on the board of directors of both the Aviation Suppliers Association and AeroXchange.
Alaska Air Group named Gene Hahn senior VP of operations for Horizon Air, responsible for flight operations and maintenance and engineering. Hahn previously served as VP of flight operations and VP maintenance and engineering; prior to that, held similar positions at Allegheny Airlines and American Eagle/Wings West Airlines.
Dutch airframer NG Aircraft (formerly Rekkof Aircraft) is to receive a €19.7 million ($14.5 million) repayable advance from the Dutch government to aid it in developing the Fokker Next Generation, an updated version of the F-100 short-haul jetliner. The advance will fund the experimental development of winglets and avionics for the aircraft, engine design revisions, and the integration of a demonstrator aircraft for concept validation.
US Technical to install Class 2 electronic flight bag provisions for navAero t-BagC2 on Boeing 767-200, 767-300, 767-300F and 767-400ER series aircraft, STC ST02320LA
Given that the narrowbody aircraft fleet nearly triples the widebody fleet, it should not surprise anyone that engines powering narrowbodies should provide more shop visits this year, even given the cycle/hour ratio differences.
SR Technics will provide full technical training on both Boeing and Airbus aircraft types to Etihad Airlines under a new, five-year contract that extends an initial one-year contract inked in May 2009. The agreement covers basic and specialized training mainly in Abu Dhabi but also at other locations as required, and it grows the relationship between SR Technics, which is owned by Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Aerospace, and U.A.E. national carrier Etihad. IT
PROBLEM: Virgin America’s Technical Operations at Los Angles International Airport wanted a more ecological approach to cleaning its fleet of 30 aircraft in the midst of emerging environmental standards. SOLUTION: No-water drywashing from Certified Aviation Services
It’s that time of the cycle again. Mergers and acquisitions in aerospace and the aviation aftermarket are picking up. PricewaterhouseCoopers reported $3.8 billion in aerospace and defense deals in the third quarter of 2010, up from $3.2 billion in the same quarter of 2009.
Demand for landing gear maintenance falls in line with very specific schedule requirements. On average, these components require overhaul every 10 years, events that typically take 25-40 days to accomplish. “That’s why spares are so critical,” says Chris Doan, chairman and CEO of consulting firm TeamSAI. While one set is in the shop for intensive work, airlines equip aircraft with an exchange set to keep them flying in revenue service.
Moog Inc. repair technology development manager and DER Walter Mroch received special delegation as a repair specification designated engineering representative per FAA Notice N8110.111, as well as major repair delegation for systems and equipment (Chart C1) and propulsion accessories (Chart B) for major repairs.
LONDON—Western European interests see air transport as key to growth in Russia, and it wants the country to improve its infrastructure so that business can expand there. “The absence of any competing surface system and structure in Russia makes regional air transport the key enabler for growth in this area,” said Mike Ambrose, director general of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), at a conference on EU-Russia air transport issues in November.
FAA has yet to set its timeline for regulating safety management systems (SMS) for Part 145 repair stations, but the agency has indicated that it plans to move forward on such a rulemaking and intends to use the recently released notice of proposed rulemaking requiring all Part 121 operations to implement SMS as its template.
