In the 2004 animated hit film “The Incredibles,” an early scene finds a mom telling her son Daschle, “Everyone is special, Dash.” “Yeah,” replies the frustrated boy, “which means no one is.”
Northwest Aerospace Technologies is working with British Airways on its first class cabin retrofit program for the Boeing 777-200 and Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The modification includes new first class suites, IFE upgrades, cabin lighting and electronic window blinds.
When Stephen Morse invented the twist drill bit in the 1860s, the aviation world was characterized at best by gliders, parachutes and birdlike machines that achieved flying for only a few minutes. Things have certainly changed immensely in the field of aeronautics since then, but the drill bit has more or less stayed the same. That is, until Perfect Point created a forceless drilling process that uses an electrode to remove a fastener in seconds.
Enthone, a subsidiary of Cookson Electronics, has appointed Vladimir Pade to industry manager for aerospace and defense. He will be responsible for identifying and expanding OEM approvals for wear and corrosion coatings.
Delta Air Lines and MDS Coating Technologies announced a teaming agreement that for engine compressor protective coatings. MDS Coating Technologies will give Delta exclusive partnership rights to its coating technologies via DER and STC certification. The agreement will include the Black Gold coating for erosion and corrosion protection.
Distributor: Avio-Diepen Locations: Offices and warehouses in the Netherlands, the U.K., the U.S. and Americas and Hong Kong. Capabilities: Distributes a variety of aircraft components to operators, MROs, airframe manufacturers and subsystem manufacturers. www.avio-diepen.com
Aviation Business International promoted Shawn Horvath to manager of maintenance and technical services. He will oversee line maintenance and special projects within the Americas.
Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines powering All Nippon Airways' Boeing 787 fleet has completed 4,000 flying hours in five months of revenue service with 99.9% dispatch reliability. Less than one in 1,000 flights have experienced a delayed departure due to an engine issue.
Safran is expanding its nacelle and thrust reverser repair services in the U.S. A new accord with Applied Composites Engineering in Indianapolis builds on that company's existing three-year agreement with Safran's Aircelle division to repair Aircelle thrust reversers for the Embraer ERJ-145, which is powered by Rolls-Royce AE3007 engines, as well as the 170 and 175 twinjets, which use GE CF34 engines. Marc Laubreaux, senior VP-customer service, said at Aviation Week's MRO Americas Conference that Aircelle also is pursuing repairs for single-aisle aircraft parts.
The growth of the air transport market, has triggered massive fleet renewal by the Russian carriers with Western-built aircraft carrying 89% of the country's passengers in 2011.
Distributor: Interfast Locations: Offices in Canada, United States, Europe. Global distributor. Capabilities: Interface is a distributor of aerospace fasteners, fastening systems, precision hole preparation and production installation tooling. It also offers a customized inventory management service. www.interfast.ca
FRANKFURT—Europe's airlines are under enormous economic stress. Some are to be sold and some—like Malev and Spanair—already have disappeared this year. The consequences for the MRO sector are likely to be more subtle, but that does not mean no changes. Those airlines that already have big MRO organizations in the region will have to look at how to make those operations more efficient. Those that do not will be forced to seek outsourced work for even less. And those that have some in-house capabilities are facing crucial choices: sell, combine or expand.
Turkish Technic signed a heavy maintenance contract with Saudi Aramco for Boeing 737-700 C checks and livery painting. The maintenance work is being done at Turkish Technic's facilities in Istanbul. Engines
MRO: Alcoa Fastening Systems' Aerospace Latch Repair Station Locations: Torrance, Calif. Capabilities: In late 2011, Alcoa launched an FAA repair station that specializes in repair and overhaul for Ram aerospace latch and snubber product lines. The facility has an organization authorization designation and has the ability to repair PMA items on Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, MD-11 and DC-10 aircraft. It also provides repair and overhaul services on latches and snubbers through part approval holder authorization or via further FAA approvals. www.alcoa.com
Worthington Aviation issued STC to upgrade the existing Honeywell traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) with an aviation communication & surveillance systems (ACSS) TCAS 2000 system, dual ACSS Mode S transponders, and dual Honeywell AZ-810 digital air data computers on various Bombardier DHC-8-100, -200 and -300 series aircraft, STC ST03026CH
Barfield signed a five-year contract with Tame, Ecuador's flag carrier, for full support of its fleet of three newly delivered ATR42-500s. The deal provides nose-to-tail component support and repair, includeing engine LRUs and pool access.
Pemco World Air Services' 30 largest unsecured creditors together are owed more than $12.2 million, according to documents included in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Pemco, which also is a significant provider of passenger-to-freighter conversions, particularly in the narrowbody market, owes another $31.8 million in secured debt to Avion Services Holdings, LCC, which is maneuvering to buy Pemco and its assets. Avion and Pemco are controlled by the same investor group.
TP Aerospace Leasing signed a five- year contract with Polish charter airline OLT Express. TP Aerospace Leasing will provide component maintenance, pool access, onsite lease inventory and a logistics program to OLT Express' fleet of A319s and A320s. Facilities
