Hannay Reels is offering its HGR series of spring-rewind cable reels designed for use in explosive atmospheres such as those present during aircraft refueling or while servicing aircraft fuel tanks. Product prevents sparking in situations where static electricity build-up could cause an explosion. HGR Series is available in four model types and handles 20 ft. to 100 ft. of static grounding cable. Equipped with spring rewind, motor works smoothly and requires minimal cable pull to release lock, according to Hannay.
BFGoodrich Co. and SIA Engineering Co. have formed a strategic alliance to repair and overhaul aircraft nacelles, thrust reversers, and pylons. Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, SIAEC acquired 30% of BFGoodrich Aerostructures&Aviation Services Group's Singapore-based subsidiary, Rohr Aero Services-Asia (RASA), with an option for 10% more. RASA operates a 60,000-sq. ft. maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in Singapore's Loyang district.
Following their recent upgrade with new electronic support measures (ESM) passive surveillance systems, France's four E-3F AWACS aircraft, which were delivered in 1991-92, will receive other new avionics under a $25.5 million Boeing contract. Improved navigational accuracy and reliability will result from installation of a GPS/INS facility into the mission system and flight deck of the aircraft.
Boeing is moving its 1,000-person headquarters out of Seattle and reshuffling its management, creating three CEO slots to run the company's three biggest businesses -- Military, Commercial Aircraft and Space. Boeing veteran Alan Mulally is now president and CEO of Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, Jerry Daniels is president and CEO of Military Aircraft and Missile Systems in St. Louis, and Jim Albaugh heads Space and Communications in Seal Beach, Calif., as president and CEO.
Exostar named Stephen O'Sullivan executive vice president-new business development; Craig Jeffries chief marketing officer; and Jim Mandracchia chief strategist. O'Sullivan previously was executive vice president and general manager for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft North American Operations; Jeffries was vice president of marketing and e-business for Honeywell's Commercial Aerospace Group; Mandracchia was director of e-commerce with Lockheed Martin Corp.
Rockwell Collins named Pat Zerbe director, strategic communications, and Kirsti Dunn to replace her as director, public relations. Dunn most recently was FAA public affairs officer for the Alaskan, Western-Pacific and Northwestern regions.
Maintenance of older business aircraft often becomes even more complicated when gaps appear in the recording of repairs and modifications performed over what could be decades of service. Lack of a complete set of documents is one of the most significant emerging issues facing repair stations, owners and reputable aircraft management firms, according to Bill Zink, director of maintenance business for San Francisco-based TAG Aviation USA, which operates aircraft under both FAR Part 91 and Part 135.
Rockwell Collins completed a U.K. Ministry of Defence contract to replace high-frequency radio systems onboard seven Royal Air Force E-3D Sentry AWACS aircraft. Contract includes 10 years of logistics support. Also, Rockwell Collins will supply 113 TCAS II systems to Airborne Express for Airborne's fleet of Douglas DC-8 and DC-9 and Boeing 767 freighters. In addition, Rockwell Collins has extended its Collins Avionics Services Program for business aircraft operators to internationally based operations.
EG&G named Brenda Younts manager of commercial development, in charge of overall marketing strategy and outreach, as well as prospecting new tenants for KellyUSA, the 2,000-acre development on the site of the former Kelly AFB, San Antonio, Texas. Younts has a 14-year career in commercial real estate management.
US Airways will pay $75,000 to settle FAA allegations that the carrier flew a Boeing 737 in an unairworthy condition. FAA charged US Airways with failing to ``properly classify'' damage uncovered during a scheduled maintenance check that required a major repair before the aircraft could be returned to service. During the check, done at the carrier's Pittsburgh maintenance facility, mechanics found a puncture in the left-hand elevator upper surface. US Airways operated the aircraft on some 247 flights between Feb. 24 and April 18, 2000, FAA said.
AerotechTelub of Sweden, Danish Aerotech and Astec Helicopter Services of Norway are forming a joint venture, the Nordic Support&Service Center, to provide maintenance and logistics support to the Nordic Standard Helicopter Program, which will purchase and operate more than 70 helicopters for use by Denmark, Norway and Sweden in defense missions.
When business aircraft come off the assembly line, chances are they will be flying long after the people who built them have retired. While that kind of service life may not have been envisioned by the builders, the fact is that airframes are being operated for many years longer than their manufacturers may have believed possible. Today, business flying is taking place aboard a considerably older fleet.
EADS Aeroframe Services, which wants to become a major third-party maintenance provider for North and South American Airbus operators, began work at its new Lake Charles, La., facility in March, taking in three Skyservice A320s for C checks, interior work and painting. Skyservice, a Canadian charter operator, is the first customer for Aeroframe, a joint venture between France's Sogerma, a subsidiary of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., and U.S.'s Northrop Grumman.
Moves by Babcock International engineering services group to widen its military base have resulted in $87.7 million bid for two of the Hunting group's four defense equipment and support subsidiaries. With an operating profit of $8.2 million on a $78.4 million turnover in 1999, these are being offered for disposal to allow Hunting to buy the U.S.-based Vinson company, expanding its specialization in oil and gas drill casings.
Erowa Technology introduced the PreSet 3D CNC machine-tool station that employs Erowa's four-step flexible-productivity plan emphasizing standardization through universal workholding, organization with pre-arranged workpieces, automation and integration through manufacturing communication. PreSet 3D CNC can handle highly irregular parts, and allow easy performance of post-work quality control procedures, since all part clamping, orientation and QA tasks can take place while machines are running. System provides precise 3D position definitions on 27.5 in. X axis, 21.6 in.
The change in administrations likely isn't going to result in a big upward swing in defense spending, at least not in the short term, so depots and other maintenance organizations are going to have to continue to find new and better ways of doing their jobs, according to a ranking Pentagon official.
Derco Aerospace, Inc. signed a three-year Preferred Supplier Agreement with BFGoodrich Co. that will include supplying the GH-3000 Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS) for Derco's latest integration effort on the Botswana Defense Force's C-130 fleet.
FAA last month issued an airworthiness directive (AD) mandating a new set of Boeing-recommended inspections on 767 elevator power control actuator (PCA) bellcranks. The immediate-adoptive rule (No. 2001-04-09) calls for a more detailed repetitive inspection than one currently required.
Inventory Locator Service has partnered with IHS Engineering, a content provider of technical, engineering and regulatory information solutions. The alliance provides ILSmart customers direct purchasing access to IHS' comprehensive collection of industry and corporate standards, as well as U.S. military specifications. Additionally, IHS customers are able to access basic parts information on more than 5 billion aviation parts from ILS that will be accessible from IHS' free TechSavvy Parts Center and linked to ILS BidQuest.
