American Aircarriers Support, Inc. cut a deal with Spirit Airlines to do a C check and modifications including flight data recorder upgrade, ACARS and GPS on an MD-82.
Spirent, formerly Penny&Giles Aerospace, will provide docking stations for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computers to Atlas Air to allow Atlas pilots to tap into aircraft performance data, through several programs, including Spirent Onboard Performance System (OPS). Also, Spirent Systems received STC approval for Pilot Access Terminal (PAT) installation on FedEx's MD-11 fleet.
FAA, the Joint Aviation Authorities and Transport Canada are close to standardizing their return-to-service forms, the 8130-3, Form One, and 24-0078, respectively.
Lockheed Martin Co. (LM Aero) and Portuguese aircraft maintenance company OGMA-Industria Aeronautica De Portugal, SA agreed on a letter of intent March 29 to work together in developing a proposal for the Portuguese Air Force P-3P Life Extension and Capabilities Program (LECP). Signed by Gen. Pelagio Castelo Branco, president of OGMA and Tom Burbage, executive vice president, customer requirements for LM Aero, the program will modernize the aircraft mission system to extend the service life of the FAP's six Orions up to an additional 25 years.
Elbit Systems will upgrade 31 F-5 aircraft for the Royal Thai Air Force under a four-year, $66 million contract. Program includes maintenance and logistics support.
Lufthansa Technik will add two or three additional production lines for interior customization of business jets. LHT plans to deliver five custom-equipped jets this year and six to eight more in 2001.
Kellstrom Industries will support Northrop Grumman as a subcontractor for Northrop Grumman's support of JSTARS (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System) for the U.S. Air Force. Kellstrom will provide repair administration, inventory management and logistical services, and maintain a material management distribution operation in Melbourne, Fla. Contract is subject to renewal at end of 2001 for an additional five years.
Wood Group Turbopower Inc. has established a new PT6 comprehensive warranty for overhaul and repair. The warranty covers all overhaul and repair by Wood Group, including after engine sale.
BAE Systems' Paradigm Group and IFS (Industrial&Financial Systems) will form a joint venture software company to target aviation markets for logistics information systems, fleet management and maintenance, and repair and overhaul. The JV will have about 200 employees with an expected annual turnover of about $18 million.
O&M: European competitors like SR Technics and MTU are talking about doubling or trebling their size by 2010, yet Lufthansa Technik's stated aim is annual growth of 8% to 10%. Why is there such a difference?
TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace) won the UK Council for Electronic Business' 2000 award for the most significant implementation of e-business techniques for its spares website, www.trwaerospares.com.
Bedek Aviation Group delivered to Airborne Express a Boeing 767 it converted from passenger to cargo configuration. Two additional Airborne Express aircraft are currently undergoing modification as part of an 11-aircraft conversion program. Work is worth about $50 million.
Pauli Systems introduced its new RAM 49 SatinStrip system that doubles production rates and enables visual control of paint stripping on composite or metal substrates in a dust-free environment. Engineered as a closed-cycle system, RAM 49 SatinStrip applies new technology to combine benefits of direct pressure dry stripping with automatic vacuum recovery, cleaning and media recycling. System's VCC-2000 blast head offers visual process control while wide-path stripping doubles production rates.
Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and Fairchild Dornier have signed a contract covering completion, support and maintenance of the Envoy 7 business jet. LHT will be responsible for interior completion of the jets that are not sold to U.S. customers. The company also will provide heavy maintenance services for the aircraft at its Hamburg, Germany, base.
Northrop Grumman's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector created a new Logistics Systems and Materials Division, to be based in Baltimore. It will target new supply chain management and other independent logistics business opportunities.
Still riding the crest of record-setting business growth, the maintenance, repair and overhaul industry is racing to keep pace with increasing volumes and rapidly changing customer expectations. The changing expectations have been fostered by the alluring, customer-driven product support programs being offered by MRO providers -- including original equipment manufacturers (OEM) -- custom-tailored for specific customer requirements.
This issue of O&M is bound for Farnborough International 2000, otherwise known as the Farnborough Air Show. Both Senior Editor Jim Proulx and I will be attending the show. If you need to find us, the easiest way to get in touch would be to leave a message at the Aviation Week chalet (K-5). We look forward to seeing you in the U.K.
Baan will provide Snecma Moteurs with its E-Enterprise software suite. First application will be at Snecma Services, a subsidiary of Snecma Moteurs. The agreement with Baan covers eight Snecma facilities.
Aerostar of Romania flew its upgraded MiG-29 Sniper demonstrator aircraft for the first time. Aerostar, DaimlerChrysler and Israel's Elbit developed the Sniper as an upgrade for about 18 MiG-29 Fulcrum A aircraft in service with Romania and other East European air forces. The Sniper features a new onboard computer and redesigned cockpit that is compatible with NATO standards.
Alaska Airlines appointed Brian Hirshman staff vice president for maintenance, where he will have oversight for all airline maintenance. He was formerly senior operations manager of Northwest Airlines' DC-10 hangar operations in Minneapolis.
Wahl Instruments, Inc. introduced its new DHS 150 XEL Heat-Spy laser-sighted, hand-held non-contact infrared thermometer. The new unit measures temperatures from -26 deg. F to 932 deg. F and has an extended spectral range of 8 to 14 micrometers, making it well-suited for use in environments high in CO2, steam or water vapor. Unit includes main backlit display switchable from Celsius to Fahrenheit readings and a smaller display for maximum, minimum and average values. Unit features a 10:1 distance-to-spot ratio and emissivitiy can be adjusted from 0.2 to 1.0.
Pratt&Whitney signed a 12-year, $110 million fleet management agreement with American Eagle and its affiliate Executive Airlines for their ATR turboprop aircraft.
CEC Vibration Products Division of Sensortronics Inc. has introduced the 1-890 multipurpose vibration switch. This digital vibration switch can monitor machines and provide local or remote indication of machine faults. System includes two built-in level alarms, LCD display and calibrated 4-20 mA output proportional to input. System includes 30-sec. startup delay and alarm reset initiated via remote input Three-digit display indicates current vibration level.
