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.
As we were finishing the editing and proofing process for this issue of O&M, Airbus Industrie announced it had received shareholder approval to begin making firm commercial offers to potential A3XX launch customers. With expressions of interest from eight companies -- Air France, Emirates, ILFC, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and three unidentified parties -- Airbus would seem to be on track to launch the A3XX by yearend, possibly sooner. Beginning on p.
Signature Regional Maintenance Center named Richard Himmel aircraft services manager for its Las Vegas center and Terry Meisinger manager, sales support.
Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Corp. (AMECO) Beijing, named Ma Kuiliang Chinese general manager, succeeding Zhang Hongying, effective May 1. A month earlier, Walter Heerdt became AMECO's German general manager. AMECO is a joint venture of Air China and Lufthansa.
Airshow Inc. introduced what it is calling the industry's first ``plug and play'' cabin management system. The new system, called the iGO Component System, can accommodate 12 seat locations and integrates with up to eight entertainment sources.
BAE Automated Systems named Paul J. ``Pat'' Hurley president and CEO. He previously was vice president and general manager of AlliedSignal's Inertial&Sensor Systems Enterprise (now Honeywell International) in Redmond, Wash.
AAR Corp.'s Allen Aircraft unit was named sole distributor of Honeywell's CFM56-7 hydromechanical units (HMUs). Under the multi-year contract, AAR Allen will be responsible for spares sales, leasing, exchanges and HMU-related AOG service. AAR Allen and Honeywell ``will jointly develop marketing strategies,'' Allen said. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Also, AAR Corp. launched AAR Wheel&Brake Services facilities in Dallas and Miami.
FAA in late April rolled out parameters for getting repair assessment guidelines for work done along the so-called ``pressure boundaries'' of a dozen models of older planes, but left industry guessing at the rule's true ramifications by not releasing guidance material outlining exactly what's expected.
Despite stiff competition within the Asia/Pacific region, Taiwan-based Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. (EGAT) plans to grow its earnings more than 85% over the next few years, according to a company executive.
