Unidex, Inc., introduced a new overhead-mounted manipulator system to its line of ergonomic workstations and material handling equipment. The new unit's design offers reach-in flexibility for machine loading and unloading, as well as stabilizing off-balance loads, and eliminating load swing. Unit's round, telescoping lift column features a manually guided arm rotation of 360 deg. at column centerline, and is designed for optimum stability. The manipulator arm can accommodate a wide variety of manual, mechanical and powered attachments for handling a wide variety of loads.
In the past, we've split the Guide in half and published it in two installments. The listings covered the gamut from the largest airline-focused MRO companies, like Lufthansa Technik, BFGoodrich Aerospace and Singapore Technologies Aerospace and major OEM customer support organizations, to the smallest corporate aircraft component overhaul shops.
Comair Aviation has opened a new fixed base operation at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The $8 million facility includes a 40,000-sq. ft. hangar and other features.
FAA on April 28 proposed thrust reverser modifications that would leave operators of GE-powered DC-10s with nearly $590,000 in work per aircraft to get the planes up to newly required standards. The work involves installing ``provisional'' wiring and/or an additional thrust reverser locking system as well as light system changes to all U.S.-registered DC-10s, including military versions. Pratt&Whitney-powered DC-10s would need much less expensive mods.
Sextant In-Flight Systems will line-fit five Alitalia Boeing 747-400 aircraft with interactive in-seat video systems. During installation, Sextant will provision each airplane's economy class for video-on-de-mand in-seat video upgrades. The agreement also has provisions for options to outfit three more aircraft.
Pemco Aviation Group, Inc., formerly known as Precision Standard, Inc., changed its NASDAQ symbol to PAGI from PCSN. Company recently re-incorporated its corporate entity in Delaware.
Jet Aviation, West Palm Beach, Fla., completed the first wing de-mate on a Dassault Falcon 50 aircraft. The procedure was created after fuel leaks were found during a C check.
British Airways and BAE Systems, Inc. will team to provide a Total Maintenance Support Service (TMSS) program for Airbus A320-family aircraft. BAE Systems Aviation Services will provide base maintenance; British Airways will provide spares support and component services. BAE Systems' JetSpares will provide logistics and AOG support.
CEL Aerospace Test Equipment signed a $6 million contract with the Republic of Singapore Ministry of Defense for supply of a new test cell facility at its Montreal headquarters for turboshaft engines. The test cell will be used for repair and overhaul of GE T700, Turbomeca Makila and Honeywell T55/T53 turboshaft engines for Singapore MoD's helicopters.
Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., entered into a five-year blanket purchase agreement with KPMG Consulting for the integration of an enterprise resource planning system built around SAP's core ERP package. Navair, responsible for procuring and maintaining aircraft for the U.S. Navy, will use the ERP system to share data and processes across the organization.
China Southern Airlines and MTU Munchen plan to build and operate a new engine overhaul and maintenance facility in Zhuhai, China. The new facility, in which the partners plan to invest $180 million, will be called MTU Maintenance Zhuhai Co. Ltd. and will be the largest engine overhaul facility in the country. The facility will work on International Aero Engines V2500s and other powerplants. It is scheduled to open in 2002 and will have the capability of overhauling 150 engines per year by 2006.
Northwest Airlines signed a $5 million general enterprise license agreement to use BEA Systems Inc. software to develop applications for aircraft maintenance, as well as flight reservations, flight operations, crew scheduling and airport operations, BEA said.
America West Airlines selected Rockwell Collins' Hermes ground datalink system to support up to 140 aircraft and integrate with several existing and planned ground systems. Installation will begin this summer with ARINC providing integration support. Hermes is a PC-based software system that provides the interface to airline datalink applications and allows e-mail-style communications between the airline and its aircraft. It runs on Windows NT servers.
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.
Racal Avionics received two avionics upgrade contracts from the UK MoD valued at $96 million with options worth another $64 million over the next five years. The first involves installing Saturn dual V/UHF radio systems and AMS 2000 control display navigation units on the Royal Navy's fleet of Lynx HMA Mk.8 helicopters. Under the second, Racal will provide AMS 2000 units with embedded GPS for Royal Navy Chinook helicopters.
Marconi Integrated Systems received a $10 million time-and-materials contract to provide for repair of 575 Avionics Integrated Shop and Improved Avionics Intermediate Shop components in support of F-16 fighters.
