Airline and manufacturer experience in developing scheduled maintenance programs for new-production aircraft led them to believe a more logical decision process governing maintenance could be developed. In mid-1968, representatives of various airlines developed ``Handbook MSG-1, Maintenance Evaluation and Program Development,'' which included decision logic and inter-airline/manufacturer procedures for developing a maintenance program for Boeing 747 aircraft.
National Technical Systems (NTS) will take over operation of several laboratories at McClellan AFB, Calif., under $2 million privatization contract. McClellan, including Sacramento Air Logistics Center, will close by 2001. NTS will operate McClellan's materials engineering, failure analysis, chemical engineering, analytical chemistry and environmental testing labs.
Kaman's current upgrade of 11 surplus U.S. Navy SH-2Fs to SH-2G(A) standard for ASW and over-the-horizon surveillance and targeting roles with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), will incorporate the most advanced Litton-integrated digital avionics and other features of any of the current export Super Seasprites.
Two separate contracts for maintenance and modifications of SAAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules have been awarded to the Pemco Aeroplex subsidiary of Precision Standard Inc., by the USAF's Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. Through U.S. aid programs, the SAAF recently has received from AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., at least five surplus USAF Lockheed C-130B and USMC C-130Fs to supplement the seven C-130Bs it has operated since 1962.
AAR Aircraft Sales&Leasing named Joseph Schreiner director technical services. Schreiner most recently served as regional manager, product support field services for Boeing.
Boeing named Brad Cvetovich vice president and general manager of its customer services organization. Cvetovich worked for North American Rockwell and McDonnell Douglas before joining Boeing in 1990.
The U.S. aviation industry will have to spend more than $300 million to comply with a new FAA rule requiring installation of fire detection and suppression equipment in all Class D cargo holds on FAR Part 121 carrier aircraft over the next three years. The final rule, issued Feb. 17, will affect nearly 3,700 aircraft already in service, and all newly manufactured aircraft as well.
A Singapore Aerospace/Israel Aircraft Industries/Elbit consortium has been selected to upgrade 48 Northrop F-5A/B fighter-bombers for extended THK service. Funding of about $120 million also has been allocated for this program, for which Eidetics, Northrop Grumman, SAGEM and Sierra Technologies made final submissions. IAI is already prime contractor for the $632.5 million upgrade of 54 THK MDC F-4E Phantoms.
Heico appointed Robert Mylott vice president of operations and Kurt Musial vice president of customer support and spare parts. Mylott previously was director of overhaul and repair at Pratt&Whitney's West Virginia operations. Musial previously served as Heico's director of operations. International Airline Support Group named Douglas Blalock vice president of parts sales business development.
Duncan Aviation will acquire Kal-Aero, an aircraft maintenance and completion center for business aircraft with locations in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, Mich.. Kal-Aero will retain its name and operate as division of Duncan. Kal-Aero specializes in avionics installation, repair and overhaul; and accessory and propeller repair and overhaul.
Aerospatiale will supply six SESAR 3000 universal automatic test systems for production and maintenance of Dassault Rafale fighters. Systems will be installed at Landivisiau naval air base, onboard French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and at OEMs, including Sextant Avionique and Snecma.
Conversion was being completed earlier this year by ENAER and Israel Aircraft Industries at Santiago of a second Boeing 707-320C for airborne early-warning and control roles, with nose- and lateral forward fuselage-mounted IAI Elta EL/2075 Phalcon D-band phased-array radars for the Chilean air force (FACh). Unlike Chile's original Phalcon, however, which entered service in 1995, the second aircraft has been fitted with a rear-fuselage ventral hose-drum and drogue unit, plus associated equipment, for secondary air refueling tanker roles.
FAA reopened the comment period on four proposed airworthiness directives (ADs) that would reduce payload limits on Boeing 727s converted from passenger to cargo configuration. The comment period was reopened at the behest of FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, who told Cargo Airline Association President Stephen Alterman that ``conflicting information presented'' during the initial comment period led to her decision.
Professional Aviation Associates (PAA) announced the retirement of Doyle Griggs, founding president of the Atlanta-based subsidiary of Banner Aerospace. Griggs founded PAA in 1985 and it was acquired by Banner in 1992.
Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Co. (GAMCO) named Jeffrey Forsbrey head of commercial sales. Forsbrey previously was account manager for British Airways Engineering.
Galaxy Scientific received $31 million contract to continue development and integration of new technology into its On-Line Aviation Safety Inspection Systems (OASIS) software. OASIS is used by more than 700 FAA aviation safety inspectors for remote access to standard procedures, regulations and documents.
Using its own Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering System (AMOS), Swiss regional Crossair was able to handle rapid growth in fleet and operations with a proportionally smaller increase in engineering and maintenance manpower.
Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services GmbH opened an aviation service center at Berlin's Schoenefeld Airport. Center will service Lear, Challenger and Bombardier business jets.
Dassault Falcon Jet named James H. Aldrich Jr. vice president-engineering at its Little Rock, Ark., completion center, and H.M. Strange vice president of industrial operations at the site.
More than 4,300 commercial transports will be equipped with Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS) by the end of 2003 under a voluntary Air Transport Association (ATA) program. The voluntary program was announced in December several months in advance of the anticipated issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) requiring the systems on U.S. FAR Part 121 aircraft. The NPRM is due out this spring, with a final rule projected by year-end, said FAA Administrator Jane Garvey.
Boeing will lead a proof-of-concept study to quiet NATO's AWACS aircraft. Partners include hush-kit maker Burbank Aeronautical and engine OEM Pratt&Whitney.
Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) has moved its national headquarters to: 636 Eye St., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20001-3736. New telephone: 202-216-9220; fax: 202-216-9224. PAMA's e-mail address and website remain unchanged: [email protected] and www.pama.org.
