Boeing will provide re-engine kits for four KC-135 tankers and four RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft under a $64.8 million contract from Oklahoma City ALC, Tinker AFB. Two of the tanker kits are in support of a foreign military sale to Singapore. Also, Boeing received a $452 million contract to provide for engineering and manufacturing development of functional improvements to the E-3 AWACS aircraft.
Honeywell will use Aerospatiale's ATEC Series 6 universal, on-board automatic tester to develop and maintain test program sets for Honeywell avionics on Boeing 777 and 737-600/700/800 aircraft. Also, China Southern Airlines will use the ATEC Series 6 for on-board testing of its Airbus A320 and 777 avionics and Philippine Airlines ordered an ATEC Series 6 unit together with 10 test program sets for the avionics on its A320s, A330s and A340s.
Snecma would be the sole owner of landing gear maker and servicer Messier-Dowty, as well as landing gear repair and overhaul businesses formerly owned by Britain's TI Group, under a $332 million deal Snecma and the TI Group agreed upon in December. Under a letter of intent signed by the two companies, the TI Group would sell its 50% stake in Messier-Dowty to Snecma, which already holds the other 50%. The deal is subject to European Union approval.
Shanghai Airlines ordered Collins TCAS II for retrofit on two Boeing 757s. Equipment is capable of growth to meet standards for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast(ADS-B).
Tracor Systems Division has been awarded a $14.3 million USAF contract option to convert 24 retired McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms into QF-4 pilotless target drones. This was the third production option from a previously announced contract, with a total value of $90.8 million, and followed a second production option for 36 QF-4s. The last ECM-equipped F-4Gs were retired from USAF service only last year, although all USAF F-4E fighter-bombers were withdrawn some years earlier.
Icelandair won contracts to provide heavy maintenance on five Blue Skandinavia Boeing 757s and four Air Holland 757s. Both contracts are for three years.
Jack Hessburg, chief mechanic, new airplanes, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, was a key member of the 777 development team. An outspoken advocate for human factors programs in aviation maintenance, he recently spent several months with the NTSB in Washington, D.C., where he talked with O&M's Donna B. Kaulkin. This is the second in a series of conversations with MRO Pathfinders. Edited for length and clarity.
Elliot Aviation will market the new Advisory Ice Detection System manufactured by Rosemount Aerospace, the aircraft sensors division of BFGoodrich. System is designed for use on King Air twin-engine turboprops.
Don Fuqua, president of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) since 1987, will retire this year. Under Fuqua's leadership, AIA worked to reduce statutory and regulatory burdens on the defense industry, established the National Center for Advanced Technologies and the National Industrial Security Program and spearheaded an industry effort to focus public attention on inefficiencies and inequities in the government procurement system.
The $360 million contract a Raytheon E-Systems consortium received in 1995 to upgrade the mission system avionics of 18 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, recently was supplemented by $12 million more to cover additional spares. The RAAF's Project Air 5275 Sea Sentinel upgrade consortium also includes BAe Australia, Boeing Australia, and Honeywell Australia. These complanies will complete the program after Raytheon delivers the first modified AP-3C in September, for extended service until at least 2015.
Marshall Aerospace received a contract from British Airways to modify 28 Boeing 747-400s with new cabin configurations, communications and in-flight entertainment equipment. Contract is worth about $12.8 million. Also, the company will modify a Lockheed L-1011 for NASA to carry and launch the X-34 research vehicle.
Bridgestone will purchase the assets of Miami-based tire retreader Thompson Aerospace. Tokyo-based Bridgestone will use Thompson assets to serve airlines with new tire sales, tire retreading, and wheel and brake service.
When an accident occurs, an airline or leasing company works with its insurance company to determine whether to repair or scrap a damaged jetliner, said Paul Hayes, a director with Airclaims, Ltd., a London-based firm specializing in airframe insurance. That decision must take into account the value of the airframe type, as well as the age and use of the plane in question, he said.
Boeing cut the ribbon on a facility at Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz., where it will begin upgrading avionics systems on more than 500 U.S. Air Force T-38 jet trainers.
Further details are awaited of a reported Hellenic Air Force (HAF) F-16 upgrade contract, for which Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA) has been nominated prime contractor. Israel's Elbit Systems also is involved in this program, for which it has received a $30 million contract to supply avionics, including computers and display screens. These are apparently intended for the HAF's first batch of 34 Block 30 F-16CGs and six F-16DG two-seat combat trainers, delivered from November 1988, with at least three lost to date through accident attrition.
Target Aviation of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was chosen as that nation's exclusive Learjet authorized service center by Bombardier Business Aircraft. Facility will stock about $500,000 worth of Learjet parts.
Pratt&Whitney recommends operators of PW4084 engines install a ``more robust'' seal designed for the PW4098 during regular shop visits. Recommendation follows two incidents traced to oil leakage in a bearing.
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.
Approximately $120 million has been allocated to upgrade 48 Northrop F-5A/B fighter-bombers for extended Turkish air force (THK) service. SAGEM in France and a Singapore Aerospace/Israel Aircraft Industries/Elbit consortium have been short-listed for final submissions. A decision is expected soon. IAI's Lahav Division is prime contractor for the $632.5 million upgrade of 54 THK MDC F-4E Phantoms, for which negotiations for the licensed production of 50-100 Rafael Popeye heavy air-to-surface missiles in Turkey are nearing finalization.
B/E Aerospace will provide its Reliance XL main cabin seats to Cathay Pacific, which will retrofit seats in a portion of its Boeing 747 fleet. Under $13 million contract, seats will be provisioned for IFE systems.
