Maintenance technicians have long fought fatigue on the job. Now the FAA has stepped up its efforts to aid in that fight with new tools, an aggressive communication campaign and a data collection effort aimed at scientifically quantifying the impact of fatigue on aviation maintenance incidents and accidents.
MTU Aero Engines and GE Aviation signed a 10-year component repair development agreement. The transatlantic deal is not restricted to specific GE engine types or assemblies and stipulates that the new repair procedures will be approved as OEM repairs and marketed by GE.
Alenia Aermacchi is carrying out initial flight tests of its new helmet-mounted display (HMD), which will be retrofitted to the company’s M-346 Master jet training aircraft. The HMD, which is designed to complement the head-up display and be an interface between a student pilot and aircraft systems, displays data on the helmet’s visor no matter which direction the pilot is looking. It duplicates HMDs in use on operational combat aircraft and is meant to give students a real-world introduction system use in day and night flying.
AeroTurbine opened a new sales and material distribution center near London Heathrow. It aims to open a similar facility for rotable inventory in Asia by yearend.
The country has a new government that will try to balance the national budget by making cuts in defense programs (including, some predict, at least one major program to show how serious efforts will be). Some money, however, will continue flowing for fleet maintenance, as witnessed by the $152-million, three-year contract received by Northrop Grumman for in-service support of the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (Laircm) program.
PPG Industries promoted Mark Cancilla to global platform director for aerospace transparencies. Cancilla most recently was global manager for commercial aerospace transparencies.
AAR Corp. named Dany Kleiman VP MRO. Kleiman, who joined the company in September 2009 as VP operations, now leads its four heavy maintenance facilities in Miami, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, and Hot Springs, Ark., plus landing gear repair, engineering services, PMA, back shop services, and aircraft sales and leasing. Don Wetekam, who joined AAR in 2007 as head of its MRO group, now is senior VP of government and defense business development, responsible for growing work in missions, maintenance and logistics.
LONDON—Carbon composite construction has often been described as a “black art,” but efforts to make it more controllable and predictable are increasing. Yet, despite its obvious structural promise, reliable, repeatable repairs are proving difficult to guarantee.
The spontaneous explosion of TWA Flight 800’s center-wing fuel tank in 1996 caused the loss of 230 lives and massive changes fuel-tank systems regulations. Fourteen years later, the response of FAA and decisions by airframe OEMs still cause turmoil among airline maintenance departments and the independent shops that repair fuel-tank systems.
Delta TechOps completed its 500th Aircell Gogo WiFi installation. Aircraft flying with their WiFi work include Airbus A319, Boeing 757-200/-300, 767-300, MD-88/-90 and 737-700/-800. Parts/Components
Empire Aerospace , a regional turboprop MRO based in northern Idaho, is adding the Saab 340 to its list of capabilities. The first three 340s from customer Saab Aircraft Leasing are being refurbished. Empire is taking steps to add Bombardier CRJ regional jet maintenance capability by yearend.
Eurocontrol linked up with EASA and the European Commission to issue new guidelines aimed at reducing airspace closures due to volcanic ash. The new guidelines add an extra level to the volcanic ash concentration charts produced by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in London. The new grey zone joins three existing zones: white (no volcanic ash, normal flight operations), red (ash concentrations are low enough for EASA to allows flights) and black (no-fly zone).
Mobile Cleanrooms For AOG situations or other work outside the hangar, mobile cleanrooms can provide FOD- and dust-free zones for assembly, testing and research. Kinetic Systems’ cleanroom enclosures come in several standard sizes, but for operations with specific requirements, the company’s experts can work with customers’ design teams to develop a cleanroom that fits the task.
WiFi retrofits are increasing on commercial aircraft as more passengers clamor for inflight connectivity. “The ability to use email and broadband are among the evolving expectations of airline passengers,” says Armin Jabs, COO of ICG. The company, whose NxtMail server initially was focused on business jets, expects to announce its first airline customer this year.
Smaller Videoscope For hard-to-access crevices on aircraft parts, Machida is offering a 3-mm flexible videoscope, the smallest in the industry, according to Machida VP Jitu Patel. The Machida VSC-3-140-N videoscope relays video images from a distal tip and focusable lens assembly back to a display via internal wiring. The image quality is similar to that of a high-end video camera. The VSC-3-140-N videoscope kit consists of a videoscope, SD card, processor and carrying case. Machida, Inc., 40 Ramland Rd. South, Orangeburg, NY 10962
WiFi is moving from coffee shop hot zones to business jet cabins as the FAA continues to work with airframe OEMs and maintenance, repair and overhaul shops to establish formal guidelines for certifying the onboard WiFi equipment and enabling inflight use of passenger-carried wireless devices.
AeroMexico Airlines is installing ICG’s NxtLink communication system that offers flightdeck voice and datalink services over the Iridium satellite network on five Boeing 767-200 and -300 aircraft.
Dual-Circuit Vacuum Lifter Magnetic Inspection Laboratory received NADCAP accreditation for Industry Standard Cadmium Plating Specifications. MIL’s closed-loop environmental management system exceeds current and proposed regulatory requirements. Its capabilities include: barrel and micro-barrel, standard and custom rack, precision masking, automatic barrel abrasive blasting, and pressurized abrasive cabinet blasting. MIL says Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and others are currently auditing the new cadmium plating capabilities.
Ruag Military Aviation signed a joint agreement with Northrop Grumman to provide aftermarket support, modifications and upgrades to F-5 Tiger aircraft flown by the Swiss air force and other militaries. Northrop Grumman is the OEM of the F-5, which has been in service for 40 years.
The Air Force has placed an order for Hellas (Helicopter Laser Radar) obstacle-detection systems from EADS, which will be installed on three Sikorsky S-92 helicopters.
