SR Technics signed an integrated component solutions contract with Thomas Cook Group to provide components for 43 aircraft—18 Boeing 757s and three 767s for Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, and 13 757s and nine 767s for Condor airline—through 2015.
A J Walter added MD-11 aircraft to its power-by-the-hour component support portfolio with customers Finnair Technical Services and Belgium’s Avient launching the program. Varna, Bulgaria-based Air Via also renewed and extended its Airbus A320 contract through 2014, and Cyprus Airways added IAE V2500 engine LRUs to its contract for A320 family fleet support. AJ Walter also partnered with Egyptair Maintenance & Engineering to support Air Arabia’s Egyptian fleet of Airbus A320s.
Why is it that despite revolutionary training, advanced technology and unprecedented knowledge of the causes of errors, we continue to make those errors? That, of course, is the million-dollar question, a question that Atul Gawande, a Harvard Medical School associate professor and thought leader in error reduction, seeks to answer in his book The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right. Gawande’s research spans multiple industries, including aviation.
Elisra Electronic Systems, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, has received two major upgrade contracts from Asian nations. One, which can be identified, is with the South Korean government. Elisra will supply $25 million worth of electronic warfare suites for use in air force C-130 transports. The systems include defenses against radar-guided and heat-seeking missiles. The other contract, for $147 million, is for the supply of airborne (and ground) electronic warfare systems to an undisclosed nation.
The U.S. Air Force picked Chromalloy to repair F108 engine high-pressure compressor blades for its KC-135 tanker fleet under a contract worth $4.3 million. The contract covers one base year with four one-year options and calls for the repair of 14,984 stage-two blades, 18,268 stage-three blades, 20,976 stage-four blades and 21,303 stage-five blades. The work will take place at Chromalloy's Dallas facility in support of the Oklahoma Air Logistics Center at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City.
GE Aviation opened a new facility in Greenville, S.C., to manufacture high-pressure turbine blades for commercial aircraft engines. The site represents an investment of $30 million in new equipment and is expected to grow 100 jobs by 2013.
TeamSAI launched a new business focused on technical support services called TeamSAI M&E Solutions, with launch customers World Airways, North American Airlines and United Airlines. David A. Marcontell, a partner in the firm and its former CFO, is president of the subsidiary.
EADS Defense and Security has delivered the first of 85 Tornados flown by the Luftwaffe with comprehensive software and hardware upgrades that are designed to improve survivability against ground and airborne defenses. The upgrade, called Avionics Software System Tornado Ada, powers advanced computers, digital maps, color screens and a head-down visual display.
FRANKFURT—The first Airbus A380 to enter Lufthansa Technik’s purpose-built tail dock here eased into position as planned in April, with no expensive noises. This smoothly choreographed event marked the culmination of seven years of planning for Lufthansa Technik’s A380 project group, even though the aircraft used for the trial was a flight-test aircraft. Lufthansa’s first A380 was scheduled to arrive in May with three others slated to follow in June, July and September, plus four more in 2011. First flight will be June 11.
The European Commission published its 13th blacklist of airlines banned from operating within EU borders in April. The new list includes all carriers from the Philippines and Sudan, plus Iran Air. The EC acknowledged efforts by authorities to reform civil aviation in the Philippines and noted that PAL and Cebu Air have taken measures. Still, it insists it will—as a precaution—impose a full operating ban.
AmSafe Bridport acquired Hoffman Air Cargo Equipment in May, which builds its business developing lightweight textile product solutions for the ULD industry.
Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services to install CMC Electronics’ PilotView Class 2 electronic flight bag on Boeing 757-200, 757-200CB, 757-200PF and 757-300 series, STC ST02811CH
Comlux located its new operation in Indiana because the state won out over a bid from Minnesota. CEO David Edinger says the main elements of the maintenance and completion business already had been established at Indianapolis. Further, the land was for sale, and necessary skill sets were available in the local workforce. The state’s central location contributed to the decision. The proximity of many U.S.-based vendors whose products are critical to the work was another factor.
LONDON—While lobbyists pressure aviation to clean up its act, the environment itself is undergoing changes that challenge every type of aircraft and engine. Regional and seasonal climatic differences, such as tropical heat and humidity, extreme winter cold, sand and dust over deserts, and salt air around coasts and islands create a conundrum of how to construct and maintain aircraft to cope with them that becomes chemical roulette. Testing Standards
As part of the normal maintenance process, aircraft safety systems such as oxygen masks and evacuation slides must be disabled to prevent accidental activation. At TIMCO Aviation Services, hundreds of preventative safety pins typically are inserted at the start of a maintenance process and then removed at the end of the job. If these pins aren’t removed at the end of the service operation, the safety equipment will not function when the aircraft is returned to service, and the flight crew will have no indication that the system is not operative.
Southwest Airlines 3,200 flights per day 34,637 employees 639 miles average aircraft trip length $184 million maintenance, materials and repairs expenses in the first quarter 537 Boeing 737s, average age 10.5 years 10 number of Boeing 737-700s to be delivered this year June 18, 1971 commenced passenger service with three Boeing 737s in Texas 68 cities served
A dark, volcanic ash cloud overshadowed European air travel in April, grounding aircraft based in northern Europe and turning the region into a no-fly zone for around seven days. Now, many of the affected companies and individuals are asking if the closure was really necessary—and considering whether they have a case for financial compensation.
Fokker Aerotron appointed Joseph D. Nolte VO marketing and sales for component MRO, overseeing Fokker Aerotron in LaGrange, Ga., Fokker Airinc in Fairhope, Ala., and Fokker Schipol in the Netherlands.
Component, Interior Cleaning Wipes Two new cleaning products from Nutek, one for exterior products such as landing gear and one for carpets and upholstery, aim to speed cleaning times and reduce waste and cost. Because they should cut water usage and chemical cleaning requirements, Nutek says the products also have environmentally beneficial effects for airline or MRO customers.
The Defense Ministry awarded Rolls-Royce a £690-million ($1.1-billion) service contract covering RB199 engines used in the Tornado aircraft fleet of the Royal Air Force. The RB199 engines were built by Turbo-Union, a joint venture of Rolls-Royce, MTU of Germany and FiatAvio of Italy. The agreement, called the RB199 Operational Contract for Engine Transformation (Rocet2), runs to 2025 and guarantees that a specified number of engines will always be operationally available to the RAF. Rocet2 also covers spare parts and ground and technical support.
Bombardier launched repair and overhaul services for electrical harnessing, including engine, engine exhaust, airframe, undercarriage and door electrical harnessing on 21 aircraft types with FAA/EASA approval.
Developers of an electrically powered nose-gear designed to cut fuel consumption during taxi say that they have resolved major engineering issues and will provide final specifications to interested airlines by late summer. One concern, that the launch aircraft would not generate enough power to drive the in-wheel motors, was put to rest with electrical load measurements on a Delta Boeing 737NG at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport in January, says WheelTug.
Increased business disruption Derailment Cost overruns and poor return on investment Rejection by the organization Projects within the project Low morale and lack of direction Penny rich, pound poor results Expecting the unexpected
