Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. bought a 2% stake in Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. for HK$62.4 million ($8 million), growing HAECO’s share in sister company TAECO to 58.55%. Facilities
LONDON—The European Commission’s recent proposal for a network of national air accident investigation agencies for Europe has been roundly rejected by the European Regions Airline Association (ERAA) and the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) on grounds that it would not work. Voicing their concerns at the European Aviation Safety Seminar in Lisbon in March, both organizations called for the creation of regional, multinational, independent air accident investigation boards, including a unified European air accident investigation board.
The first quarter ended with a bang for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)—actually, it was more like a roar. The service flew home the first of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets from NAS Lemoore, Calif. The fighters will replace the RAAF’s F-111 fleet due to be retired in December. Along with the Super Hornets—Australia’s first new combat aircraft in 25 years—came a three-year, $21.5-million training support services contract with Raytheon Australia.
SR Technics realigned its executive sales structure for the Americas. Wayne Mihailov, who most recently was VP business development for Aero Inventory, is taking over for Steve Rugg as VP sales Americas. Prior to joining Aero Inventory in 2008, Mihailov was VP sales and marketing for GE Aviation Financial Services. Rugg now is area sales director Americas.
Longbow LLC, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, received a four-year, $86-million contract from AgustaWestland to support Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) systems on Apache AH Mk-1 helicopters. The award covers engineering services, integrated logistics and in-country repair at Wattisham Airfield, at the Lockheed Martin facility in Florida, and at the Northrop Grumman plant in Baltimore. The Longbow FCR, the circular component on top of the rotor, provides target detection, location, classification and prioritization.
Long-range prospects for the air transport industry remain strong despite the near-term challenges that competitors face—declining volume, smaller budgets and increased costs. The corresponding reduction in demand for MRO services has forced providers to hunker down through delayed investments, labor force resizing and inventory consumption.
AAR Corp . acquired Aviation Worldwide Services and its subsidiaries Presidential Airways and STI Aviation from Xe Services, the former Blackwater. It expected the $200-million purchase to close in April.
While Europe’s airlines struggle, the International Air Transport Association is forecasting a stronger-than-expected recovery in demand, particularly in Asia and Latin America, for a full-year loss of $2.8 billion, rather than the $5.6 billion it predicted in December. IATA also downsized estimated losses for member airlines in 2009 to $9.4 billion from $11 billion.
Cambridge Online launched NAVair, its third-generation MRO software solution based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV technology. It features functionality for technical records, component control, engineering, production control, finance, sales, inventory management and purchasing.
NAVAIR awarded GE Aviation a $7.34-million modification to a 2009 contract to develop and adopt technologies to reduce fuel consumption by the U.S. Navy's F414-GE-400-powered F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet. The research is being done as a Near Term Energy Efficiency Technology Demonstration and Research Project under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Robotic Grit-Blast Machine Surface preparation work for thermal spray coating applications during engine overhaul can be automated with a robotic gritblasting system like Guyson’s Model RB-9 system. Its manufacturer says the system can automate production of a specified finish on a range of complex components.
ASB Avionics won a contract to modify National Center for Atmospheric Research Lockheed Martin EC-130Q aircraft with its commercial-off-the-shelf avionics modernization program equipment based on the five-display Honeywell control display system for retrofit, which replaces existing analog flight director, altimetric, and engine displays; autopilot and flight director components; and existing communication, navigation and surveillance components.
Low Cost Simulator ARINC Engineering Services launched a low-cost, personal computer-based aircraft maintenance training system called MxSIM, which it claims meets both military and commercial training requirements with “a wider choice of features and capabilities than any similar maintenance training system.”
Aviation Technical Services named Greg Buller general manager and VP of component services, reporting to President Matt Yerbic. Buller most recently worked at FedEx, where he held senior leadership positions in maintenance engineering and reliability analysis, maintenance planning and scheduling, liaison engineering and supply chain management for air operations.
For proof that management can make the difference between a successful human factors initiative and one that falls flat on its face, look no further than two very similar maintenance organizations in Canada. Not long ago, each MRO—let’s call them MRO-A and MRO-B—shut down for two days, rented out a facility, brought in hot coffee and warm donuts, and proceeded to give its technicians two full days of human factors training delivered by a specialist in the subject.
Viking Group picked A J Walter Aviation to provide power-by-the-hour support for its fleet of new Airbus A320-200s operated by Viking Hellas Airlines. Initially the contract will cover two aircraft based in Athens, Greece. AJW already provides support for Viking’s six Boeing 737 Classic and NG aircraft under a 2008 agreement. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
GE Aviation named Sid Ashworth VP of its Washington, D.C. operations. She has 25 years of experience in the legislative and executive government branches, including tenures as a professional staff member with the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, and as the majority staff director and minority staff director of the Defense Subcommittee, and as majority staff director and minority staff director of the Military Construction Subcommittee.
Houston Precision Fasteners earned Lockheed Martin Aeronautics general quality systems approval. It also added series approvals supporting aeronautics and space systems platforms, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-22, C-5M and Atlas V.
HVOF Tape Protecting components during hot, abrasive high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying work requires resilient thermal spray tape. DeWal has developed a new type of tape called D-Max that it has tested to temperatures more than 1,000F and forces greater than Mach 2 for better performance during processes such as grit blast, ceramic spraying, plasma spraying and arc spraying.
Texas Aero Engine Services Ltd (TAESL) 50:50 joint venture of Rolls-Royce and American Airlines in Fort Worth, Texas Founded in 1998 Repairs and overhauls the RB211 engines that power American Airlines' Boeing 757s and the Trent 800s that power American Airlines' Boeing 777s Inducted its 1,500th engine in 2007
