Rockwell Collins announced a series of senior leadership changes in mid-February. Greg Churchill, formerly executive VP and COO of government systems, now is executive VP of international and service solutions; Kelly Ortberg, formerly executive VP and COO of commercial systems, takes Churchill’s place as executive VP and COO of government systems. Former Rockwell Collins Services Executive VP Kent Statler now is executive VP and COO of commercial systems.
What is Aeroman’s interaction with parent company Aveos? Ruiz: Aeroman is affiliated with Aveos, so we serve with them and develop best practices together, so we can offer related solutions for our customers’ fleet management needs. That would include not only heavy maintenance but also engines and components.
StandardAero named Melissa Maddox VP operations for its business aviation sector, in addition to her current position as VP global security and risk assurance. Airframes
Sabena technics signed a five-year, full-support contract with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s major airline, CAA, Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation, the first airline to start Airbus A320 operations in the region. Military
While photo-catalytic cabin air filtration systems provide benefits such as reduced weight, an alternate system is passive and has been shown to generate no contaminants that could make their way into the cabin. This alternative, developed by The Donaldson Co., combines a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter with an activated carbon filtration medium and will equip the Boeing 787.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres signed a first customer for the joint venture it opened in November. Dunlop Taikoo (Jinjiang) Aircraft Tyres Co. Ltd. will retread and provide bias tires for Taipei-based Mandarin Airlines’ eight E-190/195s for three years. Joint Ventures/Acquisitions
Aeronautical Engineers Inc. finalized an agreement with Boeing to license engineering data to develop MD-80 passenger-to-freighter conversions. This applies to MD-81, MD-82, MD-83 and MD-88 conversions. Boeing will host AEI’s conversion drawings and data on its MyBoeingFleet.com web portal.
There’s not much cooperation in military aircraft procurement or sustainment activities in the Middle East, but that could change if a joint venture set to begin operating very soon in the United Arab Emirates achieves its mission of becoming a profitable regional hub for military aircraft MRO.
Fully exploiting information technology to improve maintenance requires massive sharing of maintenance and performance data among airlines, shops and manufacturers. And that in turn requires standardizing data, the focus of ATA’s Spec 2000 project. Spec 2000 standards for maintenance data under ATA Chapter 11 are largely complete, although adjustments are still being made.
The commercial aviation aftermarket is approaching a crossroads, a turning point. The market that rolled downhill through the recession has reached flat ground, so now it’s time to pass through the intersection and start preparing for a slow, steady climb up. It’s not going to be an easy climb, however, so start building your endurance.
Scaleable Cabin Management System Jets up to the size of Boeing Business Jets or Airbus Corporate Jets, even Boeing 747s in service with private operators, can take advantage of the scalability of Honeywell’s highly integrated, second-generation, all-digital cabin management system. The open-architecture CMS, called Ovation Select, is expected to certify this August. Honeywell also will have a mockup on display at EBACE next month.
The average MRO labor rate for 2010 is about $49—with the highest rate in Western Europe and the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean. MRO labor rates, especially in developing areas, started marching up in 2008-2009, but TeamSAI says that trend has “shown signs of a slight reversal in areas such as North America, China and the Middle East.” Labor rates in the Middle East suffered the steepest decline. Labor rates are relatively flat in Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
UV Laser Cable/Wire Marking Equipment Laselec introduced a new machine that allows users to check the markability of cables and carry out periodic controls during production. The MT 200 marks cable samples then runs an analysis report. This product is designed to be compact and easy to use. For high to very high production volumes, Laselec offers the more robust ULYS MODENA. Its MRO 200 series is better suited for lower production levels.
The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch issued its final report on the crash of a British Airways Boeing 777-200ER (flight BA038) at London Heathrow in January 2008, citing a series of highly unusual circumstances that restricted the flow of fuel to both of the aircraft’s Trent 800 engines.
HYDERABAD—The opening of the CFM56 Customer Training Center at the strategically located GMR Aerospace Park, occupying space on either side of the runway at Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi Airport, has led the way to more companies entering an arena that until now has failed to attract companies. The Aerospace Park plans to focus on attracting services such as MRO and manufacturing to realize offsets emanating from defense projects and logistics.
SR Technics will continue maintenance services for Air India’s CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines at its Zurich engine shop per a CHF$60 million (US$55.4 million), two-year contract extension with the National Aviation Co. of India Ltd. The extension covers 61 Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737-800 aircraft. SR Technics also provides engine MRO and component support for Air India’s PW4168A-powered A330-200 aircraft. Parts/Components
Ruggedized Tablet Computer Panasonic debuted a tablet version of its Toughbook mobile computer that is capable of withstanding a 6-ft. drop and meets Mil-Std-810G and IP65 ratings. The Panasonic Toughbook H1 Field features a 500 nit, 10.4-in. display with both tablet and touchscreen functionality. Because of its circular polarizer and anti-glare and anti-reflective treatments, it should be highly readable in direct sunlight.
Chromalloy named Dennis Miller to head its Midwest City, Okla., gas turbine engine maintenance and service center. Miller previously was VP and general manager at Smiths Group’s tubular systems unit.
When O&M visited Montreal-based ExelTech Aerospace in 2004, it was a rising star among MROs servicing regional aircraft. It had long-term contracts with large regional carriers such as American Eagle and was building new facilities at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport near Montreal and in Quebec City. Business was good. But in the last few years, the company faltered, and in February it filed for protection under the Canadian Companies Creditors Arrangement Act.
Boeing Defense Australia has added two contracts to programs it is working on for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF): One is a $1.5-million, 30-month project to upgrade the RAAF’s fleet of F/A-18A/B Hornet fighters, and the other is a $600-million, five-year performance-based logistics contract covering six 737 airborne early warning and control (AEWC) aircraft.
Mobile Powered Workstation Five models of battery-equipped mobile workstations from Newcastle Systems allow workers to take computers, printers, barcode scanners and other small electronic items with them as they complete a job. An onboard battery that can power four devices simultaneously for up to 10 hours makes it applicable for time-consuming, movement-laden tasks such as inventory management, process control, on-demand label printing, product testing, order picking, cross-docking, weighing, scanning and other common warehouse processes.
