Commercial Aviation Maintenance News

(left to right) Chris McCoy, Patrick Strasburger (CEO), Sidney Miller, William Jackson, Pete Osborn (training manager), Rod Watler, Bruce MacMillan, Edward Campbell (production manager), Melford Solomon, Fabian Whorms (VP maintenance) and Kenny Prendergast.

CAL Helps Mechanics Upgrade Qualifications
Cayman Airways Ltd. (CAL) trained seven mechanics to take the FAA licensing exams. Four of CAL’s senior mechanics upgraded to A&Ps and three technicians upgraded to AMEs. “In order to sit [for] the FAA license examinations in the USA, the candidates combined several years of practical experience with academic training conducted mostly onsite at CAL,” said CAL’s VP maintenance Fabian Whorms. http://www.aviationtoday.com/am/categories/bga/13509.html

SR Technics Employees Livelihood at Stake
As many as 1,500 aircraft mechanics at SR Technics may lose their jobs after the company lost three of the four contracts with Aer Lingus.  SR Technics did hold onto the line maintenance contract with the airline, but will close its Irish operations if it loses that contract too.
http://www.aviationtoday.com/am/categories/commercial/12096.html

Source One Moves
Source One Aircraft Repair has recently relocated to a new facility due to their growth. Their new address is 2808 Lafayette Ave., Newport Beach, CA 92663.
www.sourceoneaircraftrepair.com

Avmax On Track to Establish Facility in Great Falls, Montana
Calgary-based aviation company Avmax is making significant progress on its plan to establish an aircraft maintenance facility in Great Falls, Montana. Just a month after the company announced its expansion, a $1.2 million renovation of a World War II vintage hangar at Great Falls International Airport is moving along rapidly, says Gary Graham, Avmax vice president for corporate development. Great Falls economic developers, Montana Job Service officials and Avmax itself have been inundated with job inquiries and applications. The flood started shortly after Avmax announced its Great Falls expansion plans a few days before Christmas. “We probably received 40 or more applications even though we haven’t begun advertising yet, and plenty more inquiries,” Graham said. The job inquiries are coming from around the U.S., he said, but many had at least some ties to Montana, such as military mechanics wanting to quit the service and return to their home state.
www.avmax.ca

Lufthansa Technik to Establish New Engine Maintenance Facility
The foundation stone laid recently for a new aircraft engine overhaul hangar in Hamburg, represents an expansion by Lufthansa Technik AG of its production capacities in Germany. Almost 50 million euros will be invested at the company's home base over the next few months. The first engines are to be overhauled at the new facility as early as the beginning of 2009. This investment secures the long-term future of over 2,000 jobs in Hamburg, according to Lufthansa Technik. The first foundation stone was laid by Ole von Beust, First Mayor of Hamburg, together with August W. Henningsen, Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik, and Dr. Burkhard Andrich, Senior Vice President Engine Services.
http://www.lufthansa-technik.com

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General Aviation Maintenance News

TSS and Standard Aero's Maryville, Tennessee Facility Win AS9100 and AS9110 Certification
TSS Aviation, based in Cincinnati, and Standard Aero’s Maryville, Tennessee MRO facility have earned AS9100 and AS9110 certification, respectively. These certifications are the first received for the newly combined companies of Standard Aero, Landmark, TSS and Associated Air Center under the DAE Engineering Companies banner. 
http://www.aviationtoday.com/am/categories/bga/16792.html

Cessna Aircraft selects Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion for Citation
Cessna Aircraft Company has selected Rockwell Collins to provide its Pro Line Fusion avionics for Cessna’s new Citation Columbus business jet, which is expected to debut in 2014. Some of the standard features on the Columbus flight deck include: four high resolution 15-inch diagonal Liquid Crystal Displays with Synthetic Vision depiction of terrain and obstacles; MultiScan Weather Radar; Integrated Flight Information Systems (IFIS) with electronic charts, enhanced maps and graphical weather overlays; dual Advanced Flight Management Systems (FMS) with Wide Area Augmentation System that supports Localizer Precision with Vertical guidance approaches (WAAS/LPV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP) capabilities; Advanced human-machine interface including graphical flight planning capability; a Traffic Surveillance System with Automatic Direct Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities; auto throttle and an Information Management System (IMS) to manage databases and facilitate wireless interactivity with the ground infrastructure.
http://www.aviationtoday.com/am/categories/maintenance/18238.html

CRS Announces Its ISO 9001:2000 & AS9120 Recertification
CRS Jet Spares announced the continued certification of its Quality Management System to the ISO 9001:2000 and AS9120 standards pursuant to the just-completed audit by its registrar, Bureau Veritas Certification of North America (BVQi). CRS stated that it has demonstrated its commitment to the continuous improvement of its management system by successfully achieving these quality certifications.
www.crsjetspares.com

Kelly's X-Drive Starters Receive PMA
Kelly Aerospace Inc. announced it is receiving FAA-PMA approval for the manufacturing of the new Lycoming engine X-Drive starters. The X-Drive starter is newest in the lightweight, high torque starter lineup from Kelly Aerospace, targeted toward users that want the light but powerful starter. The introduction of the X-Drive starter allows Kelly Aerospace to service most OEM and aftermarket Lycoming applications.
www.kellyaerospace.com

Global Filtration, Inc. Gains National Recognition
In recognition of the economic power of multicultural businesses, DiversityBusiness.com recently named Global Filtration, Inc. as one of the “Top Woman Owned Business in America” businesses in the United States (Div500),” and the “Top Woman Owned Business in Texas.” The Div500 is the 8th annual listing of the Nation’s top 500 women-owned businesses. The companies listed on the Div500 represent the nation’s top multicultural earners and challenge the long-held notion that a women-owned business is small or insignificant. Div500 members are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with women owned companies.
www.diversitybusiness.com | www.globalfiltration.com

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Military News

Tech. Sgt. Dennis Wallace briefs logistics and maintenance senior leaders about the R-18 fuel pump used to refuel aircraft.

U.S. Air Force Leaders Ensure Maintenance Success
Sustaining combat-ready aircraft during the fast pace presented by the war on terrorism is difficult. There are continuous challenges in logistics, maintenance, contracting and supply. To discuss many of these issues, nearly 20 airmen, mostly made up of colonels and chiefs representing expeditionary maintenance group, and major command logistics senior leaders converged on the Central Command Air Forces Expeditionary Maintenance Group Conference at a base in Southwest Asia earlier this month. The conference agenda included briefings from the maintenance and logistics career field brass.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123084864

U.S. Navy and Air Force Contract
Eclypse International Corp., Corona, Calif., was awarded a $23,668,807 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for four aircraft wiring test sets and associated data item deliverables for the Navy (two) and the Air Force (two).  Work will be performed in Corona, Calif. and should be completed in January 2013.  This contract grants U.S. ground troops faster and more frequent air support, based on the Battle Damage and Repair (BDAR) improvement from this technology.  Wiring faults can now be located in minutes rather than many hours or even days.
http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=3695

Intelligent Automation Corporation Wins $66M HUMS Contract
Intelligent Automation Corporation (IAC) announced recently that the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal awarded two delivery orders worth over $6.6M as part of a $66,317,838 (with options) contract for IAC's advanced Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS). The systems are to be installed on the Apache Helicopters under the modernization and recapitalization effort. The company says the technology will support and streamline aircraft maintenance as well as improve safety and readiness for the U.S. Army's fleet of 750 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and international foreign military sales.
www.iac-online.com

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Technical and Computer Maintenance News

GKS Michigan Expands On-Site Measurement and Reverse Engineering Capability Again
GKS Inspection Services, Inc. has expanded the onsite services capability of its Detroit-area metrology lab with the addition of another Faro portable-CMM articulated arm. The new 12-foot Platinum Faro arm is the site’s fourth and is equipped with both touch probe and 3D laser scanner technologies. GKS' system configuration includes Faro's CAM2 measurement software and contact probes along with Laser Design SLP-330 and SLP-2000 laser scanners and a high-end laptop PC.
http://www.gks.com

Miro Releases GOLDesp v8.4
Miro Technologies recently released GOLDesp v8.4, the latest version of its new enterprise service platform that fuses web and enterprise technologies with the functionality from Miro’s multiple software product lines. GOLDesp v8.4 will include new functionality, including a new RFID module and chief financial officer reporting and compliance tools.
www.mirotechnologies.com

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What's Coming in the March 2008 edition of Aviation Maintenance:

Cover story:

Intelligence: Savannah Air Center’s change in management and maintenance oversight urged but not forthcoming.

Change Agent: John Casker, new president of Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA)

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Maintenance Industry Calendar 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

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