Aircraft

December 2013 - January 2014 • Issue 127

The leading international magazine for the manufacturing and MRO sectors of commercial aviation

Secrets of an MRO giant Lufthansa Technik in profile Fulfilling MRO demand in the Middle East

Boeing 737 MAX programme update

Aerospace fasteners: meeting new demands

Tablets and the future of electronic flight bags

CONTROLLING DEPOSITS IN MORE THAN 11,000 ENGINES. Why do so many customers think Mobil Jet Oil is the world’s most reliable lubricant for aircraft engines? Probably because we’ve been keeping engines clean and operating efficiently in the past, present and into the future.

Learn more at exxonmobil.com/aviation © 2013 Exxon Mobil Corporation. Mobil and Mobil Jet Oil are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.

CONTENTS

December 2013 - January 2014 • Issue: 127

EDITOR Jason Holland: [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR Hannah Davies: [email protected]

» NEWS UPDATE

» ENGINEERING &

4.

MAINTENANCE

A round-up of the latest news, contracts, products and people movements.

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Alex Derber, Bernard Fitzsimons, Chris Kjelgaard PRODUCTION MANAGER Phil Hine: [email protected] PUBLISHER & INTERNATIONAL MEDIA MANAGER Alan Samuel: [email protected]

Aircraft Technology Engineering & Maintenance (ATE&M) (ISSN: 0967-439X - USPS 022-901) is published bi-monthly, in February, April, June, August, October and December with an extra issue in July, plus annual issues of the yearbooks published in September and November by OAG Aviation Publications Limited. and distributed in the USA by SPP c/o 95, Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Aircraft Technology Engineering & Maintenance c/o SPP P.O. Box 437 Emigsville, PA 17318-0437, USA. All subscription records are maintained at OAG Aviation Publications Limited. Ludgate House, 245 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 9UY, UK. ATE&M UK annual subscription cost is £150. ATE&M Overseas annual subscription cost is £170 or $300 (USA). ATE&M Single copy cost is £25 (UK) or $50 (USA) All subscriptions enquiries to: [email protected] Website: www.mro-network.com ATE&M is published by OAG Aviation Publications Limited. Printed in England by Pensord Press Ltd. Mailing house: Flostream UK. Aircraft Technology Engineering & Maintenance (ATE&M), part of OAG Aviation Publications Limited, has used its best efforts in collecting and preparing material for inclusion in ATE&M but cannot and does not warrant that the information contained in this product is complete or accurate and does not assume and hereby disclaims, liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in ATE&M whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. This publication may not be reproduced or copied in whole or in part by any means without the express permission of OAG Aviation Publications Limited. Aircraft Technology Engineering & Maintenance is a licensed trademark of OAG Aviation Publications Limited. All trademarks used under license from OAG Aviation Publications Limited. © 1999 – 2014, OAG Aviation Publications Limited. All rights reserved.

Front cover: © Gregor Schläger/Lufthansa Technik AG

Content

» INDUSTRY FOCUS 14.

Germany’s global MRO giant Lufthansa Technik Group is regarded as the world’s largest independent MRO company. At its Hamburg headquarters, Chris Kjelgaard spoke to its CEO and other senior executives to find out about the group’s capabilities, affiliations and outlook.

50.

GP7200 programme update Engine Alliance’s GP7200 engine has been in service on the A380 since 2008. Alex Derber assesses its early performance and analyses future maintenance strategies.

24.

MRO focus: Middle East With fleet expansion worth $550bn in the next 20 years, the MRO industry in the Middle East is set to experience strong growth. Jason Hol‐ land examines company strategies, general trends and future challenges for the region.

» TECHNOLOGY

56.

Aerospace fasteners — meeting new demands Already wide, the range of fasteners for aerospace applications continues to grow as manufacturers develop new drive systems and respond to the demands of composite structures. Bernard Fitzsimons reports.

& INNOVATION

30. 737 MAX programme update The 737 MAX, an engine-variant family of Boeing’s single-aisle 737 aircraft, is currently in the detailed design phase. Hannah Davies explores what the 737 MAX will bring to the market when it enters into service in 2017.

» INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

36. Tablets and the future of EFBs The electronic flight bag (EFB) has become an essential part of the cockpit. Hannah Davies looks at the development of current EFB solutions and what to expect from them in the future.

44.

Aerospace oils and lubricants In recent years more efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft have been entering the market, each featuring high performance engines. The oils and lubricants business has had to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the aviation industry.

information systems Aerospace manufacturing has embraced the methodology and ethos of lean techniques. Here, Kathie Poindexter, product marketing manager at Epicor Software Corporation, looks at how the effective use of ERP technology can deliver lean manufacturing.

» DATA & DIRECTIVES 62.

Michael A Oakes Content Director T: +44 (0) 207 975 1675 E: [email protected]

Jason Holland ATE&M Editor T: +44 (0) 207 975 1677 E: [email protected]

Hannah Davies ATE&M Assistant Editor T: +44 (0) 207 975 1674 E: [email protected]

Alex Derber Journalist T: +44 (0) 207 975 1678 E: [email protected]

Commercial

Jeremy Buckle Event Director T: +44 (0) 207 975 1668 E: [email protected]

Alan Samuel Publisher & Int/l Media Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1671 E: [email protected]

Victoria Keeble Business Development Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1666 E: [email protected]

Robert Springthorpe Business Development Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1667 E: [email protected]

Operations

Lucinda Springett Operations Director T: +44 (0) 207 975 1663 E: [email protected]

Phil Hine Production/IT Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1664 E: [email protected]

Steff Humm Event Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1662 E: [email protected]

Johanna Summers Operations Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1665 E: [email protected]

Marketing

Ellie Stamouli Marketing Manager T: +44 (0) 207 975 1660 E: [email protected]

www.mro-network.com

60. Lean manufacturing and business wide

FAA AD biweekly summary listings

Ivo Brook Conference Producer T: +44 (0) 207 975 1673 E: [email protected]

ATE&M is the official publication of the MRO Network

Connecting the global MRO Community

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With everything from component support and maintenance WKURXJKWRWKHIXOOUDQJHRIDGGLWLRQDOVHUYLFHVDQGPRGLɦFDWLRQV your A380 is in good hands with Lufthansa Technik. As one of WKHZRUOGȪVOHDGLQJ052SURYLGHUVZHDUHDOZD\VRQKDQGZLWK extensive global support and the expertise gained from being LQYROYHGLQWKHDLUFUDIWȪVGHYHORSPHQWSURFHVV$V\RXFDQVHH we have one thing in common when it comes to the A380: LQɦQLWHVHUYLFH /XIWKDQVD7HFKQLN$*PDUNHWLQJVDOHV#OKWGOKGH Call us: +49-40-5070-5553

More mobility for the world

NEWS UPDATE

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

» INBRIEF HEICO has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with the Association of European Airlines (AEA). The company says the agreement brings it closer to its European customers and allows HEICO “access to AEA’s expertise in policy analysis and regular European regulatory updates”. Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and Boeing have strengthened their relationship with an extension of their long-term titanium products supply agreement; the extension covers titanium mill products.

HAECO ACQUISITION OF TIMCO ALL ABOUT GROWTH Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company’s (HAECO) $388.8m acquisition of TIMCO will create one of the world’s largest MRO providers based on revenues and customers numbers, as well as the level of services and products offered. HAECO, which is 75 per cent owned by holding company Swire Pacific, gains wider access to the North American market, and the acquisition expands the company’s narrowbody and regional aircraft service offerings. TIMCO will keep its name and management, and will seek growth opportunities in the expanding Asia-Pacific market, particularly with regard to its interiors engineering and manufacturing business. Indeed, the interiors aspect of the deal would seem to have been a key reason for HAECO’s investment, with the company also stating its desire to accelerate its “development of technical capabilities”. Augustus Tang, HAECO CEO, said the company had “long been looking to expand” its global presence, with the acquisition enabling it to “unlock exciting growth opportunities for us globally”. In its home market, HAECO has seen less demand for heavy maintenance recently, and its first-half net profit in 2013 reflected this — dropping 21 per cent from the year-before period. The TIMCO deal therefore comes at a good time, and represents HAECO’s first major acquisition outside Asia-Pacific. TIMCO is currently owned by investment vehicles managed by OwlCreek Asset Management, but has seen three different owners over the past 15 years — in this light then it is less surprising that the company was ripe for acquisition. A “business as usual” mantra is being emphasised to employees with no layoffs expected as a result of the acquisition; instead growth will come by being part of an even larger, more global independent MRO company. “This transaction will open the door to new growth going forward. By making an investment in TIMCO, HAECO is demonstrating its commitment to strengthening our platform in North America,” said TIMCO CEO Kevin Carter. “This exciting and unique opportunity offers our customers access to a broader and deeper platform of products and services while better enabling us to seize on current global growth opportunities related to interiors engineering and manufacturing.” The acquisition is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2014, subject to regulatory approvals, and will be financed through both cash and debt.

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S Aircraft Technology - Issue 127 S

AJW Aviation has been awarded the ISO18001 for Health & Safety Management Systems and ISO14001 certification for Environmental Management Systems by the International Standards Organisation (ISO). Mitsubishi Aircraft has established a quality assurance department in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It will oversee the integration of European partners with the MRJ programme and aims to strengthen relationships with them. IMT Aviation has doubled its capacity to include dedicated nacelle and thrust reverser, electrical, CSD, and pneumatic workshops at its composite and sheet metal structures facility in Saffron Walden, Essex, UK; the additional capacity was achieved by the company acquiring Aircraft Components Europe. Mahindra Aerospace and Aernnova have joined forces under a new technology partnership, which will see the two companies working together to develop capabilities in a bid to better meet demand. Recaro Aircraft Seating has opened its manufacturing plant in Qingdao in Shandong province, China. The new facility will produce aircraft seats for the local market. Tianjin has become the first operator in Asia to receive General Electric’s ‘TRUEngine’ designation for 107 of its CF34-10E engines that power its fleet of 50 Embraer 190s.

MTU – Maintaining your power

pair Fu l l r e l i t y f o r i c a p a b 9 0 G r ow t h the GE

At MTU Maintenance, we believe in streamlined, cost-effective results. We are the world’s largest independent engine service provider, combining the benefits of state-of-the-art technologies, decades of expertise, customized maintenance solutions and process excellence. MTU’s extensive MRO portfolio now also includes the GE90 Growth. Dedicated to support you. www.mtu.de

NEWS UPDATE

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

» INBRIEF

ENGINE COMPANIES AND INDUSTRY PLAYERS JOIN FORCES FOR RESEARCH A new cross-company research programme designed to develop new technologies for commercial aero engines has been launched. The project, ENOVAL, which is taken from the name ENgine mOdule VALidators, is funded by the European Union and is being led by MTU Aero Engines. With a gross budget of more than €45m, co-funded by the European Commission with €26.5m, the project intends to provide new technologies for fan, gearbox, low-pressure compressor and turbine modules. The overall aim is to reduce engine CO2 emissions by up to five per cent and to lessen noise by up to 1.3 decibels. This would achieve or surpass CO2 and noise level targets set by ACARE and the European Commission’s ‘Vision for Aviation — Flightpath 2050’. More than 140 representatives from the aerospace industry came together in Freising, near Munich, to launch the programme, which covers technologies for medium, large and very large turbofan aero engines. It will run for four years and has been set up within the EU’s ‘Seventh Framework Programme’ for research.

Logistics group Norbert Dentressangle Overseas has opened an aviation division called Norbert Dentressangle Overseas France Aviation to work with the Aviation Logistics Network. Monarch Aircraft Engineering has been awarded UK Civil Aviation Authority Part 147 approval to provide aircraft type training on the 787. The B1 and B2 type training will be delivered by the Monarch Aircraft Engineering Training Academy at its training facility at London Luton Airport.

The 35 European partners include Avio Aero, GKN Aerospace, Industria de Turbo Propulsores, MTU, Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Techspace Aero and Turbomeca, along with SMEs from the aeronautics sector and academic and research organisations.

Jeppesen has completed rapid decompression tests of a new iPad Air. The tests, which were completed to an altitude of 51,000ft, showed the device to be reliable in the unlikely event of sudden cabin pressure loss.

The programme will provide new technologies for the low pressure system of ultra-high by-pass ratio propulsion systems (12
Chromalloy is set to expand its manufacturing capability at its Tampa, Florida location by investing further in casting foundry, to include a master alloy operation.

“These engines are a key technology within the new Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of the Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe ACARE,” said ENOVAL co-ordinator Dr Edgar Merkl, from MTU.

Pratt and Whitney Aero Power has expanded Revima APU’s authorisations to include support of all new and existing APS 500, APS 1000, and APS 2000 customers within International Air Transport Association I (North and South America & Canada) and IATA III (Asia Pacific). AeroTurbine has completed its 100th light/heavy C-check for Frontier Airlines’ fleet of A319 and A320 aircraft. Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems has delivered its first leading and trailing edge wing structures for the A320neo programme. The components were built at its Prestwick, Scotland facility.

MAEL OPENS NEW BIRMINGHAM HANGAR Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAEL) has opened its new maintenance hangar at Birmingham Airport in the UK. The 110,000ft2 facility can accommodate most aircraft types and has capacity for the 787, as well as other widebody aircraft, such as the 777, 747 and A350. It is large enough to accommodate two 777-300ER aircraft or 10 narrowbody aircraft and will contain a number of component-repair and back shops. The multi-million pound investment, which was completed in less than a year, has created 150 new jobs.

6


Lufthansa Technik has become an affiliated member of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association. MTU Maintenance Zhuhai has celebrated the MTU Maintenance group’s 1,000th overhaul of a General Electric CFM56, delivering the engine to customer China Southern Airlines.

KEEP YOUR FLEET UP IN THE AIR. NOT YOUR SCHEDULE.

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Visit DeltaTechOpsMRO.com, call +1-404-773-5192 or just snap the code with your mobile device to contact us.”

NEWS UPDATE

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

» INBRIEF The National Aviation Authority of Germany (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt LBA) has approved Lufthansa Technical Training’s training centre in Erfurt as an European Aviation Safety Agency Part-145 learning environment. General Electric has awarded Silk Way West Airlines its ‘TRUEngine’ designation for eight GEnx-2Bs that will power its fleet of two 747-8 freighters, scheduled for delivery in 2014. Lufthansa says the first station for its engine cleaning system, ‘Cyclean Engine Wash’, will be located in Dubai, and will open at the start of 2014.

CAN ASH CLOUD DISRUPTION BE AVOIDED? The infamous Icelandic ash cloud of April 2010 caused large swathes of European airspace to close and massive disruption to air travel. Some felt the response to the incident was overly cautious — or at least considered that most of the disruption could be prevented in the future. So British airline Easyjet set about finding a solution, and along with Airbus and Nicarnica Aviation, recently conducted a unique experiment. The companies created an artificial ash cloud in order to test a new technology that detects ash clouds and enables pilots to safely navigate around them. The AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) system was made by Nicarnica Aviation, and is similar to the weather radar system that is standard on commercial aircraft, as it uses infrared technology to supply images to pilots and operations control centres. The experiment utilised three aircraft. An A400M released a tonne of volcanic ash (collected from the 2010 eruption) over the bay of Biscay, and a small aircraft flying through the ash cloud measured the ash concentration, serving as a means to verify the AVOID results. Finally, an A340-300 fitted with the AVOID sensor flew towards the ash cloud, successfully identifying it from 60km away, while the sensor did indeed accurately measure the ash cloud’s concentration. Although the cloud was visible to the naked eye to begin with, the companies noted that it dissipated quickly and thus became difficult to identify. It is hoped that the AVOID system could soon be used to gather data to plan safe routes through areas affected by volcanic ash clouds. “We are at the beginning of an invention which could become a useful solution for commercial aviation to prevent large-scale disruption from volcanic ash,” said Charles Champion, Airbus’ EVP engineering. "The threat from Icelandic volcanoes continues,” said Ian Davies, Easyjet engineering director. “Finding a solution is as crucial now as ever to ensure we never again see the scenes of spring 2010 when all flying ceased across Europe for several days.” Further tests and certification are both needed, but Easyjet said it intends to mount stand-alone AVOID units on some of its current fleet of aircraft by the end of 2014.

SNAPON TOOLING AT NEW MAEL FACILITY British MRO Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAEL) has signed a deal with Snap-on Industrial that will see all of its engineers' personal tooling at its new maintenance facility at Birmingham Airport replaced with Snap-on’s ‘Level 5’ tool control system. MAEL said the move from personal to company-owned tooling represented a “major shift” in its working practices. Its new 110,000sqft facility at Birmingham Airport opened on November 4 and preparation included an initial delivery of more than 27,320 Snap-on hand and power tools.

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Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies has received UAE General Civil Aviation Authority approval for its new GEnx engine quick turn operation. AAR has installed a Bauer rotary actuator component test system to help expand its capabilities at both its New York and Amsterdam facilities. The new technology enables AAR to replicate demands, loads, cycles, and motions specified in testing requirements for a variety of actuators in current and next-generation engines and fleets. STS Component Solutions (STSCS) and AeroControlex have extended their relationship with the appointment of STSCS as the exclusive distributor for FAA-PMA approved electricallyheated pitot probes and pitot-static probes for commercial transport aircraft, manufactured by AeroControlex. United Airlines has opened its new widebody aircraft maintenance hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport. The new 125,000 ft2 hangar, which includes 85,000ft2 of enclosed aircraft space, cost United nearly $45m to construct. AAR has completed the first heavy maintenance check on a commercial aircraft at its MRO facility at Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The work was carried out on an A330.

NEWS UPDATE

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

» Boeing, Mubadala in supplier agreement Boeing and Mubadala Development Company have signed a new strategic agreement aimed at expanding the long-term role of Mubadala as a Tier 1 supplier to Boeing. Mubadala will now supply as much as $2.5bn in advanced composites and machined metals to Boeing commercial programmes, including the 787 and 777X. The companies will also work together to develop pre-preg and carbon fibre manufacturing capabilities in Abu Dhabi.

Chromalloy acquires Trac

AIRBUS INTRODUCES SHARKLETS RETROFIT Airbus is set to offer its Sharklets wing-tip devices for the in-service A320 fleet. The aircraft manufacturer has confirmed it sees a potential market for the Sharklet retrofit on some 4,000 in-service A320-family aircraft and has secured commitments for the retrofit from airlines for around 200 A320s. One such airline is Jetblue. The retrofit uses the same 2.4mtall Sharklets that will be seen on the A320neo.

Chromalloy has acquired Trac, a tier one component supplier, which provides design, engineering and manufacturing of high- and low-pressure complex turbine components. It produces components for Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Alstom, Siemens, and other manufacturers. “Chromalloy’s acquisition of Trac Group is in line with our strategy to increase our support for the new engine supply chain,” said Carlo Luzzatto, president, Chromalloy.

IAE LAUNCHES ‘PUREV’ DESIGNATION International Aero Engines (IAE) has launched a new designation for V2500 engines which contain only IAE-approved parts and repairs. IAE said the ‘Pure-V’ designation was intended to help operators and lessors enhance residual values for their V2500 engines. IAE said engines maintained to the highest standards, such as those covered by a Fleet Hour Agreement (FHA), “consume less fuel, have fewer unscheduled removals and have up to 20 per cent longer time-on-wing between shop visits”. The manufacturer said it would provide a customised conversion kit for engines that do not currently meet the Pure-V standard.

LHT ACQUIRES 15 PER CENT HOLDING IN AEROTURBINE Lufthansa Technik (LHT) is to acquire a 15 per cent interest in AeroTurbine. The two companies have agreed to enter into a partnership under which AeroTurbine will supply LHT with aircraft and engine components, while the German MRO company will provide technical services on aircraft components for AeroTurbine, while supplying the Miami-based company with surplus material for resale. The companies also have an option to extend LHT’s holding in AeroTurbine to 19.9 per cent.

EIRTECH, TES IN JOINT CAMO AGREEMENT Eirtech and Total Engine Support (TES) Aviation have entered into a joint agreement to provide continued airworthiness management and engine specific support services to their customers in order to meet CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) and engine related requirements. The partnership combines Eirtech’s experience of aircraft and component CAMO coverage with TES’ skills in engine specific management.

SPACEBASED ADSB CONSTELLATION CREATED SES TechCom, DLR and Thales Alenia Space Germany have signed a long term agreement for the joint development of the first European space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) constellation to monitor and optimise air traffic control around the globe. The agreement follows the successful launch of the ADS-B payload developed by DLR, which is currently operated on board the Proba V satellite and continuously provides global ADSB data to the mission processing and analysis centre developed and operated by SES TechCom.

Rolls-Royce Trent 900 passes test An improved version of the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine has passed its European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type test. The Trent 900 EP2 engine offers an additional fuel burn improvement of 0.8 per cent and is set to become the new build standard for the engine next year once full certification is achieved.

GE, UCRI confirm collaboration GE Aviation (GE) and the University of Cincinnati Research Institute (UCRI) have collaborated to form the GE Aviation Research Center, which will be based at GE’s HQ in Evendale, Ohio. The new research centre will allow GE engineers and scientists to collaborate with UCRI faculty members and UC students to develop new ideas for the benefit of future GE products. S Aircraft Technology - Issue 127 S

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NEWS UPDATE

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

»

INBRIEF Spirit Aeronautics has implemented Pentagon 2000SQL heavy maintenance software. The fully-integrated system will support a range of business operations such as materials management, MRO, heavy maintenance, accounting and financials.

FINAL ASSEMBLY OF MRJ TEST AIRCRAFT UNDERWAY

RUAG Technology will be rebranded as RUAG Aerostructures. RUAG Aerostructures has facilities in Emmen, Switzerland and Germany and focuses on the manufacture of complete fuselage sections and winglets for passenger aircraft.

Final assembly of the first MRJ flight test aircraft is underway. Work on the aircraft, which is under development by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), has started at the Komaki South Plant of MHI’s Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works located in Aichi Prefecture. The transfer of the aircraft’s mid fuselage, fabricated at the Tobishima plant also in Aichi Prefecture, marks the beginning of final assembly, which will progressively advance as other sections of the fuselage, main wings and other structural components arrive. After this, electrical wiring, hydraulic and other systems will be installed, followed by other necessary equipment.

Cardiff Aviation and Serco have joined forces to provide painting and surface finishing services to commercial and government organisations in the aerospace, engineering and automotive sectors from their facilities at St Athan, Aerospace Business Park, South Wales.

LHT DEVELOPS CFC INSTALLATION PROCESS

Lufthansa CityLine has implemented Swiss AviationSoftware’s (Swiss-AS) maintenance, repair and overhaul solution, AMOS.

Working together with the German Aerospace Center and the Technical University of Darmstadt, Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has developed methods of load transmission into carbon fibre composites (CFC) aircraft fuselage structures for VIP customer aircraft. "The results of the ‘Fiber Force’ research project and the resultant force transmission concepts help us decisively in the VIP completion business to continue successfully meeting the challenges of installing cabin interiors in the new composite fiber aircraft designs," said Hans Schmitz, SVP, VIP & executive jet solutions. The project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWI), has now been able to define the maximal load on the floor panels and to develop ‘floorpanel hardpoints’. A total of 40 of the newly developed floorpanel hardpoints are currently being installed in a Boeing 747-8.

ROLLSROYCE, MUBADALA ACTDS JOIN FORCES Rolls-Royce and Mubadala Aerospace, Communications Technology and Defense Services (ACTDS) have joined forces to establish Abu Dhabi as an aerospace hub for the support of Trent XWB engine maintenance, repair and overhaul and for component manufacturing. As part of the agreement, Rolls-Royce is supporting Mubadala to become an approved Trent XWB engine MRO provider within its global engine network and become the first such facility in the Middle East region.

WILLIS LEASE LAUNCHES AFTERMARKET SUBSIDIARY Willis Lease Finance has launched a new subsidiary — Willis Aeronautical Services (WASI) — which will provide ‘end-of-life’ solutions for aviation materials and services related to aircraft engines. In conjunction with the formation of WASI, Willis Lease acquired most of the assets from JT-Power, a supplier of aftermarket materials and services. The new subsidiary will be based in the former JT-Power facility in Boynton Beach, Florida. “The launch of WASI positions Willis Lease at the forefront of providing end-of-life solutions for the growing supply of surplus aircraft, while solidifying its premier position in the engine leasing business,” said Charles Willis IV, chairman and CEO.

SKYONE, LMKAC FORM ALLIANCE Skyone Maintenance Services and Lockheed Martin’s Kelly Aviation Center (LMKAC) have formed a new alliance. “LMKAC’s expertise will help us provide our customers with a single centre of MRO services for airframes and engines. Through these technical and commercial collaborations, we are implementing phase one of our plans to develop our 225,000ft2 MRO facility that is near completion in Fujairah, UAE,” said Salim Sayani, Skyone CEO.

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Avtrade is set to expand its Singapore office further by relocating to Changi Business Park, which is located close to Changi Airport, Aviation DistriZone and logistics facilities. Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has developed a new product bundle designed for VIP and executive jet operators in Asia, which offers pool access, global material support, 24/7 trouble-shooting hotline support and support in case of Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situations. Business Aviation Asia has become the launch customer for the new global technical support package. Boeing engineers have completed an assessment of the 737 MAX’s performance and have added an additional one per cent fuel-efficiency improvement over the 13 per cent already promised. "We have been very disciplined in our approach and continue to realise more benefit for our customers as we retire risk on the programme and get further into development," said Keith Leverkuhn, VP and GM, 737MAX programme, Boeing.

NEWS UPDATE

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

» ARSA launches AVMRO The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) has launched its new online service, ‘AVMRO’, (Aviation Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul). "AVMRO is the go-to place for anyone looking for information about the aviation maintenance industry," said ARSA EVP, Christian Klein. The site provides information on contract aviation maintenance, the global regulatory framework governing the sector’s operations, and the importance of bilateral aviation safety agreements, as well as global reports on the industry’s economic and employment footprint.

Alcoa, VSMPO-AVISMA form JV

TALSCO TO RESUME OPERATIONS Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO) has confirmed that its subsidiary Taikoo (Xiamen) Landing Gear Services (TALSCO) is to resume its operations in December, 2013, following a temporary closure due to a fire at the premises in November 2012. Since the incident the company has revamped its facilities and operational processes, including a new plating shop to be completed in Q1 2015. TALSCO’s Federal Aviation Administration approvals have been reinstated and further audits are expected to be carried out in the upcoming weeks.

QANTAS CALLS TIME ON AVALON Qantas has decided to shut its Avalon maintenance facility in Victoria by March 2014. About 300 engineers at the site will lose their jobs as Qantas moves 747 heavy maintenance overseas. Qantas’ 747 fleet will fall from 15 to 10 aircraft over the next three years and the shrinking jumbo fleet has meant long periods of inactivity at Avalon, making the facility unviable according to the company. The new redundancies mean that Qantas has slashed engineering headcount by more than 1,500 in the past 18 months.

GE INVESTS IN LOW EMISSION BIOFUEL GE Aviation has signed a contract with D’Arcinoff Group (DG) for the purchase of cellulosic synthetic biofuel, to be used for production and development testing of GE jet engines. The ten-year agreement sees the engine manufacturer commit to purchasing 500,000 gallons of the alternative fuel source per year. The low emissions jet fuel will be used at the company’s main jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Options are in place to order up to 10 million gallons annually of the synthetic biofuel.

ICING CONCERN OVER GENX Operators of GEnx-powered 787s and 747-8s have been warned about the risk of ice crystals forming in the engines at high altitude. Airlines including Lufthansa, United Airlines and Japan Airlines have been told by Boeing not to fly within 50nm of high-altitude thunderstorms following six incidents this year in which GEnx engines lost some power. Japan Airlines has removed 787s from Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Singapore routes as a result. Boeing and General Electric are set to roll out a corrective software patch for the issue in early 2014.

VECTOR AEROSPACE INVESTS IN NEW FACILITY Vector Aerospace has established a new engine facility for the PW150A turboprop at Singapore's Seletar Aerospace Park. The 8,000m2 engine centre represents Vector Aerospace's appointment as a Pratt and Whitney Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF) and will be equipped with full engine overhaul and test capabilities. Vector Aerospace will be investing more than S$50m in the construction, tooling and equipping of the facility.

Aluminium giant Alcoa and Russian manufacturer VSMPO-AVISMA have joined forces in order to meet growing demand for titanium and aluminium products. The joint venture (JV) will see Alcoa and VSMPO-AVISMA manufacture products such as landing gear and forged wing components at Alcoa’s plant in Samara, Russia. The JV is set to begin operations in 2016.

Spirit, Progresstech to sell JV Spirit AeroSystems (Spirit) and the Progresstech Group of Companies of Moscow, Russian Federation, have announced that they intend to conclude their joint venture (JV) that began in 2007 called Spirit-Progresstech. Spirit intends to sell its 50 per cent share of the company to a member company of Progresstech. Spirit's decision to sell its share in the JV is part of a strategic review intended to help improve resources across the company in order to better meet customer needs.

Wencor acquires Star Aero Wencor has acquired PMA parts provider Star Aero. Star Aero’s PMA parts are used in the repair and maintenance of thrust reverser systems on commercial aircraft. “The addition of Star’s thrust reverser PMA parts increases Wencor’s ability to deliver cost savings to our airline and MRO customers,” said Russ Adamson, president, Wencor. Wencor says the acquisition will allow it to build on its PMA parts portfolio and further expand its capabilities.

Air India’s MRO ambitions Air India is touting for third-party MRO work as part of its push to quadruple maintenance revenues in the next four years. The airline and Boeing’s joint venture MRO facility in Nagpur is due to begin operating in mid-2014. Air India already has GoAir, Silk Air and Mihin Lanka signed up for services.

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NEWS UPDATE

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CONTRACTS » SR Technics has won a five-year contract with South African Airways. Under the contract, all CFM56-5C engines on the airline’s A340 fleet will be covered until 2018. Work will be carried out at SR Technics’ Zurich facilities. »

» Jetstar Asia has handed ST Aerospace a three-year line maintenance contract covering its existing and future fleet of A320 aircraft. » Boeing has selected GKN to manufacture the Advanced Technology (AT) winglet for the 737 MAX. Production of the winglets will take place at GKN’s facility at Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK, with final assembly completed at GKN’s site in Orangeburg, South Carolina. » Scandinavian airline SAS has signed a contract to use Lufthansa Systems’ navigation charts ‘Lido/RouteManual’ and ‘Lido/Enroute’. In addition to paper charts the airline will also be using the app ‘Lido/iRouteManual’. »

LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services has chosen to adopt Swiss AviationSoftware’s ‘AMOS’ for its maintenance operations, the solution aims to provide a maintenance and engineering system with advanced MRO functions.

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Messier-Bugatti-Dowty has won contracts with both Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair for the provision of landing gear restoration and support services for their A330 and A340 fleets.

Standex International has been awarded a long-term contract from UTC Aerospace Systems – Aerostructures to produce single-piece lipskins for the nacelles on the A320neo. The aluminium lipskins will be produced by Standex and built by UTC’s aerostructures business. The contract duration will run for the entire time of the A320neo programme and has an estimated value of up to $40m.

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Qatar Airways has awarded Eirtech Aviation a seven-year contract to paint its fleet. The agreement involves the exterior repainting of 74 of Qatar’s wide and narrowbody aircraft, including 49 777s and a number of A330s and A320s. The painting will be completed using a base coat/clear coat system from AkzoNobel.

» Japanese airline StarFlyer has signed a ‘Total Technical Support’ contract running until 2022 with Lufthansa Technik (LHT). In support of StarFlyer’s current fleet of 11 A320s, LHT will provide an expanded range of services for engines and landing gears. »

Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) have entered into a multi-year aftermarket agreement covering the joint provision of repair, overhaul and supply services for CFM56-7B and GE90-94/-115 thrust reversers and cowlings operated by LHT’s customers in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

» GKN Aerospace has contracted Moyola Precision Engineering to manufacture machined metal components for the winglet GKN has designed and is supplying for Bombardier’s Global 7000/8000 ultra-long-range business jet. » Oman Air has signed an eight-year repair agreement with Bombardier Aerospace covering all repair work on the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 inlet cowls for the airline’s fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft. » Emirates has extended a contract with OEMServices for its A380 fleet. It covers the support of the new supplemental cooling system provided by Liebherr as well as monogram components. »

South African Airways and Lufthansa Technik have agreed a new Total Engine Support contract. The contract will see the MRO provide support services for the 23 CFM56-7B engines powering SAA’s 737-800 fleet.

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Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and UTC Aerospace Systems have signed a long-term contract to provide rotable provisioning and MRO services on 787 nacelle components designed and manufactured by UTC Aerospace Systems’ Aerostructures business. The new contract allows LHT to offer customers complete life cycle support for 787 nacelles on both General Electric and Rolls-Royce engines.

» Flydubai has renewed its heavy maintenance agreement services contract with Joramco for a second year. The MRO will continue to provide C-checks for the airline’s 737-800 aircraft that are due for maintenance services throughout 2014.

PRODUCTS

Facom is offering a comprehensive multi-drive set with its 1/2 inch torque wrench. The company says the S.208-200EA torque wrench is ideal for situations where a sturdy wrench is required to apply precise torque at high levels. Weighing 1.22 Kg, the heavy-duty 1/2 inch model boasts a wide torque range of 40 – 200 Nm, lending itself to a variety of applications and is accurate to + or – four per cent with locking vernier micrometer adjustment.

Crane Aerospace & Electronics’ ‘SmartStem’ wireless tire pressure system for use on 737NG aircraft has been certified. SmartStem allows customers to check tire pressure without gas loss, promising to improve both efficiency and safety. SmartStem will provide tire inflation data to operators to help prevent maintenance in a bid to avoid in-service issues related to low tire pressure and improve dispatch reliability.


PPG Industries’ aerospace business has qualified PRC FIP Strip form-in-place sealant tape to SAE International’s Aerospace Material Specification 3379 for polysulfide rubber preformed strips used to seal removable doors, skins and panels. According to Bill Keller, PPG Aerospace global segment manager for aerospace sealants, AMS qualification is important in product selection for airframe manufacturing. But a specification did not exist when PRC FIP Strip sealant was introduced, so PPG initiated development of AMS 3379. PRC FIP Strip sealant is used by general aviation, commercial and military aircraft manufacturers in applications that include sealing wing fairings and access doors.

NEWS UPDATE

»

Airbus and Thales have signed a long-term service agreement in support of Airbus Flight Hour Services and Tailored Support Packages programmes for A320, A330, A340, A380, and A350XWB aircraft.

» » Thales has won a long-term component services contract with Airberlin to support the airline’s A320 family fleet of 64 aircraft. Under the seven-year avionics-by-the-hour contract, Thales will provide spares provisioning and component maintenance services for a selection of avionics components. » Skymark Airlines has signed a Flight Hour Services components contract with Airbus covering support for 10 leased A330 aircraft from 2014. Under this long-term agreement, Airbus Customer Services will provide spare parts availability through a scope of more than 700 line replaceable units. » Cardiff Aviation has adopted Commsoft’s Open Aviation Strategic Engineering System (OASES) to support its CAMO and MRO operations and has signed a five year, 10 concurrent users deal. »

Maz Aviation has hired AFI KLM E&M to carry out maintenance checks on four CFM56-5C jet engines. The Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based company specialises in aviation advisory services for airlines operating VIP aircraft fleets.

Revima APU has won a five-year auxiliary power unit support contract from UK carrier BMI Regional to provide repair and maintenance services for APS500 APUs installed on Embraer ERJ135/145 aircraft.

» Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services has won a contract with Aeroflot Russian Airlines to provide a C-check for one of the airline’s 767 aircraft, making it the fifteenth C-check carried out by the MRO for Aeroflot. The work will be carried out at Boeing Shanghai’s Pudong Airport facility. »

AJW Aviation has won a contract with Icelandic airline, WOW air, to provide ongoing support for one of the carrier’s A320 aircraft. Under the five-year power-by-the-hour contract, AJW will offer component coverage, advice and recommendations on minimising home base stock requirements, logistics services, and its 24/7 AOG service to the airline.

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SR Technics and Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia (GMF) have signed a five-year service agreement for component repairs in Jakarta, Indonesia. Under this agreement, GMF will act as SR Technics’ regional support workshop for approximately 150 part numbers, and will develop its existing in-house repair capabilities accordingly.

» Alaska Airlines has ordered 111 firm ‘Split Scimitar’ winglet systems from Aviation Partners Boeing for its Next-Generation 737 aircraft. » Western Aero has chosen Component Control’s MRO and logistics software to help improve its online parts sales and operations event management. »

Aeroflot-Russian Airlines’ has awarded Volga-Dnepr Technics with a maintenance contract for the support of its 737NG fleet.

» BAE Systems has won a three-year contract with Japan Airlines to provide maintenance support to the carrier’s commercial fleet. Under the contract, BAE will offer repairs, spares, and modifications to the airline’s 737-800, 767, and 777 aircraft electronics. »

Caribbean Airlines has awarded AJW Aviation a second power-by-the-hour contract to support its fleet of 15 737NG aircraft.

PEOPLE [ Jonas Butautis has confirmed that he is to step down as CEO of Lithuanian MRO operator FL Technics, with effect from December 31. Butautis, who has fulfilled the position of CEO at the MRO for the last four years, has not yet confirmed where he will go next. [ SR Technics has named Christof Späth as its new head of line maintenance international and training services. Späth, who joined the company as SVP component maintenance in March 2013, will take over the position from André Wall. [ Safran has named Jean-Michel Hillion as VP, Boeing programmes; he replaces Norbert Gaillard who has retired. Hillion joined the Safran Group in 1988 and most recently fulfilled the position of head of Safran Electronics Sagem. [ Boeing has named Ted Colbert as the company’s chief information officer (CIO). Colbert, who was formerly VP of Boeing’s information technology infrastructure organisation, joined the company in 2009. He previously worked as SVP of enterprise architecture at Citigroup.

[ Aircelle (Safran) has appointed Didier Nicoud as its new engineering vice president. Nicoud joined Snecma in 1987 and has since worked at Turbomeca (Safran) as deputy of the VP engineering with the system engineering responsibility.

[ Dynamic Aviation has appointed Cris Benavides as its new SVP, business development. Prior to joining the company, Benavides most recently served as SVP, business development for A-T Solutions; he has also worked for BAE Systems.

[ TAT Technologies has named Tiko Gadot as its new CFO, with immediate effect. Gadot, who replaces Yaron Shalem, has held several CFO positions with Israeli industrial companies.

[ May Zhou has become VP and GM of SITA China. Zhou spent six years at SITA as commercial director with responsibility for managing the sales team for SITA China. She was also COO at InfoSky, SITA’s joint venture with TravelSky in China.

[ Avtrade has appointed Lucy Newman to the new position of asset manager, responsible for the purchase and management of all Avtrade inventory. Newman joined Avtrade’s MRO department in 2008. [ B/E Aerospace has named Werner Lieberherr as its new co-CEO; effective from January 1, 2014. Lieberherr, who is currently president and COO at the company, joined B/E in 2006 as GM for the commercial aircraft segment. [ WheelTag has named Scott Perkins as its new chief engineer. Perkins, who has over 25 years’ experience in the aviation industry, has prior experience at Messier-Dowty.

[ Universal Avionics has appointed Paul DeHerrera as its new CEO; he was previously COO at the company. DeHerrera joined the company in 1994 and has over 40 years of aviation experience. Prior to joining Universal Avionics he worked at AMR Combs as VP, maintenance and avionics. [ Dean Peterson is to join Spirit Aeronautics’ interior team as aircraft interiors lead technician. Peterson, who has over 15 years’ experience in the industry, has previously worked as interiors supervisor for companies including Raytheon Aircraft Services, Comlux Aviation Services, Savannah Air Center and Elliott Aviation.


INDUSTRY FOCUS

Germany’s global MRO giant Lufthansa Technik Group is regarded as the world’s largest OEM-independent MRO and technical services provider. At its Hamburg headquarters, Chris Kjelgaard spoke to its CEO and other senior executives to find out about the group’s capabilities, affiliations and outlook.

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ittle of a technical nature in commercial aviation escapes the close scrutiny of Lufthansa Technik Group. With some 26,000 employees worldwide — more than 30,000 if you count all the employees of its many joint ventures (JVs) — Lufthansa Technik is probably the world’s largest original equipment manufacturer (OEM) independent provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and aviation technical services. In the 58 years since its formation on April 1, 1955, Lufthansa Technik has established a strong reputation for the quality of its work and for cutting-edge innovation.


Asked how the company achieved its eminent position, August Wilhelm Henningsen, Lufthansa Technik Group’s CEO, says parent company Lufthansa Group’s decision in 1995 to split its main businesses into individual companies with their own boards and shareholder structures allowed Lufthansa Technik to focus closely on its core business areas. Although Lufthansa Technik still had to meet the MRO and technical needs of the Lufthansa Group, its largest customer, the company was able to apply the institutional knowledge and capabilities it had built over decades to win business from the wider third-party market.

“Due to the fact that we were relatively early in segregating the different businesses in comparison to other peer airlines around the globe, we had a good and quick start and we could grow the business,” says Henningsen. Lufthansa Technik Group grew in two ways. The first was organic: the company grew by winning more contracts for maintenance on aircraft, engines and components for its existing facilities. But Lufthansa Technik also pursued a strategy of expansion by acquisition and partnership — buying companies, or creating JVs or affiliations with other companies, wherever it needed to add a capability or create a market presence.

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INDUSTRY FOCUS

Overhaul of an A320-200 at Lufthansa Technik Budapest. © Gregor Schläger / Lufthansa Technik AG

Today Lufthansa Technik Group consists of six business units — Maintenance, Overhaul, Component Services, Engine Services, VIP Services and Landing Gear Services — and these units in aggregate include about 30 operating subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe, Asia, and the United States. “Today we have more employees outside Germany than inside,” says Henningsen, noting that about 60 per cent of Lufthansa Technik’s 26,000 direct employees live and work outside Germany. Along with its own facilities, Lufthansa Technik’s subsidiaries and JVs offer a vast variety of technical and technological capabilities. The group now serves about 750 customers worldwide, of which Lufthansa Group — which represents about 30 per cent of Lufthansa Technik Group’s overall business today in terms of revenues — is the largest. The group’s specialist subsidiaries and affiliates range from ASSB in Kuala Lumpur (a JV with MTU which specialises in repairing jet-engine compressor and turbine blades) to Tulsa, Oklahoma-based subsidiary BizJet International, a large completion centre for Airbus A320 — and Boeing 737NG-family VIP aircraft. Another company, Lufthansa Technik’s IDAIR JV with Panasonic Avionics in Hamburg, spe-


cialises in manufacturing and developing inflight entertainment and communications systems and cabin management systems. Meanwhile, its JV with Air China, Ameco Beijing, is China’s biggest provider of technical support services for aircraft. These four companies represent only a small portion of Lufthansa Technik’s huge portfolio of technical capabilities.

Lufthansa Technik’s biggest businesses Engine and component MRO are Lufthansa Technik’s biggest businesses in terms of revenue, according to Henningsen. This is largely because Lufthansa Technik has to buy the materials involved in engine overhaul and component repair from the OEMs, and these materials are very expensive. In addition, specialised skills are required and extremely high quality standards must be guaranteed for all work performed. These high-value-added business areas will remain core Lufthansa Technik competencies in terms of their importance to the group’s overall revenues, says Henningsen. The fact that engine MRO and component repair demand highly trained skills and high-quality work means Lufthansa Technik can keep much of the work at

INDUSTRY FOCUS

its high-labour cost facilities in Germany and other developed-world nations. However, airframe base maintenance — another of Lufthansa Technik’s major activities — requires so many man-hours of labour that the company has had to adopt a different strategy for the market. Most of its airframe base maintenance facilities are now located in countries where labour costs are not as high as they are in Germany. “The airline industry is, I think, under continuous pressure in regard to cost, because the margins are low, and so the pressure is high on the airlines,” says Henningsen. “So this is a question for us, then: if there is cost pressure, how are we going to deal with it? That’s why, for example, we have taken everything that is labour-intensive out of the core cities in Germany. We are on the outskirts of Europe a little bit, in Ireland, in Malta, in Budapest, in Sofia for base maintenance mainly for narrowbody airplanes. “And with the widebody airplanes we are mainly in Asia, because this is all man-hour-related and the man-hours are not that expensive over there compared to Central Europe. This means that we have to identify where we can reduce cost, what we have to do about it and take the initiative — but then also take care that [the business] is running in accordance with our values, quality level and goals.” But just because engine overhaul and component repair are high-cost areas, Henningsen says this doesn’t mean Lufthansa Technik doesn’t care about costs in performing these activities. “This is also under cost pressure, always,” he says. “That’s why we do a lot in regard to lean [manufacturing], cost-cutting, in regard to improving processes and productivity, material expenditures and overall efficiency. We have made tremendous progress over the last five years.”

other 10 lines and are capable of handling A380 heavy maintenance. Motschenbacher says the number of heavy checks (as well as transition checks and modification programmes such as interior refurbishments) handled by the European facilities varies from year to year. However, Lufthansa Technik expected the seven European base maintenance facilities to handle at least 700 checks in 2013. Lufthansa Technik also has a partnership with Croatia Airlines Technik at Zagreb, to which it subcontracts airframe base maintenance work regularly.

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Aircraft base maintenance Marcus Motschenbacher, Lufthansa Technik’s head of network sales & customer service for aircraft base maintenance, says the group’s seven European base-maintenance facilities — Lufthansa Technik Malta, Shannon Aerospace, Lufthansa Technik Sofia, Lufthansa Technik Budapest, and its MRO bases at Berlin Schönefeld, Frankfurt and Hamburg — together provide about 3.5 million man-hours annually of airframe MRO work. Adding its Lufthansa Technik Philippines and AMECO heavy-maintenance JVs to that almost doubles the annual man-hour total, to nearly seven million. Together, the seven European base-maintenance facilities offer 25 base-maintenance lines, a line being space for one aircraft together with the man-hour capability to service the aircraft. Those 25 lines employ 3,500 people, most of them maintenance technicians. AMECO and Lufthansa Technik Philippines have at least an-

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INDUSTRY FOCUS

Lufthansa Technik’s base in Hamburg © Lufthansa Technik, HAM TS/M

“We do a lot in regard to lean [manufacturing], cost-cutting, in regard to improving processes and productivity, material expenditures and overall efficiency. We have made tremendous progress over the last five years.” August Wilhelm Henningsen, CEO, Lufthansa Technik Group Lufthansa Technik’s European base maintenance facilities service approximately 100 regular customers, including Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo, for whom Lufthansa Technik is the exclusive contracting party for their airframe overhaul work. However, other Lufthansa Group carriers’ use of Lufthansa Technik for base airframe work differs. Some use the company exclusively, some use it on a “partial exclusive” basis, and at least one — Swiss International Air Lines, which has a long-standing agreement with SR Technics — uses its group sister company only on an occasional basis.

Nothing taken for granted “By no means is there any directive from above” for Lufthansa Group carriers to use Lufthansa Technik, says Motschenbacher. From the commercial, quality and reliability viewpoints, the MRO must “convince Germanwings just as much as SAS, or any other carrier”. This also applies to Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo, especially in terms of cost. “We are constantly challenged by Lufthansa, every year and when-


ever the contract is up for renewal,” says Motschenbacher. Lufthansa’s agreement on Technik’s proposed rate for airframe base maintenance is reviewed regularly. These reviews are especially important in the current business environment. Lufthansa Group is running a three-year, group-wide initiative called ‘SCORE’ — which stands for Synergies, Costs, Organisation, Revenue and Execution — until the end of 2015 to improve the group’s operating profitability by €1.5bn annually over its €800m 2012 group operating profit. Lufthansa Group’s corporate management has calculated that only by achieving an annual operating profit of €2.3bn can the group ensure continuity of commercial operations during another global financial crisis like that of 2008. SCORE “will challenge us from year to year”, says Motschenbacher. Lufthansa Technik has no formal relationship with Star Alliance, the global alliance of which Lufthansa is a founding member and a leading light. (Star Alliance’s headquarters are located at Frankfurt Airport and are literally next door to Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub control centre.) Some Star Alliance member airlines use Lufthansa Technik exclusively for their base maintenance, but others “are fierce competitors” for airframe MRO business, says Motschenbacher. All of Lufthansa Technik’s maintenance relationships with Star Alliance members are purely on a bilateral basis. As a group, the Star Alliance member carriers are “mainly working on … joint

INDUSTRY FOCUS

ventures on the operational side and so this is their core focus right now”, says Henningsen. “But of course [the fact of a partnership in] Star Alliance helps, because you have friends on the other side. It can be a door-opener for us.”

European base airframe facilities Lufthansa Technik’s smallest European base airframe MRO operation is at Frankfurt. It is capable of handling base maintenance for the Boeing 757, 767, 777, MD-11 and all Airbus widebody types including the A380, but most of the work conducted here is line maintenance. Next smallest is Berlin Schönefeld, which handles A320family aircraft along with 737 Classic and NG narrowbodies, and performs about 300,000 manhours of line and base maintenance a year. Lufthansa Technik Budapest performs about 450,000 man-hours of base maintenance a year on A320- and 737-family aircraft. Hamburg also performs around 450,000 man-hours of base maintenance a year on Airbus widebodies (including A380s) and also has Boeing 747-400 and 747-8I capability. Hamburg has not performed much 747 heavy maintenance recently, but it does perform a lot of A330/340 and 747 interior modifications and that capability is a particular strength of the facility, according to Motschenbacher. Together with Lufthansa Technik’s facilities in Malta, Manila and Beijing, its Hamburg base is now performing installations of new business class cabins and a new IFE system in Lufthansa’s widebody fleet of 79 aircraft, in a programme due for completion in 2015. Hamburg also handles VIP-aircraft completion and refurbishment work. Lufthansa Technik Malta and Lufthansa Technik Sofia both perform about 650,000 to 700,000 man-hours of base airframe maintenance annually, according to Motschenbacher. Malta handles A320- and 737-family aircraft, but also performs heavy maintenance on A330s and A340s. To date Sofia has only handled base main-

Measurements on mechanical components at Lufthansa Technik’s facilities. © Gregor Schläger / Lufthansa Technik AG

tenance of A320- and 737-family jets, but it also holds maintenance approvals for the Embraer EJets family and already performs E-Jet line maintenance. Lufthansa Technik’s biggest European base maintenance facility in terms of man-hours is Shannon Aerospace. This facility handles A320- and 737-family aircraft along with Boeing 757s and 767s and performs more than 800,000 man-hours of base airframe work annually. According to Motschenbacher, the European base maintenance facilities will be managed centrally from now on and will be developed into a trans-national, competence-oriented base maintenance network. This will operate as a seamless, virtual 20-bay-plus facility in Europe aiming at

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Thrust reverser overhaul at Hamburg. © Gregor Schläger / Lufthansa Technik AG

“Due to the fact that we were relatively early in segregating the different businesses in comparison to other peer airlines around the globe, we had a good and quick start and we could grow the business.” August Wilhelm Henningsen, CEO, Lufthansa Technik Group providing the same quality, turnaround times, processes and customer interface experience. Motschenbacher says Lufthansa Technik “has not yet focused so much on regionals” for base maintenance: it doesn’t service Lufthansa CityLine, and Lufthansa Group subsidiary Tyrolean Airways is handled by Austrian Technik. However, Lufthansa Technik could become more involved with regionals given the fact that Lufthansa Technik Group has a JV with Bombardier and Swiss ExecuJet Group — called Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services — at Berlin Schönefeld. This facility currently performs maintenance on Bombardier business jets but it could also handle CRJs. About 60 per cent of Lufthansa Technik’s base airframe maintenance work can be planned well in advance, for inductions scheduled under longterm contracts, according to Motschenbacher. The other 40 per cent “has to be acquired” and 10-20 per cent “comes on short notice”. Much of the latter is from banks and lessors. Motschenbacher says Lufthansa Technik has “to be very reactive” with such customers. It offers them a host of technical services, including work related to


aircraft repossessions and lease terminations, as well as continuous airworthiness management services to ensure aircraft remain airworthy and their documentation intact and up-to-date throughout and after leases.

Engine maintenance at Hamburg In all, Lufthansa Technik is now handling nearly 1,000 major shop visits of engines a year across its own shops and its N3 Engine Overhaul Services JV with Rolls-Royce, according to Thomas Böttger and Daniel Gross. Böttger is director of the CFM and IAE product line at Hamburg — the CFM56 line is the facility’s busiest — and Gross is director of Hamburg’s CF6-80 and PW4000 product line. The key value to Lufthansa Technik of its Hamburg base — the site covers an area of more than 750,000 square metres (185 acres) — is as the company’s major centre for technology innovation (through subsidiary Lufthansa Engineering and Operation Services), component repair and engine overhaul. The base has a large new engine test-cell hangar built specifically so that it can completely enclose an aircraft undergoing on-wing engine test runs. This has reduced noise concerns for residential communities near Hamburg Airport, which is located in the semi-pastoral area of Fuhlsbüttel north of the city. The Hamburg facility handles approximately 320 engine shop visits a year at present, about 50 of which are from Lufthansa. A few years ago Lufthansa was putting about three times as many

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Lufthansa Technik’s JV with Air China, Ameco Beijing, is China’s biggest provider of technical support services for aircraft. © Gregor Schläger / Lufthansa Technik

engines through the shop annually, but the number has fallen away because Lufthansa has been retiring its Boeing 737-300s and 737-500s. Some other Lufthansa Group carriers also use Lufthansa Technik for engine overhauls. Hamburg is Lufthansa Technik’s biggest engine-repair facility, employing about 2,000 people on engine MRO, engine parts repair, and administration and invoicing for the engine maintenance business. Hamburg has a “pretty high ratio” of exclusive customers, with only about 60 to 70 of its major shop visits each year coming from non-exclusive customers, according to Böttger. (Most of these visits are unscheduled.) Some of Lufthansa Technik’s engine-overhaul customers at Hamburg are on long-term exclusive contracts and this allows most of its engine workload to be “pretty well scheduled”. Gross believes that Lufthansa Technik’s market share in engine overhauls — across all its facilities — has increased over the past five years, at a rate similar to that of the general growth in the market. Apart from the recognised quality and schedule reliability of Lufthansa Technik’s work, one reason for this is that the group’s facilities handle a wide variety of engine types. Another reason is that Lufthansa Technik offers its customers some unique services. In addition to the small ASSB turbine- and compressor-blade airfoil-repair facility in Kuala Lumpur, Lufthansa Technik has a small facility in Shenzhen in China for repair of thrust re-

versers and exhaust nozzles. Closer to home, its Lufthansa Technik Turbine Shannon subsidiary handles turbine repairs for CFM56-3 and CF680C2 engines. However, in November 2013 the group announced it was considering closing its Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland facility near Dublin due to a lack of work. This facility, originally founded in 1980, has overhauled more than 3,000 CFM56, IAE V2500 and Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines during its lifetime and it had been trying to source more than half of its customers from outside the Lufthansa Technik Group. Lufthansa Technik has two other important engine shops in Germany. Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey, located in Alzey south of Frankfurt, performs MRO on the ubiquitous Pratt & Whitney PW100/PW150 turboprop and GE Aviation CF34 turbofan families found on nearly all modern Western-built regional airliners. Gross says AERO Alzey is inducting increasing volumes of CF34-10s, as the engines from many Embraer 190s and 195s begin to reach their first scheduled shop visits. The other important facility is the joint-venture N3 Engine Overhaul Services shop at Erfurt, which Böttger says “is on a strong growth path”. This facility only handles Rolls-Royce engines but because almost all Trent-family engines are subject to Rolls-Royce ‘TotalCare’ agreements, it is being kept busy. N3 is now seeing 100-120 shop visits annually, according to Böttger, with about half of these coming from Lufthansa itself.


INDUSTRY FOCUS

Engine and component MRO are Lufthansa Technik’s biggest businesses in terms of revenue, according to CEO Henningsen.

(Lufthansa operates A330-300s, A340-600s and A380s powered by Rolls-Royce Trent models and in future it will operate a large fleet of Trent XWB-powered A350 XWBs.) According to Gross, Lufthansa Technik has about 30 long-term exclusive customers at its Hamburg and Frankfurt facilities — the facility at Frankfurt Airport has a test cell and specialises in check-and-repair and other on-wing/on-site, lowman-hour workscopes — as well as approximately 60 non-exclusive customers. The customer total is around 200 if on-wing services are included.

Competitive advantages in engine maintenance Böttger and Gross think that Lufthansa Technik has a big advantage over many competitors by offering, through its Frankfurt, Montreal and Shenzhen facilities, its ‘Airline Support Team’ product. This service sends teams to customers’ own airport bases to see if engine problems can be fixed on-site and on-wing rather than in the shop. For instance, the teams can often change highpressure turbine blades and modules on-site without needing to strip the engine down in the shop. Lufthansa Technik also offers comprehensive support services to start-up carriers, working with them to help them understand their lease contracts thoroughly and properly understand the workscopes associated with maintaining their engines. It also helps them obtain their AOCs and provides engine condition monitoring support. The company “understands the complexity and struggle of setting up capabilities”


and will help new or growing carriers set up or improve in-house maintenance facilities, according to Böttger. The group has invested heavily to develop sophisticated techniques to conduct engine performance analysis in an extremely detailed way. The process starts with exhaustive data collection in the test cell and involves extensive computational flow dynamics modelling over a six to nine month period. Lufthansa Technik began developing this capability when Lufthansa — along with several other carriers — couldn’t understand why some (but not all) CFM56-5Cs on its A340-300s started exhibiting poor exhaust gas temperature margin characteristics, which were not associated with the number of hours and cycles they had accumulated and airfield conditions they had encountered. The company developed an engine performance improvement programme (EPIP) for the CFM56-5C and has subsequently adapted its modelling programme and transferred it across to the CFM56-7B and the CF6-80 families. Lufthansa Technik is now going through a similar exercise for the PW4000 family and has begun work on an IAE V2500 engine performance analysis and EPIP programme. This is the way Lufthansa Technik views all technological development in MRO, according to Henningsen. “It’s a challenge, but actually we like it — we’re not afraid of it,” he says. “We look forward to it, because it’s challenging our organisation. We never have a standstill … It’s a stimulation, and a differentiation.”

EPCOR MRO facility at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Driving LEAN MRO operations with the industry’s preferred software solution WKZĚĞƉůŽǇƐYƵĂŶƚƵŵŽŶƚƌŽůDZKΘ>ŽŐŝƐƟĐƐ^ŽŌǁĂƌĞ as ŝƚƐ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶĂů ƐǇƐƚĞŵ ƚŽ ƐƚƌĞĂŵůŝŶĞ ǁŽƌŬ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĨŽƐƚĞƌ >EďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐŝŶŝƟĂƟǀĞƐ͘ EPCOR specializes in the repair of auxillary ƉŽǁĞƌƵŶŝƚƐĂŶĚƉŶĞƵŵĂƟĐĐŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚƐ͘

Based at Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands, EPCOR is a wholly owned AFI KLM E&M (Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance) subsidiary dedicated to total support of Auxiliary Power Units (APU) and Pneumatic Components. EPCOR has a deep understanding of airlines’ priorities, providing short turn times and cost control policy through its highly skilled staff using the latest technology. EASA and FAR 145 accredited, EPCOR provides airline APU maintenance to the 737NG, 777, 787, A320 series, A330 / A340, and EMBRAER 170/190 aircraft. EPCOR’s engineering experts continuously work on APU and APU components development while also providing repair and overhaul for air cycle machines, environmental control system components, engine starters, leading edge flap drive units, and other pneumatic components, all supported by a worldwide logistics network.

The Challenge EPCOR, back in 2005, needed a data to quickly search and respond ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƵŶŝĨǇ ĂŶĚ to business needs. improve its business processes as part of its ongoing LEAN SIX SIGMA • ŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚ ŽŶƚƌŽů͛Ɛ ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ ĞīŽƌƚ͘ ĞĐĂƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ĐŽŶƟŶƵŽƵƐ improvement philosophy meant improvement mindset, EPCOR was that Quantum would be a living ĂůƐŽƐĞĂƌĐŚŝŶŐĨŽƌĂƐŽŌǁĂƌĞǀĞŶĚŽƌ ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞƚŚĂƚĂĚĂƉƚĞĚŽǀĞƌƟŵĞƚŽ ƚŚĂƚǁŽƵůĚǁĞůĐŽŵĞĐŽůůĂďŽƌĂƟŽŶŽŶ encompass evolving industry best ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞƐ ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ ĂǀŝĂƟŽŶ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ͛Ɛ Commented Joost Bosman, Quantum ďĞƐƚͲƉƌĂĐƟĐĞĂĚǀĂŶĐĞŵĞŶƚƐŝŶƚŽƚŚĞ Program Manager at EPCOR, “With ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ͘ YƵĂŶƚƵŵ͕ WKZ ŚĂƐ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ dŚĞ^ŽůƵƟŽŶ ĨŽĐƵƐĞĚ ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ ŽƉƟŵŝǌĞĚ EPCOR selected Quantum MRO ƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂůůǇ ĨŽƌ ƌƵŶŶŝŶŐ Ă >E Θ >ŽŐŝƐƟĐƐ ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ ĨŽƌ ƐĞǀĞƌĂů ĂǀŝĂƟŽŶ DZK ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͘ dŚĞ ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚƌĞĂƐŽŶƐ͗ ongoing successful use of Quantum • Component Control was very at EPCOR has resulted in parent ŽƉĞŶ ƚŽ ĐŽůůĂďŽƌĂƟŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ WKZ company AFI KLM E&M leveraging to develop the Quantum Shop Quantum to automate surplus part ŽŶƚƌŽů ŵŽĚƵůĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂůůǇ sales and streamline corresponding made to comprehensively manage ďĂĐŬŐƌŽƵŶĚůŽŐŝƐƟĐƐ͘͟ ĂŝƌĐƌĂŌ DZK ŽĨ ĐŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ their associated quality control requirements. • EPCOR could integrate all of their

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INDUSTRY FOCUS

T

he Dubai Airshow, held in November 2013, witnessed an extraordinary number of aircraft orders from carriers in the Middle East. According to Boeing’s latest ‘Current Market Outlook’ (CMO), airlines in the Middle East will require 2,610 new aircraft over the next 20 years, worth an estimated $550bn. Two thirds of that demand is expected to be driven by the rapid fleet expansion in the region. Also significant are the types of aircraft being ordered. Boeing sees the “global network priorities and emerging alliances and partnerships” of Middle Eastern carriers reflected in orders for long-range, twin-aisle aircraft — such as its own 777 and 787 Dreamliner. The manufacturer’s forecast says twin-aisle aircraft will account for more than half of the region’s new aircraft deliveries in the next twenty years — compared to the 24 per cent global average. Perhaps the most prominent trend of all is the growing number of low-cost carriers (LCCs) in the region. Boeing says it has seen “a rise in low-cost carriers that have benefitted from a large youthful population, large migrant workforce and trends toward market liberalisation”. Single-aisle aircraft will make up 47 per cent of regional deliveries up to 2032, while large aircraft will account for 10 per cent of forecasted demand. “International traffic growth in the Middle East continues to outpace the rest of the world,” says Randy Tinseth, VP of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The Gulf region benefits from a unique geographic position that enables


MRO focus: Middle East With fleet expansion worth $550bn in the next 20 years, the MRO industry in the Middle East is set to experience strong growth. Jason Holland examines company strategies, general trends and future challenges for the region — including finding sufficient technicians to fulfil the future demand for maintenance. one-stop connectivity between Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia.” One major challenge for the Middle East to address, though, is congested airspace. Tony Tyler, director general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), warns that there is a “huge amount of capacity in a relatively small area”, with this being further limited by military airspace. “In fact only about half of the airspace across the region is open to civil aviation. Already we are seeing delays becoming commonplace,” said Tyler. “Governments across the region have recognised the importance of civil aviation in their national development plans. It now needs to manifest itself in co-oper-

ation across the Gulf to manage air traffic efficiently for everybody’s collective benefit.”

MRO implications The Middle East’s fleet growth has many implications for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market. Not only will strategies need to be put in place to meet the massive future demand for MRO work, capabilities will also have to be built up for the aircraft that will be most prominent. Nevertheless, the Middle East continues to be a “beacon of strong MRO growth”, according to Richard Brown, principal at consultancy ICF SH&E. He says that installed fleet growth in the

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Jordan-based MRO company JorAMCo will continue to chase work from the plethora of low cost carriers in the region, or the national carriers that do outsource work.

“MROs will need to invest in new capacity, introduce new capabilities, and become more efficient to accommodate the needs of the new fleets.” Osama Fattaleh, CEO, JorAMCo

quality standards”. However, one major weakness that is “increasingly affecting business opportunities and growth” is the political unrest in the Middle East. He points out that this doesn’t directly apply to Jordan, but it does impact “some non-regional customers”.

Training technicians Middle East is one of the strongest in the world, growing at approximately six per cent per year. MRO generated by Middle Eastern operators is growing even faster, at a rate of approximately 10 per cent per year between 2013 and 2022. “When overall MRO growth for all regions is growing at just over four per cent clearly the outlook for MRO in the Middle East is bright,” he says. Osama Fattaleh, CEO of Jordan-based MRO company JorAMCo, also sees “better years ahead” for maintenance companies. “The increase in the number of aircraft of mega carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad; the rebuilding of fleets of traditional national carriers such as Iraq Airways, Kuwait Airways and Saudia, and the expansion of low-cost carriers such as flydubai, Air Arabia and Jazeera will provide considerable opportunities for MROs in the region,” he explains. Fattaleh believes that MROs in the region benefit from the Middle East’s geographic location as well as competitive labour costs “which can be leveraged when accompanied with high


In its 2013 ‘Pilot and Technician Outlook’, Boeing predicts that the region will require 53,100 maintenance technicians over the next 20 years (in addition to 40,000 pilots). This means that more than 2,600 new airline technicians will be needed each year to meet the expected demand. “We’re seeing a significant, urgent need for competent aviation personnel in the Middle East and across the globe due to the growth in airline fleets,” says Sherry Carbary, VP of Boeing Flight Services. “We are working hard with airlines, regulators, independent flight schools and other industry groups to make training accessible, affordable and efficient so that anyone in the Middle East who qualifies can become a pilot or maintenance technician in this high-tech industry.” Boeing notes that the introduction of “more efficient and smarter” aircraft will require fewer mechanics over time, as ageing aircraft — which typically require more maintenance — are retired from service. New aircraft technologies featuring more advanced components are also “likely to lead in some areas to lower maintenance require-

INDUSTRY FOCUS

Emirates Engineering will support the MRO needs of the fast-growing Emirates fleet.

ments and corresponding lower technician demand”. Another impact is that MROs will also need to invest in tooling and training and should expect a longer return on their investment, according to JorAMCo’s Fattaleh. The demand for technicians is still huge, however, and it remains a big challenge for the region to support MRO growth efficiently and safely by supplying adequate labour. New training methods will need to be found in order to improve and quicken processes, but also to attract young people to the profession in the first place. “At Boeing, we are continually looking at innovative training methods, moving away from paper and chalkboard-based learning to incorporate tablets, eBooks, gaming technology and threedimensional electronic modelling techniques,” explains Carbary. “We need to make sure aviation is as great a career option for the world’s youth as it is for us.” Fattaleh thinks training schools will also be challenged to update their training programmes to include new technologies such as composite materials and smart electronics and to increase capacity to meet the demand. The CEO sees the manpower issue as “a serious impediment to growth” in the region, and “if not addressed properly can influence the competitive labour costs”. For its part, he says JorAMCo “identified this risk at an early stage” and has established an EASA Part 147 academy offering a four year sandwich course at its premises in Amman. In 2012,

this academy started providing “a steady flow of 25 highly qualified mechanics every six months to fuel the recent growth in business”. Brown states that Middle Eastern MROs have been “steadily” growing capabilities to meet current and expected demand. He says MRO growth is being generated by some very large airlines, such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways, and these companies are adding various capabilities or signing partnerships with OEMs. “It’s always been a challenge within the Middle East to find and, most importantly, retain maintenance staff. Attrition remains a concern for all in the region and labour rates continue to climb,” he states. “There have been efforts of varying success to bring in nationals from each country to try and reduce the reliance on expat labour (particularly from the Asia-Pacific region), though the sheer scale of demand for labour means that demand for foreign workers remains high. Furthermore, we’ve seen examples of engine and component system OEMs signing license agreements with local airlines and MROs in the Middle East.” He also notes that many of the key airlines in the region are aiming to do as much work inhouse as they can — “sometimes for political rather than economic reasons” — and “the challenge is gaining access to valuable IP from OEMs”. Brown explains: “Much of the existing engine and component MRO infrastructure is located outside of the Middle East (in Europe or Singapore, for example) so one of the recent

trends has been for OEMs to sign licensing agreements with major airlines or MROs in the region that either provides in-region MRO capability or access to rotable banks with commercial guarantees should the MRO work be performed outside of the Middle East.”

Working with the OEMs Many of the biggest airlines in the Middle East have embarked on what Brown calls a “clear strategy” of working with OEMs. Relations are often formalised during the signing of a new aircraft or engine, and the aim is to secure access to MRO work and to be able to procure the latest test equipment and relevant intellectual property, according to Brown. “We’ve seen deals between GE, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Rockwell Collins and others to further partnerships between airlines and their MROs,” he says. For their part, the OEMs are “very keen” to work with the biggest operators in the region. “Given the scale of the orders heading into the Middle East it hasn’t escaped the attention of engine and component OEMs that if they wish to secure valuable spares supply they have to work with the airlines and their MROs in the region,” says Brown. “As one airline put it, they expect component OEMs to knock on their door and show commitment to their airline. It’s no surprise given the order backlog that many are doing just that, looking for long-term win-win partnerships between airlines and OEMs.”


INDUSTRY FOCUS

The region’s ‘mega-carriers’ are developing their own in-house maintenance capabilities as well as co-operating with OEMs.

Meanwhile, Fattaleh is clear in his opinion that aircraft manufacturers are becoming more involved in the aftermarket, joining their engine and component OEM counterparts. “This is most evident in new generation aircraft that utilise higher end proprietary technologies,” he says. “This will cause serious limitation in the opportunities available to MROs and as such, MROs should establish partnerships with OEMs to have access to the know-how.” The region’s ‘mega-carriers’ are therefore developing their own maintenance strategies as well as co-operating with OEMs, and this involves adding in-house capabilities where appropriate. So the aircraft orders from these airlines will not be part of the future business plans of independent MROs. These companies are thus largely left to compete for work from the plethora of low cost carriers in the region, or the national carriers that do outsource work. “These two categories of airlines will continue to look for cost effective maintenance solutions, thus enhancing the opportunities for independent MROs,” says Fattaleh. “In return, the MROs will need to invest in new capacity, introduce new capabilities, and become more efficient to accommodate the needs of the new fleets.”

Consolidation? Broadly speaking, one likely result of OEMs taking a larger share of the aftermarket is consolidation of MROs, as companies join forces to compete, or smaller ones are pushed out of the market. Another vital factor affecting the MRO landscape in the Middle East is that global MROs are seeking to gain access to the fast-growing market.


So far, Brown says the Middle East has “arguably” seen less consolidation and fewer startups compared to other regions “largely due to the concentration of MRO originating from a handful of major airlines — each of which is pursuing their own MRO strategy”. But the picture may be changing, at least in terms of strategic alliances. Fattaleh comments: “As it becomes costly to introduce new capabilities to maintain new generation aircraft, mirrored with longer return on investment associated with these aircraft, added to the OEMs’ thinking, MROs will find themselves obliged to co-operate with each other to mitigate these challenges.” This co-operation can take the form of alliances, acquisitions or joint ventures. “The expansion in the fleets of airlines in the region, the competitive cost of labour, and the attractive tax regulations provide global MROs with opportunities to create a footprint in the region which will avail opportunities for further consolidation,” he concludes. As long as the challenges discussed in this article are addressed, the MRO industry’s future in the Middle East, broadly speaking, looks very bright. In looking at the challenges facing aviation in the Middle East as a whole, IATA’s Tyler has urged governments to continue to co-operate with the industry to develop solutions and strategies to the wider issues. “The Gulf success story is well-grounded in precisely [this] spirit of cooperation. By keeping its importance top-ofmind, I hope that it will long be a driving force of success and an example for others.”

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TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

737 MAX programme update T

he 737 MAX is Boeing’s latest innovation — a new engine-variant family of the 737 — that offers operators lower fuel consumption and operating costs, among other benefits, with first delivery scheduled for 2017. The aircraft programme, which features CFM International’s optimised LEAP-1B engine, will, according to Boeing, boast an eight per cent operating cost advantage over Airbus’ A320neo and offer a 14 per cent per-seat fuel consumption reduction compared to today’s CFM56-powered 737 Next Generation aircraft (737NG). With firm configuration of the 737 MAX 8 completed in July, the programme has entered the detailed design phase and is on schedule for its first flight in 2016, with deliveries set for 2017. The 737 MAX family — which consists of the 737 MAX 7, 8 and 9 — aims to build on the 737NG’s popularity while providing the industry with an aircraft that meets and exceeds all customer expectations. However, Airbus’ A320 engine-variant, the A320neo, is set to rival the MAX with improvements that aren’t too dissimilar than those being worked on at Boeing. Airbus highlights the neo’s


The 737 MAX, an engine-variant family of Boeing’s popular single-aisle 737 aircraft, is currently in the detailed design phase of its programme. Hannah Davies explores what the 737 MAX will bring to the market when it enters into service in 2017. key improvements as being “a 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption, two tonnes of additional payload, up to 500 nautical miles of more range, lower operating costs, along with reductions in engine noise and emissions”. Therefore it is fair to say that come 2016 — when the A320neo is expected to enter into service — the MAX will have a strong industry player to contend with.

Onwards and upwards According to Boeing, if you compare the MAX’s fuel efficiency to the first 737NGs delivered the total improvement would be 20 per cent. However, as with all new aircraft, customers are expecting more than just fuel savings from the MAX — improved performance and increased efficiency are just for starters.

“When compared to a fleet of 100 of today’s most fuel-efficient airplanes, this new model will emit 310,455 fewer tons of CO2 and save more than 215 million pounds of fuel per year, which translates into more than $112m in cost savings,” says Boeing. Originally, Boeing’s 737 MAX promised a 13 per cent fuel reduction when compared to today’s 737-800NG models but since firm configuration was achieved a further one per cent saving has been announced after engineers conducted new tests. “After reaching firm configuration we conducted some internal audits to look at the aerodynamics of the airplane, engine performance and weight projections… One of the most significant improvements we saw in the data was the integration of the propulsion system to the wing

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“One of the most significant improvements we saw in the data was the integration of the propulsion system to the wing that gave us about a half a per cent [fuel reduction].” Michael Teal, chief project engineer and vice president 737 MAX, Boeing

that gave us about a half a per cent. The other half a per cent came from a combination of the aerodynamics on the winglet, as well as the propulsion system audit,” explains Michael Teal, chief project engineer and vice president 737 MAX, Boeing. Aside from providing customers with an exclusive fuel-saving engine-variant of the popular 737NG, Boeing has upgraded and improved several of the aircraft’s features. “While Boeing is making the upgrades necessary to give customers the fuel savings they need for the future, the 737 MAX will continue the superior design reliability of the Next-Generation 737,” adds Teal. In order to improve the 737NG’s aerodynamics, Boeing has updated the design of the aft body by extending the tail cone and thickening the section above the elevator in order to improve steadiness in airflow. As a result, the need for vortex generators on the tail is eliminated and this brings with it the benefit of less drag, which results in better performance.


The MAX will also feature more efficient winglets, with Boeing recently selecting GKN to manufacture these ‘Advanced Technology’ (AT) winglets for the programme. Boeing used “advanced computational fluid dynamics to combine rake tip technology with a dual feather winglet concept into one advanced treatment for the wings of the 737 MAX”, explains Teal. “This concept is more efficient than any other wingtip device in the single-aisle market because the effective wing span increase is balanced strategically between the upper and lower parts,” he says. By reducing drag, the aerodynamic efficiency improvement increases by more than 1.5 per cent depending on range over other winglet designs. In addition, Boeing has designed the winglet in such a way that the natural transition from laminar to turbulent boundary layer is delayed to a point further back on the winglet, thereby reducing drag. Natural laminar flow has also been included on the MAX inlet. Numerous flight control and system updates will also be implemented on the MAX. Fly-bywire spoilers have been added to flight controls, paving the way for a weight reduction thanks to the use of electrical signals versus the previous mechanical system of the 737NG. An electronic bleed air system will replace the current pneumatically controlled system allowing for “increased optimisation of the cabin pressurisation and ice protection systems resulting in better fuel efficiency”, according to Teal. Large-format displays will be positioned in the flight deck to provide airlines with an up-


gradeable platform for their systems. The new displays will allow for “future capability in the flight deck as pilot training needs evolve”. Boeing also claims that the MAX will have “maximum passenger appeal” thanks to the ‘Boeing Sky Interior’ that will come as standard on the aircraft. “Drawing from years of research inspired by the travel experience, the 737 Boeing Sky Interior features new, modern-sculpted sidewalls and appealing features drawing passenger eyes to the airplane’s windows, giving passengers a greater connection to the flying experience,” according to the OEM. The interior also features larger, pivoting overhead stowage bins that add to the openness of the cabin. Speakers have also been integrated into each row’s passenger-service unit in a bid to improve sound and clarity of public address operations, while the new air grill is tamper-proof and enhances operational security.

gine technology with the adoption of CFM International’s (CFM) LEAP-1B engine, which is intended to reduce the operational noise footprint of the aircraft by up to 40 per cent. Emissions will be approximately 50 per cent below the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP)/6 limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx), according to Boeing. The LEAP-1B, which is the result of a lengthy collaboration between CFM and Boeing, is the sole engine choice for operators that wish to fly the 737 MAX. CFM engines have been the only

Improved maintenance systems The 737 MAX will also feature enhanced maintenance and connectivity capabilities such as a more centralised BITE (Built in Test Equipment) system that technicians can access after a flight. “The MAX will have additional systems reporting BITE and maintenance data so technicians can better assess dispatch limitations and maintenance actions,” says Teal. The MAX will build on the 737NG’s connectivity provisions and enhance on-board networking systems to provide real time data during flight to airlines’ ground operations. This will be achieved through its new on-board network system (ONS), which will allow airlines to prepare for maintenance actions ahead of the aircraft landing, speeding response time on the ground and enabling a faster turn at the gate. The ONS, which is made up of a network file server (NFS) and an enhanced digital flight data acquisition unit (eDFDAU), is designed to help improve maintenance procedures and simplify decisions for operators. In order to prepare for entry into service the ONS will first be installed on the 737NG, but with limited functionality. Boeing also has plans to install broadband offboard connectivity provisions to the 737NG in production during 2015. The manufacturer says it working on a plan for activation and certification of future connectivity features on the 737NG. “The MAX will then build off the functionality added to the Next Generation in the next few years to further improve customer operations,” says Teal.

A big LEAP The most significant advance offered by the 737 MAX is the new engine that powers it. The programme will incorporate the latest quiet en-



power plant for all 737 aircraft sold since 1981, according to the engine manufacturer, which is a 50/50 joint venture between Snecma (Safran group) and General Electric. “CFM has a proven history of delivering the most reliable, high-performing engines in the single-aisle market,” states Boeing, with the decision to choose the LEAP engine over alternative options not being “taken lightly”. Teal comments: “We looked at many options before the launch of the programme but CFM International’s LEAP was the best choice for the 737 MAX.” The new engine combines advanced aerodynamic design techniques, lighter, more durable materials, and more environmentally sound technologies. As a result, operators of the 737 MAX should be able to achieve the 14 per cent fuel burn reduction promised. An equivalent reduction in carbon emissions as well as decreases in both NOx emissions and the overall noise footprint will also be achieved.


It seems only right that a new aircraft comes hand in hand with its own exclusive engine to match its advanced technologies. “The LEAP-1B provides us with the right technology and an engine that is truly matched to the airplane,” comments Teal. “The new engine technology is the major driver for fuel-efficiency improvement on the 737 MAX, providing about 11 per cent of the overall improvement.” The LEAP engine will be “integrated with the wing similar to the aerodynamic lines of the 787 Dreamliner engine”. A new pylon, along with the eight inch nose gear extension, will maintain similar ground clearance to today’s 737NG while accommodating the larger engine fan. The nose gear door design is altered to fit with this revision, according to the OEM.

Preparing for entry into service Given that aircraft programme schedules often get delayed — Boeing’s 747-8 being a prime

example — the manufacturer, this time round, has taken a measurable approach to its development schedule with the 737 MAX by “anticipating risks and mitigating them with early analysis and testing and time allotted in the schedule”, explains Teal. In fact, Boeing are doing so well with the programme schedule that they have already told customers that “they will receive the 737 MAX sooner than promised”. In July the manufacturer announced that it was accelerating the entry into service of the 737 MAX from the fourth quarter of 2017 to the third quarter. With every programme there will be challenges, especially concerning getting the aircraft out on time for its first delivery. Therefore, Boeing “continues to reduce risks around the produce-ability of new technologies on the MAX through some prototyping activities”, says Teal. The OEM has built several upper blades of the advanced technology winglet, for example, to allow for the build plan to mature. The product can then be produced at the high rates required. The 737 MAX is already proving to be a market success with more than 1,600 orders confirmed with numerous operators such as: United Airlines, Norwegian Air, American Airlines, Virgin Australia, Southwest Airlines, Aeromexico and Lion Air. It’s all eyes on the MAX for now as Boeing has no other plans to launch any other single-aisle aircraft until well into the next decade. But the OEM is definitely planning on making its mark with the MAX, and aims to build on the 99.7 per cent airline dispatch reliability of the 737NG.

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Tablets and the future of EFBs

The electronic flight bag (EFB) has slowly but surely replaced the backbreaking paper documents that pilots have traditionally used to navigate aircraft to become an essential part of the cockpit. Hannah Davies looks at the development of current EFB solutions and what to expect from them in the future.

P

ilots have been dragging oversized flight bags around with them for years. Weighing around 25 kilos and filled with up to 12,000 pages of documents, these bags have allowed pilots to get from A to B. However, in recent times the electronic flight bag (EFB) has become increasingly popular as an alternative and more innovative solution, which not only lightens the load for pilots but also helps the industry move towards a paperless environment. An EFB can transfer data to and from an aircraft to give operators “the information they need to increase operational efficiency, such as engine performance, engine trend monitoring, de-rate


take-offs and better flight routing”, explains Ken Crowhurst, director of sales at navAero. The resultant improvements that can be made inevitably reduce costs. Crowhurst says the EFB initiative was born in North America, but has since migrated around the globe, quickly becoming a much sought after investment for many airlines. Large airlines can achieve savings of more than $1m per year, or 300-400 thousand gallons of fuel, by adopting EFB technology. Rick Ellerbrock, chief strategist at Boeing Digital Aviation & Jeppesen, uses the example of FedEx, which recently went paperless with Jeppesen’s EFB solutions, saving over 46,000 gallons of fuel per

year by removing 32 tons of paper from its aircraft. Similarly, American Airlines has removed 16 million sheets of paper from its operations, saving about $1.2m per year in fuel burn alone. United Airlines has also reported savings of over 300,000 gallons of fuel and 3,200 metric tons of carbon emissions, according to Jeppesen. “One of the big economic and efficiency benefits that we are seeing with our mobile EFB solutions is the reduction of fuel burn related to airplane weight reduction through paper elimination,” says Ellerbrock. There are three classes of EFBs available to operators. Class 1 EFBs are basic portable devices

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“With the proliferation of employee issued tablet devices in both the cockpit and maintenance environments, demand for aircraft independent tech log software on mobile devices is rapidly increasing.” Larry Lenamon II, manager of operational experience, Ultramain such as laptops and iPads that have to be stowed at take-off and landing, whereas Class 2 devices are docked and used during all phases of flight. The most advanced EFB is the Class 3 type, which is fully integrated into the on-board avionics system and is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) via a supplemental type certificate (STC). As a replacement for traditional flight documents, EFBs have to be able to support various applications and these can similarly be categorised into three software types. Type A covers applications such as document


viewers (PDF, HTML, XML formats) and operating manuals. Type B consists of electronic charts such as aeronautical charts, approach charts, or an electronic checklist. Type C applications are non-EFB software applications found in avionics and include intended functions for communications, navigation, and surveillance that require FAA design, production, and installation approval, according to advisory circular AC 120-76. A never-ending need for greater connectivity and integration in the industry has been another factor in the rise of the EFB. As a result the last few years have seen further advances in EFB hardware and electronic logbook (ELB) software.

Better than paper ELB software has greatly developed since the days of being the “poor man’s electronic logbook”, according to Larry Lenamon II, manager of operational experience at Ultramain. Prior to recent advances in ELB software,

users had to look up the fault reporting manual (FRM) code on a sheet of paper and then send the code while in-flight over the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS). Now, software solutions such as Ultramain’s ‘efbTechLogs’ allow flight crews to determine the current maintenance of their aircraft in real-time using standardised fault codes and descriptions, which allow ground staff more time to prepare for inbound faults. Ultramain’s maintenance interface provides operators with “discrepancy resolution, fluid uplift/service check entries, and aircraft maintenance release, all utilising electronic sign off for complete paperless operations”, says Lenamon. In addition, real-time fault reporting allows for improved maintenance operations, which results in a reduction of No Fault Found (NFF) parts and enhanced long-term data collection. The efbTechLogs software is able to integrate with the CMCF (Central Maintenance Computing Function) to provide crews with a “one-touch entry of aircraft detected faults”. This allows for information to be easily transferred from onboard the aircraft to the operator’s entire network, providing valuable data to the airline’s maintenance and engineering system. Real-time reporting can also provide information on other defects such as those in the cabin, which might affect passenger comfort as opposed to airworthiness issues. This can mean fewer gate delays and flight cancellations, faster ground turns and increased aircraft utilisation, explains Lenamon. Jeppesen’s ELB solutions “provide improved situation awareness throughout the flight”, according to Ellerbrock. Once airborne, situational awareness on the electronic map can help the pilots anticipate potential issues or short-cut opportunities relative to airspace and convective weather, again improving operational efficiency and fuel burn. Nowadays operators want ELB software that is “better than paper”, says Lenamon, while still meeting regulatory and operational needs. An easy-to-use interface that simplifies their users’ transition from the long-running paper logbook world to the electronic one is also desirable. As the EFB business advances, so do the demands of customers. “With the proliferation of employee issued tablet devices in both the cockpit and maintenance environments, demand for aircraft independent tech log software on mobile devices is rapidly increasing,” says Lenamon. Ultramain has expanded its efbTechLogs software to operate on mobile devices, which is now in production use on the iPad with its launch customer. “As airlines install on-board hardware such as aircraft interface devices and crew wireless networks, tech log applications on mobile

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tions and runway details for destination or alternate airports.” The past year has also seen display and processing technology advance for EFB hardware, allowing it to offer functions such as multi-touch, which can be found on a Windows OS EFB when using Windows 8. It is these kinds of advancements in technology that make upgradeable EFBs more appealing to operators. “It costs far less to enhance existing system parts with new internal components rather than throwing them away and replacing them. ‘Upgrade rather than replace’ is the mantra at navAero,” explains Crowhurst. In addition to hardware upgrades, airway manual content also needs to be updated from time to time, which has traditionally been a large task. However, with a tablet or iPad, EFB updates can be automatic and Jeppesen has implemented a plan whereby it only sends “delta sets” of information to pilots. This information only includes data that has changed compared to the previous revision, greatly decreasing the download time and associated bandwidth concerns, explains Ellerbrock.

Handy hardware

An EFB helps the industry move towards achieving a paperless cockpit.

platforms will be able to take advantage of airborne connectivity and aircraft data just as fully installed Class 3 EFB systems do now,” he explains. Jeppesen also has a solution for mobile devices — compatible with iOS and Windows platforms — called ‘FliteDeck Pro’. “In addition to highly compressed vector-based Jeppesen terminal charts on iPad, FliteDeck Pro includes datadriven enroute content, which is dynamically rendered and de-cluttered for the pilot’s current needs,” says Ellerbrock. “Information for all enroute charted features is available with the tap of a finger, including communication information, operational notes, and current weather condi-


According to Crowhurst, navAero’s solutions — the ‘tBag’ Class 2 EFB and its iPad/Tablet Class 2 EFB — allow operators to benefit from lower costs, simplicity of design and installation complexity, few recurring costs and the ability to upgrade system components when technology advances. Meanwhile, Jeppesen says a host of airlines globally have already received formal regulatory authorisation for the iPad as an EFB with Jeppesen’s charts. The company takes pride in creating products that work well in the user’s environment rather than becoming a distraction, explains Ellerbrock. “We favour elegance and good human factors engineering over slewing in a bunch of features that cause distraction and workload.” Most recently navAero introduced its iPad/Tablet EFB product to the market, which puts flexibility at its core. The company highlights that customers want either a mount to contain an iPad/tablet, a mount with aircraft power connectivity or a mount with both aircraft power and aircraft data connectivity. Again, low cost of ownership and simplicity of installation are central to the design of the product. Customer demands differ from airline to airline. “With 42 contracted customers on four continents, we have seen 42 different requirements,” says Crowhurst. “Although there may be commonality between airlines in regards to the types of aircraft they operate, each airline runs their business differently and has different business requirements and business goals.”


However, the main customer requirement tends to be for cost of ownership to meet with the airline financial requirements for ROI (return on investment), highly durable hardware and minimal maintenance costs, a complete solution with little or no recurring costs, and a flexible and upgradeable solution. “Tablet EFBs are dominating the arena right now, and the iPad is definitely the tablet of choice,” says Lenamon. While the iPad to some is an innovative and easy solution, for others it is a repurposed consumer device making its suitability as an EFB questionable, especially when compared to specially built EFBs. However, it can fulfil many of the requirements for a Class 2 EFB solution, notes Crowhurst, and as a low-cost solution it is highly attractive to airlines. While the iPad can simplify processes there are a few factors for airlines to consider when adopting the device as an EFB solution. As with most consumer devices, the iPad, experiences regular upgrades and updates at the hands of its manufacturer — Apple — and these may cause problems. For example, Apple is discontinuing the fourth generation iPad in favour of the iPad Air, so any operators that have invested in this model will have to bear in mind that any deployed hardware used to mount the device will probably have to change, resulting in further expenditure. “Consumer products are built for the mass market of millions of potential users. Manufacturers can change style, shape, I/O connectors, etc. anytime they want (or need to) and the marketplace adapts,” says Crowhurst. Using the iPad as part of an avionics set-up in a commercial aircraft requires significant investment in both time and cost. “If a mount needs to be changed or a connector needs to be modified, it’s far more expensive for an airline to do so versus a consumer user,” explains Crowhurst. Indeed, the iPad is an efficient EFB but operators have to remember that it is primarily built for consumers and not to meet the “rugged environment” of the cockpit. “The way in which Apple has designed the iPad (without an Ethernet and a USB connector) makes the connection of the device to aircraft data systems challenging,” says Crowhurst. As a cloud-based system the iPad presents operators with various challenges and specialist training is required as Apple iOS needs a parallel ground infrastructure in order to work. In addition, the majority of airlines work within a Windows IT environment and will likely continue to do so for many years to come, says navAero. According to navAero, Apple iOS poses challenges for data connectivity as well as limiting the means by which data can the transferred. Therefore, the OEM has manufactured its Class 2 EFB

using the Windows operating system. Jeppesen’s FliteDeck Pro “allows operators to complete small and large-scale deployments” on the iPad platform, says Ellerbrock. The company is also developing a version for Windowsbased surface tablets.

Blurred lines The distinction between a Class 1 EFB and a Class 2 EFB has at times been blurred. The AC120-76A advisory circular (AC), which was issued in 2003 and contained guidance on the operational use of EFBs, caused “tremendous confusion”, according to navAero, until it was replaced by AC120-76B. Since the updated AC and subsequent documentation from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the confusion is lessening as operators are seeing EFBs as either being installed or portable. The trend of moving away from “heavy STC-dependent mounting solutions to lightweight securing systems and tablet battery charging strategies” has been encouraged by the updated policy, says Ellerbrock.



NavAero’s Universal Aircraft Interface Device (UAID) provides tablet devices with ARINC data connectivity.

“We view the future of EFBs as being focused on aircraft-connected system architectures.” Ken Crowhurst, director of sales, navAero

EFB classification is currently dependent on the operational aspect of the equipment and its impact on flight operations. With the introduction of the EASA central EFB rule, AMC20-25, the EFB class definitions will be eliminated by “widening and blurring the hardware classification into two main sets — portable and installed EFBs,” according to Crowhurst. Now that a Class 1 device can be used during all phases of flight “when secured as viewable stowage using a mechanism such as a suction cup mount, pilot’s leg strap, or Velcro installation”, there really is little distinction between that and the mounts used for a Class 2 device. Jeppesen agrees that the line between the two classes is “more blurred than ever” noting a strong trend whereby Class 1 EFBs/tablets that are walked into and out of the cockpit are doing similar tasks to the Class 2 EFBs.

Class 3 The Class 3 EFB is the sector’s most advanced and integrated solution. Operators who want to commit to the FAA’s NextGen initiative will need


this type, as the programme requires the additional capabilities of a Class 3 EFB system to host Type C software. NextGen aircraft such as the A380 or 787 are being delivered with Class 3 EFB systems as standard avionics equipment and when an EFB is fully integrated into the aircraft systems operational efficiency is increased. An integrated EFB can also take advantage of a variety of applications such as an airport moving map, real-time graphical weather, and an electronic logbook. “We view the future of EFBs as being focused on aircraft-connected system architectures,” says Crowhurst, supporting the idea that highly-integrated EFB solutions will be the future of the business. Jeppesen sees “big operational benefits to bringing airplane connectivity to EFB”. This allows for information such as position, speed, and heading to be shared and new capability around aircraft health management, predictive diagnostics, real-time maintenance, and post-flight analytics that will help the operation run more efficiently and predictably, says Ellerbrock. Although noting that the “the tablet will prevail” as an EFB device in the current market, navAero is convinced there will always be room for aircraft-dedicated systems in the future.

Future outlook “Justification for an EFB programme has always been a major hurdle for operators,” says


Lenamon. However, the low cost of a COTS (consumer of the shelf) tablet, such as the iPad, is all too tempting and has encouraged many airlines to implement them on-board their aircraft. “We believe there will be a global increase in mobile EFB adoption rate for the next two-three years at least, as tablet EFB solutions deliver an unprecedented level of power, mobility, connectivity, flexibility, and hardware upgradeability that is very attractive,” says Ellerbrock. Indeed, EFB technology helps an airline streamline its operations and reduce costs, however the cost of docking hardware, communication channels, and infrastructure for such applications are all factors to be considered. For years there have been limited options for operators, but now airlines have more choice. “It is simply a matter of time before competition erodes the interest and market penetration of the iPad as an aircraft EFB,” adds Crowhurst. NavAero highlights the “fierce competition” coming from Samsung and other manufacturers, who are basing their systems on Windows 7 and 8, as something to watch out for. A current trend is the shift from the iOS platform to the more commonly used Windows software, so navAero sees the introduction of Windows 8 as vital in boosting this interest. Statistically speaking, Apple has historically been the strongest brand for IT devices in the US since the introduction of the first generation iPhone, followed by the iPad. While Apple will no doubt come up against some stiff competition, demand for the iPad will “surge and spread across the globe over the next 18 to 24 months”, predicts navAero. “The cost, simplicity and form factor of the iPad has lent itself to becoming an excellent EFB device,” says Lenamon. However, a challenge that it will face will be “maintaining appropriate levels of safety and standardisation within the vast and constantly growing COTS computer market”, explains Crowhurst. NavAero is already seeing “big changes” in the attitudes of regulators with regards to EFB technology. “They will have to quickly and freshly adapt to the new world that EFB technology is bringing to the [industry and the] way airliners are flying, which is one of the greatest and widereaching changes since the evolution of ‘fly-bywire’, adds Crowhurst. There will be “a shift in the regulators’ position to allow capabilities that are today relegated to the standard avionic to be migrated to the EFB”, he predicts. “NextGen and SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research programme) will be the first targets as well as milestone to open up this new world of thrilling new complex and advanced EFBs.” Jeppesen sees being able to facilitate the adoption and regulatory support for capabilities that fundamentally improve operational effi-

Jeppesen’s Mobile FliteDeck Pro EFB Enroute Flight Chart Solution.

ciency, such as those defined in NextGen and SESAR, as a challenge for the future. However, Ellerbrock sees the EFB as a key component to the success of such programmes. Jeppesen’s vision for the future involves being able to use EFBs for productivity and pre-flight preparations outside the aircraft. It also sees being able to form a connection from the EFB to the outside world through on-board Wi-Fi and other data-links for real-time information updates and communications as a possible next step. “Certainly, our future includes solutions that take integrated data-driven technology and information layering to a new level,” says Ellerbrock. “A future with extremely innovative applications that enable far greater connectivity, integration, and data analytics.”



Aerospace oils and lubricants T

he more innovative aircraft get, the more forward-thinking the engines which power them have to become. Increased performance and thrust, and a simultaneous reduction in fuel consumption, noise and CO2 emissions, are required factors. Indeed, the advances made in engine design have had an effect on oil choice, as demonstrated in Air BP Lubricants’ recent ‘Turbine-Engined Fleets of the World’s Airlines Guide’: “The number of engines in commercial service has increased by 22 per cent in the past 15 years, the number using High Thermal Stability (HTS) or High Performance Capability (HPC) oils has skyrocketed by more than 150 per cent.” Today’s modern jet engines require a lubricant that can handle extreme speed, temperature, and other stress without breaking down or forming deposits, according to ExxonMobil. Therefore oils and lubricants manufacturers have had to continuously improve their products in order to better serve the industry. The first commercially available synthetic aircraft engine lubricants were introduced in the early 1960s and were listed under the MIL-PRF-


In recent years more efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft have been entering the market, each featuring high performance engines. The oils and lubricants business has had to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the aviation industry. Hannah Davies investigates. 23699 specification. It was a change to this particular specification that eventually led to the two classes of oils being established, Standard Grade (STD) and HTS, according to Air BP. The more recent AS5780 specification — based on both the MIL-PRF-23699 specification and OEM requirements — has since become the new industry standard, particularly for lubricants used in commercial engines. Similarly, this specification has two classes of turbine engine oil, Standard Performance Capable (SPC) and HPC. “The first oil to be approved and classified as HPC under this specification was Air BP Lubricants’ Turbo Oil 2197,” says a spokesperson for Air BP. While HPC and SPC oils are “chemically and physically similar in respect of viscosity, acid

value (TAN), flash point and pour point limits”, according to Air BP, the main distinction between the two classes is performance. HPC oils have an improved oxidative and thermal stability which translates into numerous benefits, such as reliable oil life, improved resistance to degradation, a reduction in the formation of coke deposits, reduced component wear and improved engine reliability. These allow an engine to comfortably reach shop visits, which reduces the need for additional maintenance or disruptive oil condition monitoring programmes. “Modern lubricants protect modern engines as directionally they are operating at higher gas temperatures than before, thereby improving efficiency,” comments Van Noordennen, sales manager, lubricants at Shell Europe.

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Y O U R V I S I O N TA K E S F L I G H T.


AeroShell Turbine Oil 560 (ASTO 560) is designed to reduce coking and improve wear resistance for modern jet engines.

“At peak efficiency engines may run up to 2,100°C in their core. In the current climate, these engine temperatures are higher than ever before, and STD oils that once reflected the pinnacle of performance are now being superseded by HPC oils.” Air BP spokesperson An engine’s cycle efficiency is improved with increasing compression ratios and increasing combustion temperatures, says Van Noordennen. As oil isn’t just used as a lubricant, but also as the primary heat transfer mechanism for the internal parts of a turbine engine, any increase in engine temperature translates into an increase in oil temperature. The higher performing an engine, the more the engine core temperature increases. Therefore, gas turbine lubricant technology has had to advance to ensure maximum efficiency at higher temperatures. “At peak efficiency engines may run up to 2,100°C in their core. In the current climate, these engine temperatures are higher than ever before, and STD oils that once reflected the pinnacle of performance are now being superseded by HPC oils,” explains Air BP. According to Air BP, an average Rolls-Royce RB211 had a turbine inlet gas temperature of around 1,100°C at take-off thrust 40 years ago. By contrast, new engine types such as the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 and the Engine Alliance GP7200 operate with a turbine inlet temperature of more than 1,450°C at take-off, with


some only being certified to work with HPC oils. “Advanced materials like ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are allowing engineers to continue to raise the temperature and pressure at the heart of the engine,” says Air BP. These engines are then able to work more efficiently, which ultimately reduces maintenance time and costs for airlines. Air BP uses the example of General Electric’s (GE) GEnx engine, which offers customers 15 per cent less fuel consumption and similar reductions in CO2 emissions. “The conditions in modern engines are hotter and harder than ever on lubricating oils,” agrees Van Noordennen. “In particular, the tendency of oils to break down and produce hard particles of carbon increases with temperature.” According to Robert Midgley, technology development manager, fuels and lubricants at Shell, the company works with aircraft and engine manufacturers to ensure that it supplies customers with exactly what they need.

Slippery business Turbine engine oils (TEOs) — both SPC and HPC — are used in main propulsion engines,

auxiliary power units and the electrical generators on the main engines along with their drive gearboxes, according to Air BP. It is these TEOs that prevent friction being caused between engine parts while in flight, minimising the risk of wear and tear as well as cooling equipment and sealing performance. In fact, oils are so important to the smooth running of an airline that choosing the incorrect oil could result in increased maintenance costs and Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situations. Using oil that caters to the engine’s working conditions can result in a longer engine lifespan, more time in the air, less maintenance time and reduced maintenance costs. Today’s newer engines such as CFM International’s LEAP series and GE’s GEnx operate at higher temperatures and as engine lubricants become exposed to this, ‘coking’ can occur because the temperature and the oil residue time are higher than the oil’s stability limitations. Coking is used to describe oil-related carbon deposits that can restrict oil flow, leading to a decrease in reliability, as well as an increase in maintenance costs. Coking can be responsible for engine failures, shortened maintenance cycles and unscheduled repair work, according to Air BP. The modern day engine, although more cost and environmentally efficient, inflicts much harsher conditions onto lubricating oils. While higher engine temperatures have many benefits there is an inclination for “oils to break down and produce hard particles of carbon” as temperatures increase, says Midgley.


The problem is that oils with low-coking properties have seal compatibility issues, which presented lubricant manufacturers with an entirely different challenge — to produce a HPC oil that could deliver the optimum balance between low coking and elastomer integrity. Shell Aviation says its new TEO ‘AeroShell Ascender’ meets this challenge and improves the oil’s low-coking properties while preventing the engine elastomer seals from deteriorating faster. AeroShell Ascender offers both low coking tendency and elastomer compatibility, explains the manufacturer.

Testing, testing As with all new technology and developments, testing procedures at times differ. “Testing limits within the specification AS5780 are more stringent for HPC oils on a number of properties... These include oxidation and corrosion test methods as well as those aimed at higher temperature Pyrolysis chemistry such as the Hot Liquid Process Simulator which is intended to look at carbon, or coke forming tendencies,” says Midgley. Air BP comments: “HPC oils are approved against the AS5780 specification after completing a multitude of laboratory tests designed to examine physico-chemical properties, thermo-oxidative performance and engine materials compatibility”. These standard industry tests provide a “fairly deep” insight into expected onwing performance, according to the company. However, on-wing conditions can very rarely be properly represented in laboratory conditions. While it has, and will always be, a challenge to replicate true on-wing conditions in a laboratory environment, Air BP Lubricants has developed a coking test rig — the ‘Coker Mister’ test — as a means to assess the performance of engine lubricants. The Coker Mister is carried out in a dynamic environment with temperatures, pressures and flows that closely mirror those encountered during multi-leg flight conditions, says Air BP. The test rig is able to replicate the pressure, temperature and oil flow regimes encountered in the hottest part of an engine bearing compartment, according to the manufacturer. This allows Air BP to gain a better understanding of how their products work in on-wing conditions. As a result, oil performance, oil health and coking propensity can be analysed. The Coker Mister played a crucial role in the development of Air BP’s Turbo oil, ‘BPTO 2197’, as a means of evaluating coking propensity to ensure the integrity of a product. BPTO 2197 is a latest generation HTS synthetic lubricant offered by Air BP and is “relied on by many of the world’s airlines to consistently provide unsurpassed high temperature cleanli-

Shell has been supplying aviation fuel for over a hundred years.

ness, outstanding oxidative and thermal stability and superior hydrolytic stability”, according to the manufacturer. While ExxonMobil tests its ‘Mobil Jet Oil 387’ product in laboratory and in high-stress landbased turbine applications under conditions that are even more demanding than normal aircraft service. The company is currently working with operators and OEMs to test the product — described by ExxonMobil as the “next generation advanced aircraft-type gas turbine lubricant” — on wing through it Flight Service Evaluation Programme, according to the company.

What’s on offer? The oils and lubricants business is continuously striving to create more innovative and efficient products. “The aviation technology and research world is a busy place in Shell,” comments Midgley. While the cost of fleet engine oils represents a comparatively small proportion of an airline’s operating costs, and for a twin-engine, single aisle, standard body commercial aircraft can account for less than 0.01 per cent, according to Air BP, engine maintenance costs make up a substantial portion of an operator’s expenses. Therefore, choosing reliable oils is hugely important to remaining cost effective. “Turbine engines are now at the stage where some of the more modern developments simply

won’t work with the legacy oils the industry has been using for decades and so HPC oils such as AeroShell Ascender are being mandated for use,” says Van Noordennen. Shell’s ‘AeroShell Turbine Oil 560’ (ASTO 560) has been in the market for over 25 years according to Midgley. This third-generation, 5mm2/s, sterically hindered ester lubricating oil is “designed to provide commercially viable performance and benefits such as reduced coking and improved wear resistance for modern jet engines”, he explains. Indeed ASTO 560 was designed to “resolve the issues of coking propensity without affecting elastomer seal compatibility and to improve load carrying capacity”, says Midgley. Today, it is a recognised and approved product — by almost all the major engine and accessory equipment manufacturers — that helps improve operational efficiency. Shell’s latest AeroShell Ascender is designed to “cope comfortably with the longer intervals between scheduled maintenance typical of the new generation of jet engines”, says Van Noordennen. Thanks to its “excellent elastomer seal compatibility”, the chance of seal swell or degradation is reduced. If these factors are allowed to increase it can lead to high oil consumption and as a result additional costs can be incurred. “Its low coking propensity reduces the chance of oil coke build-up in bearing chambers and oil service pipes, which can help to



AeroShell Ascender is designed to cope comfortably with longer intervals between scheduled maintenance.

“Turbine engines are now at the stage where some of the more modern developments simply won’t work with the legacy oils the industry has been using for decades and so HPC oils such as AeroShell Ascender are being mandated for use.” Martijn Van Noordennen, sales manager, Lubricants – Europe, Shell lower maintenance and cleaning costs”, he adds.

Trends and challenges “Many airline operators have historically persisted with a single oil policy across their fleet,” says Van Noordennen. However, with the introduction of more innovative engines to the market, which require HPC oils, some operators are accepting a two oils policy, he explains. This means they will only use HPC where it is needed, but others are starting to consider the use of HPC oils on their legacy engines. When HPC oils first entered the market “there were some elastomer problems reported with a particular competitor HPC oil on the market, especially with legacy engines”, says Van Noordennen. However, thanks to a more widespread understanding of HPC oils and their benefits operators are starting to see that “cutting edge oils can actually have a benefit in engines that strictly don’t need them”, adds Van Noordennen. According to Shell, “engines are cleaner, oil life is longer and


on-wing inspections show up fewer issues such as vent pipe coking”. Another concern for operators is changing from one TEO to another, but products such as AeroShell Ascender, which has the necessary compatibility with other approved oils, can eliminate any issues or concerns associated with changing oils. Insufficient lubrication of an aircraft and engine parts “could lead to equipment failure”, agrees Midgley. Even once the engine is shut down turbine engine lubricant is still needed. “When an engine is running, oil flows internally and carries excess heat away from bearings and internal gearboxes. When an engine shuts down there is a lot of residual heat, but with no oil flow the internal temperature of the engine increases considerably after shut down,” he explains.

Future landscape As oils and lubricants manufacturers develop their products and spread the word about HPC oil and its benefits, more and more airlines, engineers and OEMs are adopting the solution for their fleets.

Yet the approvals process for turbine engine oils remains “long and very expensive,” according to Van Noordennen. “[So] reducing the time to market and accelerating the approval path is the key to getting the benefits of new turbine engine oils to end users.” Due to TEO choices being limited in the past “only now are end users starting to consider the benefits [that] new technology can bring”, he says. “This is a journey and we need to share with airline operators that lubricants are as much part of the cutting edge of aviation technology as geared fans, low NOx combustors and open rotors.” Shell notes that in Pratt and Whitney’s new geared turbofan engines, a reduction in fan speed would “decrease drag from the blades, thereby increasing efficiency as well as giving a number of other claimed benefits”, explains Midgley. But all advances have their challenges. “Even if it improves the overall engine efficiency, no component can be 100 per cent efficient, so the gearbox will generate heat — heat that the lubricant will have to remove in addition to lubricating the mechanism.” In order to reduce maintenance costs and ensure operational efficiency going forward, operators need to opt for the best TEOs possible. Although investment in oils and lubricants only equates to a tiny fraction of an airline’s overheads, the possible effect that poor lubrication can have on an engine, and indeed an aircraft, can be highly significant and extremely costly.

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ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE


GP7200 programme update Engine Alliance’s GP7200 engine has been in service on the A380 since 2008. Alex Derber assesses its early performance and analyses future maintenance strategies.

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y the close of 2013, the A380’s GP7200 engine will have clocked up two million flight hours, yet it is still a relatively young engine that awaits its first heavy maintenance cycle. As such, any present assessment of its performance and technical peccadilloes is somewhat premature, though a large enough cohort of engines is now in service to allow some cautious analysis. The engine, manufactured by Engine Alliance (EA), entered service on an Emirates A380 in 2008 and there are are now 49 GP7200-powered A380s in service with Emirates, Korean Air and Air France. Dispatch reliability among those three — of whom Emirates has been using the engine the longest and Korean the shortest — has been 99.9 per cent. Other customers include Etihad, Qatar Airways and Transaero Airlines, all of whom were still to receive their first A380s at the time of writing (December 2013). While Rolls-Royce Trent 900s power another 60 in-service A380s, EA claims to be the market leader due to its 55 per cent share of engines ordered. At present, that share is largely down to Emirates, which has ordered 90 GP7200-powered A380s, though the Dubai-based carrier is to open up competition between Rolls and EA for the engines for the additional 50 A380s it ordered in late 2013.

Development Following the lead of other successful engine partnerships such as CFM International and IAE International Aero Engines, which made the

competing CFM56 and V2500 engines for the A320 family, General Electric (GE)and Pratt & Whitney opted to parent a new joint venture — Engine Alliance — to develop the GP7000 line for the A380. To do so, the two companies drew on the lessons learned from the 51 million flight hours accumulated by the GE90, which powers the 777, and the PW4000, which has been used on the A300/A310, A330, 747, 767 and 777 — and married the best technologies from both. Design and production of the engine has been evenly split between the two EA partners. GE manufactures the high pressure compressor (HPC), combustor and high-pressure turbine (HPT), while Pratt & Whitney manufactures the fan module, low-pressure compressor (LPC) and low-pressure turbine (LPT). Final engine assembly is conducted at Pratt & Whitney’s Engine Center in Middletown, Connecticut. Other GP7000 programme participants include France’s Snecma, Techspace Aero of Belgium and German manufacturer MTU Aero Engines. Together, the EA partners developed a 76,500lbs-thrust engine, albeit one capable of reaching 81,500lbs. The GP7200 was even tested up to 94,000lbs, not only to assess its upper limits but also to help any future development of higher thrust variants for potentially larger models of the A380. EA’s biggest customer, Emirates, has led calls for an upgraded version of the GP7200, with its CEO Tim Clark suggesting that new technologies developed for the 787’s GEnx should be incorpo-



AFI doesn’t consider that the GP7200’s early years have been any more difficult than those of other new engines.

“Generally, people start with overhaul and then do some repair activities, but for the GP7200 it was the other way round: we started by developing repairs as we had to feed into and answer requests from the network.” José Marie Louis, SVP engines, AFI

rated in the A380 powerplant. Options include a redesign of compressor and turbine blades with new 3D design tools and software upgrades to improve fan clearance. Assessing those and other options has been the task of a technical team at Engine Alliance, which was due to deliver its report to management by the end of 2013. The team’s findings will then be reviewed with current and future GP7200 operators to examine the respective business cases, but no further timetable has been drawn up for an upgrade programme. “The review of possible improvement options won’t occur until next year, so it is too early to predict if or when an upgraded GP7200 engine would be available,” explains a spokesperson for EA. As things stand, EA claims that the latest GP7200s are beating the engine’s originally specified fuel burn targets by 1.3 per cent. That is the result of three separate performance enhancements and it saves operators $11m over 15 years of operations for one A380, according to EA. Even so, the first GP7200s still beat specific fuel consumption targets by 0.9 per cent, and the engine


is 17 decibels quieter than ICAO Chapter 4 requirements.

Ongoing upgrades Improvements to fuel burn have been made possible by an ongoing campaign to remove weight from the engine. For instance, GKN Aerospace Engine Systems redesigned the turbine exhaust case to improve the load path between exhaust case mount lugs and the struts, reducing the weight of the engine by more than 50lbs. Also, when engineers realised that certain bleed fairings could be removed without affecting LPC stall line capability, another 16lbs came off. The diet continued with the introduction of lighter struts and a new LPT shaft, resulting in an engine that is now 200lbs (91kg) lighter than its original incarnation, saving 800lbs of weight per A380. There have been durability and other performance enhancements, too, such as those announced by EA in 2012 when the GP7200 had hit one million flight hours. Aside from the weight reductions above, these included upgrades to surface finishes in the HPC, better HPT sealing, and optimised engine clearances.

Technical hiccups While the GP7200 has experienced nothing as dramatic as the uncontained engine failure that ripped apart a Trent 900 on an airborne Qantas A380 in 2010, the engine has had its problems, including an in-flight shutdown in 2012 over Australia on an Emirates Sydney-Dubai serv-


AFI aims to achieve full capabilities on the GP7200 by the end of 2014.

ice. As a result the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a February 2013 airworthiness directive (AD) for an on-wing inspection of HPT stage 2 nozzles in GP7200 engines manufactured before 2010, when EA redesigned the stage 2 nozzle to improve cooling. “Based on the nozzle condition, operators may need to replace it with the latest stage 2 nozzle configuration designed in 2010 or repeat the inspection at specified intervals,” an EA spokesperson says. Air France has been operating the GP7200 since November 2009 so will be less affected by the above issue than Emirates, which owns some of the earliest GP7200 engines. “We are in a good position to have a reduced impact of what has been experienced by Emirates,” confirms José Marie Louis, SVP engines at Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M). “Contrary to the GE90-115, we are not the fleet leader [on the GP7200] so we see in advance what is happening and we get some benefit from EA taking some actions and doing some monitoring, some borescoping and some quick turns in order to prevent the same thing happening on other engines.”


A bigger concern for Air France is a June 2013 AD from the FAA ordering borescope inspections of the HPC stage 6 disk for cracking in the baffle arm, which could lead to secondary damage to the HPC 7-9 spools. To prevent this, EA has redesigned the stage 6 disk baffle arm and developed a fleet retrofit plan, which will see affected engines upgraded during routine shop visits. “We know that at the shop visit we will have to go more frequently than expected to the compressor, and we have taken some provisions to adapt our capability to this compressor workscope, which will happen earlier than expected,” says Louis. Despite those issues, Louis doesn’t consider that the GP7200’s early years have been any more difficult than those of other new engines. For instance, just over four years after the service entry of the GE90-115B Air France experienced two in-flight shutdowns of the engine due to distinct problems. The GP7200, Louis says, has caused AFI fewer headaches, though he does admit that, “if I was an independent MRO and if I had signed a time and materials contract


with my customers I would be very happy because this engine would provide some work!”

Maintenance About 80 per cent of the GP7200 order-book is covered by EA fleet management aftermarket agreements. Maintenance of the engine is on condition, with first restoration shop visits recommended after 3,000 to 3,500 cycles. The main centre for engine overhauls is the GE Wales facility in Cardiff, though EA is also working with operators to establish a network of quick turn maintenance lines at Air France, Emirates and Korean Air. AFI performs GP7200 work at its CRMA facility in Paris, where it started doing certain component repairs about four years ago, both for Air France and other operators. “Generally, people start with overhaul and then do some repair activities, but for the GP7200 it was the other way round: we started by developing repairs as we had to feed into and answer requests from the network,” Louis says. At the end of 2013, CRMA was still the unique source for GP7200 combustor chamber and turbine centre frame repairs, though it was still to receive any major components from Air France. “We have worked for OEMs before as subcontractors for repairs, but we have never been the primary source for them, as is the case for the GP7200,” comments Louis. The goal of taking on such responsibilities is for AFI to achieve full capabilities on the engine by the end of 2014. The first restoration shop visits for Air France’s engines are supposed to occur

in 2015, though Louis fears that several might need attention earlier. If that is the case the affected engines will probably be routed to GE Wales, as AFI’s test bench capabilities for the GP7200 are not expected to come on line until 2015. To help with logistics planning for its customers, EA developed the “split ship” concept for A380 engines. Thus the GP7200’s propulsor can be easily separated from its fan case, which is too large to fit through the side cargo doors of most freighter aircraft. Since it is problems in the propulsor that usually drive an engine off-wing, this means that airlines can easily box up repairs for delivery to maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) shops without chartering specialised aircraft. It also means that airlines can stock spare propulsors — which comprise the fan disk, LPC and accessory gearbox — rather than entire engines. Nonetheless, Air France holds two spare GP7200s in its inventory, with one more on order and another due for delivery in about a year’s time. Despite EA’s efforts to ease certain aspects of GP7200 servicing, Louis notes that line maintenance has become more complex for modern engines. “Perhaps it’s a new trend for the new class of engines that are supposed to spend a long time on wing,” he says. “We need to provide more resources around the engine when they are on wing in order to pay more attention than before because we want to prevent removals. It’s not the same way of managing engines as for the CF6 or CFM56.”



Aerospace fasteners — meeting new demands Already wide, the range of fasteners for aerospace applications continues to grow as manufacturers develop new drive systems and respond to the demands of composite structures. Bernard Fitzsimons reports.

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ne of the principal motives for using composites is the opportunity they offer to fabricate larger structural components as single pieces rather than multiple piece parts fastened together by rivets, bolts and other varieties of fastener. The 787’s first fuselage barrel, for example, eliminated 1,500 sheets of aluminium and more than 40,000 fasteners — an 80 per cent reduction. Fewer than 10,000 need to be drilled in the Dreamliner’s fuselage, compared with the one million required by the 747. But composite components do not respond well to localised concentrated loading, so fasteners need bigger heads. Aluminium and steel are unsuitable for use with carbon fibre/epoxy composites because they can lead to galvanic corrosion of the alloy. There are other issues, too, such as vibration and water absorption. So fasteners for composite applications are typically made of titanium or stainless steel.


Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, which pioneered the blind bolt, developed the ‘ComposiLok’ with a large blind side bearing area to distribute bearing loads over a wide area and avoid damaging the composite material, while enabling the fastener to impart very high clamp loads. More recently Monogram introduced the ‘Mechani-Lok’ blind bolt with a corrosion resistant stainless steel body and titanium alloy core as a fastener for primary structures in both laminated composites and high-strength metal alloys. To minimise installation errors it uses a disposable drive nut. Many established fastener manufacturers have been taken over by bigger names, following the broader trend toward aerospace industry consolidation. Like its rivals, the biggest name in the business, Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) has pursued growth by acquisition in recent years. Since acquiring Huck Fasteners in 2000, it has

added Fairchild Fasteners, locknut specialist Republic Fastener Manufacturing, Van Petty Manufacturing and the UK’s Linread to its portfolio. Today, AFS produces more than 1.5 million active part numbers and delivers well over a billion parts to aerospace customers each year. The result, according to Salim Gulamany, head of global supply chain solutions, is that AFS is now more solution provider than supplier. “This year AFS will ship over half a billion dollars in revenue through our supply chain programmes,” he says. Managed through logistics centres in Simi Valley, California and Aichach, Germany, they include min/max, vendor managed inventory (VMI) and forecast call-up capacity programmes. “We manage tens of thousands of parts numbers,” adds Gulamany. “We ship tens of millions of pieces every year on dozens of contracts, and we ship to anywhere between one and 30 cus-

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Installation of the first Airbus ‘Sharklet’ wingtip device.

tomer locations depending on the supply chain programme.” Precision Castparts, similarly, has acquired a raft of fastener brands, including those produced by Cherry Aerospace, the originator of the blind rivet, and locknut specialist SPS Technologies. Another subsidiary, Shur-Lok, offers a range of fasteners for advanced composites. They include bonded-on studs and insert plates, supplied with pre-attached thermoplastic adhesive that is melted by the application of heat to the fastener. There are also bonded mechanical types that use a combination of adhesive and mechanical means for retention in the structure, and nonmetallic inserts and spacers designed primarily for sandwich structures. Despite the reduced fastener count in composite structures, aircraft manufacturers continue to use enormous quantities. Boeing used more than 600 million in 2012, and LISI Aerospace points out that no fewer than half of the six million components used to make an A380 are


fasteners. LISI itself makes more than 250,000 fastener references. The acquisitions that have helped propel LISI to number three position in the global fastener market include Hi-Shear, originator of the widely used ‘Hi-Lok’ and ‘Hi-Lite’ externally threaded pins. LISI has developed the ‘Pull-In/Pull-Stem’ with improved mechanical properties, while the ‘Sleeve Taper Hi-Lite’ is designed for critical applications that demand both mechanical per-

formance and low access. It also allows for interference fit installation without causing damage to the composite structure, and addresses lightning protection. According to LISI Aerospace, the fastener accounts for only around 20 per cent of the total cost of an aircraft assembly, with tooling, jigs, man-hours and other costs making up the rest. To streamline the installation process the company has developed the ‘Aster’ five lobe driving system, which makes it possible to apply more sustained torque to the fastener than conventional hex recesses. The Aster driving system can also be used in place of conventional hexagonal bits on fastener installation robots. Family-owned Ateliers de la Haute-Garonne (AHG), meanwhile, has been making aerospace rivets since 1950, first for Dassault, then for Airbus and subsequently for Boeing too. Since 2000 it has diversified into threaded fasteners, including bolts, screws and aluminium lockbolts: in 2012 the company’s factories in Toulouse and Morocco forged 650 tonnes of material and turned out around 1.5 billion items, including 45 million screws. Daily production includes seven million solid rivets, representing more than 30,000 different references and including the ‘FybrComp’ and ‘FybrFast’ solid rivets for composite applications. Made of titanium or A-286 stainless steel and installed using existing riveting tools, FybrComp offers controlled radial shank expansion while ensuing no delamination on the bulb side. The flush head Fybrfast has an annular groove on the shank of the rivet to prevent delamination of composite materials surrounding the area of deformation. Fybrfast also has a greater grip length range than traditional solid rivets and can be used for assemblies requiring both a flush head and a flush tail. For blind fastening, AHG has developed the ‘Fybrflush’ blind bolt with a large blind bulb for composite applications.

New drive Consolidation means fewer, bigger players, says Mike Mowins, president of threaded fas-

“In an aerospace fastener application you always want the driving tool to be slightly weaker than the ultimate strength of the recess.” Mike Mowins, president, Phillips Screw


tener specialist Phillips Screw, but opportunities remain for small and mid-size companies selling through distributors or stockholders such as B/E Aerospace Consumables Management, Pattonair and Wesco. B/E, which has itself grown through multiple acquisitions, now stocks more than 825,000 part numbers from over 3,000 suppliers and has a daily throughput of more than 15,000 orders. Since inventing the original Phillips screw in the 1930s, Phillips has been a research and development company that licenses the technologies it develops to manufacturers. “We have a global network of about 100 manufacturers,” says Mowins. That includes the makers of the fasteners themselves, those who make the driving tools — whether screwdriver bits or external sockets — and the makers of the punches and gauges that forge and check the quality of the recesses in the head of the screw and the gauges for the bits and external sockets that turn them. Currently, the company is in the final stages of testing its new ‘External MORTORQ Super’ drive system with a major aircraft engine maker, which aims to use the fasteners on its engines for the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. “External MOR-

Phillips has developed the original MORTORQ recess design to produce the Super, shown here in micro screw application, and six-lobe External Super.

TORQ Super was developed to solve the problems with 12 point and hex-head fasteners,” he says — specifically, their relatively heavy weight and the fact that their heads offer limited contact with the sockets that drive them. The solution involved applying the concept of the MORTORQ internal recess, which was developed as a replacement for earlier drive systems such as ‘Torq-Set’ and ‘Tri-Wing’. Designed to solve problems of effective torque transmission in fasteners with low profile or 100-degree flush heads, MORTORQ uses a patented, curved recess that ensures full mating of the contact surface between driving tool and recess when torque is applied. It was chosen as the floorboard fastener for the 787 and its applications are growing, Mowins says: “It has wide usage now at Rolls-Royce and we’ve just finished a first round of new titanium internal MORTORQ fasteners for use on the XWB engine that’s going to power the A350.” Other applications include the Lockheed C-5M Galaxy modernisation programme, the MBDA Meteor missile and fuel access panels on newly overhauled Fokker airliners. In the course of Phillips’ work with RollsRoyce, he says, “we talked to them about developing an external drive system to replace 12 point bi-hex heads — fasteners that are typically larger in diameter than what we had been used to dealing with”. The main aim was to save weight. “If we can take weight out of the aircraft by replacing the 12 point or hex head bolts on the airframe, that has a significant impact on the cost of fuel that the airline has to buy,” says Mowins. A lower profile drive system that provides greater contact area on the removal side is also optimised for servicing and maintainability, he notes. “That is key for the airline operator but also key at the end of life of the airframe so that it can be easily disassembled and parts that can be recycled can be easily moved off into that green stream.” The weight saving has also attracted automotive industry users. As well as the MORTORQ, Phillips has developed the MORTORQ Super for industrial applications. “In an aerospace fastener application you always want the driving tool to be slightly weaker than the ultimate strength of the recess,” he explains. “If you have a panel which is attached to the aircraft and you have to get it out, which would you rather fail, the driving tool that you’re trying to use to remove the fastener, or the recess in the head of the fastener, which means you have to drill it out? Obviously you’re going to want to fail the tool because you can always take another out of the toolbox, heat the area around the fastener, spray it with some penetrating oil, tap it with a hammer to relieve the corrosion or whatever, then try to remove it a second time with a new tool.”

In the industrial world, by contrast, maintainability is less of an issue: instead, the desire is to avoid stopping the production line to change the driving tool, so it is of upmost importance for the driving tool to last as long as possible. Phillips’ response was to take the original MORTORQ concept, truncate the wings and increase the core diameter slightly to make the driving tool stronger: “That became our MORTORQ Super,” says Mowins. The design has found widespread applications, not only in the automotive world but in the micro-screw range as well. The next step was to take the greater torque capability and truncated lobe design and reverse the concept, so that the driver bit became the head of the bolt and the socket and the screw became the driving socket on the outside of the head. “It wasn’t a great leap,” Mowins comments, “but we went from a four-lobe internal to a six lobe external and actually came up with a better design, one that is more easily forgeable.” Companies that actually make the aircraft and automotive bolts found the design easier to forge than fasteners such as the 12 point bi-hex, because those heads have to be extruded a long way to achieve the tall head height needed to provide enough torque in the narrow contact areas to drive the bolt. “Because we have such great contact area in the MORTORQ Super, we don’t have to have as tall a head, and hence it’s easier to forge,” concludes Mowins.



Lean manufacturing and business wide information systems A

erospace manufacturers are continually being monitored for delivery performance, cost and quality by their customers. Delivering on these metrics requires constant attention, tweaking and agility to meet ever-changing needs — nothing stands still for long. The development of lean manufacturing techniques by Toyota, or the Toyota Production System as it was originally called, is widely recognised as the single biggest influence on the company’s rise into the automotive giant it is today. The principles behind lean techniques can be applied to nearly any business and aerospace & defence is one of the few industries that has really embraced the methodology and its ethos, and is most often associated with process improvement and cost reduction in manufacturing. Most businesses subscribe to the notion of continuous process improvement with one common area of focus being the flow of product from supplier to customer. Naturally, any process that


Aerospace manufacturing has embraced the methodology and ethos of lean techniques. Kathie Poindexter, product marketing manager at Epicor Software Corporation, looks at how the effective use of ERP technology can deliver lean manufacturing. impedes the smooth flow of product is a source of additional cost to the company. The process inefficiencies that lean techniques address aren’t unfamiliar or exotic; in fact, they exist in every organisation. In particular, the processes that contribute value directly to the customer, the “value stream,” need the application of lean techniques. Redesigning processes so that they reduce the delays inherent in the flow of information from one part of the organisation to another is one example of applying lean principles to business. Innovative manufacturers who deploy lean methodologies business-wide reap huge benefits in terms of customer satisfaction and overall

business performance. The key here is that it must be business-wide, not limited, for example, to the production shop floor. Lean manufacturers consider the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination. Think about that for a moment — you could easily argue that all of the processes lead to that end goal, but could you say that yours are working as efficiently as they could? Are they automated wherever possible? It might seem a little flippant but there is a joke that the manufacturing facility of the future will employ just a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to


make sure the man doesn’t touch anything. There is most certainly some truth in this. As technology develops, where will the potential to automate and be leaner take us?

So, where to focus? Where to focus attention is going to be specific to your business, it will depend on how much of a lean operation you already run, and whether you have a continuous improvement methodology in place. But let’s start looking at it from the perspective of the customer who consumes a product or service; ‘value’ is defined as any action that creates benefit for the customer, anything outside of that is waste. With that in mind, let’s explore some examples aimed at reducing costs — specifically, around demand-driven purchasing for lean operations. We’re looking for immediate benefits to the business and the value chain for the customer. Here are three areas where the application of technology and a lean mind-set can deliver value for the customer: G Purchasing and suppliers;

Aerospace manufacturers like Boeing have embraced the lean methodology and its ethos.

G Sales orders; G Shipping.

Automation across these areas impacts how well a company can deliver products to its customers, but the results are not always as expected. As we have already acknowledged, technology is key in modern manufacturing organisations that aspire to the lean methodology, and many do implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) because they want to integrate and manage disparate business processes with a single point of control. That’s good as far as it goes — the problem is that it doesn’t go far enough. Simply implementing the system is like giving it a name and filing it away — job done. In reality, any ERP solution needs to be tailored to the organisation’s needs. One size does not fit all — generic ERP capability does not trump sector-specific expertise. So let’s look at some brief examples in each of these areas that can be improved through the effective use of ERP technology to deliver lean manufacturing. Purchasing and suppliers It is not uncommon for parts to have a limited shelf life and if this information is not managed correctly and stock used in the correct orders, it can easily lead to delays on the delivery of customer orders, with products left in mid-production as they wait for new deliveries of components or lubricants that appeared to be in stock. It is easy to ensure that an ERP system not only requires and records this information, but

uses it for production planning to ensure excessive stock is not held and waste reduced. Sales orders The sales order process is the trigger for everything else in the manufacturing cycle, so it has to be right. Promises made at this point can make or break relationships in the long-term, for example, if delivery dates are given that do not reflect the existing production schedule. Giving sales teams access to the production schedule makes those predictions more accurate if the whole sales process is part of the same ERP system. But it’s not just about lead times, customers want accurate quotes quickly, and to be able to talk about discounts and bespoke elements of their orders with one person. ERP can enable this by embedding business rules into the sales process, so that sales teams can offer discounts to a threshold, and where appropriate, influence the production schedule. This makes the sales process faster, more accurate, and therefore more likely to lead to happy customers placing orders — a foundation on which long-term relationships can be built. Shipping Shipping is the end goal of any production process, and it should mean that all tasks preceding it have been completed — it is the endpoint for their efforts. However it is all too easy to assume that a product should be shipped once ready when there may be other influences over whether that shipment should proceed, for example, if a supplier has alerted you to a component fault or a

customer has requested stock is not to be delivered before a certain date. These and many other controls such as customer account credit checks can be automated through business rules in an ERP system to ensure high customer satisfaction and a reduced risk to the manufacturer.

Small changes can make a big difference There is nothing new about lean. The very concepts and philosophies that we now take for granted — ‘Just In Time’; Kaizen, the policy of continuous improvement; and job rotation to increase workforce skills and flexibility — were developed by the Japanese motor industry. It allowed them to out-spec domestic motor manufacturing competition (radios and carpets as standard!) and become a huge global success in many sectors, not just cars. ‘Lean’ is one big idea, but it’s composed of a myriad of small changes, improvements and developments that you can monitor, measure and act upon. The key is to use technology such as ERP systems to ensure up-to-the-minute data is at the fingertips of every process, decision and person that adds to the value chain. It’s not just about technology, it’s a mindset and an opportunity to look again at how you do business. Your competitors are in no better shape than you. They’ve suffered the same problems, the same issues, but it is those who act to change their business outside the manufacturing process that reap the greatest rewards that lean dangles in front of us.


DATA & DIRECTIVES

FAA airworthiness directives - large aircraft Summary of biweekly listings for the last two months Biweekly 2013-18 2013-05-08C 2013-15-10S

Airbus Rolls-Royce

A330 & A340 RB211

2013-15-13

Boeing

757-200, -200PF, -200CB, and -300

2013-15-17

Boeing

737 series

2013-15-18S

Lockheed Martin

L-1011

2013-16-23

Rolls-Royce

RB211

2013-16-24S

Boeing

747

2013-16-25

Bombardier

DHC-8-400, -401, and -402

2013-16-26

Airbus

A330 & A340

2013-17-03

Airbus

A330 & A340

2013-17-05

Bombardier

CL600

2013-17-09

Airbus

A318, A319, A320 & A321

Replace the O-ring seals as required by AD. Supersedes AD 2012-10-12. Remove the existing IP compressor balance weights. Perform an operational test of the engine fuel suction feed of the fuel system, and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 757-28A0131. Do the initial operational test identified in Airworthiness Limitation (AWL) No. 28-AWL-101, Engine Fuel Suction Feed Operational Test. Perform all related testing and corrective actions. Supersedes AD 2005-15-01. Repeat inspection at times specified in AD. Perform a one-time inspection of the FCL metering panel to determine if it is made from N75 material, and if made from N75 material, replace it with one made from C263 material. Supersedes AD 90-23-14. Do external detailed and HFEC inspections for cracks in the stringer 6 skin lap splice, and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 747-53-2253. Install the doubler modification, and do all applicable related investigative and corrective actions. For the nacelle of the engine primary zone, remove any APD having part number (P/N) 10-1098 and install a new APD having P/N 10-1098-01. For the nacelle of the landing gear primary zone, remove any APD having P/N 10-1097 or 10-1097-01 and install a new APD having P/N 10-1097-02. Remove any APD having P/N 10-1096, 10-1096-01, or 10-1096-02 and install a new APD having P/N 10-1096-02. Do a detailed inspection of outer skin rivets at the frame fork end of FR21 and FR20B of the forward cargo door for sheared, loose, or missing rivets; and do a detailed inspection of the whole FR21 and FR20B forks for cracks and for sheared, loose, or missing rivets at the frame web and flanges. Repair any cracking. Replace the affected WTB with a serviceable WTB, IAW the Instructions of Airbus AOT A27L001-12. Replace the affected bellcrank supports with new bellcrank supports IAW SB 670BA-27-064. Do a detailed inspection of the gaps between the ballscrew shaft and tie-rod splines on any THSA having P/N 47145-XXX (where XXX stands for any numerical value) to determine if the corrosion category isType I, Type II, or Type III IAW SB A320-27-1214. If applicable, replace the affected THSA with a THSA that meets the criteria specified.

Biweekly 2013-19 2013-17-06

Fokker Services

F.27 & F.28

2013-17-07

General Electric

GE90

2013-17-08S

Boeing

747 series


Do a torque check of the nuts and circuit breakers, contactors, and terminal blocks of the EPC and battery relay panel, as applicable; and do all applicable adjustments of the torque values IAW SBF50-24-032. Do a general visual inspection of the contacts and nuts on circuit breakers, contactors, and terminal blocks of the EPC and battery relay panel to determine if either the lock washer, flat washer and nut, or locking nut and flat washer are installed; and do all applicable installations. Apply torque inspection lacquer. Perform an initial on-wing borescope inspection (BSI) of the stage 1 HPT stator shrouds for corrosion and oxidation. Perform a 360-degree BSI of the stage 1 HPT stator shrouds for corrosion and oxidation. Supersedes AD 2010-20-08. Do a detailed inspection for cracking on the frame strap, inner chords forward and aft of the web, and exposed web adjacent to the inner chords from stringer 15 to 31. Do an HFEC inspection of the station 2231 frame fastener locations for cracking from stringer 16 to 31, including locations common to the upper main sill strap and stringer clip at stringer 16. Do an HFEC inspection for cracking of the frame inner chords around the fastener heads from stringer 15 to 31. Do

DATA & DIRECTIVES

FAA airworthiness directives — large aircraft (cont...)

2013-18-02

Boeing

767 series

2013-18-09

Honeywell ASCa

ELT RESCU 406AF and 406AFN

2013-19-02

Airbus

A330

an HFEC inspection for cracking of the aft edge of the aft inner chord, of the forward edge of the forward inner chord, and of the forward and aft edges of the frame strap from stringer 15 to 31. Do an LFEC inspection for cracking of the station 2231 frame strap from stringer 16 to 31 in areas covered by the reveal. Repair any cracking found IAW SB 74753A2450. Do a detailed inspection of the cap seal for damaged sealant on the nuts common to outboard flap support rib numbers 1, 2, 7, and 8, and do all applicable related investigative and corrective actions IAW SB 767-57A013. Remove and inspect IAW SB 152682-23-A22. If any discrepancy is found that is unacceptable or exceeds limits as specified, return the TU or battery pack, as applicable, to Honeywell ASCa. For specified aircraft, replace wiring harness 5877VB located in section 19.1, Frame 91 to Frame 96 IAW SB A330-92-3116.

Biweekly 2013-20 2013-18-08S

Boeing

737-200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500

2013-19-03

Boeing

737 NG

2013-19-04

Boeing

737 NG

2013-19-08

Boeing

727, 737, 747

2013-19-09

Airbus

A318, A319, A320, A321

2013-19-13

Boeing

747 series

2013-19-15

Boeing

747 series

2013-19-17C

Rolls-Royce

RB211

2013-19-18 2013-19-20

Rolls-Royce Boeing

RB211 DC-10-10 and MD-10-10F

2013-19-21S

Rolls-Royce

RB211

2013-19-22

Boeing

717-200

Supersedes AD 2004-18-06. For specified aircraft, do external detailed and eddy current inspections of the crown area and other known areas of the fuselage skin cracking IAW SB 737-53A1210. Do a general visual inspection of hydraulic tubing having part numbers (P/Ns) 272A4451-136 and 272A4451-137, and wire bundles W6128, W7122, W8122, and W8222 for wire chafing or damage, install new clamps in the right MLG wheel well, and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 737-29-1113. Do detailed and high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of the skin for cracking in the area around the eight fasteners securing the STA 540 bulkhead chords between stringers S-22 and S-23, and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 737-53-1294. Do a general visual inspection of the left and right angle of attack (AOA) sensor as applicable, to determine if a certain AOA sensor with a paddle type vane is installed. Install the AoA sensor plates in accordance with the applicable method specified in AD. Do not install any AoA sensor conic plate having P/N F3411060200000 or P/N F3411060900000, and do not use any AoA protection cover having P/N 98D34 203003000. Determine if the latches in the main deck escape slide/rafts and the escape slides installed on the airplane doors are correctly assembled, and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 747-25-3428. Do a detailed inspection for the presence of repairs at the aft upper corner of the MED 5 cutout, and measure the edge margin at certain fastener locations around the corner of the door cutout IAW SB 74753A2839. If a repair is found, inspect or change the repair. If no repair is found, do detailed and high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections for any cracking of the fuselage skin assembly and bear strap in the aft upper corner area of the door cutout, as applicable, and do all applicable corrective actions. Recalculate the life of the low-pressure (LP) turbine disc stage 2, intermediate-pressure (IP) compressor rotor shaft (stage 1 to 6), high-pressure (HP) compressor rear rotor shaft assembly, and HP turbine disc installed on that engine. Re-calculate the cyclic life since new of each LPT stage 2 disc. Replace the MLG upper torque link bolt with a new or serviceable bolt IAW SB DC10-32A260. A review of airplane maintenance records is acceptable if the part number of the bolt can be conclusively determined from that review. Supersedes AD 2012-04-13. Clean and perform a fluorescent-penetrant inspection of the HP compressor stage 1 to 4 rotor disc. Do a general visual inspection and a high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection for cracking of the left-side and right-side overwing frames at stations 674, 696, and 715; and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 717-53A0034.


DATA & DIRECTIVES

FAA airworthiness directives — large aircraft (cont...) 2013-19-23

Boeing

737 series

2013-20-09

Bombardier

CL-215-6B11 (CL-415 Variant)

2013-20-12

Boeing

767-200, -300, -300F, and -400ER

Revise the maintenance program by incorporating the information specified in AD. Replace the existing MDC rack panel assembly with a new rack panel assembly IAW SB 215-A4436. Revise the maintenance program to incorporate the specified maintenance review board (MRB) item. Do a detailed inspection to detect discrepancies (including bronze transfer, heat discoloration, darkened streaks, thermal spray coating distress, wear, cracking, smearing of material into the lubrication grooves, or grease not appearing in the bushing inner diameters when applied through the lube fittings) of the MLG pivot pins, truck beam bushings, and inner cylinder bushings, and do all applicable corrective actions IAW SB 767-32A0227. Inspect the MLG truck beam and inner cylinders, using a detailed inspection, etch inspection, and fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI), as applicable, to detect applicable discrepancies, and do all applicable related investigative and corrective actions (including configuration changes).

Note: The letter ‘C’ after the AD number denotes a correction to the original AD The letter ‘S’ after the AD number indicates that the AD supersedes a previous AD The letter ‘R’ after the AD number indicates a revision to the original AD The letter ‘E’ after the AD number indicates an emergency AD The letters ‘FR’ indicate the final rule of an emergency AD Please note that the above information is quoted for interest purposes. The latest versions of the ADs issued by the FAA must be used for reference purposes


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