Category: Issue Highlights

By Jason Dickstein, MARPA

The FAA has issued new draft of its guidance on Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA). The changes are not earth-shattering, but they serve as an excellent reminder of the FAA’s policies on ICAs.

ICAs are very important to repair stations and other facilities that perform maintenance and alterations. These documents provide the instructions that are typically followed by repair stations performing preventative maintenance, maintenance, and alteration on aircraft. By following these instructions, repair stations help to ensure that aircraft remain safe.

Increasingly, we are encountering stories of repair stations that are having problems obtaining the ICAs that they need in order to perform maintenance or alteration, safely. When a repair station is unable to obtain the latest versions of the ICAs, or when ICAs become incomplete because a previously-published repair has been removed in order to reserve it for use only by certain repair stations, then this can be the first domino in a chain that leads to a safety issue.

What Are the ICAs?
In general terms. ICAs are the maintenance and overhaul manuals on which we rely for maintenance and overhaul instructions. But this simple view of ICAs can easily miss some of the important yet subtle issues that surround those manuals. Technically speaking, ICAs are limited to the specific instructions that are required by the appendices that describe ICAs.

Different products have different requirements. For example, engine and propeller ICAs specifically require overhaul instructions, while airframe ICAs typically require information about recommended overhaul periods. It is normal to require a list of special tooling in the ICAs, but only the ICA regulations for engines require specific instruction on how to use the that tooling.

Who Produces the ICAs?
Most people understand that the typical source for ICAs is the manufacturer. In most cases, the manufacturer is both the design approval holder and the production approval holder. But in those rare cases where there is a split between the design approval holder and the production approval holder, the official responsibility for creating the ICAs rests with the design approval holder.

In addition, though, other design approval holders, including those who hold supplemental type certificates (STC), may have obligations to produce ICAs.
The design approval holder must produce ICAs that meet the appropriate regulatory requirements. The FAA imposes this obligation on design approval holders as a condition of the design approval, in order to make sure that those important safety instructions are created and shared with the parties that use them to maintain airworthiness in the aviation system.

The basic theme of the ICA requirements remains the same. The ICAs should provide the information that is necessary for an operator to maintain the airworthiness of the product. And in the modern era, that frequently means instructions for the operator’s maintenance contractor, who has an obligation to follow the instructions that the operator has identified for their fleet.

Some manufacturers may have “conditional” obligations to produce ICAs. For example, PMA holders are typically required to analyze whether the TC ICAs remains valid when the PMA is installed. If they remain valid, then the PMA holder does not need to produce alternative ICAs (and in fact should not do so). This approach helps to relieve confusion by continuing the use of the baseline ICAs when such use has been shown to be appropriate.

Matthew Bromberg, president, Aftermarket at Pratt & Whitney

Aviation is always a dynamic place. With 12,000 active engines flying around the world, 6,000 professionals and 20 facilities open 24/7, we asked Pratt & Whitney’s Matthew Bromberg, Aftermarket president how their company is reacting to the fun, exciting, dynamic aftermarket. He says this year in particular, Pratt & Whitney is undergoing
a monumental change.

Over the next 15 years, the regional and mainline commercial jet installed base is projected to reach about 45,000 aircraft, which is nearly twice the 23,000 aircraft we have in service today. These aircraft are being rapidly introduced in emerging markets and are replacing aging fleets in North America and Europe.

A large percentage – about two-thirds – of these new aircraft will be powered by next-generation engines, engines that increase fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance visits for aircraft operators. Engines are being designed for less maintenance. Easier maintenance.

As next-generation engines and aircraft are incorporated at an unprecedented rate, those of us on the maintenance side need to take a hard look at what operators require to be successful. Are we still meeting our customers’ needs or should we adjust our offerings and approach?

If we listen closely to airlines and operators, we learn that they demand competition, which leads to high-quality and fair-priced services. And they need a global maintenance partner that they can trust, one who is ready, reliable and proven, to service their next-generation engines today and 50 years from now.

Competition Breeds High-Quality, Fair Prices
Consumers in any market demand choice and competition – the more options the better – and at Pratt & Whitney, we agree. Competition in the aviation maintenance marketplace forces us to become better service providers. It requires that we do what is best for our customers at all times. It is the essence of our industry, and it makes us work hard to improve.

That is why, from the beginning, Pratt & Whitney designed an open, flexible approach to our Geared Turbofan engine maintenance that gives operators the choice they demand. To be close to our global operator base, facilities in the network are being strategically located in Asia, Europe and North America. As this network grows, we expect it to include engine partner shops, airline shops and independent MRO facilities.

Historically, most aircraft operators rely on the engine OEM to provide maintenance for a new engine’s early years of operation. This is because they want cost predictability, and they recognize that new technology is best understood by the manufacturer.

By Douglas Nelms

The 51st International Paris Air Show, held at Le Bourget Airport held this summer broke records including 2,303 exhibitors, up 4 percent, 351,000 visitors, an increase of 11.4 percent of which 151,000 were trade visitors, an increase of 8.6 percent over 2013. There were 130 aircraft on display and the show was inaugurated by French President, François Hollande on opening day. Aviation Maintenance was there lending an eye to aircraft maintenance and MRO developments. Here is a bit of what we learned.

Two of the world’s major MRO providers announced plans at the Paris Air Show last June to branch out on a global scale, each exploring new territory.

AAR Corp., based in Wood Dale, Ill., said that under a Memorandum of Understanding signed with South African Airways Technical (SAAT), it will provide technical assistance to help SAAT streamline its maintenance operations. While the AAR program is still in the MOU stage, current planning is that AAR will initially serve as consultants, according to Kathleen Cantillon, VP, Strategic Communications. “We will just be providing technical assistance, sending people over to South Africa to work with SAAT, providing knowledge aimed at reducing costs, increasing efficiencies, training workers and helping them establish the right type of curriculum for their technical school to train mechanics.” The agreement will also cover the integration of IT solutions, including AAR’s IMRO Software Suite.

According to Musa Zwane, CEO of SAAT, the AAR agreement could potentially support a new MRO facility planned for West and Central Africa. The planning for a new facility is to meet the growing regional air traffic in sub-Sahara Africa and increasing international traffic.

SAAT currently provides maintenance for South African Airways as well as third-party maintenance at its Tambo International Airport facility in Johannesburg. It has the capacity to handle up to five Boeing 747s in its 85,000 square meters hangar, performing up to C- and D- checks. Cantillon noted that the agreement with SAAT was supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce’ Doing Business In Africa (DBIA) initiative. The agreement is a planned movement into the African market, with the company also looking for a joint venture to establish a facility that can serve other areas within Africa, “which is a really developing market place.”

Last April AAR sold off all of its cargo business and is using that money to finance its international expansion, she said. The African market “is not an easy place to get your foot in the water,” and going into that market would be hard without a local partner, Cantillon said. “So SAAT is an ideal partnership since they know the culture and the people. We have established a lot of programs in the United States, so we know how to do that. We can help train their aviation mechanics, which are always in short supply.”

The company is currently evaluating future opportunities on a case-by-case basis, and believes strongly “in the importance of having a local partner for their expertise on vendors, workers, etc. We are focused on expanding in developing countries since that is where the growth is,” Cantillon said.

AAR Corp. also recently signed a $39 million contract with the UAE’s AMMROC (Advanced Military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Center) to help them build a state-of-the-art military MRO facility, Cantillon said. AMMROC is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Development Company, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin.

AAR will help AMMROC build the facilities from scratch, designing and building support areas such as hangars, work areas and machine and special processing shops for a military maintenance center. The facility will be in Al Ain, one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

by Joy Finnegan, Editor in Chief

Lean, agile, kaizen, theory of constraints, six sigma, equipment effectiveness, interval control. All of these theories and process improvement tools have been in use for many years. The lean movement has been a longstanding effort in manufacturing and production in many industries, including aviation and MRO.

Improvements to productivity, reducing bottlenecks and increasing profitability are the hoped for results of implementing any of these programs in a manufacturing environment. I’m sure you have all seen many a story about companies that have had those successes.

I can hear you now, “Tell me something I don’t know!” You are right. But, lean can also be implemented in areas not traditionally associated with using it. And in this issue, on page 22, we take a look at implementing lean in the office.

We spoke to lean expert, Bill Peterson, a lecturer at the business school of the University of Tennessee and a consultant specializing in the application of Lean to MRO business processes about how MROs can implement lean in the office environment and make it work to improve work flow and ultimately, profitability.

Paperwork is a necessary evil in our business. Documentation, regulations, billing, registrations, procurement, training, inspections, the FAA and more all require copious amounts of paperwork. Just take one of those areas, billing, and think how leaning the steps needed to get a bill out to a client could help.

In many environments a common complaint about implementing lean to improve processes is that the work they are doing is highly variable and therefore what is coming next is never known. At least in a production line the next steps can be outlined with certainty – first step, second step, etc. On the hangar floor these things can be defined clearly as well – by looking at task cards. But in the office, these steps can be much less tangible. There are, no doubt, some steps in place but perhaps there are too many. Perhaps the steps were not well thought out or designed years ago prior to the implementation of technology in the office. Continual examination of all procedures, even in the office, can make a significant impact on a company’s bottom line.

However, it isn’t always as easy as it may seem to implement new processes. “The application of any tool must be done in the context of the overall business process re-design in order to realize the full benefits,” according to Lean.org, with regards to the pitfalls that can be encountered.

By Jason Dickstein

Just in case you are pressed for time, I will give you the quick summary. The U. S. and Europe are investigating how to accomplish mutual acceptance of TSOAs and ETSOAs. This is a huge advance for the aviation community, that is expected to save both industry and government resources.

Now let’s delve into some details…

What is a TSO?
In the Europe and the United States, many aircraft components are manufactured to a common standard, known as a Technical Standard Order or TSO (an ETSO in the EU). TSOs are typically used for components that may be common to a number of different types. This can include components like avionics, seats, seat belts, and emergency equipment.

The theory of a TSO is that a part that meets the minimum standards of a TSO ought to be able to function appropriately in aircraft that needs a component of that sort. A company that wants to produce parts that meet the minimum standards of a TSO must apply for government approval in order to do so. In the United States this is called a TSOA or Technical Standard Order Authorization. Generally, the TSOA applicant must self-certify design compliance, although the FAA is permitted to check compliance to the extent that the FAA believes necessary. In addition, the TSOA applicant must have a production quality assurance system that meets FAA regulatory requirements and that will be subject to FAA inspection through FAA Manufacturing Inspection District Offices, known as MIDOs. An FAA-approved production quality assurance system helps to ensure that each component that is produced under the TSOA design, will meet the specifications of the TSOA design.

Because a TSOA article is theoretically installable in any aircraft, it carries no inherent installation eligibility. So if an installer gets a TSOA article with no other data, the component may not be able to install the article in any aircraft. The path toward installation of a TSOA article typically involves additional scrutiny and data that shows that the installation in a particular aircraft or type meets FAA regulatory/safety requirements. Where the TSOA article reflects a major change to type design, it may require a supplemental type certificate (STC) in order to approve the installation/modification data.

Measuring Quality
One of the ways that companies measure the quality of an aircraft part is through the strength of the system that stands behind it. The system is always going to be made up of multiple parts. They will include the company’s own quality assurance system as well as the oversight that helps to ensure the integrity of that quality assurance system. Oversight can be internal, through internal auditing that helps to ensure that the company operates the way that management expects. Oversight can be external, through other-party auditors who are brought in to ensure that the company meets the standards that it expects to meet. And external oversight can include regulatory oversight by the local civil aviation authority.

In the United States, regulatory oversight by the local civil aviation authority (the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA) has been considered to be important since the beginnings of commercial aviation. FAA oversight helps to make the public comfortable with the idea that the aerospace industry remains compliant with safety standards.
As a consequence, the FAA is loath to surrender any of its approval authority. Not because the FAA is power-mad like a Bond villain … but rather because the FAA does not want to betray that public trust.

Acceptance of Foreign Components
The FAA approves components manufactured under TSOA; components produced under foreign standards are not inherently acceptable to the United States. The United States may accept foreign-produced articles when the FAA itself has approved the design (using a Letter of Design Approval or LODA) AND the United States has signed a bilateral agreement with the foreign nation that accepts LODA designs that are produced under the foreign airworthiness authority’s manufacturing oversight.

AFI KLM E&M continues to strengthen its offerings to customers worldwide, and particularly in the U. S. The company has, during the last several years, acquired several key companies and says that allows it to better serve current customers and positions itself to gain additional business in the largest MRO market in the world and the U. S.

And, as we went to press, the company announced that after a year at the helm of Barfield, Johann Panier has now been appointed CEO of Aero Maintenance Group (AMG) in order to lead the merger of these two subsidiaries in the Americas. Panier succeeds Christian Tallec who has led AMG for the last five years.

Barfield was acquired by AFI KLM E&M in 2014. Barfield’s support services are organized into five main activities: component services, airline programs, distribution, ground support test equipment (GSTE) and rotables and trading. Barfield is also an authorized repair facility for more than 30 OEMs. Barfield has 250 employees across its 3 facilities in the United States: Miami (FL), Phoenix (AZ) and Louisville (KY).

The Miami-headquartered subsidiary, AMG, provides component repair and supply services for the commercial aviation sector from three regional locations. “This local presence affords AFI KLM E&M the ability to perform and develop repair capabilities locally, enabling effective solutions tailored to the unique needs of its North American customers,” the company stresses.

Initially back in 2005, AFI took a 40 percent stake in AMG but it eventually became a wholly owned subsidiary.  AMG is comprised of AMG Aero Technologies, AMG Air-Pro and AMG Precision Electronics.

The two announced a common integrated sales team in May under the direction of John Rogers. The company said in May that the integration initiative was “fully in line with the AFI KLM E&M sales policy, with the objective of reinforcing a customer-centric approach and maximizing sales momentum. “The company also said at that time i twas working on strengthening the synergies of the two subsidiaries.

Bonus Aerospace and Bonus Tech are additional concerns in the AFI KLM E&M portfolio. It is a joint venture between AFI, KLM and Centurion Cargo created in March of 2013. Formerly known as JB Power, the company was dubbed Bonus Aerospace in 2006. This company grouping is also located in Miami, Fla. Bonus Aerospace focuses on specialized P&W engine repair, overhaul and after sales services. Sister company Bonus Tech specializes in engine teardown and parts sourcing. This company is led by Vincent Benoit, CEO.

Camera-equipped borescopes­—also known as endoscopes and videoscopes­—are among the most useful tools in an aviation technician’s toolbox. Their thin, flexible and steerable extension arms with camera/light-equipped tips provide inside views of airframes and engines in the tightest of spaces and allow diagnoses to be made without having to tear down the section under inspection.

There are many suppliers of professional-quality endoscopes on the market today. Aviation Maintenance got in touch with the vast majority of them, to find out what new and useful products they have to offer. Here is what they told us!

GE Measurement & Control
GE Measurement & Control’s Mentor Visual iQ VideoProbe borescope is specifically designed for the aviation maintenance industry. The Mentor Visual iQ comes with a wide range of connected features to make measurement easier and more accurate. They include a touch-screen user interface and guided workflows to improve inspection ease and productivity; on-demand measurement that allows inspectors to measure indications without removing the probe and changing tips; and 3D measurement/surface scanning for multiple probe diameters down to 4.0mm.

Now the connected part: the Mentor Visual iQ borescope can be Wi-Fi connected to any wireless-enabled computer. This “allows remote experts to watch and guide live inspections in real time from any PC, anywhere in the world,” said Tom Ward, product manager for Mentor Visual iQ. “This is particularly helpful for customers with large fleets.”

All told, “Mentor Visual iQ offers on-demand 3D measurement and surface scanning to allow inspectors to view indications from multiple perspectives and make precise measurements of length and depth, which improves probability of detection,” Ward said. This capability is a boon at a time when the aircraft industry is facing a shortage of skilled inspectors and experts, while managing large global fleets.

“Mentor Visual iQ allows inspectors to share live video of inspections with remote experts who can provide a second opinion or direct critical inspections in progress,” said Ward. “For large global fleets this can be invaluable in terms of getting assets back into service faster, or avoiding false calls. It certainly can save on travel time and avoid having to ‘scramble’ experts to the scene.” Details at http://www.gemeasurement.com.

radient Lens Corporation
Gradient Lens Corporation’s patented endoGRINS gradient-index lens technology is built into its Hawkeye Borescopes, providing what the company says is “excellent image quality at prices one-third that of comparable visual inspection instruments.” (Source: http://www.gradientlens.com)

Recently, Gradient Lens added notation capability to the still and video images shot using the company’s Hawkeye V2 Video Borescopes. Known as the V2’s Annotation Feature, this capability allows inspectors to add their notes to the images/footage they capture, for later review and archiving. “This function will be key to those who are conducting mission-critical inspections, like aircraft maintenance, wind turbine and power-gen maintenance, and any transportation-related inspection,” said Dr. Douglas Kindred, president and chief scientist of Gradient Lens Corporation.

Hawkeye V2 borescopes is also being sold with a new LED light source that is 1.45 times brighter than its predecessor in the 4mm diameter V2, and 2.1 times brighter in the 6mm V2. “One and a half to two times more light makes a huge difference to users,” said Dr. Kindred. “Furthermore, the intensity of the new V2 LED Light can be adjusted more much finely than the previous model, giving users more flexibility inside either small, or large, inspection areas.” More details at http://www.gradientlens.com/V2.

Nearly everyone uses computers in aviation maintenance—it’s unavoidable. So the question is not whether to adopt one of the many software products on the market but which offering to choose.

Much depends on factors such as the size of an organization, its operational focus, what software it already has—whether it wants to replace the application or augment it—and what particular functions are desired.

This year’s showcase describes programs from the best-known suppliers and updates readers about the latest features and offerings. These range from enterprise resource planning (ERP) style solutions to products that focus in-depth on tasks such as project management or document exchange. Many software developers are adding browser interfaces and tablet and mobile phone access, which promise to accelerate feedback on labor and material costs. Many stress the modularity, affordability, and flexibility of their offerings.

Demand for these products is substantial. Companies like Mxi Technologies and Swiss AviationSoftware say they are growing, as operators and maintenance shops recognize the value of productivity software. Work continues to shift from operators to MROs, observes James Elliott, Mxi product marketing manager.

ERP and ERP-Like
Pentagon 2000 Software (pentagon2000.com) addresses commercial, corporate, and military aviation, as well as repair stations, distributors, manufacturers, and operators. Its software, PENTAGON 2000SQL, is described as an “MRO & ERP” system, including financial and accounting functions. Modules include capabilities to support fleet management, flight operations, aircraft record keeping, maintenance, component repairs, and materials management.

The system can be installed locally or hosted remotely. Recent developments include expanded cloud implementation and increased deployment of mobile apps. Currently there are 11 mobile apps for the Apple iOS environment, including work order traveler, electronic-pick ticket, and labor collection functions, aimed at more complete tracking of labor and material costs. The company recently introduced a new version of its server-based system, and a new HTML client is slated to begin phased deployment in coming months.

Pentagon2000SQL’s e-commerce tool also has been enhanced, says Kirk Baugher, executive vice president of business development. The company boasts more than 1,000 installations, including customers such as the U.S. Air Force, Fokker, Boeing Sikorsky Aircraft Support, ANA, and HEICO.

Ultramain Systems (ultramain.com) provides integrated maintenance and logistics software. The company classifies its ULTRAMAIN aviation maintenance solution as “ERP software in the M&E and MRO space.” It provides functions such as line and base maintenance planning, scheduling, and execution as well as regulatory compliance tracking, configuration management, maintenance programs, engineering management, budgeting, billing, cost accounting, supply, purchasing, asset management, reliability reporting, and analysis.

New features include the incorporation of optimization in areas such as fleet planning, maintenance scheduling, labor resource management, and hangar bay management. In addition, the software’s ePaper feature allows users to manage the maintenance process—from planning to signoff—in paperless fashion. The software also includes platform-independent mobility tools accessible on iPads, iPhones, and other devices. It can be processed locally or via the cloud.

Aviation Maintenance has redesigned its website. I could write about the old one and how many challenges and limitations it had. I could do some research and tell you about some of the complaints we received about it. I could lament the old, tired look of it.

But let’s not dwell on the past, shall we? What I am saying is we have redesigned and launched our new website and I’m sure you will agree, it was about time. The redesign of a website is a big undertaking and we didn’t begin it lightly.

To redesign, recreate and move all the previous content over to the new design was daunting.

We set among the goals for our new design that it be faster, easier to navigate and be easy for us to manage and update. We wanted researching for past issues and articles to be easier for our subscribers. We wanted the website to become more of an extension of what we are bringing to you in the magazine, not only repurposed content.

The url remains the same, avmdevelop.wpengine.com. Once there, the first thing you may see is a pop-up asking you to subscribe. We want you to subscribe – it’s important to us that you are receiving the magazine and to do so, you must request it. Some people have asked why we stopped sending the magazine to them. Well, the answer is simple. You must request to receive it and you must renew your request every two to three years. In this way, we ensure to our auditors, who provide a third party guarantee that we have as many readers as we say we do, and advertisers that we have readers who are genuinely engaged in our industry and want to receive the magazine.

Some of the new features include a simpler login for current subscribers allowing access to five years of back copies. You can now download any issue as a pdf file. You can keyword search articles. You now have the ability to share and print articles. On the home page you will find the current issue, article highlights and further down, more news not featured in the magazine.

To access all the back issues, on the home page you will see highlighted in green the words: Read Current/Back Copies. Click on those words to be taken to the current issue and all the back issues dating to 2010. Once there, you may download any of those issues as a pdf. Enjoy!

The new website makes it easier for readers to update/renew your free subscription and get your password for logging in to the digital editions. My previous password still worked perfectly to access the area. You can also now access the annual Repair Center Directory as a separate pdf without logging into the subscriber’s section.