Category: PRs

AFI KLM E&M Obtains EASA Approval for LEAP-1B Engine Overhauls

AFI KLM E&M has obtained approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the overhaul of LEAP-1B type engines. With this latest milestone in its LEAP product industrialization program, AFI KLM E&M is now authorized to offer a complete array of engine support services to customers that operate Boeing 737 MAX fleets, from inspection to modification, repairs, and overhauls. AFI KLM E&M will become the first non-OEM MRO provider with this approval to support LEAP-1B engines worldwide.

“This approval has crowned our teams’ efforts over the past several years to upskill and develop the industrial and technological resources required for this new-generation powerplant,” Anne Brachet, executive vice president AFI KLM Engineering & Maintenance, says. “We have been able to work closely both with the aviation authorities and the members of the CFMI consortium (GE and Safran) so that we can help 737 MAX fleets worldwide benefit from our specific know-how as an airline MRO.”

AFI KLM E&M operationally launched this new product in spring this year after obtaining approvals from EASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for engine line maintenance (on-wing and on-site) for LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines. Today the industrialization program continues to be ramped up, and thanks to bilateral agreements between EASA and the FAA, AFI KLM E&M will receive approval from the US authorities in the coming weeks and will thus be able to extend coverage for its 737 MAX engine support services worldwide.
In parallel, the Group is pursuing its development programs that will enable it to offer the same array of all-round services for the LEAP-1A engines equipping the Airbus A320neo.

Double Win for Etihad Airways Engineering at the Aviation Business Awards

Etihad Airways Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider in the Middle East, received two honors at the Aviation Business Awards 2018 held in Dubai on Tuesday 9 October. The ‘Unsung Hero of the Year’ and ‘Engineering Innovation of the Year’ awards recognize the company’s achievements in the past 12 months, by a panel of aviation industry experts.

The Technical Sales and Customer Service team at Etihad Airways Engineering was awarded the ‘Unsung Hero of the Year’ award which recognized the multi-cultural team for playing a key role in enabling the UAE’s vision to become a global aerospace hub.

The team actively expanded the company’s global client portfolio and revenue opportunities through its strategic vision and business development efforts, increasing its reach to the global market. As a result, the team has been instrumental in attracting an exponential number of tier one airlines including flag carriers from all over the world to Abu Dhabi for aircraft maintenance across a wide range of fleets including the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

“Our entire team has worked tirelessly to deliver innovative operations and excellent service levels that exceed the expectations of our customers and these awards are a testimony to their efforts,” Abdul Khaliq Saeed, CEO, Etihad Airways Engineering said. “Innovation and customer service are part of our DNA and we are proud to be rewarded by the industry for our commitment to excellence.”

The ‘Engineering Innovation of the Year’ award recognized the developments in next-generation inflight wi-fi connectivity that Etihad Airways Engineering is currently pioneering. The high-speed connectivity initiative has been in development for more than two years in partnership with Yahsat, the UAE based satellite operator.

The technology features a highly integrated on-board network, consisting of a dual band Ku-Ka antenna and a new generation technology broadband satellite network, and can handle up to 200 Mbps of traffic. This technology is expected to be in operation in 2019 and will provide airlines with the technological ability to offer a true broadband user experience for all passengers on board.

Etihad Airways’ Technical Training team was Highly Commended in the ‘Training Provider of the Year’ category for its state-of-the-art training facilities and extensive training program. In addition, the technical training team runs a UAE National graduate training program, which boasts a high number of Emirati females, and develops local talent in the field of aviation engineering.

Earlier in the year, Etihad Airways Engineering also received the prestigious UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Aeronnovation award in the ‘Improving Aviation Safety’ category for its ‘Fuel-Drain Doctor™’. The innovative new technology saves up to 80 per cent of the time required for fuel and water draining during aircraft maintenance.

Etihad Airways Engineering’s facility is located in Abu Dhabi, adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Aircraft hangars at the facility cover approximately 66,000 sq meters, including 10,000 sq meters of aircraft painting facilities and a custom-designed hangar that can accommodate up to three Airbus A380 aircraft simultaneously.

 

Tokyo Century Corp. and All Nippon Airways Trading Company Complete Acquisition of GA Telesis Shares

GA Telesis announced completion of the previously announced share purchase by Tokyo Century Corporation and All Nippon Airways Trading Co., from Global Principal Finance Company (GPFC). The transaction provides the company with shareholders that have a committed long-term growth strategy in the aviation industry.

Tokyo Century and ANATC, respectively, hold a 49.2% and 10% interest in the company. The company is now working with its shareholders who previously agreed to buy Astrazeneca shares on the execution of its new engine leasing joint-venture, Gateway Engine Leasing, for launch prior to the end of the year.
Tokyo Century has held an investment in GA Telesis since 2012 and elected to increase their stake to its current level. Tokyo Century has significant existing strategic investments in aviation including a 20% holding in Aviation Capital Group, the world’s premier aircraft leasing company, as well as a 16.7% interest in Jetstar Japan.

Established in 1970, ANATC has evolved from a service provider of aviation serviceable parts to a multinational service and solution provider that centers its business not only around aviation but also in various fields such as food and beverages, electronics, and daily living essentials. Building on a strong customer base in Asia and other regions, ANATC strives to provide customer-centric and value-added solutions and services to its customers.

With approximately 600 employees worldwide, GA Telesis is headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with financial services, sales, distribution operations and MRO services operations in more than 19 countries. As the leading independent provider of integrated solutions through the combination of financial services, used serviceable material supply-chain, major related MRO operations and other ancillary aftermarket services, GA Telesis continues to lead the industry by expanding the GA Telesis Ecosystem to include more product and service offerings to its customers.

Singapore’s Dragon Aviation Capital To Up Engine Leasing Activities

Being a relatively new player in Asia-Pacific’s booming yet increasingly crowded aviation segment, technical advisory specialist Dragon Aviation Capital (DAC) says the influx of aircraft and engines into the region will provide plenty of growth opportunities which will include increasing its engine leasing activities.

Marking its second anniversary this month in Singapore, where it currently employs a team of 15 staff including aircraft engineers and powerplant specialists, the independent company also has offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai and counts China Southern, Singapore Airlines and Lion Air among its airline clients.

Jefferson Ding, team leader – aircraft technical asset management at Dragon Aviation Capital, says its focus so far has been divided between both China and Asia-Pacific. “China-based airlines have always been the cornerstone of DAC’s plan, however our strategic focus is the bigger Asia-Pacific market as a whole,” he says.

Ding identifies opportunities in two key areas for DAC. First, with a record backlog of aircraft and engine deliveries projected for Asia-Pacific and China, he says DAC is well positioned to cater for this increased demand through its technical support offering for lessors and airlines which choose to outsource this function.

Second, he also sees potential in DAC growing as an independent engine lessor. “As a natural progression from technical support for the airlines to providing spare engine leasing, airlines view this as a seamless and critical integral support to them,” he says. He says that while the company doesn’t currently own any airframes or engines, it is planning on increasing investment in its independent leasing division where it will specialize in V2500-A5, CFM56 and CFM LEAP engines.

These growth moves however are not without challenges for an independent like DAC. “This segment is extremely competitive,” Ding says. “OEMs are entering into the aftermarket and offering innovative solution such as power by the hour. It’s a traditional stronghold where MROs has always been playing the asset manager role.”

The supply of materials for engines has also proved challenging for its material inventory solution business, where it focuses on used serviceable materials for V2500-A5 and CFM56 engines. “Due to aircraft lease return requirements and lessors commonly being required to rebuild the engine to mid-life, the aftermarket supply of life limited parts with their half life cycle remaining is dwindling and cannot meet demand,” Ding says.

Forming partnerships has also been a key part of DAC’s strategy when catering for repair segments. For offerings related to APU leasing, trading and repairs in Asia-Pacific, it teamed up with Orlando, Florida-based TAG Aero earlier this year. More recently, it announced a joint venture warehouse operation at Singapore Changi Airport with Top Group International which will serve as an engine lease return center and storage location for up to four narrowbody engines. It has also linked up with Miami-based ATOPS for on-wing support services including BSI offerings worldwide.

SITAONAIR-Etisalat Partnership Hopes to Raise Bar for Inflight Mobile Experience

SITAONAIR’s new partnership with the United Arab Emirates-based MNO means subscribers to Etisalat’s business roaming packs, who fly with any airline using SITAONAIR’s Mobile ONAIR network, will now be able to use their data and minutes inflight as part of their bundle at no extra cost.

This new, all-inclusive SITAONAIR-Etisalat roaming agreement offers consumers a stress-free, seamless mobile connectivity experience, whether they use their mobile on the ground or in the air. Not only that, as inflight technology evolves from 2G, 3.5G and 4G networks, the agreement also represents a positive step in preparing for future inflight connectivity provision from the UAE.

“We have long encouraged our mobile network operators partners to bring inflight mobile usage rates as close as possible to on-the-ground mobile usage rates,” Yann Cabaret, VP Customer Programs at SITAONAIR, says. “This roaming agreement takes this even further, with the world of inflight mobile connectivity opened up to all Etisalat customers when they fly, with no additional usage costs, and a seamless mobile experience up in the air, just as they have at home.

“We fully expect the growth in mobile use to continue, as customers’ hunger for data grows with the available capacity – especially in a 5G world, where data could transmit at a rate of 1GB per second, driving the delivery of new Internet of Things, augmented and virtual reality, automation and artificial intelligence services and capabilities. To meet this future demand, major mobile operators have announced their plan to move into the 5G era with early commercial launches in 2019, including in the UAE.

“Airlines need to be ready to respond to this changing mobile reality. To meet their passengers’ burgeoning demand, they will need a gameplan for providing future-proof inflight mobile connectivity that delivers the seamless, high-capacity and dynamic connected experience for passengers, as we fly to 4G and beyond.”

Satcom Direct Expands Data Center to Support Growing Cyber Security Client Base

Satcom Direct has broken ground on phase two of SD Data Center expansion plans. The Bravo phase will double the existing Alpha phase’s 5,000 square feet at the Melbourne, Florida headquarters. On completion, at the end of December this year, the company says the Bravo project will add capacity for a further 120+ server cabinets providing secure data storage for aviation and terrestrial clients of all sizes.

As with the Alpha construction, which saw the first and only data center purpose built for the international business aviation community, the Bravo phase will match the category five hurricane proof construction and adhere to the same high compliance standards already in place. The $3 million investment is being made in response to the sector’s growing recognition of the need to mitigate the risk of cyber-attack during flight.

SD says it currently has more than four hundred business aviation customers subscribing to its cyber security services. They offer tailored solutions working with customers including those representing the military and government sectors.  The SD Data Center enables the creation of private networks for clients when connected to SD hardware, software and satellite connectivity. Through the infrastructure available via the SD Data Center, existing compliance and security protocols can be applied to the aircraft network like any other corporate location. The company says Phase three, Charlie, which is currently in the planning stage, will support further customized solutions for aviation clients.

“Business aviation customers expect robust, reliable, secure connectivity to be available throughout flight. Our mission is to deliver the best user experience possible and maintain data integrity. As cyber-attacks on business aviation increase, we are responding by enhancing our ability to monitor and manage these threats by keeping data transfer safe through the SD Data Center. Our next phase of expansion increases our capacity to support more customers recognizing the need to implement the correct protocols to stay safe at altitude,” says Chris Moore, SD CCO, about the expansion.

 

HAECO Americas Appoints Collins as New President of Airframe Services

HAECO Americas has appointed Bill Collins to the company’s leadership team as president of Airframe Services. In this role, he will oversee the maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) business segment of HAECO Americas. Collins has been developing the MRO practice at ICF, a global consulting and technology services provider for the last year. Prior to this, he worked with the Bristow Group as senior vice president of Flight and Technical Operations, and with American Airlines as corporate vice president of Technical Operations, overseeing three sites and 1,000 aircraft. He has also held senior sales and operational roles within GE Aviation. Collins will be based at HAECO Americas’ Greensboro headquarters in North Carolina, reporting directly to Richard Kendall, CEO.

 

Cinch Connectivity Announces New Dura-Con High Temp Micro-D Connector Expansion

Cinch Connectivity Solutions has introduced an expansion to the Dura-Con High Temperature Micro-D rectangular connector series. Cinch says these new connectors provide improved reliability for “down-hole” sensory instrumentation that monitors telemetry, pressure, temperature and vibration in many aviation, oil and gas applications.

Cinch Connectivity Solutions’ Dura-Con Micro-D High Temperature connectors allow designers of compact electro-mechanical equipment to operate in extremely high vibration conditions at elevated temperatures of 175°C. This results in extended Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) in the harsh environment it functions, which saves operators significantly in equipment downtime.

The dielectric insulation material used in the Dura-Con Micro-D High Temperature connectors is made of high temperature Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP), which has a much higher melting and glass transition point than materials used in standard offerings. This increases the long term operating temperature from a standard 125°C to 175°C. Also, the connector’s insulator has a special design feature which prevent shorts in the high vibration conditions expected in “down hole” applications.

United Technologies Acquires Predikto

United Technologies Corp. (UTC) has acquired Predikto, Inc., an Atlanta-based predictive analytics software company. Predikto is known for its cloud-based predictive health maintenance solution, which enables customers to forecast and improve asset reliability with greater certainty. UTC says the acquisition will reinforce their global digital strategy to make strategic business investments that enhance their ability to deliver new forms of value for their customers, employees and shareholders.

UTC says the differentiator with Predikto is the technology platform which is able to take hundreds of disparate industrial asset data-sets and automate up to 80 percent of the analytics process to quickly deliver actionable insights for taking pre-emptive steps to avoid issues, thereby increasing asset uptime.

“Data is the lifeblood of any digital strategy and actionable data is the way forward as we deliver real customer value,” said Vince Campisi, chief digital officer, United Technologies. “We are incredibly excited about this announcement and the future ahead together. By harnessing the best of our combined predictive analytics skillsets, we can better connect all critical assets, understand the reliability and health of our products and ultimately deliver an improved customer experience. Predikto’s capabilities will help us scale these efforts across United Technologies’ businesses with speed.”

Predikto recently completed serval pilots with Pratt & Whitney specifically focused on commercial engines using preexisting data. Together, as a complement to Pratt & Whitney’s existing physics-based models, the models generated by Predikto identified factors related to unplanned engine events. When taken into account, these insights will further increase the predictability of future issues and inform the development of key product improvements. Normally aggregating the data and creating algorithms would have taken engineers months. But UTC says it only took days for two data scientists to complete the same work using the Predikto software platform.

“Predictive analytics and data science have the power to change the way today’s businesses run, especially in complex asset-intensive industries,” said Mario Montag, CEO, Predikto. “Predikto’s approach and technology has been demonstrated globally across the aviation, rail and shipping industries where unplanned downtime and unscheduled maintenance can be costly. There is great opportunity for additional applicability to many of United Technologies’ products and services. We are beyond excited to join the team and begin making an impact.”

Mario Montag, Predikto CEO, will assume the role of chief data & analytics officer for United Technologies, driving the strategy and direction for United Technologies’ global data and analytics initiatives in support of the company’s businesses. Predikto will have a presence in Atlanta, Georgia, and Brooklyn, New York.

The terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.