Author: neilw

Cessna Aircraft Company recently unveiled the restored 1959 Cessna L-19E “Bird Dog” to be auctioned at the 43rd annual Barrett-Jackson car auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. The L-19E will be auctioned alongside a Dodge M37 truck restored and donated by Okoboji Classic Cars, forming a unique pair of historical items offered in a single auction lot. Cessna recently announced it would donate the aircraft for auction with proceeds benefiting the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF).

“The donation and auction of the ‘Bird Dog’ is deeply significant to our workforce. Cessna has a long track record with the military. As a stalwart of great American manufacturing, people know about our 85-year track record of building and servicing the world’s greatest airplanes,” says Roxanne Bernstein, Cessna senior vice president of marketing and communications. “What people might not remember is during part of World War II Cessna shut down our commercial operations and manufactured aircraft solely for military operations. More than 10 percent of the Cessna workforce is either a veteran themselves or a family member of a veteran, so this Bird Dog auction is meaningful for Cessnans. We value the mission of the Armed Forces Foundation and are pleased to support their work through this donation.”

The proceeds from the auction of these items will go to support the AFF’s efforts to educate the public about the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). “We’re extremely grateful for the support of Cessna Aircraft Company, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, Kansas Aircraft Corporation and Okoboji Classic Cars for the 2014 auction in Scottsdale,” says Patricia Driscoll, AFF president and executive director. “The funds raised each year help the Foundation continue to support military families and veterans in need of financial assistance. This unique auction package is sure to generate a lot of interest, and we are proud to work with these organizations in order to honor our motto of, ‘Serving those who Serve.’”
Kansas City-based Kansas Aircraft Corporation partnered with Cessna to locate the L-19E and helped arrange the purchase of the historic aircraft. Dianne White, president and owner of Kansas Aircraft Corporation, says: “We discovered in the Bird Dog community a tight group of owners who are enthusiastic about the L-19 and eager to preserve and protect the aircraft’s legacy. We have found no more than 130 airworthy L-19 aircraft left in the world, and the owners who are ready to sell want to make sure that the aircraft remain with parties who feel as passionately about the L-19 as they do. When we at last were able to tell the seller what we had in mind for this L-19, he was very enthused to know his aircraft would go to such a good cause, and will do so much to benefit the AFF.”

Bernstein continues: “What better place for a classic aircraft than at Barrett-Jackson. When we started our search, our intent was to find an original L-19, one that had not been modified or manufactured under license. The aircraft which will see in the auction is one that was used in France as a trainer. This Bird Dog was brought back from France in 1984, and will actually celebrate its 55th birthday during the auction.”

The other half of the auction package is the Dodge M37 three-quarter ton pickup truck restored and donated by a Cessna customer, Okoboji Classic Cars of Spencer, Iowa. “We have put more than 2,500 hours into restoring the M37 so far,” says Toby Shine, president of Okoboji Classic Cars and of Shine Bros. Corp. “We’d found it sitting in a field, so it is a complete frame-off restoration. It looks great painted in full Army livery, especially alongside the L-19. We feel it is our honor to be able to support our men and women in the Armed Forces, and our family business has done that for over a century. We are proud that the proceeds from this effort will go to benefit the Armed Forces Foundation.”

Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, says: “Over the 43 years of Barrett-Jackson, we’ve raised more than $57 million for local and national charities. Few causes are as close to our hearts as the Armed Forces Foundation. Barrett-Jackson’s auction block sits proudly under an American flag, and we are constantly reminded of the brave men and women who serve our great country. We’re honored to help our veterans.”
The L-19 and M37 package will be auctioned off in a live, prime time broadcast of the 43rd annual Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson event on the FOX Broadcast on Saturday, January 18.

“We salute the Armed Forces Foundation and the great work they do for American veterans. It will be an electric moment when these historical pieces cross the block,” Craig Jackson, Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO adds. “Not only do they represent the best in restoration, but they also serve as examples of the best in philanthropy. We are thrilled to support our national heroes.”

According to the Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola and ST Aerospace have a tentative agreement and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ST Aerospace, Mobile, Inc.

The non-binding agreement is aimed at enticing the company to Pensacola International Airport. ST Aerospace is an MRO providing service for large commercial aircraft.

Plans include locating an operation at Pensacola International Airport Commerce Park that could bring 300 new jobs to Pensacola during the next several years.

According to the PNJ story, discussions with ST began in early 2012 when company officers contacted the city about the possibility of moving part of its Mobile operations to Pensacola. Other cities have also been considered including Crestview and Dothan, Ala.

Pensacola mayor, Ashton Hayward, was subsequently criticized by some for announcing the MOU sooner than some felt appropriate.

Southern Air has awarded MTU Maintenance an exclusive long-term maintenance and lease engine provisioning contract covering all present and future General Electric (GE) CF6-80C2 engines in Southern Air’s 747-400 freighter fleet. The contract with the U.S. based cargo carrier is valued at over 100 million US dollars.

MTU Maintenance has been the exclusive provider for the maintenance of Southern Air’s GE90 engines for the past two years and can draw upon over three decades of experience in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of high-thrust engines. The CF6-80 was included into the maintenance profile in 1989 and MTU Maintenance recently completed the 1,500th overhaul of this engine type at its facility in Hanover. In 2012 the company performed 12 percent of all CF6-80C2 repair and overhaul shop visits. MTU Maintenance says it has developed a number of innovative high-tech repair techniques which allow the engine to stay on-wing longer and help customers reduce their maintenance costs.

Blackhawk announced Brazil’s civil aviation safety authority, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), has granted approval for Blackhawk’s performance upgrade for the Cessna 208A Caravan. The approval clears the way for Brazilian Caravan operators to improve aircraft performance with reduced operating costs and higher safety margins. The ANAC certification enables Blackhawk to market, install and support the XP42A program for Cessna 208A Caravans licensed to operate in Brazil.

ANAC approved the certification for the XP42A for the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in October 2011. ANAC’s certification follows similar approval from the FAA in June 2013 that permits XP42A utilization on the Cessna 208A Caravan in the United States.

“We are passionate about helping operators improve the performance of their aircraft. That’s why we are thrilled to expand into Brazil’s growing general aviation industry,” said Jim Allmon, Blackhawk president and CEO. “With ANAC’s approval, operators of the 208A Caravan now have the opportunity to increase their revenue potential and out-fly, out-climb and out-perform their competition.”

The XP42A system includes a factory-new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A engine rated at 850 shaft horsepower continuous, exchanged for the 208A Caravan’s existing engine, with a 1,000-hour, no-calendar-limit Pratt & Whitney engine warranty. The package also features a factory-new, wide-chord, 100-inch diameter Hartzell four-blade propeller, a new carbon-fiber composite cowling and high efficiency inlet duct, produced by Blackhawk Composites, a new 40 percent larger oil cooler, a four-point engine mount ring assembly and all new engine mount isolators, a new engine hose kit, and two new exhaust stacks.
Trac Group provides design, engineering and manufacturing of high and low pressure complex turbine components including blades, segments and vanes for the engine hot section.
As a supplier on new commercial aircraft engines and power generation systems, Trac Group produces components for Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Alstom, Siemens, and other manufacturers. The company employs about 400 and has headquarters in Crewe, U.K., with production facilities in the U.K. and Mexico.
Terry Russett, managing director, Trac Group, called the combination “a win-win for the equipment manufacturers, which demand innovation, quality and performance both in the supply chain and the aftermarket.”
The company will retain its brand name and be referred to as “A Chromalloy Company.” Chromalloy and Trac Group are privately held and the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Mxi Technologies announced that its MRO software system, Maintenix, has been selected by a start-up operator in the People’s Republic of China as its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) standard.

With plans to begin operations in early 2014, the operator (who requested anonymity) required a system that could be up and running quickly, and could easily scale in pace with the company’s aggressive plans to expand services and its mixed fleet of aircraft.

“Mxi Technologies is pleased to have yet another operator join our growing family of Maintenix success stories. Whether a small start-up or a large international operator, more and more organizations are recognizing the inherent business gains that come with using a system that can deliver on the promise of standard, lean and predictable aviation maintenance,” said Dave Seibel, chairman and CEO, Mxi Technologies.

Chromalloy, a leading supplier of gas turbine engine component repairs, coatings and castings, today announced its acquisition of Trac Group, a tier one component supplier to the aerospace and energy industries.

“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 and Trac, both industry leaders, together offer the original equipment manufacturers a global source of component production and repair.”

Trac Group provides design, engineering and manufacturing of high and low pressure complex turbine components including blades, segments and vanes for the engine hot section.

As a supplier on new commercial aircraft engines and power generation systems, Trac Group produces components for Rolls-Royce, Snecma, Alstom, Siemens, and other manufacturers. The company employs about 400 and has headquarters in Crewe, U.K., with production facilities in the U.K. and Mexico.

Terry Russett, managing director, Trac Group, called the combination “a win-win for the equipment manufacturers, which demand innovation, quality and performance both in the supply chain and the aftermarket.”
The company will retain its brand name and be referred to as “A Chromalloy Company.” Chromalloy and Trac Group are privately held and the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Western Aircraft, a Greenwich AeroGroup company, announced today that for the seventh year in a row it has received the OSHA Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award, for its exemplary safety and training.

“We are very pleased to be recognized for our dedication to a safe work environment,” said Miguel Velasco, Western Aircraft’s Manager of Environmental Health and Safety. “The well-being of our employees and our customers is paramount.”

Velasco added that some of the contributing factors to the overall success of Western’s safety record include their employee’s involvement in identifying hazards, the site-wide weekly sharing of electronic dashboards with safety statistics, safety awareness posters throughout the work site and an active safety committee.

SHARP recognizes employers with less than 250 employees who operate excellent safety and health management systems. SHARP is one of the highest awards OSHA can give to a small company.

Commsoft announced that Cardiff Aviation Limited has selected OASES to support its CAMO and MRO operations and has signed a five year, 10 concurrent users deal.

Founded in 2012 by senior aviation manager and entrepreneur Mario Fulgoni and Bruce Dickinson, vocalist with rock band Iron Maiden, Cardiff Aviation is a fully-approved and certificated aviation maintenance, engineering, technical services and training group based at the St Athan-Cardiff Airport Enterprise Zone in South Wales. Dickinson has flown for over 7000 hours as a Boeing 757 pilot and formerly worked with Fulgoni at the UK-based Astraeus Airlines.

With 132,000 sq. ft. of fully-equipped hangar space and workshops alongside a 6000 foot ILS runway, and with parking for up to 20 narrow-bodied airliners, the company is equipped to undertake almost any planned or unscheduled engineering and maintenance work and has the expertise and approvals to certify aircraft from many jurisdictions. Cardiff Aviation’s current clients include a range of national carriers and independent airlines as well as a number of aircraft leasing companies.

OASES, designed to combine ease of use with a technical sophistication that allows for the full integration of all maintenance and engineering functions, is structured in a modular format. Cardiff Aviation has opted to use Commsoft’s hosted Windows RDP environment to run the Core, Airworthiness, Planning, Production, Materials and Warranty modules.

“With significant new investment and exciting plans for expansion, Cardiff Aviation looks set to have a significant impact on the aerospace industry across the South Wales region and beyond,” Nick Godwin, MD of Commsoft, commented.
“We’re obviously delighted that they have chosen OASES to support their CAMO and MRO operations and we’re looking forward to working closely with them to ensure the successful implementation of the system.”

Phillip Brown, Quality Manager of Cardiff Aviation, commented:
“The selection process was one of the key cornerstones to the creation of Cardiff Aviation and numerous other products were reviewed. We chose OASES because it gives us the confidence that we are using a mature and efficient product and it reinforces the way we perform to achieve the high standards we expect. We are excited about this selection and looking forward to building a long term relationship.”

Aviation Maintenance held its inaugural AVM Summit USA event in the United States on November 21 and 22. The two-day, conference-driven event took place at the Wyndham Hotel on the Disney property in Orlando, Fla. Leaders in the aviation maintenance industry gathered to present on wide-ranging subjects such as improving efficiencies in maintenance operations, using lean in business processes and ultrasonic shot peening. Attendees came from around the globe, including New Zealand, Portugal and Brazil as well as all over the United States. Dr. Chris Markou, deputy director engineering, International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Marshall Filler, managing director and general counsel of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) were keynote speakers

Aviation Search Group, an executive-style recruiting firm for the aviation industry, announced the formation of a new recruiting department focused on business aviation clientele.

Grayson Barrows, director of sales, explained “Success with our business aviation customers and the recent hiring demand in this segment has grown significantly. Our extensive network within this industry, combined with the demand for talent, necessitated the new department.”

Barrows goes on to say, “The best way to explain it is we have created a niche within our niche. It became apparent the need for talent within business aviation warranted a department dedicated to providing solutions for this specific client base.” Barrows continued “In addition to helping them find top industry talent, business aviation companies are relying on our industry expertise to provide compensation studies, marketing strategies, and candidate vetting/screening services.”

“When a company contacts us for recruiting support, an experienced business aviation recruiter provides expertise in finding and screening candidates. Our customers are professionally guided through a successful and seamless search process.” Barrows concluded, “We have always had the expertise and capabilities within business aviation. Now we have the personnel dedicated to this segment of the industry as well.”

Dedicated resources for their business aviation department were put in place at the beginning of the fourth quarter and they are already engaged in multiple search assignments.