Category: BizJet

West Star Aviation Names Timothy Spihlman as New Chief Financial Officer

West Star Aviation has recently named Timothy Spihlman to the position of chief financial officer (CFO).  Spihlman will oversee all aspects of the company’s finance functions, including accounting, financial planning and analysis, tax and corporate strategy. He has 25 years of financial and operational leadership experience in a variety of industries with a focus on long-term growth strategy for companies such as Vi-Jon and Solutia.

As a business leader with significant experience as a board member, CEO, president, CFO and other financially related roles, Spihlman has provided C-Level leadership to private equity backed, publicly traded and venture capital backed organizations. The company says Spihlman’s background is based upon “his ability to reshape businesses through interpersonal relationships, talent identification, cultural change management skills, analytics, restructuring and M&A activities.”

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is currently on the board of directors for Brace For Impact 46, a non-profit organization serving the needs of children in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and North St. Louis, as well as Accupac, a consumer products company serving pharmaceutical and retail markets.

“I’m excited to have Tim joining the West Star team. His extensive experience in corporate finance as well as his experience in several C-level positions make him the ideal candidate to help us achieve our long-term goals,” says Jim Rankin, CEO.

“I look forward to utilizing my experiences to help the West Star team continue to serve the industry. I am pleased to have the opportunity to join a company with such a strong history and customer centric approach,” Spihlman adds.

Rolls-Royce Launches New Electronics Manufacturing Capability at Purdue University

Rolls-Royce has created new engine controls capability near the campus of Purdue University to support the company’s U.S. defense business, including the F130 engine competing for the U.S. Air Force B-52 program. The high-tech controllers, about the size of a laptop computer, are safety-critical technical components that reduce pilot workload and enhance fuel efficiency.

Rolls-Royce will assemble and test electronic engine controllers. The first controller has been completed at Rolls-Royce in the Purdue Research Foundation’s Discovery Park District adjacent to the Purdue campus at West Lafayette, Indiana, and will be installed onto a Rolls-Royce AE 3007H engine, manufactured at the company’s facilities in Indianapolis, U.S.

“Rolls-Royce has partnered with Purdue University for decades and we are excited to launch our new controls capability on campus to assemble and test these high-tech engine components,” Tom Bell, Rolls-Royce, president – Defense and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America, said.  “Whether for the Rolls-Royce AE family of engines or for our competitive F130 engine for the B-52, these new controllers will support U.S. military pilots as they fly around the world, offering the highest-quality technical product.”

Purdue University has been designated as a Rolls-Royce University Technology Partnership and collaborated on research including advanced engine technology, materials and testing capability with Rolls-Royce investment at the university topping $18 million since 2015 and more than 600 Purdue graduates among the company’s workforce in Indianapolis. Rolls-Royce and Purdue have also collaborated on initiatives in cybersecurity and digital technology, as well as the new controls project.

The facility at Purdue will also assemble electronic controllers for Rolls-Royce F130 engines for the Air Force B-52 strategic bomber re-engining program, if the company wins the engine competition later this year.

Free Webinar on Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement

TACG is holding a free Webinar entitled, “Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement” on Thursday, August 6th at 0900 EDT (GMT-4). The Webinar is approximately one hour in duration and covers critical elements of  Safety Management Systems (SMS). This Webinar will be delivered live (not pre-recorded) by TACG company president Dr. Bob Baron. To register for the webinar go to: http://www.tacgworldwide.com/Safety-performance-monitoring-and-measurement

Avotek-Online Helps AMT Schools Who Want to Offer Online Classes

Avotek says it is doing its part to help schools through this change in direction for instruction. Last year the company launched Avotek-Online and went live with 20 courses aimed at A&Ps. Based on the latest ATEC survey, nearly three out of four A&P schools are working to move toward online learning wherever possible. “We are happy to offer some relief,” Avotek says.

These courses are available in different combinations, as needed. They may be purchased individually, according to the subject area in Part 147. This option gives the flexibility to match the material to the curriculum. These single subject courses can be used as the foundation for instruction or can meet FAA requirements for making available material that has been missed. For those preparing students for the AET exam, the Fundamentals of Aircraft Electronics course is available in two large packages.

In addition to these online courses, Avotek has uploaded samples from five of the courses to YouTube. These can be found by entering Avotek Training in the YouTube search bar.

To help schools take advantage of this resource Avotek says they are offering special enterprise pricing based on the number of students that will be enrolling in each course.

Kaman Measuring Highlights SMT-9700 Position/Displacement System Ideal for Analytical and OEM Applications

The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products highlights the availability of its SMT 9700 position/displacement system, which provides high resolution non-contact position/displacement feedback of virtually any electrically conductive target.

Kaman says its flexible SMT 9700 features “easy, cost-effective performance customization that provides an excellent fit for customer applications – and at significant cost savings for volume applications.” The SMT 9700 system can be used for optics positioning in photolithography equipment, XYZ stage positioning in atomic force microscopy, and spindle position in precision grinding of bearing races.
The SMT 9700 uses Kaman’s eddy current sensor technology and provides nanometer to sub-nanometer resolution in a small package size. Available with 13 standard sensor options, the SMT 9700 system also enables users to customize sensor type and configuration, cable length, calibration range and offset, as well as performance attributes, linearity, bandwidth, and temperature.

The SMT 9700 is available in 1, 2 and 3 channel configurations. With the 3-channel option, all channels can work off the same frequency and be tuned together. Users can achieve considerable cost savings by reducing mounting costs and saving on machine space and tuning all 3 channels together.

 

8tree Awarded Innovation Prize

8tree has been recognized for continuous innovations in its design of user-centric technologies that enhance quality and efficiency. The company’s dentCHECK tool – now a standard for damage-mapping within the aviation sector – was awarded the VR-Innovation prize. This was the 20th consecutive year in which the Baden-Württemberg Volksbank & Raiffeisenbanken awarded the prize.

dentCHECK is a handheld optical 3D surface inspection tool that was purpose-built for the aviation industry. It measures and documents structural damage on aircraft, with speed and accuracy. Every feature and capability of the tool is the result of direct input from aircraft technicians, mechanics and engineers. “In essence, dentCHECK was defined by aviation professionals for use by aviation professionals,” the company says.

Why do speed and accuracy matter when determining if an aircraft is airworthy. Taking too long to inspect the damage costs the airline money, as the aircraft stays grounded. However, producing uncertain measurement results can compromise safety and cost lives. 8tree says dentCHECK was designed to help on both fronts, by creating an end-to-end digitized workflow. In doing so, dentCHECK produces consistently accurate measurement reports while delivering time-savings of up to 90 percent.

The product works by pointing and clicking to get results – “just like a camera,” 8tree says. Leveraging integrated augmented-reality (AR), the answers, or measurement results, are visually superimposed on the damaged aircraft surface, using an intuitive color scheme and numerical annotations. Furthermore, the measurement analytics are directly accessible via the cloud for further reporting and auditing purposes.
Dozens of well-known aviation and aerospace industry brands, including Airbus, Lufthansa-Technik, Delta Air Lines and Gulfstream, have embraced dentCHECK – an innovation that is made in Constance, Germany.

The Mobile Repair Team Sign Deal with Bombardier

Specialist aviation mobile repair professionals, the Mobile Repair Team announced an exclusive agreement with Bombardier to assist in providing worldwide structural repair support for its fleet of business aircraft. This agreement formalises the long-term relationship for both companies.

With extensive experience, The Mobile Repair Team have a strong reputation and knowledge of Bombardier’s Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft platforms and will work alongside Bombardier’s highly-skilled mobile response teams.

“This is a fantastic partnership for The Mobile Repair Team, and we are extremely pleased to be able to continue this journey with Bombardier that began many years ago,” says Paul Hamill, The Mobile Repair Team’s general manager. “This enhanced agreement demonstrates The Mobile Repair Team’s continued commitment to developing strategic, long-term relationships with Bombardier across the globe. At The Mobile Repair Team, our goal is returning the customer’s aircraft to factory blueprint condition while placing our clients at the heart of everything we do.”

The Mobile Repair Team says it works closely with provider of aviation manpower and engineering services, JMC, and global recruiting and staffing agency, Aerotek Canada which they say has contributed to being a preferred mobile structural repairs provider for Bombardier.

Trive Capital Partners with Field Aerospace, Inc. Through Structured Capital Investment

Dallas-based private equity firm Trive Capital announced the recent partnership with Field Aerospace. Field operates out of three facilities located in the U. S. and Canada, specializing in aircraft integration, engineering, modification, and support services for government, aerospace, and defense customers. The Company has a 70+ year operating history in aircraft modification and parts manufacturing with a focus on special-mission aircraft including the DHC-8, Challenger, and Gulfstream platforms. As part of the transaction, Trive provided a structured capital solution to buy out minority shareholder and former Chairman, Dan Magarian, and to support future growth initiatives of the business.

“The directors and shareholders of Field are delighted to welcome Trive” says John Mactaggart, Field president and CEO. “When we purchased Field Aviation in 2012 and ASES in 2015, we planned further acquisitions to enhance the organic growth of Field. Trive not only adds welcome expertise to the leadership of the Company but will bring a fresh perspective to Company growth and open further acquisition opportunities. The remaining original shareholders see this as a logical step in the growth of Field.”

Former Chairman Magarian notes, “Field is a differentiated business with highly specialized engineering services that has experienced significant growth over that past decade.  I am proud of the Company’s accomplishments during this time and am eager to watch its continued success and expansion with Trive’s involvement.  The shareholder group chose to partner with Trive based on the team’s experience in the sector, flexible capital solution, and ability to transact in challenging economic conditions.”

“Trive has deep experience investing into aerospace and defense businesses and was fortunate to have developed a relationship with the Field ownership team over several years.  Field has built an impressive set of capabilities that position it to capitalize on increased spending for modified, special mission aircraft used in ISR data collection,” says David Stinnett, Partner at Trive Capital. “Moreover, our ability to facilitate an innovative structured capital solution and quickly close this complex transaction in the middle of challenging macro-economic conditions, demonstrates Trive’s ability to creatively deploy capital in the current market.”

The transaction also represents Trive’s most recent investment for its Structured Capital Strategy. Trive is actively seeking additional Structured Capital investment opportunities where the firm can tailor bespoke debt and equity structures for strategically viable, middle market companies through a collaborative and operational approach. Trive’s Structured Capital Strategy targets opportunities across a variety of situations including growth capital, management buyouts, minority recaps, special situations, and acquisition financing.

Jet Maintenance Solutions Becomes a Member of EBAA

Jet Maintenance Solutions (JET MS) has become a member of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), an organization supporting operators of business aircraft in Europe.

“We are delighted to be a part of EBBA. Our membership further acknowledges Jet Maintenance Solutions as a reliable and great partner in the field of business aviation,” says Vytis Zalimas, the CEO of Jet Maintenance Solutions. “While already boasting a strong network of clients from Asia-Pacific region and the CIS, Jet Maintenance Solutions is always looking forward to expand and widen its client portfolio. Our EBAA membership also provides a strong stepping-stone to enter Western European market, a market maturing 2,500 private jets currently in operation. Despite the current pandemic, we believe that private aviation will see a strong recovery and our targeted market segment will continue its growth in the coming years.”

Athar Husain Khan, EBAA Secretary-General comments, “We’re thrilled to have a company such as Jet Maintenance Solutions join the EBAA membership. We look forward to working together for the benefit of the European business aviation community and beyond.”

Since the foundation of Jet Maintenance Solutions in 2007, the company strives to provide its clients with exceptional service, quality and cost-effective solutions for their private and business jets. Having completed significant projects like providing 7800 landing inspection for Bombardier CL604, designing and fitting interiors to the most luxurious jets found in the sky, Jet Maintenance Solutions has strengthened its position as a one-stop shop for high-quality, custom tailored business and regional aircraft maintenance company.

 

Nicrocraft receives PMA-FAA approval for Cirrus SR20 Muffler and Heat Exchanger

Wall Colmonoy announced FAA-PMA certification on Nicrocraft Cirrus SR20 muffler and heat exchanger.

“The addition of the new Cirrus SR20 PMA muffler and heat exchanger in Nicrocraft’s product line is important to the flight schools and Cirrus service centers looking for better quality exhaust options,” states Jim Lockbaum, business development manager.

Nicrocraft part number for the muffler is WCC20560-001, eligible for installation on Cirrus SR20 S/N 1423 and on. Nicrocraft part number for the heat exchanger is WCC20559-004, eligible for installation on Cirrus SR20 S/N 1886 and on. Both the muffler and heat exchanger are constructed of heat resistant 321 stainless steel. The baffles are made of Inconel alloy to provide maximum reliability, corrosion resistance, and service life.

Wall Colmonoy Corporation in Oklahoma City manufactures its exhaust products under the trademarked name, Nicrocraft, and distributes around the globe. Nicrocraft brand exhaust components are high quality, new manufacture, FAA-PMA approved, and carry a full 12-month, unlimited hour warranty from the date of installation, not the date of order. FAA Form 8130-3, Airworthiness Approval Tag/Authorized Release Certificate available upon request.

lt to the latest original equipment specifications.

More information can be found at nicrocraft.com.