Category: Commercial

Russelectric, A Siemens Business, a leading manufacturer of automatic transfer switches and power control systems, offers its Paralleling System, ideal for ensuring that critical loads experience no interruption when transferring between all power source assets in airports. The System can be configured for peak shaving and utility-sponsored load curtailment programs. The Paralleling System also offers high resiliency, power continuity and security for critical airports.

Russelectric Paralleling Systems incorporate dual, redundant, hot synchronized programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for system control. Discrete switches, meters, and control devices are standard to allow manual control capability in the event that both system PLCs fail. With the Russelectric Paralleling System, users get soft loading transfer and phase lock synchronizing when paralleling with the utility, which reduces transients and controls the loading to the engine generators.

Russelectric provides basic or custom SCADA for local or remote monitoring of all power system functions. Custom SCADA systems allow users to monitor system operation, acknowledge alarms and review PLC setpoints. Realistic training simulators are also available.

All Paralleling Systems are UL listed. Selector switches are provided for open/closed transition, automatic/manual paralleling of generators and utility sources, and automatic/manual retransfer between both sources of power.
The Paralleling System offers a choice of either momentary paralleling with the utility or sustained paralleling for soft loading. Also available is paralleling of generator sets with the utility upon return of the utility source after power interruption.

System operation begins with testing in closed-transition mode with no interruption of the load. Generators are then paralleled with the utility and the load is transferred to them. Upon completion of testing, the load is retransferred through closed-transition to the utility source without disturbance.

Boeing and Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. (STAECO) announced plans to create additional capacity for the market-leading 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) to help meet continued strong market demand.

In 2022, Boeing will add two 737-800BCF conversion lines at STAECO’s facility in Jinan, China. The first new line will open in the first quarter of the year, with the second line expected to begin conversions by midyear. Once the two new lines are operational, STAECO will have seven conversion lines dedicated to the 737-800BCF.

“Boeing is pleased to continue growing our strong and mutually beneficial relationship with STAECO by creating additional conversion capacity to meet growing global demand,” said Peter Gao, vice president, Boeing Commercial Sales and Marketing for China. “STAECO has exhibited the expertise and track record of delivering quality freighter conversions and will play a critical role in helping Boeing meet our customer commitments today and in the future.”

Boeing forecasts 1,720 freighter conversions will be needed over the next 20 years. Of those, 1,200 will be standard body conversions with Asia carriers accounting for 40 percent of that demand.

“The successful implementation of the 737-800BCF program at STAECO has become a model of cooperation between manufacturer and MRO on passenger-to-freighter conversions,” said Wang Chao, president, STAECO. “We are honored by Boeing’s ongoing trust and partnership in expanding our capacity through a sixth and seventh conversion line, and we look forward to continuing to fulfill our commitments in support of our mutual customers.”

This year, Boeing announced it would create additional 737-800BCF conversion capacity at several sites, including with existing supplier Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO), and with new suppliers Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in Costa Rica, KF Aerospace in Canada, and Boeing’s London Gatwick MRO facility in the United Kingdom.

The 737-800BCF is the standard body freighter market leader with more than 200 orders and commitments from 19 customers. The 737-800BCF offers higher reliability, lower fuel consumption, and lower operating costs per trip compared to other standard-body freighters.

SAUDIA selected Boeing for a suite of services to improve their 787 Dreamliner and 777 fleets’ operational efficiency through digital analytics, and to modify their 777 cabin interiors.

“As ever, SAUDIA is continuously focused on operational efficiency, optimal fleet utilization, and deployment,” said Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy, CEO, SAUDIA. “We see our continued alliance with Boeing and these essential services as an enabler that will help to drive our progress toward this vision.”

SAUDIA will utilize Boeing’s Optimized Maintenance Program (OMP), which uses advanced data analytics to provide detailed insights for improved maintenance operations, and Boeing’s Airplane Health Management (AHM) digital solution, which applies predictive maintenance analytics and diagnostic tools to help improve the quality and speed of maintenance decisions, resulting in improved on-time performance. These services will be combined with Boeing’s OEM engineering and consulting expertise.

“Our Boeing consulting teams have partnered closely with SAUDIA for many years to find new opportunities to reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency. We are delighted to continue this partnership by applying our advanced digital solutions,” said Ted Colbert, president and CEO, Boeing Global Services. “Similarly, SAUDIA will be able to rely on our 777 interiors engineering expertise throughout the course of their fleet reconfiguration plans.”

Boeing’s interior modification team will partner with SAUDIA to deliver all aspects of their 777 modification, including design, certification, and the supply of parts required for completion.

Last month, Boeing announced the company is bringing a new line of work to its state-of-the-art Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facility at London Gatwick airport. The company will be modifying 737-800 commercial aircraft into Boeing Converted Freighters and increasing its footprint in the Crawley area.

“This new work for London Gatwick not only is a result of the cargo demand we’re seeing worldwide, but also because of the aviation industry’s valued position in the United Kingdom,” said Sir Martin Donnelly, president of Boeing Europe and managing director of Boeing in the UK and Ireland. “From Lossiemouth to Sheffield to Gosport to Crawley, Boeing’s footprint in the UK across defence, commercial and services is robust and growing, and today’s announcement is yet another in recent weeks that demonstrates our partnership here.”

The London Gatwick MRO facility, a £100 million investment completed shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic began, will perform its first freighter conversion for the launch customer Icelease, which announced its first order for 11 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters at the Dubai Airshow today.

Stewart Wingate, chief executive officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Boeing has made a significant investment at Gatwick by building an impressive new hanger and their new freighter conversion line provides another welcome boost for the airport, for the local people who will work there and for the region’s economy. Boeing’s new line will help meet expected strong demand to convert aircraft into freighters that can carry cargo, which reflects our forecasts that cargo volumes handled at Gatwick could also increase significantly if our future airport plans are realised.”

The conversion line, which will bring the total facility employee count to 130 upon opening, will be located near Boeing’s Gatwick Training Campus, where an additional 100 Boeing employees are based, along with nine full flight simulators, making it the company’s largest combined training centre outside the United States. Across the UK, Boeing has 2,600 employees and spends £2 billion per year in the country’s supply chain.

The Member of Parliament for Crawley, Henry Smith MP, said: “I welcome this exciting news for our constituency. This new line of work is part of a £100 million investment at London Gatwick, increasing Boeing’s already considerable footprint of highly skilled, enduring jobs in the Crawley area, the benefit of which will be felt by many.”

Boeing forecasts 1,720 freighter conversions will be needed over the next 20 years to meet demand. Of those, 1,200 will be standard-body conversions, with nearly 20 percent of that demand coming from European carriers.

The 737-800BCF is the standard body freighter market leader with more than 200 orders and commitments from 19 customers. The 737-800BCF offers higher reliability, lower fuel consumption, lower operating costs per trip and world-class in-service technical support compared to other standard body freighters.

VD Gulf, a VDT subgroup company and one of the largest independent MRO service providers in the Middle East, announced that it has been awarded a contract to conduct heavy checks on four Boeing 747-400 aircraft operated by Rossiya Airlines.

The heavy checks (C-checks) will be conducted by VD Gulf’s engineers in Sharjah, UAE, at VD Gulf’s ultra-modern hangar facility located adjacent to Sharjah International Airport.

The first of the four Rossiya Airlines aircraft covered by this agreement arrived in Sharjah in late November.

“VD Gulf highly values its long-standing relationship with Rossiya Airlines. This agreement underscores VD Gulf’s sector-leading capability to conduct heavy maintenance checks on Boeing 747 aircraft, and I would like to thank Rossiya Airlines for once again putting their confidence and trust in VD Gulf,” Ayrat Gilmutdinov, VD Gulf’s Director Commercial, said.

VD Gulf is an independent MRO services provider approved by multiple regulatory authorities offering unlimited maintenance services on Boeing 747-400/-8, 777, 737CL/NG, and Airbus A320ceo family/A320ceo family aircraft.

Rossiya Airlines JSC, part of the Aeroflot Group, is one of Russia’s oldest and largest airlines. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Russia, and operates a fleet of more than 115 aircraft, including nine Boeing 747s and 10 Boeing 777s.

Safran Aircraft Engines and Albany International Corp. announced an agreement extending their partnership to the year 2046. Through this new agreement, the two companies declare their intent to work together on the next generation engines and thus contribute to the 2050 net-zero CO₂ emissions commitment of the aviation industry.

Albany International and Safran signed the original framework agreement in 2006 resulting in the creation of their joint venture for the development of high technology composite parts (3D woven and Resin Transfer Molded technologies) designed for aircraft engines, landing gears and nacelles.

The 3D-woven composite technology designed and developed by Safran in partnership with Albany Engineered Composites, is a major innovation that plays a key role in improving the performance of the new generation LEAP engine of CFM International, which powers the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX and Comac C919 aircraft families. This advanced material is used to manufacture the fan blades, fan case and spacers of the LEAP engine, leading to significant weight savings and contributing to reduced fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions of 15 percent. Safran and Albany have also teamed-up to work on the development and production of the GE9X 3D composite fan case for the Boeing 777X.

In order to address unprecedented LEAP production ramp-up, the partners have built three state-of-the-art production plants in Rochester (New Hampshire, United States), in Commercy (France) and in Querétaro (Mexico). These three sites are dedicated to 3D composite parts and delivered to date more than 130 000 parts of the LEAP engine.

“We are pleased to extend our partnership with Safran, building on the success of Albany’s proprietary 3D weaving technology and our joint efforts on critical components of the LEAP and GE9X engine programs,” said Bill Higgins, Albany International president and CEO. “The goals set for the next-generation of aircraft engines are multi-faceted and technically demanding. Our AEC team is looking forward to further collaboration with our Safran partners to apply our advanced composite technologies to the next generation of aircraft engines that meaningfully raise the bar for fuel-efficiency and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

“Based on the successful partnership we have developed with Albany on the LEAP program, we are looking forward to starting a new chapter of our strategic cooperation,” said Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines. “Combining Albany’s recognized expertise in weaving with our innovative composites represents a fantastic asset to address our ambitious sustainable goals through next-generation engine programs.”

CFM will keep exploring composite applications through the RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) technology and demonstration program launched in 2021 as a manifestation of its deep commitment for achieving aggressive goals for a sustainable future, including reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by more than 20 percent.

Pratt & Whitney, a Raytheon Technologies business, has unveiled the GTF Advantage engine. They are call it “the world’s most fuel-efficient and sustainable single-aisle aircraft engine.”

The Pratt & Whitney GTF Advantage engine for Airbus A320neo family aircraft further extends the economic and environmental benefits of the existing GTF engine. The GTF Advantage configuration reduces fuel consumption by an additional 1 percent, extending the engine’s lead as the most efficient powerplant for the A320neo family. Pratt & Whitney says the engine decreases fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by 17 percent compared to prior-generation engines. Additionally, the GTF Advantage engine will be compatible with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at entry into service, helping the industry meet its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. 

This new configuration delivers higher thrust, both at sea level and for “hot and high” airports. With up to 34,000 pounds of takeoff thrust per engine, the Advantage configuration makes GTF the most powerful engine for the A320neo family. The higher thrust rating enables increased range and payload, unlocking more destinations for airlines. 

The current generation of Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for the Airbus A320neo family reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 16 percent compared to prior-generation engines and are certified to operate on 50 percent SAF. 

“GTF engines met or exceeded fuel, emissions and noise commitments from day one and have since achieved a strong record of dependability and low operating cost,” said Carroll Lane, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney. “GTF Advantage provides even more value to our customers, both in revenue potential and environmental impact, with lower fuel burn and new route opportunities.”

The GTF Advantage configuration includes technology enhancements throughout the engine core, for which Pratt & Whitney has already completed more than a year of ground and flight testing. The engine will be available for A320neo family aircraft starting in January 2024. For a seamless introduction for operators, this new configuration will be interchangeable with already delivered engines and will become the new production standard for A320neo family aircraft. 

“We always said our geared fan architecture has a long runway for growth and future development, and the GTF Advantage demonstrates this,” said Tom Pelland, senior vice president of GTF Engines at Pratt & Whitney. “Our gear system, and the overall engine architecture it enables, are foundational to unlock the benefits of advanced aerodynamics, materials and systems. We are committed to continuing to invest in these technologies for the next generation of commercial aircraft.”

Since entering service in early 2016, GTF engines have saved operators more than 600 million gallons (more than two billion liters) of fuel and avoided more than six million metric tonnes of carbon emissions. With more than 1,100 aircraft, 58 airlines and three aircraft families – Airbus A320neo, Airbus A220 and Embraer E-Jets E2 – GTF engines have also reduced noise footprint by 75 percent and regulated emissions by 50 percent to the CAEP/6 regulatory standard.