Category: Military

Field Aerospace Delivered Sherpa Avionics Upgrade 17 Days Early

Field Aerospace completed the US Forest Service SD3-60 avionics upgrade on the sixth of 10 aircraft 17 days ahead of schedule back in December, with 100 percent quality compliance, according to the company.

Implementing efficiencies and lessons learned from the previous Sherpa flight deck integrations shaved off 17 days from the planned integration schedule, garnering kudos from the US Forest Service.

The forest service found no quality issues during the acceptance inspection and said they are pleased with the modification. They flew the Sherpa from Oklahoma City to Rapid City, SD, for refueling, then to home base in Missoula, MT, on Dec. 13.

“The US Forest Service team was extremely happy with the quality of the work and early delivery,” said John Taylor, vice president and general manager of Field’s Oklahoma City operations, adding “Field is pleased with the progress we’ve made modifying this important forest service aircraft. We delivered the latest Sherpa in record time, beating our schedule by 17 days.”

Field Aerospace expects the next four Sherpa modernizations to follow the compressed modification schedule as well.

Field Aerospace obtained the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for this avionics upgrade, which modernizes the aging smokejumper’s flight deck and improves its mission capabilities, in September 2018. Field Aerospace developed and integrated the modernized flight deck, conducted FAA-witnessed ground and flight tests, and completed the STC certification. Field’s FAA-authorized Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) issued the STC for the first Sherpa

The next aircraft is currently in work at Field’s Oklahoma City facility. Field Aerospace previously completed five Sherpa upgrades, four as part of the original base contract and one for the current option contract. Three additional aircraft will be modified, for a total of 10 on the base and option contracts.

“The modernization extends the life and improves the operational capabilities of this aging aircraft for future firefighting efforts. The upgrade is a challenging integration of modern digital avionics into an older analog-based aircraft that yields a functionally advanced and aesthetically pleasing cockpit system,” Taylor said.

Field’s modification integrates an intuitive, modernized avionics suite with a Garmin G950 system. The new flight deck includes new features and safety-enhancing capabilities, such as a glass cockpit, weather radar, digital audio system, VHF-FM tactical radio, large-screen Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out, Traffic Avoidance and Collision System (TCAS), Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), Mode S extended squitter, and Localizer Performance (LPV). The enhanced Sherpa aircraft support wild land fire operations, including smokejumper, passenger, and cargo missions.

Berry Aviation Granted $179M USTRANSCOM Contract Option

Berry Aviation, Inc. recently announced it has been granted a one-year contract option period from U.S. Transportation Command for rotary and fixed-wing airlift support to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) under the Trans-Africa Airlift Support Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract. The option, valued up to $179.5 million, provides for continued performance of passenger, cargo, casualty evacuation, personnel recovery, aerial delivery and limited door-to-door services in Africa. AFRICOM is responsible for military relations with African nations, the African Union, and African regional security organizations.

Founded in 1983, Berry Aviation, Inc. provides specialty aviation solutions, including passenger and cargo transport, aerial delivery, personnel recovery, CASEVAC/MEDEVAC, ISR, NVG, UAS, training, maintenance repair and modification. The company conducts 14,000 global flight and ground operations annually and possesses extensive operating experience in some of the world’s most austere and unique environments with customers and end-users including all branches of Department of Defense. Berry Aviation is a member of Acorn Growth Companies.

Airborne Employee Receives Patriot Award from Department of Defense

Steve Queal, director of materials for Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group, received the U.S. Department of Defense Patriot Award for his support of National Guard and Reserve service members employed by Airborne.

“Steve has provided tremendous support to my family and I during my National Guard duty,” said U.S. Air National Guard Sgt. Sol Maria Trinidad, who nominated Queal for the award. “My job as a warehouse supervisor is a key role in the supply business, and Steve always finds a way to accommodate my needs while I am away. He always praises my work in the Guard and how it has helped me excel at Airborne. He ensures I am covered at home with my children while on active Guard status. When I am away for six months I am welcomed back by Steve and the team with open arms and thanks. Steve has the heart of a true Airman, and his work ethic toward military member employees is felt by all of the Reserve and Guard employees who work for the organization.”

The award was announced by Rita M. Broadway, chair of the Florida Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) committee, a Department of Defense program, and was presented to Queal by Vice Chair Roger Trout.

L3Harris Technologies Wins USAF Contract to Maintain C-130 Aircraft Fleet

The U.S. Air Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies a five-year, up to $668 million contract to help maintain its C-130 aircraft fleet readiness.

L3Harris will perform sustainment on C-130H and J-model aircraft at its 1.1 million-square-foot aircraft modification center in Waco, Texas. The center features hangars to support a full range of missionization and aircraft services, including conducting parallel avionics modernization and programmed depot-level maintenance efforts for reduced aircraft downtime.

The center supports the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130H aircraft fleet under the U.S. Air Force Avionics Modernization Program Increment 2. The center also services the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, space, commercial and international operators.

“L3Harris’ support will alleviate capacity constraints for the U.S. Air Force’s Air Logistics complexes,” said Sean Stackley, president, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “Our extensive C-130 experience, skilled personnel and expansive hangar capacity provide a ready solution to assist the Air Force in maintaining its fleet readiness.”

GE awarded new contract for additional T408 turboshaft engines

GE Aviation has been awarded a $111.9 million contract with NAVAIR for fourth lot T408 engines to power the U.S. Marine Corps’ most advanced heavy-lift helicopter, the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion.

This latest contract of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) engines follows three previous LRIP contracts for this program, the most recent being in August 2019. GE Aviation’s Lynn, Mass., plant will perform final assembly for the Lot 4 engines.

“This most recent contract represents another big step forward for the T408 program,” said Linda Smith, the T408 program director at GE Aviation. “The engine has more than 2,500 flight hours powering the CH-53K in hot and cold environments and through a variety of challenging flight tests. We’re continuing to work closely with NAVAIR and Sikorsky as we approach Initial Operational Test and Evaluation in 2021.”

GE Aviation’s T408 engine offers 7,500 shaft horsepower, which is 57 percent more power than its predecessor, the GE T64, GE Aviation says. This enhanced power enables the CH-53K to carry a 27,000-pound external load over a mission radius of 110 nautical miles in high/hot weather conditions, tripling the lift capability of the U.S. Marine Corps’ legacy heavy lift helicopter. The T408 has nearly 11,000 hours of engine operating time on the aircraft to date.

Compared to the T64, the T408 also offers 18% better specific fuel consumption that will deliver significant savings over the life of each engine. The T408 also has 63% fewer parts and a more rugged compressor with split casing and erosion coating, allowing for improved reliability and maintainability. An engine mounted FADEC with prognostics and health management will improve performance while helping to reduce maintenance cost, GE Aviation stresses.

In addition to GE Aviation’s Lynn, Mass., plant, GE Aviation facilities in Hooksett, N.H.; Rutland, Vt.; Madisonville, Ky., Dayton, Ohio, and Jacksonville, Fla., will provide parts for this contract. MTU Aero Engines is a program participant responsible for the development and production of the power turbine.

Acroamatics Launches Superior Data Display, Analysis, and System Operations Software Suite

Acroamatics, Inc., a Delta Information Systems Company, announced Acroamatics’ Display and Analysis Tool (ADAT) they say offers superior data display, analysis and system operations tools in a powerful operating system-independent software package that provides an extensible environment for setup and control of all Acroamatics’ Telemetry Data Processing (TDP) systems.

The company boasts ease of set-up and operations with ADAT’s network friendly, user-configurable widget-based telemetry system desktop and data display environment. In addition to the customizable dashboard’s recording, playback, and real-time quick look displays, the ADAT offers precise post-system telemetry measurement data analysis. This visually pleasing package is delivered for use on either a 64-bit Windows 10 (Secure Host Baseline validated) or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Acroamatics telemetry processing platform, allowing the TDP system to be tailored to the user’s preferred OS environment. Applicable DISA STIGs are applied and support is available to maintain compliance with the latest cyber security requirements.

ADAT’s integration with Acroamatics’ rackmount or portable TDP systems offer an unmatched ability to deliver true deterministic multi-stream telemetry data decommutation and processing, scalable from 1 to 16 streams. The flagship TDP dual bus embedded processor architecture is targeted at high-performance field and range data center operations applications, and is scalable to meet field portable, test bench, production test, and control room applications with equal benefit.

“Acroamatics’ high-performance telemetry processing solutions provide users a winning combination of the most unique architectural and functional advantages on the market,” said Gary Thom, president of Acroamatics, Inc. “We are proud to assure our customers that the products they receive are of the highest quality, reliability, and consistency. We are dedicated to ensuring the highest levels of customer satisfaction by designing and delivering exceptional products and providing extraordinary customer service.”

Riwal Adds All Electric JLG Boom Lifts

Riwal, the aerial work platform and telehandler rental and sales specialist, has taken its first delivery of the new 100% electric JLG EC boom lifts.

The new articulating boom lifts are the JLG EC450AJ, with a working height of 15.77 meter, and the JLG EC520AJ with a working height of 18 meter.

Both machine models come with lithium ion phosphate batteries and electric motors, are emissions free and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, including rough terrain conditions.

The new JLG machine types will initially be added to Riwal’s rental fleet in Denmark and The Netherlands, with other European countries to follow later in the year. During the last years, Riwal has also converted diesel machines to electric machines, enabling the company to offer 100% electric machines up to 43 meter working height.

As Riwal is the JLG dealer in The Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia and Kazakhstan, the new JLG machine types are also offered to rental companies and end users in those countries.

Pedro Torres, Riwal CEO, comments: “Our customers are increasingly demanding 100% electric machines to work at height, in order to execute their projects in the most sustainable way. We are proud to be among the first companies to purchase the new JLG machine types. As part of our Lifting Sustainability program, an increasing share of our fleet investment is in electric machines. In Europe, 65% of Riwal’s rental fleet is electric. By 2025 our aim is to have 75% electric machines in our European rental fleet.”

 

Karel Huijser, General Manager and Vice President for JLG in EMEAIR, comments: “We are pleased to see Riwal taking delivery of its first EC electric construction boom lifts. As a company we encourage our partners to embark on the road to electrification, including setting goals to further electrify fleets and emitting less emissions and noise. These EC booms are among the first for JLG to be delivered into the EMEAIR region, and we are very excited about their field operation and performance.”

Teledyne CML Composites awarded Airbus A400M Life Of Program Contract

Teledyne CML Composites announces the award of a contract with Airbus in Madrid for the Life Of Program supply of composite wing components & assemblies on the A400M Tactical Airlifter.

Designed making extensive use of advanced composite materials, the awarded package of parts includes a range of Thermoplastic and Pre-Preg composite components to be supplied to the Airbus A400M composite wing box assembly line at the Filton facility in Bristol in the United Kingdom.

“The decision to award this latest package to Teledyne CML Composites is a reflection of our proven track record to supply high quality composite parts that exceed our customers’ expectations,” said John Toner, vice president & general manager, Teledyne Aerospace and Defence Electronics UK (TADE UK) and general manager of Teledyne CML Composites.

Toner added, “With this A400M contract award, we have concluded a significant investment in a new Thermoplastics processing cell. Having identified Thermoplastics as a key technology in our long term growth ambitions, this investment adds an exciting new automated manufacturing capability to our business and places Teledyne CML Composites at the forefront of composites manufacturing technology.

The Airbus A400M is designed to conduct strategic transport of heavy vehicles/equipment and tactical airlift of personnel into theaters of operations. It has been proven in operation with the air forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Luxembourg and Malaysia. The Airbus A400M can be configured for cargo, a range of military helicopters and vehicles, heavy engineering equipment, up to 120 fully equipped troops, 66 stretchers and 25 medical personnel for aero-medical evacuation. The A400M is also convertible to a tactical tanker, with the ability to refuel a range of aircraft and helicopters.

Jet Parts Engineering Acquires Aerospares

Jet Parts Engineering (JPE), a PMA parts supplier, announced the acquisition of AeroSpares in late December. AeroSpares was founded in 1993 to provide airlines with alternate means of customer support, and focuses on reducing aircraft and engine direct and indirect costs with FAA approved replacement parts for a variety of large commercial aircraft.

“I’m excited to team up with Jet Parts Engineering. AeroSpares has focused our efforts on providing improved reliability with our products. Combined with the customer service, technical capabilities, and sales reach of Jet Parts, it will benefit everyone in the aviation aftermarket,” said Tom Webb of AeroSpares.

“Jet Parts Engineering is looking forward to partnering with Tom and AeroSpares. Tom is a true innovator in the aerospace business. Each of the parts Tom has designed imbeds technology that significantly improves the performance and reliability compared to the originally designed parts,” said Anu Goel, president of Jet Parts Engineering. “Tom and his team are leaders in the PMA development of pressure sensors and pressure switches. JPE is excited to offer these parts to our customers. Additionally, we look forward to having Tom work with our engineers to develop more PMAs in the pressure sensor and switch categories.”

The transaction was overseen by Vance Street Capital LLC, a middle-market private equity firm focused on investing in highly engineered solutions businesses across the aerospace and defense, industrial, and medical markets. JPE is a Vance Street Capital portfolio company.

EcoCortec Announces Compostable Electrostatic Dissipating Anti-Corrosion Film

EcoCortec has introduced what they are calling “the world’s first Eco-Corr Film ESD –  biodegradable, compostable static dissipative films and bags powered by “Nano” VpCI.” The company says this latest film technology is targeted mainly for electronics, telecommunications, packaging, and electric car industries seeking environmentally friendly packaging solutions. In anticipation of new EU regulations penalizing sales of non-recyclable plastic packaging materials, EcoCortec is offering revolutionary, commercially compostable alternative to conventional polyethylene electrostatic dissipating (ESD) films.

Eco-Corr Film ESD products are high performance anti-static, corrosion inhibiting films and bags intended for disposal in a commercial composting environment. They are designed for use in the protection of static sensitive multi-metal items such as electronics. The film contains permanent anti-static properties to immediately reduce or eliminate static buildup as long as the films or bags are in use, independent of the presence of humidity. Eco-Corr Film ESD forms a molecular corrosion inhibiting layer on metal substrates and does not interfere with the physical or chemical properties of electronic components. The film and bags replace conventional rust preventatives such as oils and desiccants and allow the film to be used immediately without cleaning or degreasing. Eco-Corr Film is commercially compostable, meaning that when the film is placed in a typical commercial composting environment it will disintegrate within months. The exact time is dependent upon the conditions and activity of the disposal environment (temperature, soil quality, activity of microorganisms). Eco-Corr Film ESD is shelf stable and will not break down prematurely until disposed of in a proper composting environment.

FEATURES

  • Contains Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors (VpCI) to protect void spaces and recessed areas
  • Contains permanent anti-static agent
  • Does not affect optical properties
  • Does not affect plastics used in electronics industry
  • Does not contain free amines or harmful Prop 65 ingredients
  • Commercially compostable packaging film that provides contact, barrier, and vapor corrosion inhibition
  • Meets NACE TM0208-2008 standard for corrosion protection
  • Meets German TL-8135-002 standard for corrosion protection
  • Complete replacement for non-degradable and inferior blend films
  • Static decay rate conformance to MIL-PRF-81705D
  • No ill effects on solderability of PCB, meeting the requirements of IPC-JSTD-003C, Am1 (Edge Dip Solderability Tests

A Czech subsidiary of one of the world’s three largest car manufacturers, selected Eco-Corr Film as a biodegradable substitute to reduce the amount of conventional plastic packaging they use. They tested Eco-Corr Film as part of their new “green” logistics project aimed at decreasing plastic consumption.

Eco-Corr Film was tested as part of the pilot project  of packaging car parts for shipment to their plant in Pune, India. Several tests were conducted for compliance with strict conditions for transport in sea containers. Quality control did not show any damage or traces of corrosion on the components wrapped in Eco-Corr Film® upon arrival in India.  In order to test if the film were able to be composted according to plan, the staff built compost bins near the plant. After six months, the foils had largely disintegrated in the compost bins, helping them to eliminate plastic waste. Eco-Corr Film®successfully replaces conventional plastic films they used previously and provides the same effective corrosion protection. Composted packaging material will be used as soil improver at the plant’s logistics park. Manufacturer was able to cut the amount of conventional plastic packaging in half thus eliminating a significant amount of plastic waste (as much as 500 kg [1102 lbs] per month).