Category: PRs

TrueNorth Avionics announced recently that it has achieved AS9100 Rev C Quality Management Certification for its Ottawa, Canada facilities, validating its status as a certified aerospace supplier. Achieving this certification speaks to TrueNorth’s renowned customer service, customer-centric product focus, and also opens-up new opportunities with aircraft OEMs says the company. BSI Group Canada Inc., the Canadian office of BSI Group (British Standards Institution), performed the audit.

“Achieving this certification is an important milestone for the TrueNorth team,” says Mark van Berkel, CEO of TrueNorth. “AS9100 Rev C is not only a prerequisite for doing business with aerospace OEMs, it is a rigorous prescription for quality that exemplifies our philosophy on products such as our new Stylus

multilingual handset. AS9100 validation is our commitment to aircraft manufacturers and purchasers that TrueNorth will continue to deliver the highest quality products as we continue to grow.”

Baker Aviation Maintenance (Baker) recently announced they have purchased AeroMech. As part of the agreement, Baker will now operate at two locations: Meacham International Airport (KFTW) in Forth Worth, TX, and Addison Airport (ADS), in Dallas, Tex The purchase was finalized late 2011.

Originally a mobile maintenance company, AeroMech was best known for their aircraft inspection/repair work and their superior product knowledge gained over a 28-year span. Baker will capitalize on this extensive knowledge and reputation by retaining all AeroMech employees.

“By keeping all AeroMech employees and technicians on board, we have merged the talent from both companies and created an even stronger team,” says Marty Dryer, director of operations, Baker Aviation. “Customers can expect quicker turn times with the same high quality work and customer service they have come to expect from us.”

In addition to providing extra hangar space for maintenance operations and expansion, the agreement also gives Baker the means for additional tooling purchases for customer support. All maintenance operations will take place at Addison Airport and services offered include avionics installation and repair, interior refurbishment, and full line maintenance. Currently, Baker says it offers airframe maintenance for Hawker, King Air, Beechjet and Citation aircraft.

 

Lufthansa Technik Component Services (LTCS), headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., has significantly expanded its portfolio of technical services for aircraft components and plans to grow even further.

LTCS says it “has bundled all its services for the repair and supply of aircraft components at this site in the heart of the American continent, with the result that the square footage of its workshops and warehouses has significantly increased in recent years.” In addition to component services, the company now also offers services for the disassembly of aircraft and the sale of their components and engines.

“With our expanded service offer in the center of one of the world’s most important aviation markets, we can meet the needs of our customers on site in the Americas even better,” said Dr. Thomas Stueger, Lufthansa Technik chief executive Product and Services, after a meeting elected officials in Oklahoma on 1 August in Tulsa. “For this reason, we definitely see potential for a further expansion of our service portfolio for the American market at this successful location.”

Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb said: “Lufthansa Technik’s decision to expand its business in the Tulsa area is wonderful news for the state’s thriving aerospace sector, and proof of Oklahoma’s strong business climate for growth. We are proud that Lufthansa Technik Component Services is finding tremendous success in Oklahoma and we look forward to building upon our great partnership with this company.”

President and CEO of LTCS Michael Scheferhoff says he is satisfied with the company’s prospects and the increasing demand for its services: “Thanks to the outstanding support and close cooperation we enjoy with Component Services from Lufthansa Technik Group, we have a very broad product portfolio at our disposal and logistics services that span the whole world.”

“The great support we have received from the state of Oklahoma, the city of Tulsa and the Tulsa Metro Chamber has contributed terrifically to our success. We would like to thank everybody involved very sincerely for that, and we hope to continue our teamwork in the future,” adds Dirk Ripa, chief commercial officer at LTCS.

Tulsa Metro Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal stated: “Lufthansa Technik’s continued growth in the Tulsa region will have a significant impact on the economy of northeast Oklahoma. We thank this industry leader for its commitment to the Tulsa region and for its important contribution to our thriving aerospace sector.”

 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing two civil penalties totaling $987,500 against Delta Air Lines of Atlanta, for allegedly operating an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 737-800 on flights when they were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

In the first case, the FAA alleges Delta failed to repair a chip in the nose radome, or nose cone, on the B-737 after an FAA inspector conducted a pre-flight inspection and informed Delta he had observed chip damage. Delta’s structural repair manual requires the airline to seal radome chip damage before further flight. The enroute inspection took place Feb. 25, 2010, and the airline operated the plane on 20 additional flights between that date and March 1 while the aircraft was not in compliance.

The FAA further alleges Delta again failed to repair the radome during layover inspections of the aircraft on Feb. 25 and 28. The proposed civil penalty is $687,500.

“Safety is our highest priority,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.  “Operators must follow the proper procedures to maintain their aircraft.”

The FAA also proposes a civil penalty of $300,000 against Delta for allegedly operating an Airbus A320 on 884 flights between May 25, 2010 and Jan. 3, 2011, when it was not in compliance with FAA regulations.

The FAA alleges the carrier incorrectly deferred repair of a broken cockpit floodlight socket at the first officer’s position. Maintenance procedures allow the airline to defer repairs on a dome light for no more than 10 days before repairing or replacing it.  The FAA discovered the alleged violation during a routine inspection.

Delta has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letters to respond to the agency.

 

Duncan Aviation announced plans for a new business aircraft maintenance hangar and facility to be built at its Lincoln, Neb., headquarters during an open house ceremony for a new 45,000-square-foot paint shop that the company completed this spring.

Duncan Aviation plans to begin construction this fall. However, specific details on the new facility are not currently available, as they are not yet finalized.

“We are still evaluating our current and future needs as well as the continued economic climate,” says Todd Duncan, chairman of Duncan Aviation. “The size of aircraft our customers are flying has continued to increase and, with the new paint facility, it is obvious that we need more room for accompanying maintenance, modifications and completions work that our clients will need.”

The new facility will likely include two hangar structures and three areas for office and backshop expansion. Not all of it will be completed during the initial phase, however.

“We would like to take advantage of construction and material costs and initially build the overall structure,” Duncan says. “We can then decide, based on a variety of internal and external factors, how much of it we need to finish when we open the first hangar and how much of it can wait for future phases.”

Duncan says Duncan Aviation currently employs 2,013 team members worldwide, 1,230 of them in Lincoln. That is 74 more jobs worldwide than the company had last summer at this time. In the next five years, Duncan Aviation anticipates that its workforce could grow by 400 or more positions worldwide, with roughly 200 more anticipated in the Lincoln area.

 

Singapore, 6 August 2012 – Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) announced today that further to its announcement on 18 June 2012, Vision Technologies Aerospace Incorporated (VT Aerospace) and Pemco World Air Services Inc. (PEMCO) have agreed to terminate their asset purchase agreement whereby VT Aerospace intended to acquire PEMCO’s Tampa aerospace facility and certain other assets. The decision to terminate the agreement was made after certain closing conditions could not be fulfilled by the seller prior to the closing deadline.

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VT Aerospace (Vision Technologies Aerospace Incorporated) is the aerospace operations of VT Systems (Vision Technologies Systems, Inc.). A leading aerospace maintenance and engineering division specialising in aircraft engineering design, maintenance and modification, it owns four aerospace operating companies in Mobile, Alabama; San Antonio, Texas and Hartford, Connecticut. It is one of the largest private employers in Mobile, and the largest private independent MRO employer in San Antonio.

VT Systems (Vision Technologies Systems, Inc.) is an engineering company providing integrated solutions to the commercial and government markets in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. VT Systems’ innovative solutions, products and services include aircraft maintenance, repair and modification; software solutions in training and simulation; satellite-based IP communications technology; network solutions that integrate data, voice and video; rugged computers and computer peripheral equipment; specialised truck bodies and trailers; weapons and munitions systems; road construction equipment; and ship design and shipbuilding. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., VT Systems operates globally and is a wholly owned subsidiary of ST Engineering. Please visit http://www.vt-systems.com.

ST Engineering (Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd) is an integrated engineering group providing solutions and services in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. Headquartered in Singapore, the Group reported revenues of S$5.99b in FY2011 and ranks among the largest companies listed on the Singapore Exchange. It is a component stock of the FTSE Straits Times Index, FTSE ASEAN 40 Index, MSCI Singapore and other indices. ST Engineering has more than 22,000 employees worldwide, and over

100 subsidiaries and associated companies in 23 countries and 41 cities. Please visit http://www.stengg.com.

Media Contacts:

Lina Poa
SVP, Corporate Communications
ST Engineering
Tel: (65) 6722 1883
Email: linapoa@stengg.com

Belinda Ng
AVP / Head, Corporate Communications
ST Aerospace
Tel: (65) 6380 6176
Email: belindang@stengg.com

Edward Szeto
Manager, Corporate Communications
VT Systems
Tel: (1) 703 739 2610
Email: eszeto@vt-systems.com

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A J Walter Aviation has confirmed that it signed an asset purchase agreement to buy the component repair business of Aveos Fleet Performance. AJW plans to develop a world class MRO operation to enhance its diversified business model and will establish the Montréal facility as its new global headquarters for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft components.

AJW has worked closely with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) to formulate a new business structure that is both fair and commercially competitive, and its efforts have won the support of key stakeholders. AJW says it has an established and growing customer base of more than 800 airlines, more than 400 aircraft under contract and annual group sales in excess of $400m. Global spend will exceed $150m in 2012. This considerable worldwide demand will help support a sustainable and substantial MRO business from the outset, and contribute to the business efficiencies and cost-savings that already form a part of AJW’s customer pledge, according to the company.

A press release from A J Walter states: “A vertical integration into the supply chain is a strategic and logical next step for the evolution of AJW’s core suite of businesses. The purchase of the Aveos component maintenance division satisfies a strengthening portfolio of aviation based services and expands the organization’s repair capabilities through partnership with a highly skilled Canadian workforce.

Both parties are committed to developing further their existing strong relationships with industry OEMs to sustain availability of spare parts and facilitate expanded support services for Airbus aircraft, as well as to provide the resources necessary for any future capability diversification. AJW welcomes the opportunity to work more closely with the current Aveos customer portfolio, including Air Canada, and to providing its global customer base with more comprehensive services.  It is keen to establish a programme that secures long-term business and work for the people of Québec, as well as enhancing Montréal’s aviation pedigree.”

“We plan to safeguard an outstanding facility and talent base that will take fresh heart from AJW’s entrepreneurial ethos” says Christopher Whiteside, AJW president.  “We are committed to re-establishing a world class MRO operation in Montréal which will enable us to provide competitive service levels, quality and cost guarantees to the global aviation community. Our team has been working with the chief restructuring officer and monitor, the Machinist Union and the Québec government for several weeks to secure unequivocal support for our bid.”

JSfirm.com’s says its Forward-To-A-Friend feature is the number one way to find a job. “Forwarding information on the internet is not new but the reason it works on JSfirm.com is because aviation is a community, not just an industry,” Jeff Richards commented.

Richards said, “When a company posts a job on JSfirm.com it circulates through hundreds of private networks. The private network produces a ‘here is a job lead – I know the GM over there’ vs. the typical ‘is this job real?’ scenario.”

Richards explained, “Job Seekers constantly tell us the big job board aggregators on the internet are a difficult place to find ‘real’ jobs and quality job leads are generated from word of mouth, niche websites and through private networks. JSfirm.com promotes private networks and invests heavily in developing our niche job distribution network; producing better qualified applicants for our member companies. We pride ourselves on the fact that our website continues to match thousands of aviation professional and hiring companies.”

Why is this important? Richards summarized, “In the aviation community, our professionals like to pass job leads to fellow qualified aviation professionals. Helping a friend is another critical component of our proven jobs board. We track hundreds of jobs filled using Forward-To-A-Friend.”

 

EnvelopeAPM.aero, an  aviation project management group, has launched an aircraft records e-learning course as well as a four-day class room training course. This program is designed to prepare participants to operate a records management department, offering a basic e-learning course for new aircraft records personnel and a four-day workshop designed for intermediate records personnel to management level as well as all staff responsible for leading and developing aircraft records management within an air operating environment. “This is the first training of its kind specifically for the aircraft records industry,” said Wes Parfitt CEO of EnvelopeAPM.aero.