Ameco completed its first V2500-A5 engine thrust reverser repair, from an Air China aircraft, in mid March. Meanwhile, the first CFM56-5B series engine thrust reverser is under repair now and scheduled for redelivery in this month.

Ameco began offering aircraft related components (ARC) services in October 2014. In addition to V2500-A5 and CFM56-5B series engine thrust reverser, Ameco says it is now developing the Trent 700 engine thrust reverser capability.

Ameco also offers the inlet duct repair services for all Boeing series and Airbus A330, as well as, the radome repair for all Boeing series and A330.

Since the V2500-A5 capability establishment, Ameco has completed overhaul on one engine from a Chinese customer at its Beijing Base. Currently, three V2500-A5 engines are under repairing in the workshop of Ameco Beijing Base.

Ameco was authorized by CAAC, FAA and EASA to provide overhaul and modification on V2500-A5 series last year. In November 2015, Ameco and Pratt & Whitney singed a contract, which makes the MRO approved to undertake engine services for V2500 users all over the world. Ameco is a specialist on RB211 and PW4000 engine overhaul.

Ameco is also a specialist on the repair of GTCP85-129H and GTCP 131-9A/B auxiliary power units (APU). Ameco Chengdu Branch has been authorized by Honeywell Aerospace as a warranty repair station for GTCP 131-9A/B APUs since November of 2014.

Headquartered in Beijing, new Ameco has nine branches located in Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Hohhot, Shanghai, Guiyang, Wuhan and Guangzhou. New Ameco’s hangars and facilities are mainly located in Beijing and Chengdu. The branches of Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin and Hohhot respectively have a hangar to meet the maintenance layover requirement of Boeing 737NG series and Airbus A320 series.

Ameco imported an advanced hydraulic pressure tester, which was put into use on March 14th. It is the first individually tailored tester introduced by Chinese MRO, and also the second similar product around the world. New tester can test all hydraulic systems of Boeing and Airbus aircraft in service, including B787 and A380 series.

STG Aerospace has launched the liTeMood LED reading light. STG says liTeMood LED reading lights are an affordable plug and play replacement for Boeing 737 NG incandescent reading lights. The passenger centric lighting units feature a patented photometric design that delivers a square light pattern which precisely defines the individual passenger space, while preventing the inconvenient light spill onto neighboring passengers.

STG says liTeMood LED reading lights offer high levels of performance, are 10 times more reliable than incandescent lights, and offer an 80 percent power reduction to increase the aircraft electrical efficiency.

“We have designed a really clever optic that instead of providing a circular light source, delivers a high quality uniform square light pattern which provides a better reading environment and defines the passenger space,” says Dr Sean O’Kell, director of Innovation at STG Aerospace. “Our new reading light is the latest example of our commitment to human-centric lighting and has been designed to tick all the boxes – the quality of light, the quantity of light, the passenger experience and the ease of installation – for the airline it really is just like changing a bulb.”

Nigel Duncan, CEO of STG Aerospace, added, “Our liTeMood product range is an affordable, aftermarket, mood lighting solution designed to enhance the passenger experience. At STG Aerospace we ensure airlines receive top quality, highly reliable next generation lighting systems that genuinely deliver an improved passenger experience and improved operational metrics for the airlines. Attention must be paid to providing passengers with a sense of control and personal privacy in their immediate environment while offering airlines a high quality lighting ambience and high CRI levels to optimize their retail environment and increase yields.”

FT Sistemas has selected Rockwell Collins to provide its Micro Inertial Navigation Sensor (INS) for the new FT-200FH unmanned Category 2 helicopter. The agreement between the companies was announced at the FIDAE 2016 air show in the Brazil pavilion, coordinated by ABIMDE in partnership with Apex-Brasil.

“Rockwell Collins has been a valued partner throughout the last 10 years, and we’re proud to have them working with us in a new project. It is great to have a partner that brings great technology and local support to better serve our needs,” said Nei Brasil, FT Systems CEO.

“This contract is another step in our long lasting relationship with FT Sistemas as we provide advanced technology to this brand new unmanned aerial vehicle,” said Marcelo Vaz, managing director, for Rockwell Collins do Brasil.

The Micro INS is an advanced INS/GPS with an integrated air data system and magnetometer that offers complete and accurate platform state data. Weighing around 100 grams, the Micro INS incorporates an internal disk-on-chip for extended data logging, and meets demanding environmental requirements for shock, vibration, temperature and humidity.

The Micro INS uses highly reliable micro electromechanical systems sensors, including accelerometers, rate gyros, magnetometer and air data pressure sensors, along with a differential ready, Wide Area Augmentation System-enabled GPS receiver.

Honeywell has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to continue improving three-dimensional visibility and safety for U.S. military helicopter pilots experiencing inclement weather and harsh environments. Among the visual challenges faced by pilots are issues with rain, snow, dust, fog and other elements that reduce the ability to fly and land.

As part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Multifunction Radio Frequency effort, Honeywell will program, update and integrate the company’s Synthetic Vision Avionics Backbone (SVAB) solution on U.S. military test helicopters such as the UH-60 Black Hawk. Honeywell’s technology provides pilots with the most accurate “out-the-window,” 3-D view on their primary flight displays, which is critical in low-visibility environments that mask hidden dangers such as treacherous terrain, other aircraft or utility wires.

“Our service men and women are called upon to serve wherever the need arises, and our goal is to provide them with the best technology to ensure their missions are as safe as possible in any environment,” said Bob Witwer, vice president of Advanced Technology at Honeywell Aerospace. “Degraded visual environments have cost the U.S. military hundreds of millions of dollars and countless lives over the past decade, and Honeywell’s system has the potential to eliminate these costs and save lives.”

Honeywell’s avionics solution couples the company’s Federal Aviation Administration-certified synthetic vision products for business and general aviation with a software backbone developed for DARPA. By providing software and hardware, Honeywell’s solution has the flexibility to adapt to different sensors and platforms available to the U.S. armed services.

Honeywell will update the synthetic vision system to support the next phase of the Multifunction Radio Frequency program to fuse information from DARPA’s Advanced Rotary Multifunction Sensor radar along with terrain and obstacle databases and satellite imagery. The wider breadth of information will better inform helicopter pilots faced with low-visibility challenges.

“Honeywell is meeting the challenge of mitigating degraded visual environments,” said Howie Wiebold, manager of business development at Honeywell Aerospace. “By processing data from multiple sensors and developing a 3-D synthetic rendering of the exterior view in degraded conditions, we can create a safe environment where military pilots can turn degraded visual environments into a tactical advantage.”

Honeywell’s synthetic vision technology has been in development and testing with DARPA since 2007. Honeywell’s technology helps solve the challenge of degraded visual environments for current and future military helicopters.

Thales has been selected by Airbus as Lead Supplier for HBC solutions to be deployed on A320, A330 and A380 aircrafts in linefit and retrofit mode.

Thales’ High Bandwidth Connectivity solutions will provide passengers the bandwidth they need to enrich their travel experience and airlines with the connectivity solution that satisfies their operational requirements.

Thales says the selection is an important milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two companies. In addition to the already selectable GX Connectivity solution for A350s, this agreement enables Thales to become linefit offerable for connectivity products and related VAR services on all legacy Airbus platforms, today and in the future.

HBC solutions are designed to operate standalone or connected to an IFE system. Thales’ inflight entertainment and connectivity portfolio combines innovative technologies, a global support network, with a complete ecosystem that provides airlines valuable services to improve operational efficiencies and increase passenger engagement.

In this safety-critical and technology-rich environment Thales has a pedigree and global presence no other provider can match, across aviation, avionics, satellite networks, connected skies, cyber security and passenger entertainment.

Universal Avionics announces successful testing of departure clearances (DCL) using Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Tech Center. The company’s Cessna Citation VII equipped for Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ completed the live test of the system in Louisville, Kentucky, USA (KSDF).

When equipped and properly trained for CPDLC-DCL, operators have the ability to receive clearances directly from Air Traffic Control (ATC). Operators simply logon to the tower, receive their clearance in seconds, then call ground control for taxi, saving both time and money. At the KSDF testing, it took only 22 seconds to receive clearance after logging on to the tower, which is significantly less than a Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC).

The company’s FANS and CPDLC solution includes a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS)-Flight Management System (FMS), UniLink® UL-800/801 Communications Management Unit (CMU) and data capable Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). PDCs have been available when using the UniLink CMU, but are only approved up to 30 minutes prior to departure. Any updates to the PDC departure time requires a voice clearance.

“If the wind changes direction and the active runway changes, aircraft will have to receive a new clearance with the new runway, SID, etc.,” said Carey Miller, Universal Avionics Manager of Business Development. “All of the aircraft in line for departure will have to receive a new voice clearance which can take quite a bit of time, whereas with CPDLC-DCL, you receive the new clearance via data link and you’re ready to go,” he added. “Even domestic operators who frequent busy airports that offer CPDLC-DCL service will desire this capability, regardless of the need for oceanic FANS.”

CPDLC-DCL technology is expected to become available to 56 airports throughout 2016. Airports that are currently operational include: KSLC (Salt Lake City, Utah), KIAH (Houston, TX), KHOU (Houston, TX), KMSY (New Orleans, Louisiana), KAUS (Austin, Texas), KSDF (Louisville, Kentucky), KEWR (Newark, New Jersey), KSAT (San Antonio, Texas), KJFK (New York, New York), KIND (Indianapolis, Indiana), KLAX (Los Angeles, CA), KLGA (New York, New York), KTEB (Teterboro, New Jersey) KLAS (Las Vegas, Nevada) and KMEM (Memphis, Tennessee). By the end of April, the following airports are expected to become operational: KSAN (San Diego, CA), KHPN (White Plains, NY), KBNA (Santa Ana, CA) and KPHL (Philadelphia, PA).

Aircraft without CPDLC-DCL capability will essentially be caught in the back of the line, creating a “best equipped, best served” situation. To learn more about Universal Avionics FANS 1/A+ solution, visit www.uasc.com/FANS or contact a Regional Sales Manager.

Airbus Group and Siemens have signed a collaboration agreement in the field of hybrid electric propulsion. In doing so, the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of both companies, Tom Enders and Joe Kaeser, have launched a major joint project towards the electrification of aviation with the goal of demonstrating the technical feasibility of various hybrid/electric propulsion systemsby 2020.

Both companies will be making significant contributions into the project and have sourced a team of around 200 employees to advance European leadership in innovation and the development of electrically powered aircraft. “Electric and electric-hybrid flight represent some of the biggest industrial challenges of our time, aiming at zero-emissions aviation. The progress we have achieved in this arena, together with our industrial and governmental partners, in only a few years is breath-taking, culminating in last year’s channel crossing of our all-electric E-Fan aircraft. Big thanks today particularly to the Bavarian Government and Minister Aigner for their support here in Ottobrunn”, said Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus Group. “We believe that by 2030 passenger aircraft below 100 seats could be propelled by hybrid propulsion systems and we are determined to explore this possibility together with world-class partners like Siemens.”

“By entering the field of highly innovative aircraft propulsion technology, we’re opening a new chapter in E-Mobility. Collaboration with Airbus Group will create new perspectives for our company and open us up even more to disruptive innovation,” said Siemens President and CEO Joe Kaeser. “The undertaking will be an important project under the umbrella of our so-called Innovation AG.

As previously announced, the aim of this unit is to cooperate with innovative partners in order to identify and invest in new trends and develop future-oriented business opportunities. These partners may include entrepreneurs from Siemens’ own employee environment, external start-ups and newly founded and established companies.”

Hybrid-electric propulsion systems can significantly reduce fuel consumption of aircraft and reduce noise. European emissions targets aim for a 75 percent reduction of CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to the values for the year 2000.

These ambitious goals cannot be achieved by conventional technologies.Airbus Group and Siemens plan to jointly develop prototypes for various propulsion systems with power classes ranging from a few 100 kilowatts up to 10 and more megawatts, i.e. for short, local trips with aircraft below 100 seats, helicopters or UAVs up to classic short and medium-range journeys.

Both companies together with Austria’s Diamond Aircraft initially presented a hybrid aircraft back in 2011. Since then, Siemens has been developing an electric engine for aircraft which supplies five times as much power while retaining the same weight. Airbus Group has been gathering operational experience with electrically powered aircraft since 2014 with the E-Fan, a full electric two-seater dedicated to training pilots. This success has been achieved together with various industrial partners and steadfast support of the French government. Airbus Group intends to accelerate with the extended capabilities of the planned E-Aircraft System House at Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen site the development of components and system technologies.

Siemens is determined to establish hybrid-electric propulsion systems for aircraft as a future business. The partners have agreed to collaborate exclusively in selected development areas. In parallel, both partners will continue to work together with their current partners for small aircraft with fewer than 20 seats.

A new chapter in EU-China aviation relations started today, with the official launch of the EU-China Aviation Partnership Project (APP). The 5-year, €10 million project, managed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and partners, will link technical cooperation with policy dialogue between the European and Chinese aviation authorities. It is funded by the Partnership Instrument of the European Union and supported by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The project follows a new cooperation approach with the activities being jointly implemented by EASA and CAAC for the first time. It was launched at a ceremony in Beijing, in the presence of Mr. Hans-Dietmar Schweisgut, European Union Ambassador to China, Mr. Feng Zhenglin, Administrator of CAAC and EASA Executive Director, Mr. Patrick Ky.

“Aviation is a strong driver of economic growth, jobs, trade and mobility for the European Union. With China’s aviation market growing fast it makes perfect sense for two of the world’s largest aviation markets to work closely together” Hans-Dietmar Schweisgut, EU Ambassador said.

Patrick Ky, EASA Executive Director said, “We are building with CAAC the foundation for a strong EU-China Aviation Partnership. It will increase cooperation and mutual understanding on key areas such as safety and environmental protection; it will also allow for better exchange of best practices and standards between industry players.”

The EU-China APP will focus on the following areas of mutual interest:

• Aviation safety and security
• General aviation
• Air Traffic Management/Air Navigation Services
• Airports
• Airworthiness
• Environmental protection
• Economic policy and regulation
• Legislation and Law Enforcement

Dedicated activities will be implemented in these areas including regulatory cooperation, safety promotion exercises, workshops, training and technical exchanges. ”With the efforts of the EU and China, the EU-China Aviation Partnership Project will start a new era of broader and deeper cooperation in civil aviation and will promote the development of all aspects of the EU-China civil aviation relationship on the basis of mutual benefit,” Feng Zhenglin, CAAC Administrator said.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently called on governments and aviation stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean to work together to harness the power of aviation connectivity to drive economic growth and job creation in the region.

“Air transport in Latin America and the Caribbean supports more than 4.9 million jobs and $153 billion in GDP. It could create even more value but airlines struggle with high taxes, onerous regulation and infrastructure deficiencies. Strong partnerships across the value chain and with governments can unlock untapped value and drive economic growth by tackling these issues. And this is particularly important given the difficult economic situation in several of the region’s top economies,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“We’ve achieved great things as a united industry in places where we work with governments as partners in pursuit of common goals. Chile and Panama are creating value with an enlightened strategic approach to aviation. Spreading this more broadly across the region will help build a brighter future for the people of Latin America and the Caribbean with prosperity, jobs and opportunities,” Tyler said.

Tyler highlighted four areas that are ripe for greater collaboration:

• Taxes
• Smarter regulation
• Cost-efficient infrastructure
• Environment

 

Taxes

IATA called on governments to reduce the tax burden which is undermining the region’s prospects for connectivity growth and the benefits it stimulates. “There are 130 different ticket taxes in place across the Latin America and Caribbean region. They increase the cost of connectivity for businesses, individual travelers and potential visitors. Ultimately they limit the ability of aviation to catalyze economic growth, shortchanging the economy as a whole,” said Tyler.

 

Smarter Regulation

IATA urged governments to adopt Smarter Regulation principles and align consumer protection regulations with global standards. “Under the guise of protecting the consumer, we have seen a proliferation of prescriptive, unharmonized passenger rights regimes. While the intention is to protect the passenger, too often the reality simply adds cost and hamstrings the airlines in delivering the best customer service,” said Tyler.

In calling for a Smarter Regulation approach, IATA is urging governments to ensure that regulations are aimed at solving real problems, aligned with global standards, and can be implemented efficiently. The best way to achieving this is through consultation with key stakeholders and with a rigorous cost-benefit analysis.

Cost-efficient infrastructure

Infrastructure deficiencies have long been an issue in the region. Key airports in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru face growth constraints while passenger numbers to, from and within the region are expected to double to 525 million by 2034.

“Infrastructure must keep pace with growing demand. Governments, airlines, airports and other stakeholders in the value chain need to unite to ensure the right infrastructure is put in place, in a timely matter and at the right cost,” said Tyler. IATA urges governments to follow the principles for infrastructure charges which they have agreed through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These include non-discrimination, cost-relatedness, transparency and consultation with users.

Environment

Lastly, Tyler called for continued industry unity in managing air transport’s environmental impact. The aviation industry is committed to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% annually to 2020, to attain carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and to achieve a 50% reduction in net CO2 emissions by 2050 relative to 2005 levels. To accomplish this, it has a well-established four-pillar strategy of technology advances, operational improvements, more efficient infrastructure and global market based measures.

The establishment of a global market based measure is on the agenda of the 39th ICAO Assembly in September of this year. Tyler urged governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to support the industry’s call for a mandatory global carbon offset scheme. And he urged the aviation community to remain united in supporting the industry’s four pillar strategy.

Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) systems are powerful aviation safety tools. For helicopter air ambulance operators in the U. S., equipping aircraft with FDM systems will soon be a requirement. Investing in the right system is a difficult decision; operators must select a system that satisfies the mandate, but also improves their organization’s safety systems, productivity and profit margin.

 

Helicopter FDM

Helicopter operators supporting oil and gas producers in the North Sea pioneered the use of FDM. These early adopters of FDM have proven that these systems are indispensable and properly managed flight data analysis programs not only enhance safety, but also have a positive impact on improving maintenance, operations and training.

Today, the global offshore helicopter transportation industry embraces FDM as a best practice. FDM is a cornerstone of modern Safety Management Systems (SMS) and provides actionable intelligence across the entire enterprise to improve operations, reliability and ultimately profitability. Integrated FDM systems are now standard on all new medium and heavy offshore helicopters. The offshore industry – based on lessons learned – demands more, not less, from the next generation of FDM systems.

Much of the focus on larger helicopters was based on contractual requirements from the “oil majors” and the perception that equipping smaller aircraft with flight recorders was neither practical nor technologically feasible. Now, these perceived hurdles have been addressed by leveraging technology to create functional stand-alone recorders or integrated systems that combine many functions such as data acquisition, on-board analysis, data transmission, satellite communications and flight following and other features. These new systems enable FDM for operators of lighter helicopters, while adding other features to create a greater value proposition.

 

“HEMS Rule” Recap

On April 23, 2014, the FAA made final a long anticipated rule that affects Helicopter Air Ambulance (HAA) operators in the US. The overarching component of this new rule is a requirement for HAA flights with medical personnel onboard to operate under 14 CFR 135 (135.1, 135.601) or “part 135,” the rules that govern smaller commercial operators. HAA flights under Part 135 must meet a number of new operational requirements and equip fleets with safety equipment, such as radar altimeters, terrain awareness systems and FDM systems. This new set of rules satisfies or partially addresses a number of recommendations by the US NTSB and industry groups to enhance HAA safety.

According to the final FAA rule, “After April 23, 2018, no person may operate a helicopter in air ambulance operations unless it is equipped with an approved Flight Data Monitoring System (FDMS) capable of recording flight performance data”. Justification for the ruling includes the promotion of operational safety and the ability to provide critical information to investigators in the event of an accident.

 

A Missed Opportunity

The rule satisfies a NTSB recommendation to install flight data recording systems (A-06-17), but falls short of establishing structured FDM programs to identify deviations from established norms and procedures (A-09-90). In addition to NTSB support, several industry groups and operators support establishing a formal FDM program for HAA operators. As an example, the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) recommends “the utilization of FDM systems such as HOMP or FOQA to evaluate flight operations and to address unsafe or undesirable flight crew habits.” Likewise, other industry comments collected during the rulemaking NPRM process supported employing proactive FDM/FOQA programs; these organizations included Life Flight of Maine, PHI Helicopters, Airbus Helicopters, HAI and the Global HFDM Steering Group.

 

What is FDMS?

The final HAA rule related to FDMS (14 CFR 135.607) established the requirement to install a flight data recorder, but did not provide many details other than specifying the device must record “flight performance and operational data.” 135.607 further outlines the electrical power requirements such as the source and when the FDM must be powered. The rule does not require data collection (one component of a FDM program) or prescribe standards or parameters for data collection; this guidance is contained in FAA Advisory Circular AC 27-1B. During 2014, the guidance in “draft” versions of AC 27-1B evolved from “slightly specific to vague.” In its current form, only a handful of recorded parameters are required (Airspeed, Altitude, Heading, Vertical Acceleration and Time).

 

What’s Next?

HAA operators now face a dilemma; do they simply go with minimal equipage to satisfy the FDMS requirement or follow the lead of the offshore operators and adopt formal FDM programs backed by large datasets. Successful FDM programs – from airlines to large offshore helicopter operators – leverage large amounts of data to benefit the entire enterprise. The value of each additional parameter is exponential to the organization when employed in an effective FDM program; from safety to maintenance and to back office functions such as operations and dispatch. A rich dataset provides many opportunities for organizational enhancements. Adding other functions such as flight following and satellite communications further adds value to a required  investment.