AMT of the Year
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey presents the National AMT of the Year award to Paul New, president of Tennessee Aircraft Services Inc. The award was presented during an awards ceremony at the Theater in the Woods during EAA AirVenture 2007 in Oshkosh, WI, on Aug. 25.
Avionics Technician of the Year
Jerry Luttrull receives the 2007 Avionics Technician of the Year from Administrator Blakey. Luttrull works for Otto Instrument Service in Ontario, CA. He is currently vice president of quality and compliance.
Yingling expands
Yingling Aviation, located at Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport, has announced that it will add 9,000 square feet of hangar and office space to its existing facilities to make room for McCauley propeller overhaul and service. The $1.5 million addition, which is the first portion of a two-phase expansion, is expected to be completed by March 2008.
Elliott opens design center
Elliott Aviation has opened a state-of-the-art design center at its Moline, IL, headquarters (MLI). Reflecting an enhanced emphasis on a positive customer experience during the design process, the showroom was developed with the customer in mind and showcases an extensive selection of options. Elliott designers work with aircraft owners to design exterior paint schemes and select interior elements utilizing design technology called EnVision, introduced last year. EnVision software technology includes 3-D modeling tools, allowing customers to preview a likeness of their aircraft with the colors, textures, patterns, and materials that they select.
Chance Aviation adds facility
Chance Aviation, a factory authorized parts distributor located in Indianapolis, IN, has opened a sales and distribution center in Greensboro, NC.
Lufthansa to provide support services for Virgin America
Virgin America Inc., the new U.S. airline, has commenced flight operations. And Lufthansa Technik AG is providing integrated technical operations support and Total Material Operations (TMO) to this airline. TMO is a service package covering the provisioning of spare parts and consumables. A 10-year contract worth more than $250 million was signed in 2006. Virgin America started operation with three Airbus A320 on Aug. 8, and has 31 aircraft on order.
Embry-Riddle on top
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has once again earned the top ranking in the annual “America’s Best Colleges” guide published by U.S. News & World Report magazine. In the specialty category of “Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering Programs” at schools where the highest degree is a master’s, Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, FL, campus took first place, followed by the U.S. Air Force Academy, and Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, AZ, campus in third. The university has won the top spot every year since the category was introduced in 2001.
Wichita Aviation achieves ISO
Ametek B&S, Wichita, KS, partnered with Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center (MAMTC) to pursue AS9110, an international standard for aerospace repair stations. With MAMTC’s help, Ametek B&S has achieved registration.
Alteon opens training center in Shanghai
Alteon Training, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA), will open a new training center in Shanghai which will house the first Boeing 787 full-flight simulator in China. In addition, Alteon has signed a partnership agreement with Shanghai Airlines to co-locate the training center at Shanghai Airline’s newly opened training center at the Pudong Airport.
The training center will be fully operational by the end of 2007 with placement of a 757/767 full flight simulator. The 787 full flight simulator with complete Boeing 787 training services including flight and maintenance training, will be ready in the first half 2008.
To accommodate the reallocation of equipment, Alteon will close training centers in Long Beach, CA, and Dallas, TX, in the United States, as well as a center in Kunming, China, by the end of 2007. A training center in Luton, United Kingdom, will close in mid-2008. This restructuring expands training at Alteon training centers in Miami, FL, and Seattle, WA, in the United States, as well as Gatwick and Manchester in the United Kingdom.
ST Aerospace expands EASA certification
Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd. (ST Aerospace) is the first company in South East Asia to receive a Design Organisation Approval (DOA) by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Having met the airworthiness requirements of EASA Part 21, ST Aerospace can now approve and perform engineering design work on European Union (EU) registered aircraft.
IKHANA Group formed
IKHANA Group Inc. has been formed through the acquisition of RW Martin Inc. (RWMI) and Total Aircraft Services Inc. (TASI). By combining the engineering and FAA certification services of TASI with the aircraft modification and maintenance services of RWMI, IKHANA has created an organization that will provide a comprehensive one-stop shop for aircraft modification needs. TASI and RWMI will continue to operate as separate companies for the immediate future.
Lane appointed DAR
Daniel M. Lane, a longtime employee of Epps Aviation in Atlanta, GA, has been granted a Certificate of Designation from the Federal Aviation Administration as a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR). With the DAR designation, Lane is approved to perform various important functions on behalf of the FAA such as the export of aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, and components.
VEM certified for A310/A300
VEM Maintenance and Engineering has received FAA certification to perform heavy maintenance for Airbus A310 and A300-600 aircraft. VEM is a TAP Portugal Group company and is already certified by all major Civil Aviation Authorities, including FAA, EASA, ANAC (Brazil), and many other individual countries’ regulating Aviation Authorities for which VEM has significant maintenance contracts.
Xerion receives STC
The FAA has given the go-ahead to New York-based Xerion Avionix LLC for installation of the AuRACLE engine management system into general aviation aircraft. The Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) reshapes how pilots manage engine information, resulting in significant improvements on in-flight fuel management and engine operations. The system operates with both four- and six-cylinder engines.
The FAA approval allows the AuRACLE to serve as primary instrumentation, replacing the aircraft’s legacy engine ‘steam’ gauges. Additionally, the system employs a unique engine interface unit installed on the engine-side of the firewall, reducing engine instrumentation firewall penetrations to one single, more streamlined cannon-style bulkhead connector.
EASA certifies Rolls-Royce Trent engine for 787
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a Type Certificate for the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 series engine. The EASA approval was delivered simultaneously with the Type Certificate of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 1000 engines will be the first to power Boeing’s 787 “Dreamliner” family. New requirements will become mandatory for new engines after Dec. 31, 2007 and have been used by EASA as certification basis since March.
Abaris to host conference
Abaris Training Resources, headquartreed in Reno, NV, is hosting a two-day conference on thermoplastic composites. The conference will be held at the Peppermill Hotel in Reno, Nov. 6 to 7. Attendees will obtain a background on thermoplastic composites, including materials and processes used, historical development, current applications, manufacturers and users, and future opportunities in the industry.
Heatcon opens Philippines facility
HEATCON Composite Training has officially opened its new training facility in Manila, Philippines.
Commencing mid-2007, one-week courses will be offered, with a tailored curriculum to suit students of various experience and competency levels. These courses will be run by fully qualified instructors, in a purpose built facility designed to international standards, situated on Roxas Boulevard, in Manila; conveniently located close to the airport, restaurants and hotels.
Brown Tool on 2007 Inc. 5,000 index
Brown Aviation Tool Supply Co. is ranked No. 2,896 on the first-ever Inc. 5,000 list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the country. Brown Aviation Tool posted $6.7 million in sales during 2006 which contributed to its overall growth of 114 percent during the three-year period beginning in 2003.
AMTSociety to sponsor Aviation Industry Expo
Cygnus Expositions, the tradeshow division of Cygnus Business Media, announces that AMTSociety will co-sponsor the 11th annual Aviation Industry Expo, to be held March 18-20, 2008 at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, TX. AMTSociety will join the ranks of long-time event co-sponsor National Air Transportation Association (NATA). AMTSociety will drive the educational content offered to maintenance professionals attending the show. Embry-Riddle and the National Center for Aircraft Technician Training (NCATT) are also involved in show activities.
