HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA, February 2, 2017 - Quiet Technology Aerospace (QTA) has brought an innovative and far less costly solution to the well-known weakness and corrosion in the attachment fitting bores of Gulfstream GIII and GIV model winglets. The QTA procedure provides much longer service life and no unnecessary downtime. Additionally, the QTA process to treat corrosion costs substantially less than the OEM option.
To date, the solution to corrosion in the attachment fitting bores has been to ream and oversize the winglet fitting and wing plank. QTA’s more efficient solution is to rework the winglet fitting to restore the attachment holes back to nominal size.
For operators who have had corrosion issues treated by oversizing and need to address the problem again, QTA also has a wing plank rework process to return these attachment holes back to nominal.
There are considerable advantages to the innovative solution QTA has engineered:
- QTA will come to the aircraft’s location, anywhere in the world and provide the rework process. The procedure can be accomplished while the aircraft is in routine maintenance or calendar checks. A significant benefit is the winglets do not need to be crated and shipped to the Gulfstream factory, nor does the aircraft need to be flown to Savannah, Georgia.
- The rework is much lower cost and faster than replacing the attachment fitting.
- Both vertical and horizontal attach fitting bores can be reworked.
- The QTA rework procedure returns everything to nominal size. There is no need to ream out a new fitting to match the oversize wing plank holes.
- In cases of extreme corrosion that requires replacement, QTA has loaner or exchange winglets available while QTA replaces the fitting.
Once completed, continued airworthiness inspections are required per the Gulfstream Maintenance Manual Chapter 5.
Martin Gardner, QTA’s Vice President Engineering and Customer Support, is pleased to offer GIII and GIV operators this innovative engineering solution. “One of the downsides of achieving light weight structures with aluminum is corrosion. QTA solves corrosion problems using advanced engineering processes and materials. We’re very happy to offer this faster, better and far less costly solution to the GIII and GIV marketplace. All our work is certified by Quiet Technology Aerospace part 145 repair station certificate.”
Mr. Gardner has received positive and supportive feedback from operators that received the rework procedure. “We had a customer in Singapore who needed our process. Crating and shipping winglets half way around the world was astronomically expensive and so was the cost of flying the aircraft to Savannah. Our team got on site and completed the rework in four days while the aircraft was under routine maintenance; so there was no extra downtime to the owner. They were thrilled.”
In addition to the winglet corrosion discussed, QTA engineering and DER staff has full capability for composite repairs on all GII/GIII/GIV and GV parts throughout the aircraft systems. Composite specialties on Gulfstream aircraft for QTA include: Flight Controls, Nacelles, Fairings, Doors and Floorboards.
ABOUT QUIET TECHNOLOGY AEROSPACE
QTA is a market leader in the application of advanced composites for noise attenuation and structures.
Since 1988, QTA companies have achieved 11 Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for Hush Kits on large transport aircraft, military transports and corporate business aircraft. QTA first introduced Carbon Graphite Composites on the DC8 hush kit certified in 1988, currently achieving 28 years of in-service experience with advanced composites.
