AviTrader MRO Magazine 2017-11

MRO and Production News
5
regularly hear that next-generation machines
need to be customizable and configurable.
The new meter-class machine we’re debuting
at formnext is our response to that feedback
– a solution that is scalable and customizable
and meets the needs of our industry, as
it matures,” said Mohammad Ehteshami Vice
President and General Manager, GE Additive.
Magnetic MRO extends engine repair
capability
The signing of the new deal at the MRO Asia: Paul Lochab, CCO at Satair Group (left), Mr. Nguyen Duc Thinh, VP Technical
at VietJEt (Middle) and Steve O’Connor, VP Aerospace Asia at PALL Aerospace.
Photo: Satair Group
Satair Group, PALL Aerospace and
VietJet sign contract for avionics
cooling filtration system
At the MRO Asia exhibition VietJet, Vietnam’s
fast-growing low-cost carrier signed a five-year
contract for the fitting of Pall Aerospace’s Avionics
Cooling Filtration System on to its fleet
of 92 Airbus A320 family (plus five options)
aircraft that it operates and has on order. The
deal is the largest ever Pall Aerospace Supplier
Furnished Equipment (SFE) contract won
by Satair Group in Vietnam and is valued at
some US$1.4m. The Pall system was introduced
to combat the issue of water ingress and dust
build-up in the avionics compartment and uses
a patented cyclone separator system to remove
free water from the air intake. This provides 100
percent water separation efficiency even under
the most adverse Airbus testing conditions. The
water removal efficiency remains constant and
is not affected by the pressure drop across the
filter element. The system gives enhanced dust
protection in the avionics bay and maintenance
cost savings due to the improved filtration, as
well as lower inventory holdings since Pall’s system
requires only one filter element compared
to two in the original system.
BA CityFlyer selects AerFin’s Beyond
Pool to support Embraer E-Jet fleet
AerFin has signed a seven-year agreement to
support BA CityFlyer’s fleet of 20 Embraer E-Jets
via its “Beyond Pool” support program. “Beyond
Pool” offers a fixed cost solution for all of BA
CityFlyer’s E-Jet component requirements and
will be fully supported out of AerFin’s London
Gatwick facility. BA CityFlyer is a wholly owned
subsidiary of British Airways and part of the International
Airlines Group (IAG). IAG opened
a competitive tender and conducted a very detailed
overview of AerFin in its search for both a
quality support solution and a competitive price
point. This solution provides supply certainty to
BA CityFlyer, reducing the operating cost of its
E-Jet fleet, while maintaining high-quality engineering.
BA CityFlyer operates from eight UK
airports to over 30 European destinations per
year, so proximity of support and reliability of a
24/7 AOG service were key factors in choosing
the right supplier.
GE Additive unveils first BETA machine
from its Project Atlas program
GE Additive has unveiled the first BETA machine
developed as part of its Project A.T.L.A.S
program. The meter-class, laser powder-bed
fusion machine has been developed to provide
manufacturers of large parts and components
with a scalable solution that can be
configured and customized to their own specific
industry applications. Project A.T.L.A.S
(Additive Technology Large Area System) is
GE Additive’s company-wide program to
develop the next-generation large additive
machines. This first BETA machine was developed
in just nine months and complements
the company’s existing portfolio of products.
Ideally suited to industries that require large
complex metal parts, such as aviation, automotive,
space and oil and gas industries,
the new BETA machine builds on technology
previously developed by GE, combined with
Concept Laser’s expertise in laser additive
machines. The first few BETA machines are
currently being evaluated by a small group
of customers and more will be available for
delivery in 2018. “Irrespective of industry,
every customer has its own specific needs
and its own unique levels of complexity. We
Magnetic MRO has further extended its engine
repair capability by adding top case repair
and bushing replacement to its current
service offering. As of October 20, 2017, the
company has extended its capability across
the CFM56 range of engines including the
CFM56-3, CFM56-5 and CFM56-7, with
EASA and FAA approvals provided. Through
this new capability, Magnetic MRO engines’
department will be able to shorten its customer’s
downtime by providing a more efficient
and in-house repair service supported by a
global team of specialists. In essence, Magnetic
MRO’s expert and competent engineers
will be on standby and ready wherever the
customer’s engine is located.
NORDAM and China Airlines announce
joint venture
NORDAM and China Airlines have signed a
joint venture agreement to establish NOR-
DAM Asia Limited, a company to repair and
overhaul structural aircraft components for the
China Airlines fleet and for other airlines in the
Asia-Pacific region. For NORDAM, the partnership
brings a consistent baseload of work
from China Airlines and its affiliates, which include
Tigerair Taiwan and Mandarin Airlines,
while affording proximity to regional customers
as a strategic objective of the company’s
maintenance, repair and overhaul business in
the Asia-Pacific region. For China Airlines, the
flag carrier and largest airline of the Republic
of China (Taiwan), the agreement in-sources
control of critical competencies while upgrading
proficiencies; reduces labor and transportation
costs; expands its share of the third-party
maintenance, repair and overhaul market;
and promotes development of the aviation
and aerospace sector in Taiwan.
NORDAM Asia Limited will also leverage the
China Airlines Cargo freighter network for
freight-cost advantages and China Airlines
status to pursue more economical raw-material
purchases and spare-parts pricing, and
will benefit from NORDAM’s industry alliances
and existing network of sales representatives
in Asia Pacific.
AviTrader MRO - November 2017