All MRO news – Page 515
-
News
BA to reorganise with new divisions
British Airways (BA) is splitting its business into shorthaul and longhaul divisions and scrapping its geography-based structure in a move aimed at achieving greater regional focus, improving customer service and boosting revenues. Industry sources say the split will allow BA to pinpoint and tackle problems with its shorthaul services, ...
-
News
Bell to decide on major facelift for 412
Bell expects to decide soon whether to launch an improved Model 412Plus helicopter in partnership with Agusta, while at the same time committing to a North American final assembly line for the all new Italian-led AB139 development. The Fort Worth-based company is considering a major design revamp of ...
-
News
Fokker parts deal hit by legal action
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Fokker Services has launched legal action against the estate of bankrupt Fokker Aircraft in a row over new costs it claims have been imposed on its purchase of technical data and production equipment for JetLine wing parts. A subsidiary of Stork, Fokker Services agreed to buy ...
-
News
US safety agency urges FAA to adopt JT8D strip-down plan
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Thousands of airliners powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans could be taken out of service temporarily if the US Federal Aviation Administration decides to adopt an engine inspection recommendation published by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The move would affect Boeing 727s, 737-100s ...
-
News
Maintaining training
Andrew Doyle/FRANKFURT The introduction of new European regulations and the growing power of simulation technology were the hot topics at the Flight International-sponsored Aviation Maintenance Training Conference held on 15-16 February As pressure increases on aircraft maintenance firms to step up the quality of their work at less ...
-
News
In need of a check-up
The systems onboard ageing aircraft in the USA are coming under closer scrutiny, raising the prospect of higher maintenance costs. In the USA, old aircraft don't die: they get hushkits and a new paint job. In stark contrast to their counterparts in Europe and Asia, US passengers routinely find ...
-
News
Swissair/Delta could win SAA deal
Lufthansa, long considered the front runner in the race for a 30% stake in South African Airways (SAA), now appears to be facing a determined combined challenge from Swissair/Delta Air Lines. The German carrier launched an aggressive public relations exercise weeks ago announcing that, if successful, it would ...
-
News
Avionics on the front line
The move towards preventative maintenance has sparked a fierce battle between two major avionics vendors to supply the dominant operating system. Avionics manufacturers in the USA are poised on the threshold of a new technology that could have major implications for maintenance in the airline industry. But just as ...
-
News
Europe's BIG 3
Lufthansa, Air France and Swissair have built their repair and overhaul facilities into some of the most competitive in the world, but profit margins remain slim. Europe cannot claim to be a world leader in many sectors, but when it comes to commercial aircraft and engine maintenance, it is ...
-
News
Sir Harry cites bad health as he resigns from Air Afrique
Sir Harry Tirvengadum has resigned as chairman of Cote d'Ivoire-based Air Afrique, citing health reasons, but amid claims that political pressure was brought to bear. Tirvengadum asked to be released from his contract as chairman of the troubled multinational carrier on 29 January, after just two years in ...
-
News
PAL pays and wins time
Philippine Airlines (PAL) bought more time from its creditors' lawsuit in January with its first payment to lenders since June. The carrier made the $37.9 million payment to fully secured aircraft creditors on 29 January to avoid having 19 aircraft seized. In doing so, it won agreement that there ...
-
News
Third Party Pressure
The third party maintenance, repair and overhaul business will consolidate further as the dominant companies seek greater economies of scale and airlines turn their attention back to improving costs. If you were asked to name the landmarks of the aircraft maintenance and overhaul industry over the past year, you ...
-
News
Managing or flying?
It may be desirable to include pilots in airline management, but how far is it economic? Organisation of cockpit crews must rank among the airline industry's most sensitive management issues. And central to that debate is the question over the extent to which pilots themselves should be involved in ...
-
News
Asia faces fallout
The Asian downturn has led to overcapacity in the maintenance market, but there is no sign that the major carriers will let go of their in-house operations. When Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering (HAECO) cut 8% of its workforce at the end of last year, it was seen as an indication ...
-
News
Carrier of controversy
Jet Airways has surmounted every obstacle to become India's dominant private carrier and pose a serious challenge to rival Indian Airlines. But its rise has been dogged by political controversy. When India opened competition in the domestic airline market about eight years ago, local entrepreneurs rushed to launch airlines. ...
-
News
Air Namibia shapes up for privatisation
Despite Air Namibia's flagging fortunes, the airline's new managing director, Jaafar Ahmad, is confident that he can restructure and recapitalise the airline ready for privatisation within five years. The Namibian Government brought in the Malaysian-born financier as acting managing director and chief executive of Air Namibia last November, demoting ...
-
News
Kitty Hawk beats 727F weight limit
US cargo carrier Kitty Hawk says the US Federal Aviation Administration has approved its alternative means of compliance on an FAA airworthiness directive (AD). The directive imposes severe payload limits on Boeing 727s that were converted into freighters by a number of third-party maintenance organisations. The AD affects ...
-
News
Workshop
FLS Aerospace has signed a General Terms Agreement with GE Capital Aviation Services to undertake heavy maintenance on the leasing giant's fleet of aircraft at the start or end of a lease. The deal, renewable yearly, covers all aircraft types that FLS is approved to overhaul. Initially the contract covers ...
-
News
Mergers
– Miami-based cargo carrier Fine Air has agreed to buy fellow freight specialist Arrow Air, also of Miami, for $115 million. Both airlines provide scheduled and ACMI services, with Fine Air generating $116 million in revenues during its last financial year and Arrow, a subsidiary of International Air Leases (itself ...
-
News
Trans World still making a loss after a decade
Trans World Airlines (TWA) says that it remains pledged to slimming down its operations after sustaining a tenth successive net loss in 1998. The company ended the year $120.5 million in the red and lost $79.1 million net in the last quarter alone. The St Louis, Missouri-based carrier blames ...