Chris Jasper/LONDON
Supply-sector heavyweights BFGoodrich Aerospace (BFG) and Rockwell Collins have agreed a strategic alliance to jointly market equipment, parts and maintenance services worldwide, with the aim of providing "single-stop" solutions. BFG has also tied up a major deal with Boeing for joint provision of overhaul activities on a global basis.
The alliance with Rockwell is to be managed by Collins Aviation Services and BFGoodrich Aviation Services and will focus on avionics and instrumentation, while covering other aircraft components.
Rockwell Collins will contribute its avionics and in-flight entertainment (IFE) expertise to the alliance, including its Collins and non-Collins avionics parts and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, plus its avionics integration competency.
BFG says it will contribute its avionics and airframe components MRO abilities and "knowledge" as a manufacturer of avionics products and adds that the alliance will be enhanced by its status as a leading third-party MRO service provider for airframes, landing systems, evacuation equipment and engine components.
Rockwell Collins president Clay Jones says the tie-up aims to offer "nose-to-tail maintenance unmatched in the marketplace", offering "a single-service solution for the aircraft including avionics, IFE, airframe, and aircraft component repair and service".
BFG's MRO deal with retrofit specialist Boeing Airplane Services (BAS) will include joint provision of services, including line and heavy maintenance, and general repairs. The accord develops a relationship established in June last year, when the Boeing unit formed an alliance of engineering and modification facilities, including BFG, to retrofit Boeing types.
BFG president, MRO and Landing & Safety Systems, Dave Watson, says the deal, which should become "a formal agreement", amounts to "an effort to leverage the resources of both companies".
In a parallel deal, BAS and BFG have agreed to develop a landing gear overhaul alliance for Boeing aircraft equipped with BFG landing gear. The latter says the move will offer "a wide range of landing gear overhaul solutions that are not available", and will be initially offered on the Boeing 777.
The alliance, to be overseen by BFG, will offer customers a rotable programme around a pool of parts controlled by the two companies, plus related services, including lease deals.
• BFG's third-party maintenance rival Aviation Sales has borrowed $15.5 million from Citicorp USA, and has announced plans to reduce its debts through the sale of assets including its manufacturing operations, together with the sale or lease of its four Airbus A300 aircraft, three of which have been converted to cargo use.
Source: Flight International
