BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
First GATM standards-compliant Hercules set for delivery to Malaysian air force as Airod chases overseas customers
Malaysian aircraft maintenance and modification firm Airod is close to finalising its first avionics upgrade for the Lockheed Martin C-130.
Airod plans to deliver the first upgraded aircraft, which will be compliant with new global air traffic management (GATM) standards, to the Malaysian air force next month. Malaysia earlier contracted Airod, partnered with Canada's L-3 Spar Aerospace, on the project to upgrade three of its C-130s by the end of 2004.
Industry officials say the company is seeking to upgrade additional C-130s operated by the air force and potential international customers. Middle Eastern C-130 operators are being targeted for all three of its Hercules modification programmes - stretch, tanker and GATM-compliant avionics.
In 2002, Airod stretched two air force C-130s and is trying to convince the service to exercise an option for two more. A centre fuselage tank, supplied by the UK's Flight Refuelling, has been installed on two air force C-130s and there are plans for two more installations.
The GATM upgrade includes new navigation equipment, radar and cockpit indicators. Airod initially teamed with Lockheed Martin, but switched to Spar after Lockheed Martin lost the US Air Force C-130 avionics modernisation contract to Boeing. Lockheed Martin, a former part owner of Airod, supplies kits to Airod for the stretch programme.
Each GATM upgrade takes four to six months to complete. The new avionics will allow the air force to continue European exercises.
C-130 operators being targeted for all three Airod modifications include Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Airod already maintains C-130s for several foreign operators, but has not yet succeeded in expanding its modification business overseas.
Meanwhile, Airod will get a new chief executive on 1 January when Kamil Aziz takes over from Dato Rahim. Dato is being promoted to a position at Airod parent, National Aerospace Defence Industries. Aziz is Airod's marketing vice-president.
Source: Flight International
