GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Boeing tie-up with C&D Aerospace for 5,500 aircraft forces competitors to reconsider staying in market
Boeing and C&D Aerospace, the California-based interior specialist chosen to develop and supply strengthened flightdeck doors for all Boeing narrowbody aircraft, plan to start supplying kits for retrofit next month. The partners have ambitious plans to meet the April 2003 deadline for upgrading 5,500 Boeing aircraft in the US airline fleet with the strengthened doors.
Boeing's arrangement with C&D Aerospace, a long time supplier of its doors, was firmed up late last year and is forcing other suppliers to re-evaluate the wisdom of competing in the same market. Boeing considers as proprietary all engineering data related to the flightdeck door bulkhead structure, pressure vessel decompression and other relevant characteristics of its aircraft. It adds that as C&D is the preferred option for its "total fleet solution" it "gets all Boeing's engineering data and will carry the weight of Boeing's warranty".
Boeing's deal with C&D also includes the McDonnell Douglas heritage models, including theDC-10 and MD-11. All other Boeing twin-aisle models, including the 747, 767 and 777, will be provided with strengthened doors, developed by the company's Interiors Responsibility Center at Everett through Boeing Airplane Services. As with the single-aisle models, the enhanced doors will be provided in kit form initially for retrofit before being introduced on the assembly line for new-build aircraft. Boeing expects to introduce the new door into the narrowbody and twin-aisle production lines during the third quarter of 2003.
Boeing says six US major airlines and one non-US carrier - widely believed to be Japan Airlines - have signed up to convert more than 2,300 narrowbodies and 350 twin-aisle aircraft. Boeing and C&D also plan to visit China this week, following confirmation from the Civil Aviation Administration of China that operators in the country must comply with strengthened flightdeck door requirements similar to those being enforced by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Seattle-based Raisbeck Engineering is among those most affected by the Boeing-C&D position, having delivered doors to Alaska Airlines and American Trans Air (ATA).
Company president James Raisbeck confirms that the next 737-800 to be delivered to ATA, on 15 April, will have an FAA-certificated Boeing flight deck security system installed and Boeing will not be offering Raisbeck as a buyer furnished equipment option from that date. He adds: "Alaska and ATA have stopped installing our door because they have been promised early delivery positions and attractive warranties."
Although he confirms that the company has responded to in-service issues with five service bulletins, and is working on solutions to counter weight issues, Raisbeck refutes reports that its door is being dropped because of safety considerations. Raisbeck concedes, however, that a single design solution is best for the industry.
Israeli private airline Arkia is launch customer for the Israeli-built aircraft cockpit enhanced forced entry door (ACEFED) system to protect flightdecks from unauthorised entry. It has been developed by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), Arkia, Mul-T-Lock and SGD. The door is equipped with a special locking mechanism and concealed vents that can equalise the pressure between the passenger cabin and cockpit in the event of a sudden decompression. It is bolted to the bulkhead in a way that prevents any attempt to force it in. Arkia will equip its Boeing 737s, 757s and ATR 42s with the ACEFED, and talks are being held with two overseas airlines.Source: Flight International
