FedEx has confirmed an earlier letter of intent (LOI) with Boeing Airplane Services to convert 19 MD-11 passenger aircraft to freighters. The ex-Swissair aircraft will form part of a total fleet of 52. Boeing says the choice of a site will be made during the first quarter, with actual work beginning in the third quarter of 2002. Rolls-Royce has signed a 10-year, $80 million, fleet-hour agreement with British Regional Air Lines covering overhaul of AE3007 engines powering the UK carrier's planned fleet of 23 Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets. R-R has also won a £600 million ($895 million) overhaul contract from British Airways to maintain the International Aero Engines V2500s that power the airline's A320s. Gulf Aircraft Maintenance (GAMCO) has carried out a C-check on an ex-Sobelair Boeing 767-300ER owned by Ansett Worldwide Aviation Service. GAMCO also repainted the aircraft in the colours of new lessee Vietnam Airlines. Lufthansa Technik has completed the installation of the first "entirely customised" VIP cabin for a Boeing 777-200 at its Hamburg base, some five weeks ahead of schedule. United Airlines has completed negotiations with local authorities on a $160 million expansion of US Airways' Pittsburgh maintenance base. The deal, contingent on approval of the two airlines' merger, would add two hangars with four maintenance bays and refurbish four existing US Airways hangars. Meanwhile, the airline's United Services arm has concluded a deal with Boeing and the US Air Force to continue to provide joint maintenance with Pratt & Whitney on the F117-PW-100 engine used on C-17 airlifters through to 2005. Boeing Airplane Services has expanded its landing gear alliance with BFGoodrich to cover the Next Generation 737. Under the 17-year agreement, customers will be able to exchange landing gear for overhauled units from a pool owned by BFGoodrich.
Source: Flight International
