Aviation Maintenance & Technology Exchange January 17, 2019 - No. 005 In This Issue AAR's New Partnership with Rock Valley College to Enhance Aviation Maintenance Instruction Grupo Aeromexico Adopts 8tree's dentCHECK to Accelerate Dent-Mapping TAG Aviation Unveils Its First Asia-Pac FBO in Macau Aviation repair apprenticeship offers alternative to high-priced higher education. ST Engineering's Aerospace Arm Secures Contracts Worth S$450m in 4Q2018, Totalling S$2.06bn for 2018 EASA Proposal Aims to Enhance Runway Safety New Embraer Exec Jets-authorized MRO Opens in Latvia Mango Airlines to Install Split Scimitar® Winglets on Boeing Next Generation 737-800 Fleet Rolls-Royce Selects 'Game-changing' SITAONAIR e-Aircraft DataHub for Airlines SpaceX ditches plans to develop Mars spaceship at Los Angeles port AAR's New Partnership with Rock Valley College to Enhance Aviation Maintenance Instruction and Students' Career Prospects ROCKFORD, Ill., Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AAR (NYSE: AIR), a global provider of aviation services, and Rock Valley College today announced expansion of their unique aviation maintenance education and training partnership to further enhance instruction, students' job experiences and their career prospects at AAR upon graduation. The new AAR EAGLE Career Pathway Program at Rock Valley will expand the college's aviation maintenance technology curriculum to include job shadowing and mentoring opportunities, as well as academic support and monitoring. Students who pursue the FAA-certified aircraft mechanic's license are eligible for up to $15,000 in tuition reimbursements. Rock Valley College leaders joined AAR's Ryan Goertzen, Vice President of Aviation Workforce Development, on Tuesday for the official announcement at the college's Aviation Career Education Center, located at Chicago-Rockford International Airport. AAR and Rock Valley collaborated in 2016 to stand up a 40,000-square-foot wide-body MRO facility at the airport. Afterward, enrollment in the A&P program rose from about 40 to its full capacity at 170 students. "The college has had a great partnership with AAR and the EAGLE Career Pathway program will make that connection even stronger," said Dr. Doug Jensen, President of Rock Valley College. "EAGLE will open up even more opportunities for our students, providing stackable skills and certifications that lead directly to jobs at AAR, and financial assistance to continue their education and advance their careers at AAR." AAR is introducing EAGLE Career Pathway at schools near its five U.S. aircraft repair stations. EAGLE demonstrates how students can earn portable, stackable skills and earn $80,000 or more annually within three to five years. The stackable skills will enable students who are interested to pursue the coveted position of FAA-certified airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic. There is a shortage of 189,000 aircraft mechanics in North America, according to a study by Boeing. "The EAGLE Career Pathway Program is a great marketing and admissions tool to help community colleges like Rock Valley bolster student enrollments to reverse the trend of a dwindling aviation maintenance workforce," said Goertzen. "As part of the EAGLE program, Rock Valley College graduates will be guided into a five-year career path showcasing the different career opportunities beyond a technician, including roles in management and quality control." About Rock Valley College Rock Valley College is a comprehensive two-year community college in Rockford, Illinois, offering more than 100 courses for transfer, career programs and certificates. Rock Valley College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Rock Valley College is also recognized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and by the Illinois Community College Board. About AAR AAR is a global aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Based in Wood Dale, Illinois, AAR supports commercial aviation and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include parts supply; OEM solutions; integrated solutions; maintenance, repair, overhaul; and engineering. AAR's Expeditionary Services include mobility systems and composite manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aars-new-partnership-with-rock-valley-college-to- enhance-aviation-maintenance-instruction-and-students-career-prospects-300778707.html Back to Top Grupo Aeromexico Adopts 8tree's dentCHECK to Accelerate Dent-Mapping Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline and leader in Latin American aviation, has selected 8tree's dentCHECK tool to significantly enhance the efficiency and quality of dent-mapping on its fleet of aircraft. dentCHECK is the world's only handheld portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is specifically designed for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the world's leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time 'go/no-go' answers, the tool significantly reduces dent-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges, straight-edges and calipers. "After evaluating several technologies, dentCHECK was our natural choice for a variety of reasons", said David Nakamura, SVP Engineering, Planning and Technical Services at Aeromexico. "dentCHECK's point-and-click operation and consistently accurate measurements will allow our team to leverage the tool's benefits immediately. We will also be able to produce very quick reports to be submitted to OEMs, should the case be needed, for the evaluation of damage exceeding SRM limits. Boeing's Service Letter released last year, containing 3D scanner selection criteria, recognized dentCHECK's performance and the rigor of 8tree's measurement validation process. We expect to immediately put dentCHECK to use on our Boeing fleet and to expand to our Embraer fleet very shortly. We are confident that important efficiencies will be gained for both our ongoing maintenance as well as for our aircraft redelivery processes". "We are ecstatic to welcome Aeromexico - our first major Latin American carrier - to the rapidly growing global aviation community of dentCHECK users", said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. "We are grateful for the rigor of their selection process - it gives our dentCHECK tool an opportunity to very convincingly speak for itself. We look forward to enabling Aeromexico's operations and having them experience 8tree's exceptional customer service." dentCHECK was purpose-built per the specifications of the aviation maintenance industry. Following rigorous multi-year trials and evaluations, dentCHECK is now recognized by multiple aircraft OEMs. It is approved and published in Airbus' Tool Equipment Manuals (TEMs) for dent-mapping on metallic aero-structures and composite cabin floor-boards on all Airbus aircraft. In addition, dentCHECK's performance and established measurement validation process is completely consistent with the criteria outlined in Boeing's Service Letter, which is applicable to all Boeing commercial aircraft. Multi-OEM acceptance of dentCHECK has propelled the tool's adoption by airlines/MROs globally. Detailed case-studies published by TAP-M&E, easyJet and a leading US airline, as well as news from Airbus' Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. As such, it empowers aircraft maintenance operations with first-of-its-kind objective and consistent dent-inspection and expedited blend-out results. This shortens aircraft Turn-around-Time (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability. For more information and to see dentCHECK in action, visit http://www.8-tree.com. About 8tree 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8tree's products empower every operator - from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab - with precision measurement, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design, instant 'go/no-go' answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible - technically and commercially. About Aeromexico Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, Mexico´s global airline, operates more than 600 daily flights and its main hub is in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features 90 cities on three continents; including 43 destinations in Mexico, 18 in the United States, 18 in Latin America, 4 in Europe, 4 in Canada and 3 in Asia. The Group's operating fleet of 125 aircraft is comprised of Boeing 787 and 737 jet airliners and next generation Embraer 170 and 190 models. In 2012, the airline announced the most significant investment strategy in aviation history in Mexico, to purchase 100 Boeing aircraft including 90 MAX B737 jet airliners and 10 B787-9 Dreamliners. As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, Aeromexico offers customers more than 1,150 destinations in 177 countries served by the 19 SkyTeam airline partners rewarding passengers with benefits including access to over 750 premium airport lounges around the world. Aeromexico also offers travel on its codeshare partner flights with Delta Air Lines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, EL AL, GOL Linhas Aéreas, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways and WestJet, with extensive connectivity in countries like the United States, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Colombia, India, Israel or Peru. http://www.aeromexico.comhttp://www.skyteam.com https://www.prweb.com/releases/grupo_aeromexico_adopts_8trees_dentcheck_to_accelerate_dent _mapping/prweb16037343.htm Back to Top TAG Aviation Unveils Its First Asia-Pac FBO in Macau TAG Aviation launched its first FBO in the Asia-Pacific region on Friday in Macau. The new facility offers an around-the-clock suite of services, including VIP and business-executive amenities, on-site customs and immigration, flight planning, charter, and aircraft maintenance services. Globally, this is TAG Aviation's fourth FBO, which joins its international network of FBOs currently in Farnborough, UK, and Geneva and Sion, Switzerland. Among the executives and guests who attended the opening ceremony were Macau Airport Authority executive committee chairman Dr. Deng Jun, Civil Aviation Authority of Macau SAR president Simon Chan, Macau Government Tourist Office director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and Macau Airport operations department director Antonio Barros. TAG Aviation aims to deliver top-notch FBO services at its new facility in Macau, a location that the company believes is quickly becoming the destination of choice for business aviation end-users in the Asia-Pacific region. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-01-15/tag-aviation-unveils-its- first-asia-pac-fbo-macau Back to Top Aviation repair apprenticeship offers alternative to high-priced higher education JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Americans currently owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, and by 2023, 40 percent may default on those loans. The cost of a higher education has many looking at alternatives. One option is the apprenticeship program at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast, which offers college credit and a paycheck. The program, in partnership with St. Johns River State College, is being offered again for the first time in several years. There are nearly 100 openings for people looking to make some money while receiving training for a lifelong career in aviation maintenance and repair. "What makes it great is, instead of graduating college with $80,000 in debt, people graduate with no debt and a job that pays well," said Clifford Davis, public affairs specialist at FRCS. Those jobs are similar to the aircraft mechanics who work in hangars at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. "These guys that work up and down this line, they know they are providing America's war fighters with the aircraft and the tools they need," Davis said. The apprenticeship program lasts between three and four years, depending on the job specialty. After that, students are guaranteed a job at the fleet maintenance facility for at least two years. "We employ a lot of retired military, but even though that means they have a lot of experience that also means many of them are getting up in age, so in order to counteract that, we need to hire some younger folks to come in and learn from these experienced artisans -- some of them have 40 years of experience in this trade -- to be able to replace those guys when they decide to retire," Davis said. The apprenticeship pays around $15.60 an hour, and the deadline to apply is Feb. 1. To apply, visit USAjobs.gov. https://www.news4jax.com/education/aviation-repair-apprenticeship-offers-alternative-to-high- priced-higher-education Back to Top ST Engineering's Aerospace Arm Secures Contracts Worth S$450m in 4Q2018, Totalling S$2.06bn for 2018 Singapore, 15 January 2019 - Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that its Aerospace arm secured new contracts worth about S$450m in the fourth quarter (4Q) of 2018 for services including maintenance and modification for wide-ranging aircraft parts from the airframe to components. New contracts A number of new contracts secured in 4Q2018 are for airframe heavy maintenance checks to service both commercial aircraft and private jets. These include a contract from a major North American airline to carry out heavy maintenance services to their A321s for the first time. In addition to airframe maintenance, the same North American airline also awarded a contract for an in-seat power supply, overhead bin and galley modification programme for their entire suite of 48 A320s. ST Engineering continues to win multi-year contracts as it maintains the confidence of repeat customers with high-quality redeliveries. Multi-year contracts won in 4Q2018 include a five-year component maintenance-by-the-hour contract extension to support an Asian airline's entire fleet of B737NG/MAX aircraft. Redeliveries and capabilities development The Aerospace sector redelivered a total of 213 aircraft for airframe heavy maintenance and modification work in 4Q2018. Additionally, a total of 11,212 components, 50 landing gears and 41 engines were processed, while 2,515 engine washes were conducted. In China, the sector expanded its airframe maintenance portfolio when its Guangzhou facility obtained approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia to carry out base maintenance for the A320neo platform. The above developments are not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current financial year. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12440509/st-engineerings-aerospace-arm-secures- contracts-worth-s450m-in-4q2018-totalling-s206bn-for-2018 Back to Top EASA Proposal Aims to Enhance Runway Safety A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPA) from the European Aviation Safety Agency aims to mitigate risks associated with runway safety, focusing mainly on preventing runway incursions and excursions, and on assessing and reporting runway surface conditions. The NPA also addresses ground collisions, runway confusion, foreign object damage and related occurrences as well as runway pavement maintenance. In particular, the proposed rule changes the framework for the operation and conformance of vehicles and their drivers in aircraft movement areas. Linked to this is a new requirement on communications and a proposal for controlling pedestrians at airports. New requirements would also be introduced for assessing and reporting runway surface conditions, snow control plans, airport maintenance, aircraft towing, and performance standards for runway surface-friction measurement devices. This latter requirement also provides for alignment with ICAO recommendations as regards runway surface condition assessment and reporting which will be applicable worldwide by November 2020. Comments on the NPA are due March 18, 2019. At the same time, this NPA was published, EASA released a related NPA, also with a comment deadline of March 18. This proposal revises rules to improve firefighting and rescue operations at airports. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-01-16/easa-proposal-aims- enhance-runway-safety Back to Top New Embraer Exec Jets-authorized MRO Opens in Latvia Latvian aviation services provider FBO Riga has partnered with international business aviation MRO Jet Flight Service to establish an Embraer Executive Jets-authorized service center at Riga International Airport. The facility is certified for line and base maintenance for the Embraer Legacy 600/650, along with line maintenance on the Legacy 450/500. It can also approved to perform line maintenance on Gulfstream G450s. The MRO has already completed its first aircraft assignment-a C-check on a Legacy 650, which also underwent its 96-month inspection and had ADS-B Out and FANS-1A installations, as well as the replacement of nose-section skins. A second Legacy 650 is undergoing a C-check, and the facility's capacity will allow for work on two such aircraft simultaneously. Plans call for the partners to enhance the component maintenance and repair capabilities in Riga to reduce aircraft downtime. "FBO infrastructure and the level of MRO services are very important for business jet operators," said Roman Starkov, the FBO's co-owner, adding that Riga's favorable geographic location, quality of service and timely delivery of spare parts and components will be attractive for customers from both the West and the East. "Together with Jet Flight Service professionals we have applied many years of experience and knowledge to create the Embraer-authorized service center on the basis of our infrastructure and gather a team of skilled mechanics, engineers, and managers." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-01-15/new-embraer-exec-jets- authorized-mro-opens-latvia Back to Top Mango Airlines to Install Split Scimitar® Winglets on Boeing Next Generation 737-800 Fleet SEATTLE, Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) announced today that South Africa's Mango Airlines has ordered its latest Split Scimitar Winglet technology for its Boeing Next Generation 737-800 fleet. Mango Airlines plans to perform the first installation of the Split Scimitar Winglets in February at South African Airways Technical facility. "Mango Airlines clearly recognizes the enhanced performance and improvement to the operating economics of the Boeing Next Generation 737-800 fleet from the installation of Split Scimitar Winglets," says Aviation Partners Boeing director of sales and marketing Christopher Stafford. "With the installation of the Split Scimitar Winglet System, not only will Mango Airlines realize significant fuel savings in its network, but it will also show its environmental stewardship." The Split Scimitar Winglet modification reduces Boeing Next-Generation 737 block fuel consumption by an additional 2.2% over the Blended Winglets. The Split Scimitar Winglet System will reduce Mango's annual fuel requirements by more than 155,000 liters per aircraft, and their carbon dioxide emissions by over 390 tonnes per aircraft per year. "As a low-cost airline, Mango is continuously looking at ways to maximize the operating profitability of our fleet in order to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging environment. We are therefore both proud and excited to have Aviation Partners Boeing as our partner in this endeavor and eagerly await the realization of the projected savings," adds Marelize Labuschagne, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mango Airlines. Since launching the Boeing Next-Generation 737 Split Scimitar Winglet program APB has taken orders and options for more than 2,000 systems, and nearly 1,200 aircraft are now operating with the technology. APB estimates that its products have reduced aircraft fuel consumption worldwide by over 9.1 billion gallons to-date thereby saving over 96 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Aviation Partners Boeing is a Seattle based joint venture of Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company. Mango Airlines SOC Ltd, trading as Mango, is a state-owned South African low-cost airline based at OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg, South Africa and a subsidiary of South African Airways. www.aviationpartnersboeing.com https://www.aviationpros.com/news/12440502/mango-airlines-to-install-split-scimitarr-winglets- on-boeing-next-generation-737-800-fleet Back to Top Rolls-Royce Selects 'Game-changing' SITAONAIR e-Aircraft DataHub for Airlines Tuesday 15 January 2019- Rolls-Royce is the launch customer for SITAONAIR's game-changing e- Aircraft® DataHub - a new, state-of-the-art neutral aircraft data management service designed to bring significant, distinct benefits to airlines and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Today, harnessing aviation data represents the key to unlocking the untapped potential of modern aircraft. It is crucial to everything from minimizing airline maintenance costs and maximizing aircraft availability, to empowering manufacturers and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) teams to be at their most effective. However, several hurdles have hampered progress - including airlines' reluctance to permit OEMs access to sensitive data, and the complexity of achieving timely and tailored secure data transfer and distribution to relevant parties. SITAONAIR's e-Aircraft® DataHub overcomes these hurdles. As a secure, cloud-based aircraft data- brokering service, it enables airlines to share selected aircraft data from diverse fleets, aircraft models and formats with their chosen OEM, at no cost to the airline. The agreement supports the Rolls-Royce IntelligentEngine vision - based on a belief that the worlds of product and service have become so closely connected that they are now inseparable. This trend was first identified when Rolls-Royce introduced the market-defining TotalCare® service in the 1990s. Since then, advancements in digital capability have accelerated this change and further blurred the boundary between the two. This coming together of product and service, supercharged by digital technology, offers Rolls-Royce a wealth of opportunities to improve the way it provides power to its customers with engines that are increasingly connected, contextually aware and comprehending. SITAONAIR e-Aircraft® DataHub works by first collecting an airline's authorized raw data, then expertly classifying, decoding, storing and dispatching the appropriate data sets to that airline's specified OEM. This is made possible with SITAONAIR's expertise and established reputation for managing aircraft data on behalf of airlines, making it perfectly positioned to act as a trusted and neutral data intermediary between airlines and OEMs. Pierre-Yves Benain, Portfolio Head e-Aircraft, SITAONAIR, says: "Our e-Aircraft® DataHub service helps navigate the complex ocean of connected aircraft data, and identifies truly actionable insights for OEMs and their airline customers alike. By acting as a secure, neutral data-broker between an OEM and an airline, SITAONAIR keeps the control and ownership of aircraft data firmly in the airline's hands, while also providing OEMs with greater insight to drive mutually-beneficial enhancements of their products. No other solution on the market puts airlines in control of their data sharing with third parties in this way." Nick Ward, Rolls-Royce Head of Product Management, Servitisation and User Experience, says: "Having extensively trialed SITAONAIR's e-Aircraft® DataHub in development, we can attest to its effectiveness. This is a powerful data solution, enabling us to work with valued airline customers to navigate and extract greater value from aircraft data, in a trusted way, to help improve aircraft availability and minimize operational costs." To find out more about SITAONAIR's e-Aircraft® DataHub, visit the product page or submit an enquiry form. https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12440521/rolls-royce-selects-game-changing- sitaonair-e-aircraft-datahub-for-airlines Back to Top SpaceX ditches plans to develop Mars spaceship at Los Angeles port New York (CNN Business)SpaceX has abandoned plans to open up shop at the Port of Los Angeles. The company had planned to use a site at the port to develop a spacecraft for Mars travel. But CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet Wednesday that the company will work on the technology at its longtime headquarters in the LA suburb of Hawthorne and test the spacecraft at its launch site in Texas. It's the latest move to scale back by SpaceX, which last week announced it was laying off hundreds of people. The decision is also a setback for the port, which is hoping to attract high-tech companies to create an innovation district that would boost the regional economy. The SpaceX project, which was expected to create as many as 700 jobs, was a key part of that plan. Last year, a board of harbor commissioners approved SpaceX's plan to renovate an area of the port that had been vacant since 2005. Under the terms of the deal, SpaceX would have avoided rent payments for the facility for more than two decades through $40 million in rent credits for the renovations. SpaceX said in a statement Wednesday that it abandoned the port plan in order to "streamline operations." LA Councilman Joe Buscaino said Wednesday that he was "crushed" that SpaceX had decided to pull out of the deal. "I feel confident that other innovators will see the huge value they get" at the port, he wrote on Twitter. SpaceX's interplanetary transportation system consists of two parts: a spaceship called Starship, which is designed to carry loads of people and cargo, and Super Heavy, a towering launch vehicle that would fire Starship into orbit. SpaceX said Wednesday that design work on the spaceship is being done at its headquarters in Hawthorne. Prototypes of the Starship craft are being built in Texas because "their size makes them very difficult to transport," Musk tweeted. Musk has already shared photos of one such Starship prototype at the Texas facility. SpaceX plans to use the test vehicle to conduct short test flights in the coming weeks. The company said last week that it would lay off 10% of its 6,000-person workforce. About 577 jobs will be cut from SpaceX's Hawthorne headquarters, according to a public filling. SpaceX said the job cuts are necessary to streamline operations as it takes on its most ambitious projects yet: Starship and Super Heavy, as well as a massive constellation of satellites that could one day beam cheap internet down to earth. Both projects are expected to cost as much as $10 billion each. Musk has said the Spaceship and Super Heavy technology could one day be used to colonize Mars. SpaceX also announced last year that it plans to fly a group of tourists around the moon. SpaceX was recently valued at $30.5 billion, one of the highest valuations for a private company in the world, after initiating a $500 million equity sale in December. The company also took on about $250 million in debt last year in its first loan sale, according to The Wall Street Journal. SpaceX will continue to have a presence at the Port of LA, which it has long used as a base from which to retrieve spacecraft or rocket boosters after flight. https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/tech/spacex-port-of-los-angeles/index.html Curt Lewis