Flight Safety Information - April 26, 2023 No. 080 In This Issue : Incident: Fedex A306 at Edmonton on Apr 13th 2023, slat failure : FAA investigating fires on two American Airlines flights : Nolen’s Resignation Adds To FAA’s Turbulence : 3 TSA agents hurt after 'unprovoked' attack at Phoenix airport, agency says : Five Hawaiian Airlines Planes Grounded Confounding Multiple Problems : FAA issues new AD addressing missing shims on more than 1,900 Boeing 737s : U.S. FAA names independent safety review team to boost air safety : Cargo-hopeful Eastern Airlines' future in doubt as CEO quits : GA Telesis Announces the Delivery of (2) A320 Aircraft to Air Albania : Mexico Congress to Allow State-Operated Airlines, Monreal Says : CAPITO, BALDWIN INTRODUCE GLOBAL AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT : CenTex King Air 350/360 Halo Mod Ups Weight, Safety : Travel recovery boosts jet engine units at GE and Raytheon Incident: Fedex A306 at Edmonton on Apr 13th 2023, slat failure A Fedex Federal Express Airbus A300-600, registration N685FE performing flight FX-120 from Memphis,TN (USA) to Edmonton,AB (Canada) with 2 crew, was descending through 7000 feet towards Edmonton when the crew received a "SLAT SYS 1&2" indication upon selecting the flaps down. The crew cycled the flags, the indication re-appeared however. The crew performed the related checklists, declared PAN PAN and continued for a safe landing with slats near zero and flaps at 40 degrees. Emergency services followed the aircraft to the apron monitoring for hot brakes, brakes fans were used to cool the brakes at the apron. The Canadian TSB reported: "Company maintenance found the right torque tube limiter circuit breaker popped. The limiter breaker was reset and the right-wing flap gearboxes were inspected. Operational tests were carried out and the right-wing jackscrews were lubricated." https://avherald.com/h?article=5084ab4a&opt=0 FAA investigating fires on two American Airlines flights The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating fires on two separate American Airlines flights, after two planes over the past week reported engine damage in North Carolina and Ohio. American Airlines Flight 2288 canceled its takeoff from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina last Thursday, due to a possible engine fire, the FAA told The Hill. A second plane, American Airlines Flight 1958, returned to John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio on Sunday after a possible bird strike. The FAA said it would investigate both incidents. The plane that might have struck a bird, headed from Ohio to Phoenix, Arizona, was seen on fire in a cellphone video confirmed by NBC News. The video showed spurts of flames shooting out from the right side of the plane as it flew. The issue of bird strikes has been growing, according to the FAA. The number of reported strikes increased by 144 percent between 2000 and 2017, the agency reported. It has prompted more research into methods to avoid such collisions. The incident on the plane leaving Charlotte, which was bound for Dallas-Fort Worth, was due to a mechanical issue, the airline said. It was taken out of service for maintenance. The two incidents come as increased scrutiny has been placed on American air travel in the past months, with a number of runway close calls and mass flight delays hampering federal regulators. Thousands of flight cancellations by Southwest Airlines over the holiday season prompted outrage from stranded travelers. There have been at least six serious “runway incursions” at U.S. airports this year — when collisions between airplanes have been narrowly avoided — prompting federal regulators last month to pressure airports and airlines to put a stop to the concerning trend. https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-investigating-fires-two-american-211113448.html Nolen’s Resignation Adds To FAA’s Turbulence WASHINGTON—FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen will step away from the agency this summer, setting the stage for a third temporary leader to take charge amid a significant safety-improvement push and critical reauthorization process. “[It] is time for a new captain to guide the FAA,” Nolen wrote in an April 21 memo to FAA employees. “I told [DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg] and notified the White House that I will depart as a new nominee is named this summer. I have given everything to this agency, and now it’s time to do the same for my family, who have sacrificed so much and supported me during my time at the FAA. “ Nolen joined the FAA as head of Aviation Safety in January 2022. Just four months later, he was asked to serve as acting administrator, filling in for Steve Dickson, who resigned less than half-way through a five-year term. The lone Biden Administration pick to relieve Nolan and replace Dickson, Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington, withdrew amid a stalemate among lawmakers who declined to vote on the nomination. Nolen has helped the agency implement certification reforms started under Dickson--many of them mandated by Congress in late 2020. He’s also launched several new initiatives, notably a “safety call to action” in March in response to a series of serious incidents. Early signs point to an extended effort to re-examine how industry collects and analyses safety data. Of greater concern is expiration of the FAA’s current five-year funding bill at the end of September—the first five-year bill since 1982. Securing long-term, predictable funding to help advance air traffic control modernization; bolster agency staffing—particularly in the air traffic control division; and back new initiatives such as fast-tracking certification of next-generation air mobility vehicles and propulsion systems, depends on funding certainty and appropriate, qualified staffing. The timing of Nolen’s departure and history of drawn-out battles over reauthorization bills means the agency is on track to be without a permanent administrator—and de facto public face—and a finalized funding package, by fall. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/nolens-resignation-adds-faas-turbulence 3 TSA agents hurt after 'unprovoked' attack at Phoenix airport, agency says Three Transportation Security Administration officers were hurt Tuesday in an “unprovoked” attack by a passenger at a security checkpoint at Phoenix’s airport, the TSA said. The attack happened shortly before 6 a.m. at a checkpoint at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as the female passenger was in the security screening process, the agency said in a statement. The TSA called the assault an “unprovoked and brazen physical attack against our employees” and said it was unacceptable. Two of the three agents were taken to a hospital and were later released, it said. Police arrested the passenger. Phoenix police said a 19-year-old woman was arrested and booked without incident. The case is still under investigation, and detectives are working to find out what led up to the assault, said Sgt. Brian Bower, a police spokesman. Police said officers found three TSA officers who were injured and who had been victims of an assault. Online jail records show the arrested woman was booked on three counts of assault, one count of criminal damage and one count of disorderly conduct that deals with fighting. The TSA said that the checkpoint had to be closed and that 450 other travelers had to go to other areas for screening. https://news.yahoo.com/3-tsa-agents-hurt-unprovoked-050052879.html Five Hawaiian Airlines Planes Grounded Confounding Multiple Problems Hawaiian Airlines reported Wednesday on their first quarter results, which are, at best mixed. There are big issues the carrier is still grappling with, including a fleet of planes with engine problems and a runway gone missing at their primary airport. But there are bright spots, too, like travel bookings ahead of last year, more demand for international travel, and four 787 Dreamliners scheduled to arrive by 2024. Five A321neo aircraft are out of service and awaiting new engines. Hawaiian hopes to resolve these problems by the end of this quarter, which would be by June. But clearly, the situation has gotten worse, not better, since last they spoke about it. In February, HA spokesperson Alex Da Silva told us, “Yes, we’ve had supply chain issues – many companies – during the pandemic. We’ve been working with our suppliers to prevent disruptions to our operations.” But disrupted, they are. When we previously wrote about the Hawaiian A321 engine problems, just two planes had gone out of service and were awaiting new engines. Peter Ingram had said that parts availability issues resulted in the “A321s being grounded for an extended period, awaiting available serviceable engines.” We were aware several weeks ago that the problem had since gotten worse, and at that time, four planes were already down. Now, however, five out of the eighteen narrowbody planes are disabled and awaiting engine repair/replacement. It has been suggested that more of the aircraft could be at risk of going out of service, which we hope is, in fact, not the case. Others have commented that the issues are supply chain limitations and overall engine reliability problems. We were told the Pratt engines have multiple issues, including heat causing unexpected wear and engine vibration problems. When one of the two engines has a problem, the plane can no longer be dispatched. Airbus A330 widebody fleet is picking up the slack for the missing A321neos, which isn’t ideal. In the interim, Hawaiian has had to replace 189-seat A321neo planes with larger, more expensive to operate, 278-seat A330 aircraft. That results in more fuel consumption, among other things. The widebody aircraft is too large, with an additional capacity of 89 seats, to be effective for application on less trafficked routes. https://beatofhawaii.com/five-hawaiian-airlines-planes-grounded-confounding-multiple-problems/ FAA issues new AD addressing missing shims on more than 1,900 Boeing 737s The United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that addresses missing shims on Boeing 737 NextGeneration (NG) aircraft, namely the -600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER. According to the FAA, the AD was prompted by “reports of missing shims, a wrong type of shim, shanked fasteners, fastener head gaps, and incorrect hole sizes common to the left and right sides at a certain station (STA) frame inner chord and web”. To comply with the directive airlines will have to inspect for existing repairs as well as cracking and, if required, perform on-condition actions. “The FAA is issuing this AD to address cracking in the left and right sides of STA 727 frame inner chord and S–18A web before the cracking reaches a critical length,” the agency continued, adding that the cracking could result “in fatigue critical baseline structure (FCBS) and the inability of a principal structural element (PSE) to sustain limit load, which could adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane”. This is a final rule AD with an effective date of May 30, 2023. The authority estimated that the directive will affect 1,925 Boeing 737 NGs registered in the US, estimating and calculating that a general visual inspection and inspection of the high frequency eddy current (HFEC) and shim installation will cost $170 and $425 per operator, respectively. Meanwhile, “on-condition actions include installation of a new shim, a surface HFEC inspection of the STA 727 frame inner chord at S–18A for cracking, and repair,” and is estimated to cost $225 per aircraft. The STA 727 frame inner chord is located just behind the wings of the Boeing 737 in section 46 of the fuselage. Several parties, including American Airlines, Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), Boeing, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, as well as one individual, commented on the AD. Of note, APB and Southwest Airlines requested the FAA add that the installation of blended or split scimitar winglets with the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) ST00830SE will not affect compliance with the AD, with the agency agreeing to the request. Chapman Freeborn In Article Second Spring 2023 In addition, Southwest Airlines requested that general visual inspections would be optional for aircraft on which the Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737–53A1385 RB has already been completed. The FAA partially agreed, noting that the RB “specifies inspecting for existing repairs, contacting Boeing if any repair is found, and checking for a gap if no repair is found”. Furthermore, the agency agrees that there is no need to repeat reports for Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737–53A1402 RB if an inspection was carried out according to the Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737–53A1385 RB. Rather than making the action optional, the FAA instead added a paragraph that gives credit to operators who have completed the task before the effective date of this AD. The FAA noted that “rather than making this required action option” a paragraph had been added to the AD “giving operators credit for completing that task” before the effective date. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/faa-issues-new-ad-addressing-missing-shims-on-more-than-1900-boeing-737s U.S. FAA names independent safety review team to boost air safety WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday named an independent safety review team to look at ways to boost air safety after a series of close call incidents. The National Airspace System Safety Review Team includes former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, former Air Line Pilots Association President Tim Canoll and former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Robert Sumwalt. Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said in a statement the "team will strengthen our ongoing safety efforts and identify specific investments we can make to bolster the National Airspace System.” The team will begin work in May and make recommendations by October on actions the FAA can take to enhance safety. Last month, the FAA said it was taking steps to improve its air traffic control operations. "There is no question that we are seeing too many close calls," FAA Air Traffic Organization Chief Operating Officer Tim Arel said in a March 23 message. Last month, the FAA issued a separate safety alert to airlines, pilots and others citing the "need for continued vigilance and attention to mitigation of safety risks". Six serious runway incidents since January prompted the agency to convene a safety summit in March. Arel said the FAA would ensure that supervisors devote their full attention to the operation and airfield during peak traffic periods, provide more dedicated training for unusual circumstances and update simulator software for the first time since 2016. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in February a FedEx (FDX.N) cargo plane and a Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) plane had come within 100 feet of each other in what could have been a "terrible tragedy." Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said recently the United States could not wait for the next "catastrophic event" before addressing the uptick in aviation close calls. The United States has not had a major fatal U.S. passenger airline crash since February 2009. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-faa-names-independent-safety-review-team-boost-air-safety-2023-04-26/ Cargo-hopeful Eastern Airlines' future in doubt as CEO quits Something doesn’t seem right at cargo-ambitious Eastern Airlines: Steve Harfst has quietly resigned as president and CEO, a position he held for four years after leaving Allegiant, where he was COO. To replace him Eastern has appointed Brian Randow, a private jet and charter specialist, and has a new EVP commercial, Steve Kasteler, who worked with Mr Randow at charter airline iAero, formerly Swift. Judging by Mr Harsft’s media interviews this year, his departure would seem to have come as a surprise. And it came just two months or so after Eastern received the first of its 35-strong fleet of used 777s, an order it announced mid-pandemic. in 2021. The first aircraft flew a short route this week, between Kansas City and Savannah, possibly for testing purposes. Eastern’s plan was to “convert” the majority of the 777 orders into freighters, using a new conversion-light approach. Flexport was its launch customer for the type. But the plans have been beset by delays on ETOPs approval and type certification. The original plan was to operate the freighters in the first quarter of 2022; then it was the second half; then Q1 23 became the date for certification. Eastern acknowledged there had been supply chain issues, as well as some reticence at the FAA, where management is scarred by the Boeing Max nightmare. It would appear there is some confusion at the carrier, now, over its plans for cargo and the progress of its freighter fleet. Its passenger business is certainly stronger than the fledgling freight arm: passenger revenues were some $64.7m in 2021, while cargo was $6.65m, according to CH Aviation. But it has not been making a profit. Despite revenue growth of 10%, its net loss in 2021 was $30m, which followed a loss of $6.5m a year earlier. At the end of last year, the carrier applied for a passenger and belly service to Shanghai from New York, with a leased-in A330 until the 777s are approved. “Eastern will transition to using its own B777 aircraft upon finalising FAA approvals necessary to operate that aircraft for this service,” it told the US DoT. The service does not seem to have started yet. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to this out-of-the-ordinary carrier now it is under new management, and whether its cargo business will ever really take off. https://theloadstar.com/cargo-hopeful-eastern-airlines-future-in-doubt-as-ceo-quits/ GA Telesis Announces the Delivery of (2) A320 Aircraft to Air Albania FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GA Telesis, LLC ("GAT") announces the delivery of two A320 aircraft on long-term lease to Air Albania. The aircraft are part of the GA Telesis owned fleet and were delivered to Air Albania in the first quarter of the year. GA Telesis' Leasing, Investment, Financing & Trading ("LIFT") Group continues its growth trajectory, acquiring high-quality assets, investing in maintenance, and placing them on long-term lease. These aircraft were acquired by GAT last year with the objective of redeploying them into a recovering global passenger market, supporting Air Albania's expansion of air services in their region amid the improving travel industry. "We are excited to support Air Albania's fleet growth plans as they continue to serve the expanding air travel demands of their market," commented David Ellis, Global Head of Leasing and Trading for the Asset Transaction Group (ATG), a division of LIFT. Ellis further remarked, "This is another great example of the GA Telesis Ecosystem at work; consolidating asset originations, technical expertise, and aircraft remarketing for a successful acquisition, transition, and placement." "We are thrilled to partner with GA Telesis and add these two A320 aircraft to our fleet as part of our expansion plans," commented Mr. Sinan Dilek, CEO of Air Albania. "These high-quality assets will support our efforts to meet the growing demand for air travel in our region and provide exceptional services to our passengers. We appreciate GA Telesis' expertise in asset originations, technical know-how, and aircraft remarketing, which has facilitated a successful acquisition and transition process. This partnership is a testament to the strength of the GA Telesis Ecosystem, and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration with them." This partnership between GA Telesis and Air Albania underscores their mutual commitment to meeting the growing air travel demands and providing exceptional services to passengers. The delivery of these A320 aircraft represents a significant milestone in their collaborative efforts to support Air Albania's expansion plans and address the evolving needs of the global passenger market. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ga-telesis-announces-delivery-2-150300680.html Mexico Congress to Allow State-Operated Airlines, Monreal Says (Bloomberg) -- A bill that will allow the Mexican government to operate its own airline is likely to be approved by congress this week, Senate majority leader Ricardo Monreal said in an interview. The legislation would give President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador a chance to revive defunct carrier Mexicana de Aviacion to, as he has said, lower ticket prices and increase competition in the sector. The bill is the most likely to sail through before congress’s multimonth recess starts in May and also includes a provision that would allow the government to operate airports. That would mean the army could operate both an airline and the airport into which it would fly, creating a conflict of interest and potentially unfair market practices for other airlines. The legislation also modifies the structure of the Mexican aviation authority, AFAC, one of the requirements for the country to recover its air-safety rating from the US Federal Aviation Administration. A more controversial mining reform and a “mega” administrative reform that would allow the government to end contracts without compensating companies may have to wait until September, Monreal said. The aerospace legislation could affect existing airport operators Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico and Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, which control the majority of the country’s hubs. But lawmakers will seek to meet with them before drafting the bill’s bylaws to avoid lawsuits and court battles, Monreal, the leader of the Morena ruling party in the Senate, said. Recovering the country’s so-called Category 1 rating is important for Mexican airlines, which haven’t been able to add routes or flights to the US since the downgrade in 2021. “The intent is to reorganize all of the airspace and to review the related contracts, which means reordering everything,” Monreal said during the interview Monday. “In the transitory period, we’ll seek to avoid damages or that they can seek injunctions or turn to the judiciary. The idea is that the law should be consensual to avoid damages to any person.” The president has said he intends to revive the defunct Mexicana de Aviacion in December 2023. The airline, which would retain the name, would begin flying with 10 jets, he said Feb. 16 and will be operated by the army. “We’re going to create a new Mexicana de Aviacion to balance the industry and lower the cost of ticket prices,” he said during his regular morning press conference Feb. 7. Lopez Obrador has put the army in charge of the Felipe Angeles airport near Mexico City and the hubs in Chetumal and Campeche. The government also plans for the army to operate the airport being built in Tulum. “The changes are not necessarily targeted at airport concessions,” Itau BBA analysts wrote in a note April 19. “We believe that many of the changes are more related to giving the government greater flexibility.” Legislative Blitz Other pending legislation that has a chance of making it through a vote by the end of this week include one to reform the stock market to facilitate listings. A controversial bill that would reduce the number of years that companies are allowed to hold mining concessions and another that would allow the cancellation of contracts need more time to be discussed, Monreal said. AMLO’s government is pushing to expedite legislation to give the state an increased role over several industries before political parties start focusing on the general election next year. The senator, one of the most senior lawmakers in Mexico’s congress, said he would like to extend the voting period by allowing for an extraordinary session during May, but had not yet gained the support of other parties. The mining proposal originally put forward by Lopez Obrador would have drastically cut down the maximum concession period from the current 100 years, on top of other changes that had alarmed private companies. But the version approved by the lower house of congress last week whittled it down to only 80 years through multiple extensions, daily El Financiero reported. “I’m from a mining state, and I am concerned with how to make mining orderly and I would like to review it in detail, not rush the voting, though I know that there were agreements made with major mining companies,” Monreal said, listing said agreements as a reason the bill had passed the lower house. The Senate leader has said he wants to run for president in 2024, but he would participate in the Morena surveys to determine who should be its candidate only if the party allows an external poll to confirm the results. He accused his competitors in the race, even from his own party, of overspending on their unofficial campaigns. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/mexico-congress-to-allow-state-operated-airlines-monreal-says-1.1911938 CAPITO, BALDWIN INTRODUCE GLOBAL AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) today introduced the Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act, legislation that seeks to level the playing field for foreign repair stations. There are nearly 1,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified maintenance and repair stations operating outside the United States. These stations service American aircraft, but many operate at a far lower safety standard than their American-based counterparts, incentivizing businesses to have this work done in less regulated countries. The Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act would ensure that aircraft maintenance workers around the world are as qualified as their American technicians. Specifically, that foreign technicians are required to undergo background checks and drug as well as alcohol testing. The bill also mandates that foreign stations be subject to surprise inspections and also mandates that better maintenance records be kept by air carriers. “Currently, foreign repair stations are not required to have surprise inspections, and the workers are not required to undergo background checks or drug and alcohol testing. The bipartisan Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act aims to fix this issue by creating a level playing field for safety. This is one of my top priorities as we move through the FAA reauthorization process, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this smart, commonsense policy,” Senator Capito said. “When American planes need maintenance, we should be encouraging trusted American workers and American companies to do the work, not ship the jobs overseas to businesses that might be skirting critical safety standards,” Senator Baldwin said. “This common-sense legislation will close loopholes that incentivize airlines to ship their maintenance to other countries with potentially lower safety standards, giving passengers peace of mind that their aircraft is safe for flight.” “Certified aircraft mechanics in West Virginia and the rest of the America work hard, follow the rules, and keep our aircraft safe. If we fail to live up to minimum standards, the FAA can take our license and our career away. But the FAA doesn’t hold any of the facilities it licenses outside of the U.S. to that same standard. West Virginians are losing jobs because of this and more aircrafts are getting repaired on lower safety standards every day. Senator Capito is leading the fight to ensure one level of safety in our skies and to return good aircraft mechanic jobs to the U.S.A.,” Frank Fowler II, A West Virginia FAA-certified Aircraft Maintenance Technician, said. Near identical companion legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2022 with 374 votes. Additionally, U.S. Representatives Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.-19), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.-11), and John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08) introduced a House bill on March 22, 2023 identical to the one passed in September 2022. West Virginia is home to 10 repair facilities that support over 1,000 jobs including 518 certified mechanics. https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-baldwin-introduce-global-aircraft-maintenance-safety-improvement-act CenTex King Air 350/360 Halo Mod Ups Weight, Safety The CenTex Aerospace Halo 350 modification increases mtow for Beechcraft King Air 350s and 360s from 15,000 to 15,950 pounds and raises payload by 946 pounds. CenTex Aerospace has received FAA approval for its Halo 350 increased gross weight modification for Beechcraft King Air 350s and 360s. The upgrade ups mtow from 15,000 to 15,950 pounds and raises payload by 946 pounds. To accommodate these higher weights, high-strength bolts replace the original main landing gear hinge bolts. Two additional safety systems are installed under the upgrade: a takeoff warning system and stall warning “ice mode.” The former alerts the pilot when the pitch trim is not properly set and a takeoff is initiated. Meanwhile, ice mode improves the accuracy of a stall warning when ice is present on the wings. The Halo 350 kit, which is available immediately, comes with all necessary parts, an airplane flight manual supplement containing performance data, instructions for continued airworthiness, installation instructions, and drawings. According to Waco, Texas-based CenTex, the Halo 350 upgrade requires about 20 hours of installation time and increases empty weight by four pounds. “The conversion represents a tremendous value for operators who find they are restricted by the 15,000-pound [mtow] limit and wish to carry additional payload or fuel,” said CenTex Aerospace president Gregory Barnes. “On top of that, the airplane will be safer to operate thanks to the new safety systems.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2023-04-25/centex-king-air-350-360-halo-mod-ups-weight-safety Travel recovery boosts jet engine units at GE and Raytheon • The engine sales increase coincides with a push by Boeing and Airbus to boost output of new planes. • General Electric and Raytheon’s Pratt & Whitney supply engines for some of the most popular jetliners. • GE and Raytheon reported higher revenue from repair shop visits and spare parts businesses. A recovery in air travel is lifting sales and repairs at the aircraft engine units of General Electric and Raytheon Technologies as Boeing and Airbus scramble to increase their production rates of new planes. Sales in General Electric’s aerospace unit rose 25% in the first quarter to $6.98 billion, the company said in a filing Tuesday. The unit makes engines for Boeing’s 737 Max planes and Airbus’ A320 family of narrow-body aircraft. The company said an increase in shop visits and spare parts helped drive up revenue for the unit. Raytheon’s Pratt & Whitney engine unit sales increased 15% from a year earlier to $5.23 billion. Its Collins Aerospace unit, which makes everything from avionics to aircraft interiors, rose 15% to $5.58 billion. The improvements in those companies come as Airbus and Boeing are trying to increase their output of new planes for airlines. A surge in travel demand has also increased demand for new jets and maintenance on older planes. Boeing will likely detail its plans for aircraft output and deliveries to airlines for the year when it reports quarterly results before the market opens Wednesday. The company had planned to deliver around 400 737 Max jets this year. But earlier this month, Boeing disclosed a manufacturing flaw on certain 737 Max planes, its bestseller, and that problem could pause deliveries of some of those aircraft. CEO Dave Calhoun last week said the problem won’t change Boeing’s orders from suppliers as it continues to target a production rate increase. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/25/travel-recovery-boosts-jet-engine-units-at-ge-and-raytheon.html Curt Lewis