MRO Asia 2019 News in Brief
All Nippon Airways signs for Safran’s NacelleLife: Safran Nacelles signed a NacelleLife support contract with All Nippon Airways covering this carrier’s three Airbus A380 jetliners. The 10-year agreement will allow All Nippon Airways (ANA) to benefit from OEM-guaranteed maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions based on in-service experience at Safran Nacelles repair stations. The airline will also have access to Safran Nacelles’ shared pool of spare parts and components, as well as the positioning of a spare nacelle air inlet at Honolulu. Providing the spare air inlet ensures on-site availability at ANA’s destination in the mid-Pacific Ocean. ANA is Japan’s largest airline and the latest A380 operator, receiving its first two of three aircraft earlier this year for use on the popular route between Tokyo and Honolulu in the US Hawaiian Islands. Safran Nacelles’ is the original equipment manufacturer for the A380’s engine nacelles, and its NacelleLife programme offers complete coverage for these flight systems with responsive, cost-effective and high-quality services that keep airliners in operational condition while minimising repair costs.
HAECO launches “INSIGHT” digital platform: HAECO Group announced its selection of Revima’s Flightwatching predictive maintenance tool to power its inflight component and aircraft monitoring solution, INSIGHT, which is an online platform that provides real-time monitoring and analysis of critical airline data which, together with remote troubleshooting. In the next phase, INSIGHT will also provide key component reliability data for HAECO ITM’s customers, facilitating preventive action against component defects. Revima’s Flightwatching solution includes data analytics to predict impending failures and deteriorated performance of components, making it possible to take preventive action prior to aircraft or system operational defects.
Airbus Services extends its training offer with new composite training: Airbus Services has launched a new Structure Training offer focusing on composite materials that is now available for customers worldwide. New generation aircraft featuring advanced materials require new skills for damage assessment, inspection procedures and repair activities. To answer these challenges and meet the EASA recommendations, Airbus Services proposes a modular approach and learning path per job profile on the A350 XWB. This tailored approach will be extended to other aircraft types from 2020. The new training offer has been welcomed by airlines, with agreements already signed in Asia and Europe.
Wencor Group and GMF AeroAsia sign materials agreement: Wencor Group and PT Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia (GMF) have signed a cooperation agreement to develop a Total Material Solutions Program. The agreement outlines the general framework for the development, adoption, and maximisation of alternate parts usage, DER repairs and maintenance kits. Long term, the programme will result in greater cost savings and more efficient business practices that will enhance the bottom line and process flow for GMF, its subsidiary and affiliated company’s operations.
Pratt & Whitney boosts aftermarket service capabilities: Pratt & Whitney is rolling out a series of advanced technologies in its Singapore facilities, as part of the company’s digital transformation and Connected Factory strategy, to enhance its aftermarket service operations in Asia Pacific. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies. Pratt & Whitney’s blade and vane repair specialist, Turbine Overhaul Services, is introducing a proprietary Piece Part Inspection (PPI) technology based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, along with advancements to its laser cladding technology. Pratt & Whitney Component Solutions, part repair specialist for compressor stators and turbine seals, variable and fixed compressor vanes, is automating inspection, engraving and machining loading. Component Aerospace Singapore is adopting the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector’s first AI robotic visual-aided system with self-learning capability, as well as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline labour-intensive, manual processes. The latter facility provides engine part repair for combustion chambers, fuel nozzle injectors and guides, tubes, ducts and manifolds.
OTHER MRO NEWS
AFI KLM E&M and GMF collaborate in component solutions: AFI KLM E&M and Indonesian MRO Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) have signed a new collaboration agreement as part of the SPA that links the two groups, this time for A330 component support. Under the terms of this agreement, AFI KLM E&M will provide repair and parts pooling services for Garuda Indonesia’s fleet of A330s (which currently numbers 24 aircraft), as well as solutions to enhance training and the development of GMF’s industrial capabilities.
AFI KLM E&M wins MRO of the year award: AFI KLM E&M has received the award from trade magazine Aviation Week, in a ceremony held during the MRO Asia-Pacific event in Singapore. Each year, these coveted awards are handed out to the top-performing operators around the world for their achievements and contributions to the MRO industry.
IATA launches MRO SmartHub: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of IATA MRO SmartHub, an online tool that brings transparency to the market for aircraft components and parts. It will enable subscribing airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul providers to transparently list items to buy or sell on the new platform and will reduce over-payments by making the assessment of fair market value (FMV) more accurate. The total MRO market is estimated to be US$81.9 billion annually, a significant portion of which is attributed to material costs. IATA MRO SmartHub is expected to shave 10-15 percent of these material costs through efficiency gains in the supply chain and more accurate assessments of FMV. Additionally, the IATA MRO SmartHub will:
- Enable the accurate valuation of parts inventories at any point in time;
- Increase confidence in planning, procuring or selling aircraft components and parts;
- Allow better-informed decisions on which aircraft components and parts to procure and use
- Enhance trust in buyer/vendor relationships.
Currently, there is no single central reference for the value of surplus aircraft parts, nor upfront visibility of a part’s cost or timely availability. This leads to higher costs by making it challenging to accurately valuate inventories, resell surplus material or calculate the cost and timing of repairs.
‘’This new service will make the supply chain for aircraft components and parts more efficient. Greater transparency will enable airlines and MRO companies to buy and sell the right components and parts at the right price. This is a major modernisation that will lead to significant and much-needed cost savings for airlines,’’ said Gilberto Lopez Meyer, IATA’s senior vice president, Safety and Flight Operations.
“The IATA MRO SmartHub is a global platform that is useful for all players in the MRO sector. The market really needs this. By creating greater transparency, it will generate real fair market values. It will rebalance the aviation value chain and help airlines save money,” said Fabricio La-Banca, Lufthansa Technik’s head of Group Purchasing Surplus, one of the launch customers for this new platform.
