AAV News in Brief 18 April 2022

Lufthansa Technik expands 5G campus network: More than two years ago, Lufthansa Technik was one of the first industrial companies in Germany to start setting up so-called campus networks based on the latest mobile communications standard 5G. Based on the excellent experience in the engine services business unit, the 5G network there has now been extended to a second overhaul workshop. As a result, additional customers can now witness their engine layovers remotely via the AVIATAR platform. Any interference with flight operations, which was recently the subject of controversy in the United States, can be ruled out at the Hamburg base. Lufthansa Technik had already been operating its own 5G campus network since 2020. At that time, it was used for the first time in a Hamburg workshop for aircraft engines, where the CFM56 and V2500 types are overhauled. Here, 5G made it possible to reliably use high-resolution video streams in the visual inspection of engine parts. In times of massive travel restrictions during the Corona crisis, this so-called “Virtual Table Inspection” (VTI) quickly advanced from a test project to a business-critical infrastructure, because customers no longer had to travel to Hamburg to have their engine parts inspected. As this offering quickly became indispensable in daily operations, Lufthansa Technik fully integrated the 5G-powered VTI into its AVIATAR Digital Operations Suite in 2021. Recently, the network and services have now been extended to the second engine shop where LEAP and CF6-80 engines are overhauled. The latter’s operators can now also interact remotely with the mechanics on-site in Hamburg, saving time and money while making important repair decisions for their engines. As such decisions often involve six-digit figures, the high video resolution and the stable, reliable and confidential connection to the customer at all times provided by 5G are essential for this offering. Amadeus partners with Microsoft: Amadeus, in partnership with Microsoft, is taking the first step in their joint vision to redefine corporate travel: Cytric Travel & Expense, the Amadeus online booking and expense management tool, is now embedded in Microsoft 365 and called Cytric Easy. Users can plan trips and share travel details with colleagues without ever leaving their day-to-day applications such as Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Teams. Coming soon, Outlook calendar invites will populate relevant data before starting the search process, such as preferred departure location, destination based on meeting location and dates. Flight search results will show recommended options based on flight convenience, price, and users’ preferences (for example, stop-over airports to avoid). The shortest, cheapest, and greenest options will be highlighted. Teams will send users prompts to visualize unassigned receipts, complete their expense reports, and file them on time. All of this will be done using Microsoft’s Single Sign-On service across your workplace ecosystem to access all travel and expense needs. This all means less disruption to the user’s workflow, and less hassle logging in and toggling between apps, the traveller just needs to login to Microsoft and they’re ready to go. FL Technics invests in wheels and brakes MRO: FL Technics announced that it has invested in a dedicated business line and a specialised shop with a highly experienced team of engineers and technicians in Germany for wheels and brake MRO. The facility started operations under the FL Technics name on 4 April and will serve as a support hub within the global network of groups’ MRO markets, ranging from Americas to Asia-Pacific. The expansion of business areas is a natural continuity of current FL Technics groups’ operations, including a global integrated supply chain and the largest independent line maintenance network with more than 70 stations in service worldwide. Established infrastructure and pool of partners create a perfect ecosystem to develop operations that create new prospects as well as the ability to tailor FL Technics’ solutions based on market needs to both lessors and operators. Goshawk delivers A320 to Trade Air: Goshawk, the Dublin-based aircraft lessor, announced the delivery of one A320 aircraft to Trade Air, the charter and scheduled carrier operating from Zagreb, Croatia. The A320 was successfully delivered on 30 March. The delivery of the first aircraft by Goshawk to Trade Air represents a significant milestone for the business. Stephen Murphy, Head of Airline Marketing at Goshawk said: “We are delighted to begin our relationship with Trade Air by delivering our first A320-200 aircraft. This placement demonstrates our continuing confidence in the aviation industry as it emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic and adapts to the rapidly evolving geopolitical situation.” Marko Cvijin, Managing Director of Trade Air said: “We are glad to have established a business relationship with Goshawk and are looking forward to doing more business in future.” Signature Aviation names SVP: Signature Aviation, the world’s largest private aviation terminal operator, has appointed Derek DeCross as its new SVP of Global Customer Engagement. The company is centralising its customer functions across the organisation to create a dedicated team to focus on sales and customer engagement strategies. The move is part of Signature’s continued efforts to better understand, anticipate and respond to the real estate and aviation needs of its customers. DeCross joins Signature from IHG Hotels & Resorts, where he served as SVP, Global Sales, with responsibility for implementing sales efforts for IHG’s portfolio of 17 brands, including over 6,000 hotels and resorts in more than 100 countries. During his tenure, he represented IHG across the industry as a member of the US Travel & Tourism Advisory Board, the Business Travel News Advisory Board, and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Board. Vision-Box implements project at Felipe Angeles International Airport: Vision-Box, a world leader in biometrics seamless travel, automated border control, and digital identity solutions, has announced a strategic alliance with Apollocom and Amadeus. Vision-Box was the selected partner to deliver a scalable digital identity system for automated passenger processing for the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) to be implemented at the Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA) in Santa Lucia, Mexico, which opened for operation on 21 March 2022. The project, which is integrated into the construction of the new airport, is headed by the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense, and led by C. Gral. De Bgda I.C. D.E.M. Gustavo Ricardo Vallejo Suárez I.R.G. and Cmte. Agto. Ings. The project in its final phase, will consist of the automation of passenger processing, right from the moment of check-in (even before arriving at the airport) to boarding, as well as the implementation of: 16 Vision-Box’s biometric Pre-Security Gates for automatic document verification; 74 Vision-Box’s Self-Boarding Gates, and 58 Vision-Box’s kits for biometric enrollment equipment at conventional check-in counters integrated with the Vision-Box’s Orchestra Identity Management Platform, interfaced with the passenger processing solution, ensuring the highest level of security and safety. Textron Aviation upgrades piston product line-up: Textron Aviation has announced a range of enhancements to its top-selling, piston aircraft line-up. From utility to luxury, these upgrades to the Beechcraft Baron, Beechcraft Bonanza and all Cessna piston aircraft will provide operators with more functionality and comfort. The new production Beechcraft Bonanza G36 will now offer a 155-pound increase to the maximum take-off weight, giving the aircraft a maximum useful load of 1,213 pounds in its standard configuration with six seats. In addition to the increased gross weight, new production Bonanzas, along with Beechcraft Baron G58 aircraft, will offer three new interior schemes and a new cockpit layout with a standalone autopilot controller. New Bonanzas and Bonanzas will also include a Garmin GI 275 electronic standby, a carbon monoxide detector integrated in the Garmin avionics system, USB ports at every seat, powered headset plugs in the cockpit, and updated LED exterior lighting for improved visibility. New models of each aircraft are anticipated to be delivering in mid-2022. All new production Cessna high wing piston aircraft will also include a Garmin GI 275 electronic standby. The standby modernises the cockpit panel by eliminating three analogue standby instruments and providing additional flight data. The interior of Cessna high-wing piston aircraft also feature refreshes with the addition of Alcantara inserts in the seats along with a backlit USB A/C port in the cockpit. Airbase UK Interiors adopts flydocs tech: Airbase UK Interiors recently selected the flydrive digital solution from flydocs to digitise their data and documentation. Flydrive’s secure cloud storage will support to streamline Airbase UK’s digital journey as they can now access all their maintenance records anywhere and at any time. John Bowell, Chief Commercial Officer, flydocs said; “We’re delighted to collaborate with Airbase UK Interiors as it shows the widespread application that flydrive can bring to the aviation sector. At flydocs, we are committed to supporting our clients to maintain the highest value of their assets with the use of advanced technology. Right from cabin furnishing to data management, with flydrive, we aim to support digital and data documentation with access to easy information to data.” Huw Jenkins, Commercial Director at Airbase UK Interiors said: At Airbase we have a strong history of providing maintenance & manufacturing services to major UK airlines and OEMs. Our Soft Furnishings Managed Services – dry cleaning, kitting, replace & remove – provide intrinsic added value to our customers all under a CAA and EASA 145 accreditation.  By partnering with flydocs and the flydrive package we will drive efficiency in our data management and take a significant step towards our strategic goal of moving from a paper-based environment to a digital-led, cloud storage solution. I firmly believe that Blockchain is the future of aviation data management, and we look forward to transforming our digital journey with flydrive as a first step.” Bluebird Nordic names new CEO: Bluebird Nordic, an Icelandic ACMI leasing and air freight company and a family member of Avia Solutions Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Audrone Keinyte as the company’s CEO. Keinyte is taking over the role from Siggi Agustsson, who has held this position since 2020. He is moving to a new role at Avia Solutions Group, where he will be a senior advisor to the chairman of the board. Additionally, Keinyte is also taking over the position of CEO at BBN Cargo Airlines Holdings, the holding company of Bluebird Nordic. She joins the company and holding from her previous role as CEO of Novaturas, the largest tour operator in the Baltic region, where she held this position for three years, during which she managed to show a great example of crisis management during the pandemic and the ability to reshape the business model and engage team which led to a successful recovery. Stratos leases 737-800 to Jet2.com: Stratos announced the delivery of one 737-800 on long-term operating lease to Jet2.com (UK) to support its growing network. The aircraft (MSN 40260) is part of the Stratos securitised portfolio JOL Air 2019-1 and was recently returned from flydubai. Philip Meeson, Executive Chairman of Jet2.com said “Very pleased to get this deal done and look forward to continuing and building upon our relationship with Stratos.” Gary Fitzgerald, CEO of Stratos said “We are delighted to welcome Jet2 as a client, an incredible success story with a phenomenal reputation for service. We’re especially happy given Philip and the team were so supportive of Stratos when we set up shop nearly 9 years ago.” Direct Maintenance re-opens line maintenance station: Direct Maintenance, a certified line maintenance service provider and member of Magnetic Group, announced the recent re-opening of the line maintenance station in Kaastrup Airport, Copenhagen (Denmark). The line maintenance station in Copenhagen was re-opened from March this year as the next strategic step for the company’s expansion. In Copenhagen, the line maintenance station will be operated by Direct Maintenance, a member of Magnetic Group, and will provide line maintenance services for narrow-body aircraft such as ATR42/72, Embraer 170/190, B737NG/MAX and A320CEO and NEO. Soon thereafter, the station will be capable of starting handling widebodies as well, such as B777/B787/A330/A350. Currently, Direct Maintenance covers over 70 aircraft combinations, including A320NEO, A350-900/1000, A380, B737 MAX, B747-8 and B787 in 27 different locations in Europe and Africa. Universal Asset Management wins Diamond status: Universal Asset Management, Inc. (UAM), the aftermarket platform of China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (CALC), specialising in aircraft disassembly, third-party logistics and component sales, announced it is the first organisation to have achieved Diamond status (the highest level) in the voluntary KPI (Key Performance Indicator) recognition programme which Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) recently added to its Best Management Practices (BMP). UAM obtained its first BMP certification by AFRA in May 2007 and has maintained the qualification since then in a high standard, which is attributable to UAM’s singular expertise and professionalism in aircraft disassembly and recycling. The newly granted Diamond status adds to AFRA’s testimonial for UAM’s quality aftermarket and End-of-Life solutions in an environmentally sustainable manner. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]