Civil

A winning aircraft maintenance strategy requires a fundamental understanding of current market trends and efficiently managing both external and internal maintenance operations

Aircraft maintenance planning plays a vital role in achieving optimized operational requirements from an airline. An effective maintenance program provides the right maintenance requirements on the right assets at the right time. Delivering a proper balance of maintenance activities allows for timely corrective measures.

Keeping overheads low by reducing unnecessary operational and support costs is integral to a winning aircraft maintenance strategy. As such, the challenge of independent aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) service provider is to identify the correct combinations of maintenance tasks for various components and complex systems found throughout an aircraft’s lifecycle.

With growing financial uncertainty, all aircraft maintenance service providers are under tremendous pressure to deliver competitive advantages to their customers. Here are five factors to keep in mind when determining the right strategy for your aircraft fleet.

1. Maintenance costs and operations

An aircraft operator must evaluate both internal and external costs of aircraft maintenance. Not only are these audits necessary to verify the effectiveness of processes measures, but also to determine the viability of maintenance costs and operations.

As a key aspect of any business, the purpose of an extensive audit is to minimize the combined costs of operational requirements and maintenance support. A thorough audit of current maintenance activities identifies aspects with strong potential for cost reduction. Utilizing query-based methodology ensures effective classification of all components and critical paths.

Airlines must factor in the total cost of maintenance when determining operational requirements, rather than just contractual price. This will provide critical insight on maintenance challenges and requirements across their operational fleet, from legacy aircraft to newer models.

2. Economies of scale

As an aircraft operator grows, economies of scale must be brought into consideration. Aircraft maintenance strategies are labor and capital extensive, particularly engine and component support. The growth progression of an airline or aircraft operator determines scale.

In-house capabilities, particularly in regards to maintenance strategies should only be performed by airline operators above a fleet with over fifty aircraft or more than 150 aircraft engines. Any airline fleet beyond this threshold cannot justify the heavy in-house maintenance costs.

Rather, fleets below this threshold should outsource their maintenance strategies to an MRO service provider. Using the expertise and experience of an independent MRO can reduce total maintenance costs significantly while achieving economies of scale.

MRO service providers offer suitable maintenance strategies capable of performing preventative maintenance tasks at the lowest possible costs.

3. Leased aircraft maintenance

The growing uncertainty in geopolitical and economic climates creates pressure on airlines to reduce overall operational costs. The recent economic challenges mean airlines seek total solutions with other value-added benefits. This often translates into procurement solutions according to global fleet size, aircraft utility, and variable air traffic volumes.

As such, any airline that leases aircraft must utilize MRO services to ensure the airworthiness of their fleet to safely transport people and cargo. This makes an MRO an essential requirement for any comprehensive aircraft maintenance strategy.

The importance of the commercial aircraft MRO market provides accommodating maintenance solutions to a diverse spectrum of changing requirements. Their functionality as the ‘mediator’ during the end of the lease agreement between a lessee & lessor ensures all diverging interests are met.

4. Impact of oil on aircraft lifecycle

Despite the current economic challenges, the aviation industry has seen growth and signs of recovery. Particularly throughout regions in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. This considerable growing demand is forecasted to grow over the next decade, creating a demand for the increased airworthiness of existing fleets and legacy aircraft.

The typical airline operations cost distribution sees fuel and labor as the most cost-intensive aspect of any fleet. But with the current low fuel price environment, airlines are capable of operating older generation aircraft at a significant economic benefit. Particularly given their lower operating costs compared to new aircraft.

In fact, the leading independent gulf aircraft maintenance company in the Middle East has begun moving legacy aircraft back into commercial production, extending the life of out-of-production aircraft. Their ability to extend the airworthiness of legendary aircrafts such as the B747-400, through a unique procedure of repair and maintenance, provides long-term sustainable strategies for airlines looking to reduce overall operational costs.

A winning aircraft maintenance strategy requires a fundamental understanding of current market trends (particularly within the oil industry) and efficiently managing both external and internal maintenance operations. Continuing airworthiness management responsibilities require a strategic planning methodology to reduce operational costs and this, in turn, achieves sustainable competitive advantage.

Any aircraft strategy attempting to implement best practices in operations will require collaborative partnerships within the aviation aftermarket. Being able to outsource specific, or all maintenance operational requirements not only streamlines maintenance and business processes but also eliminates expensive administrative costs.

AUTHOR BIO
Viktoria Grokhovskaya is an independent aviation expert currently working within the aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry in the UAE. She received her bachelor’s degree in Management and a Specialist Diploma in Economics and Management at the Enterprise from Astrakhan State Technical University.

This was the most Concorde ever photographed together until late 2000, when all 7 British Airways aircraft were brought together for the first and only time

On Christmas Eve 1985, a unique Concorde formation appeared in the sky.

In 1986 British Airways (BA) was celebrating the upcoming 10th anniversary of launching the first regular supersonic route: London – Washington D.C.

Concorde had accumulated 71,000 supersonic flying hours during that time.

BA attempted something never done before to commemorate those 10 years of service. They decided to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Concorde flying four aircraft information for a very special birthday photo.

As reported by concordesst.com days of detailed planning went into the project that would see 4 Concorde in the new BA Landor livery flying together over the south coast of the UK.

Concorde schedules were scoured to find a date when 4 of the fleet in the new livery would be available.

Even though the dates were hard to come by three were found and the engineers set to work to ensure that the 4 chosen aircraft would be serviceable and not have to be withdrawn at the last moment.

BA’s Senior Concorde crews were chosen to fly the aircraft for the event:

G-BOAA (leader)
Captain Brain Walpole
First Officer Dave Rowland
Engineering Officer Ian Smith

G-BOAC
Captain John Eames
First Officer Peter Horton
Engineering Officer Roger Bricknell

G-BOAF
Captain John Cook
First Officer Jock Lowe
Engineering Officer Bill Brown

G-BOAG
Captain David Leney
First Officer John White
Engineering Officer Dave MacDonald

Each crew was given a special task to look after.

Captain Brian Walpole, general manager of the Concorde Division, not only flew as a leader and decided on what formations would be flown but also oversaw the planning for the event. Captain David Leany devised detailed flight planning, that included working with air traffic control. Captain Jock Lowe and Engineering Officer Dave McDonald undertook the other planning work.

To share the moment with as many of their staff as possible, BA decided that each aircraft would carry 65 of their flight deck crews as passengers during the 1 hr subsonic formation flight. The tickets were distributed to the staff by their heads of department who each had an allocation.

Initially scheduled for November 1985, the formation flight was postponed until Christmas Eve because of technical limitations and very bad weather when there would be better aircraft availability, due to fewer services being flown.

The morning of the formation flight finally arrived, and the crews along with the expectant passengers in tow were met with a very rare sight, with all four aircraft, G-BOAA, G-BOAB, G-BOAF, and G-BOAG parked up side by side, ready and waiting to make history.

The Concordes were pushed back off their stand, their engines started and the police closed off the road crossing so all 4 could taxi across to the main airport apron.

The formation would be led by a Learjet that would capture the event on film and video.

The airliners departed from the ramp outside Tech Block K, lined up on Heathrow’s runway 28R (now 27R) and within 10 minutes all 5 were in the air, heading for the rendezvous point 15,000ft above Lyneham in Wiltshire.

High above the English countryside, the 4 aircraft closed up into their first formation, the Diamond, with Alpha-Alpha leading and Alpha-Golf bringing up the rear. Another one of the pictures taken at this time was subsequently computer-enhanced, for the new livery, in the late 1990s.

As they headed towards Land’s End they formed into their 2nd formation: a Concorde “swan-like” outline, built with 4 Concordes.

The final formation called for the aircraft to line up for the set of famous pictures.

According to concordesst.com, to this day the captains still argue whose fault it was that the line-up is not perfect, although the imperfection helps to prove that the picture was real and not a mock-up. The captain in G-BOAB will tell you he was formatting on the leader while the other 2 were too far ahead, while the captains of Alpha-Foxtrot and Alpha-Golf will tell you they were formatting on the leader and it was Alpha-Bravo that was falling behind!

Two days later, 6 of the aircraft were lined up on the ramp of the engineering base for a unique shot of 6 aircraft together (the 7th was in the paint shop being put into the new livery).

This was the most Concorde ever photographed together until late 2000 when all 7 were brought together for the first and only time before work got underway on the return-to-flight modifications.

Brian Walpole famously told the photographer that as the weather was bad:
“if he had to crash, please don’t crash on the Concordes as you will wipe out nearly my entire fleet!”

In this short clip, you will see and hear Captain John Hutchinson explaining the formation before having a go at the controls himself.

Photo by Adrian Meredith via British Airways

The LM-100J is the 17th different mission capability developed for the C-130J Super Hercules and it is an updated version of the L-100 cargo aircraft, which Lockheed Martin produced from 1964-1992

LM-100J commercial freighter program recently marked yet another successful achievement with the first flight of the second production LM-100J cargo plane on Oct. 11, 2017.

“The flight was outstanding and the aircraft’s performance was flawless,” said Wayne Roberts, chief test pilot for the type, in the Lockheed Martin news release. “After this completely successful first airworthiness flight, this aircraft will join the first LM-100J in conducting the FAA type design update test program already underway. This will accelerate our progress to deliver this unique aircraft’s capabilities to civilian operators around the world.”

The LM-100J is the 17th different mission capability developed for the C-130J Super Hercules and it is an updated version of the L-100 cargo aircraft, which Lockheed Martin produced from 1964-1992. Noteworthy Lockheed Martin officials submitted a Program Notification Letter to the FAA on Jan. 21, 2014, for a type design update to this aircraft, a civil-certified variant of the C-130J Super Hercules to be marketed as the LM-100J.

Through select design innovations, the aircraft will perform as a commercial multi-purpose air freighter capable of rapid and efficient cargo transport. The aircraft is an ideal airlift solution for delivering bulk and oversize cargo, particularly to austere locations worldwide. Like its military counterpart, the LM-100J will be able to support multiple missions, ranging from firefighting to medevac to VIP transport.

Furthermore, this cargo plane can operate from short, unprepared airfields without ground support equipment. In fact, it requires minimal material handling equipment and enables rapid onload and offload at truck-bed height.

The LM-100J incorporates technological developments and improvements over the existing L‑100s that result from years of C-130J operational experience, including more than 1.6 million fleetwide flight hours. The result of this experience and advancement translates to an aircraft that will deliver reliable service in a multi-role platform for decades to come.

Photo by Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works team, in partnership with NASA, is developing QueSST X-plane to solve one of the persistent challenges of supersonic flight – the sonic boom

In partnership with NASA, the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works team is trying to find a solution to a difficult problem. In fact, although supersonic flight has been achieved before, NASA and Lockheed Martin will make it greener and quieter by means of the Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) X-plane.

According to a company press release, the mission of QueSST is to deliver high-speed flights with revolutionary low-impact sound.

NASA selected a team led by Lockheed Martin to complete a preliminary design for the QueSST X-plane. This endeavor supports NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project, which aims to better understand acceptable commercial supersonic aircraft sound levels across the country and develop a way for piloted aircraft to fly fast with a low boom.

Noteworthy Lockheed Martin has worked with NASA for more than a decade to develop the tools and technology needed to make environmentally responsible commercial supersonic flight a reality.

Michael Buonanno, the chief engineer for NASA’s QueSST X-plane program, said the foundation was laid from 2010 to 2013 with the N+2 Supersonic Validations Program. “We worked with NASA to develop the necessary design tools and experimental techniques to accurately shape the vehicle so that its sonic-boom signature will be perceived as a sonic heartbeat sound rather than the typical loud double-bang that today’s supersonic aircraft produce,” he said.

The X-plane’s futuristic look includes a long, slender fuselage, a highly swept delta wing, and multiple control surfaces to tailor the distribution of pressure and lift around the vehicle.

“In order to have a low sonic boom, you need to specifically design to have it,” Buonanno said. “It’s a nuanced and detail-oriented task to set up the shape of the vehicle so that the shock waves that result from supersonic flight don’t coalesce and result in that loud double-bang.”

In the airline industry’s current tube-and-wings model, shock waves largely roll off and then meld into a sonic boom. The aerodynamic X-plane, however, is designed to scatter multiple shock waves and minimize their cumulative effect, producing only a rumble or soft thump.

“The idea is that there is no way to avoid a shock wave supersonically,” said Thomas Corke, professor of engineering at the University of Notre Dame. “The [X-plane] design doesn’t eliminate shock, it just minimizes it, so what’s perceived on the ground is almost imperceptible.”

QueSST is designed to fly at Mach 1.4, 55,000 feet above the ground. The aircraft is shaped to separate the shocks and expansions associated with a supersonic flight to reduce the volume of the shaped signature. QueSST’s “heartbeat” will be dramatically quieter than the traditional “N-wave” sonic boom associated with the current supersonic aircraft in flight today. The Skunk Works team has been advancing this technology for the last 20 years as part of multiple efforts.

Photo by Lockheed Martin

The videos seem showing the Antonov An-2 pilot attempting a hard left turn to avoid the public before losing control and hitting the ground

Taken on Sep. 2, 2017, the impressive video in this post shows an Antonov An-2 crashing at an airshow in Balashikha near Moscow.

As reported by RT, a police spokesman said ‘We confirm the crash and that according to our preliminary information two people on board were killed.’ He also added that no spectators were hurt.

The airshow organizers told that the victims were the pilot, Dmitry Sukharev, and an amateur photojournalist, Boris Tylevich.

The demonstration flights were stopped after the crash, they added.

Noteworthy a source in the emergency services told RT that the crash was most probably caused by pilot error.

However, the scene, that was filmed from different angles, seems to show the pilot attempting a hard left turn to avoid the public before losing control and hitting the ground.

The Antonov An-2 (NATO reporting name Colt) is a Soviet-era mass-produced single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau. The aircraft performed its maiden flight on Aug. 31, 1947.

Its remarkable durability, high lifting power, and ability to take off and land from poor runways have ensured the aircraft’s long service life. Noteworthy 18,000 An-2s were produced until 2001. The Colt, which is dubbed ‘kukuruznik’ (corn crop duster) in Russia, is still in service with military and civilian operators around the world.

Photo by Julian Herzog (Website) via Wikipedia

Periodically, aviation industry companies are provided the opportunity to conduct flight tests at Edwards given the base’s unique test assets such as multiple runways, a controlled airspace, large dry lakebeds and flying weather

Taken on Aug. 14, 2017, the interesting picture in this post features a Boeing 787 Dreamliner taking off after a touch-and-go landing at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB).

As explained in a U.S. Air Force news release, Boeing has been conducting flight tests with its newest airliner at Edwards recently. Periodically, aviation industry companies are provided the opportunity to conduct flight tests at Edwards given the base’s unique test assets such as multiple runways, controlled airspace, large dry lakebeds, and flying weather.

The Boeing 787 is a mid-size, twin-engine jet. The aircraft is 20% more fuel-efficient than similar-sized commercial jets it is designed to replace, and to date, is Boeing’s most fuel-efficient aircraft. Composite materials make up 50 percent of the primary structure, including the fuselage and wing.

The aircraft also features raked wingtips to further improve fuel efficiency.

Thanks to its unparalleled fuel efficiency and range flexibility the 787 enable carriers to profitably open new routes as well as optimize fleet and network performance.

The engine nacelles are made of serrated edges that reduce the noise levels both outside and inside the cabin, by up to 60%.

Currently, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the only suitable replacement for more than 1,200 similar-sized Airbus A300, A310, A330-200, and Boeing 767 aircraft.

Photo by Paul Weatherman / Boeing