Triumph Group, AFI KLM E&M form xCelle Americas

Berwyn, Pennsylvania-based Triumph Group and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) have formed a joint venture (JV) under the name xCelle Americas to overhaul nacelles for new-generation aircraft at Triumph’s Hot Springs, Arkansas repair facility.

xCelle Americas will perform maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for new-gen nacelles on Boeing 787, Boeing 737 MAX, Airbus A320neo, and Airbus A350 aircraft for operators in North and South America. Acting through its affiliation with AFI KLM E&M, xCelle Americas will perform Boeing 787 nacelle repairs under Air France’s license from Rohr Inc. (Collins Aerospace), expanding Air France’s licensed repair capabilities for those nacelles to the Americas.

The JV expands AFI KLM E&M’s nacelle MRO capabilities and Boeing 787 license into the Americas and enables Triumph to be positioned on new-gen nacelles business, supporting key North and South American customers on the core of their future fleets. With this JV, Triumph and AFI KLM E&M achieve a first step in their strategic partnership and ambition to provide local support to airlines.

ST Engineering to support Japan Airlines’ Boeing 787 fleet

Singapore-based ST Engineering’s commercial aerospace business has secured a multi-year component Maintenance-By-the-Hour (MBH) contract from Japan Airlines.

Under the five-year contract, ST Engineering will support the entire fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft belonging to Japan Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary, ZIPAIR Tokyo. This adds to an ongoing Boeing 737-800 component MBH program the group already has with the airline.

Leveraging digital technologies to derive valuable insights, ST Engineering will introduce an on-wing component health and reliability management program that uses in-house developed software to provide diagnostics and prescriptive advisory by detecting anomalies and predicting components’ remaining useful life.

Two new contracts for Liebherr Analytics Solutions

Liebherr-Aerospace is expanding its existing cooperation with airBaltic, which operates a fleet of Airbus A220 aircraft, and Swiss International Airlines, which operates Airbus A220, A320, A321 and other long-range aircraft.

Both airlines will benefit from Liebherr-Aerospace’s predictive maintenance algorithms and other trend monitoring applications, combined with advanced technical support, bringing added value to the maintenance of their Liebherr products: bleed air management, landing gear, and flight control system components.

Liebherr Analytics Solutions combine the power of Big Data and the capacities of a proprietary data platform (Artic) with in-depth knowledge of Liebherr products and associated in-service support experience.

Fokker Services secures agreement with Honeywell

Japan Airlines; Liebherr; MRAS;
Fokker Services

Independent aerospace service provider Fokker Services has obtained a 10-year license agreement with Honeywell Aerospace for its LEAP engine accessories and line replaceable units (LRUs). Fokker Services is a Honeywell Aerospace Authorized Service Center and Warranty Repair Shop for these components until June 30, 2031.

The global contract expands Fokker Services’ engine accessory repair capabilities to include all LEAP engines, allowing the organization to support engines of commercial aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and Comac C919.

Menzo van der Beek, CEO of Fokker Services, says, “With capabilities covering CFM56 and LEAP, we are well positioned to support operators with a diverse fleet of classic and modern aircraft equipment.”

Fokker Services will provide repair services on the LEAP engine accessories for global customers, which include LRUs such as the air turbine starter, starter air valves, and VBV actuator.

Middle River Aerostructure Systems’ facility.

MRAS expands capabilities

Middle River Aerostructure Systems (MRAS) is enlarging its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities for jet engine nacelles by developing a dedicated 60,000ft² workshop at the company’s Middle River, Maryland headquarters – with additional surface extension available to accommodate business growth.

Backed by a multi-million-dollar investment in tooling, machinery, and systems, this step marks a major evolution of the MRO capabilities that MRAS performs under the authority of its FAA/EASA Part 145 Repair Station Certificate – including complex composite and metallic repairs, as well as bonding.

Starting with a complete floor-to-ceiling refurbishment of the dedicated MRO shop area – from installation of smart lighting to all-new electrical wiring and heating, the company is building out the MRO operation with acquisition of a hydraulic test stand for thrust reverser deployment functional testing, paint and power wash booths, component lift stands, and a vertical parts carousel.

A 30ft-wide sanding booth and a 32ft x 25ft x 16ft blasting booth will accommodate processing of nacelles and thrust reversers from large, high-thrust engines, according to Jeremy Tschaepe, the MRO Leader at MRAS.

The MRO resources are co-located under the same roof as the 1-million-square-foot design, development, and manufacturing operation at Middle River.

“This enables us to fully benefit from MRAS’ knowhow through our decades of nacelle and aerostructures production for such aircraft and engine manufacturers as Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, GE Aviation, and CFM International,” Tschaepe explains.

Current MRO activity at MRAS covers nacelle systems for CFM International’s CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B, and International Aero Engines’ V2500, which power Boeing’s 737NG and the Airbus A320 family. MRAS has sets of CFM56-7B and V2500 nacelle components for exchange – enabling rapid-reaction swap-out.

MRAS also has initiated nacelle repairs on GE Aviation Passport engines that equip Bombardier’s Global 7500 business jets.