Briefs

IAs Can Renew at PAMA Show
The FAA has agreed to permit mechanics holding the Inspection Authorization to renew their IA at the PAMA 2006 Aviation Maintenance Symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada March 28-30, 2006. FAA inspectors on-site will renew IAs no matter where the IA obtained qualifying training or experience. "This is possible," said PAMA president Brian Finnegan, "as the IA renewal procedure is governed by FAA policy, not by regulation."

Source for 145 Training Programs
The FAA's Part 145.163 training program rule takes effect on April 6, 2006. Aerolearn.com offers hundreds of online maintenance courses on subjects ranging from technical subjects to human factors and FAA regulations. By signing up with Aerolearn.com, users can have all their online training activities tracked, including courses completed, time taken, and test results. Aerolearn.com costs $59.95 for 455 days worth of complete access to all online e-Learning Campus classes. Repair stations can also work with Aerolearn.com to develop company-specific courses.

New PMAs for Boeing Parts
Spirit AeroSystems has obtained FAA-PMA approval for more than 300 Boeing components that it manufactures and has launched a new website to sell spares in the aviation aftermarket (spares.spiritaero.com). Spirit's Boeing spares are manufactured under a licensing agreement with Boeing.

JorAMCo Expanding
Jordan Aircraft Maintenance is expanding, thanks to purchase of 80 percent of the Jordan-based MRO company by Abraaj Capital. By the end of 2006, JorAMCo will have doubled its hangar capacity with an added 17,000 square meters of hangar space and new capability to maintain the Airbus A300-600 and Boeing 737NG and Classic. JorAMCo expects to increase the size of its workforce up to 60 percent during the next two years. JorAMCo also announced that it was appointed a regional service center for Eaton's aerospace products. JorAMCo is targeting the growing MRO market in India and the company is hoping to open an MRO facility to serve the Indian market.

New Challenger Mx Facility
Premier/West Star has added Bombardier Challenger maintenance to its Grand Junction, Colorado location. The company is building a new 40,000-square foot facility at Grand Junction for Challenger maintenance customers and has invested in tools, training, and personnel to provide maintenance, paint, interior, and avionics for all Challenger models through the 604. Challenger maintenance expert George Hobbs will head up the new program. Premier/West Star also announced that Raytheon has selected the Grand Junction facility as a factory-authorized service center for the Hawker series.

Falcon Parts Prices Still Dropping
Dassault Falcon intends to continue decreasing parts prices in response to customer feedback, according to Gerry Goguen, senior vice president, customer service. The company's spares service level has reached 98.6 percent, up from 85 percent in 2001. In the past two years, Dassault Falcon has lowered prices on more than 5,000 parts an average of 24 percent. "We intend to reduce them even more," he said.