ARINC Direct has taken another step in its plan to become a significant player in the business jet arena, by opening a new hangar and expanding its service facility at Colorado Springs Airport.

To meet the desires of its customers to save time and money, ARINC Direct has positioned the new center as a one-stop solution. "Our one-stop facility means customers can now get all the aircraft services they need under one roof, at competitive rates," explained Dave Poltorak, vice president ARINC Direct Business Aviation Services.

While the new facility is equipped to handle any type of service or upgrades, one of its primary targets is providing RVSM compliance. "ARINC Direct now offers one-stop RVSM compliance services," Poltorak added. "Now flight departments and private operators can get all needed aircraft modifications, height monitoring, and approval manuals from a single source."

As a further service to flight departments and private operators, ARINC will prepare the RVSM approval packages required for RVSM compliance, either individually or under supplemental type certificates. "Expanding our RVSM services is part of ARINC's new focus on service to the business aviation community," Poltorak said. Other services include RVSM support, flight support services, data link, SkyLink broadband communications, and aircraft modification and maintenance services. "We want business jet operators and flight departments to know they have a new alternative in flight support."

Along with the RVSM compliance services, the new facility is equipped to perform aircraft inspections. The ARINC team also provides aircraft on ground services. "Our AOG team has been around the world working on aircraft from turboprops to 747s," Poltorak said.

Along with the expanded maintenance, repair, and inspection capabilities, ARINC Direct has also initiated a new aircraft maintenance management program. Aircraft under the management plan are placed on a computerized maintenance program that includes all pre-and post-flight services and logbook maintenance. -

PMA Parts Survey Results

Parts manufactured under FAA parts manufacturer approval (PMA) regulations are gaining increased acceptance and market share. This is according to a just-released study of PMA parts issues conducted by A.T. Kearney's Aerospace & Defense Practice and the Institute for Aircraft Propulsion Systems at the University of Stuttgart.

The survey questioned more than 800 participants at airlines, MRO companies, parts distributors, PMA manufacturers, component makers, and aircraft OEMs. There were 133 qualified responses.

Among the results:

• 80.2 percent believe that PMA parts is among the top ten issues for the aerospace industry. MRO providers ranked this issue as more important, at 96 percent of MRO respondents. Aircraft OEMs ranked this issue lower in importance, with 64 percent disagreeing.
• Safety ranked fairly low as a PMA issue, with 78 percent of respondents agreeing that PMA parts do not present a risk to aviation safety. However, 36 percent of OEM respondents believe that PMA parts are a safety issue. Only 8 percent of all respondents believe that "PMA parts represent a risk to aviation safety."
• Engine PMA parts are expected to be the greatest growth area in PMA, followed by systems parts. By 2015, respondents predict that engine PMA parts will reach 21 percent of the engine spares market.
• Respondents indicated that they believe the average savings potential of PMA parts versus OEM parts is about 31 percent. However, they also acknowledge that the making of any kind of part costs the same, whether PMA or OEM. Price differences are the result of "lower profit margins and lower overhead charges/complexity cost," according to the survey.
• Lower price ranked highest as the reason companies purchase PMA parts, followed by better availability, higher quality, and OEM parts no longer available.
• Issues that impact PMA growth include restrictive OEM warranty clauses, proprietary design, total care contracts, OEMs' expanded MRO activity, restrictive OEM service bulletins, and pressure by OEMs. FAA/JAA regulations ranked relatively high on the impact scale, but not highest.

MTU For Sales?

Industry observers are again suggesting that DaimlerChrysler may sell its German-based subsidiary MTU Aero Engines. The recent success by Europrop International (EPI), a consortium in which MTU has a 28-percent stake, to power the long-awaited Airbus A400M military transport airplane, may be a decisive opportunity. Since 2000, when DaimlerChrysler separated MTU from the rest of its aerospace activities (namely European champion EADS), MTU has been seen as a non-core business. Asked for comments on a possible MTU sale, DaimlerChrysler did not deny it is considering selling the company. "Opportunities opening up for MTU Aero Engines will be analyzed carefully," a company spokesman told Aviation Maintenance.

In early May, Airbus selected EPI to power the four-engine A400M. The other bidder was Pratt & Whitney Canada. Along with MTU, the EPI consortium regroups Rolls-Royce (U.K.), Snecma (France), and ITP (Spain). The first three each have a 28-percent stake, against 16 percent for ITP. At 11,000 shaft horsepower, the TP400-D6 will be the most powerful turboprop engine ever built in the Western world. The first engine is due to go to test in August 2005 with engines delivered for first flight in September 2007.

The TP400-D6 has a three-shaft configuration. It measures 17.3 feet in propeller diameter. MTU is responsible for the intermediate-pressure spool, comprising the intermediate-pressure compressor and turbine. It also cooperates with Snecma in producing the engine control system. Final assembly of all engines will take place at MTU, too. ITP is responsible for the low-pressure turbine including the turbine exit casing, the dressing, and the front frame.

Rolls-Royce is responsible for engine integration, the high-pressure compressor, the low-pressure shaft, the intermediate casing, and the structural parts for the bearing supports. In addition to its engine control system role, Snecma is responsible for the combustor and the high-pressure turbine as well as powerplant installation on aircraft.

In engine design and manufacturing, MTU is a risk-sharing partner in a number of commercial programs such as the V2500, the CF6, the PW4000, and the GP7000. In addition, the company is a partner in military programs such as the EJ200 engine for the Eurofighter. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities appear under the MTU Maintenance name. This division employs some 2,200 of the 8,400 people working at MTU. In 2002, MTU had total revenues of $2.5 billion. -