Page 7 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 Online Magazine

COVER STORY LANDING GEAR

It takes Lufthansa Technik about five are increasingly relying on the ability to landing gear exchange programs for 777-
to six weeks to conduct a full landing gear exchange or lease landing gears to keep 300ER (Extended Range) and 777-200LR
overhaul for a widebody jet, which the their aircraft flying; except where the landing (Longer Range) airframes, had announced
company claims is faster than any other gear overhaul cycle, typically eight to 10 late last year about Air Canada, the
international maintenance and repair years, can be made to coincide with a major largest domestic and international airline
organisation. Not too long ago, a job of C or D check when an aircraft is inevitably in Canada, becoming its launch customer
this type could take up to 120 days, but grounded for a considerable period. for its ,landing gear exchange programs.
this has since been drastically reduced At Lufthansa Technik, landing gear Under the agreement, Air Canada
by a continual process of optimising work overhauls are almost entirely done on an will receive fully overhauled and certified
sequences, the processes employed and exchange basis rather than in the closed- landing gear shipsets for its fleet of 17
modern computer-based planning. loop process. “Customers receive an 777-300ERs and six 777-200LRs during
But with the industry bleeding, and overhauled landing gear assembly at the scheduled maintenance cycles.
majority of airlines in the red, operators agreed time and the unserviceable unit “We are very pleased with the value
can’t afford to leave their aircraft at the is sent back for overhaul. The overhauled being brought by Boeing on Air Canada’s
hangars for even few days. In view of the gear is then ready for the next customer Boeing 777 fleet,” says Alan Butterfield,
economic implications of landing gear airplane. Landing gear spares are vice president of Maintenance and
maintenance, airline operators are looking available for use by multiple operators, Engineering, Air Canada. “By continuing
at reliable access to landing gear repair, eliminating the need to keep your own to expand our partnership with Boeing,
exchanges and overhauls, which greatly spare shipsets and reducing your costs,” we are assuring Air Canada of a quality
reduces maintenance time and quickly he says. solution for our 777 Landing Gear
returns airplanes to revenue service. Lufthansa Technik also has its maintenance needs through Boeing’s
“Since no carrier can afford ground time integrated Total Landing Gear Support proven performance and commitment.”
for repairing or overhauling landing gear, TLS which it says accompanies the Boeing currently provides landing gear
a set going into overhaul is immediately customer’s landing gear over its entire life overhaul and exchange solutions to more
replaced by a spare,” says an official at cycle. “TLS starts the moment the landing than 80 customers on the MD-11, 717,
Lufthansa Technik. “Lufthansa Technik gear is put on the aircraft: operational Next-Generation 737, Boeing Business
has an exchange gear pool of hundreds of times are monitored, life-limited parts Jet, 747-400ER, 757-300, 767-300ER and
spares – a capital-intensive service that, are tracked, support for AOG events the 777-200ER airframes.
in conjunction with sophisticated logistics, and Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) is “With the expansion of Boeing’s
keeps the aircraft in the sky and brings the planned and scheduled, and overhauls, Landing Gear Overhaul and Exchange
budget down to earth.” including exchange units, are processed. program to 777-300ERs and 777-200LRs,
Understanding the importance, The service portfolio even includes the we are giving more airlines access to a
maintenance firms have initiated landing provision of leasing and loan plans up to cost-effective and reliable alternative
gear MRO services that include gear lease, the final resale,” the official says. to purchasing new landing gear and
exchange and/or loan elements. Operators Airframer Boeing, which has initiated performing equipment overhaul,” says

The vast majority of current
overhauls are still being
performed by non-OEM
providers, who can offer a
wider product range, as well as
strict and innovative focus on
developing new and smart repair
schemes to salvage parts
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