Page 13 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016 Online Magazine

FEATURE COMPOSITE MRO

LeFt: The Airbus A350 XWB
is indeed a quantum leap in
technology, from the large share
of carbon fiber composites
and titanium alloys used in its
structure to its highly advanced
turbofan engines

oPPosite PaGe: OEMs continue
to increase their presence
in the aftermarket and take
market share from established,
independent MROs
its system technologies such as the solid greatly reduce the complexities associated will cover airframe maintenance, advanced
state power control, variable frequency with the provision of spare parts. composite repairs, modifications and
generators and high-pressure hydraulics are “Overhauls and repairs, including airworthiness management, says the Paris-
derivatives of the larger A380. warranty handling, are part of the available headquartered MRO provider.
Lufthansa Technik has been significantly package. The combination of strong in-house
contributing to the development and design repair capabilities and supply chain options, Nascent Stage
of the A350 XWB over the past years. ranging from Single Component Maintenance MRO observers opine that even though the
Lufthansa Technik, which has already to Total Material Operations (TMO), means A350 is at a nascent age in its lifespan, MRO
gained substantial experience with the new that A350 fleets of any size will enjoy cost leaders will need to think carefully about
systems and their specific features, says its benefits normally only achievable by the whether they can profitably compete for
component shops know the technology and largest fleets,” Wortmann says. service contracts for the fleet, since there
have the tools and experience to handle and “Through our intensive, long-standing is only limited overall size of the market for
repair it. cooperation with Airbus, our participation in these aircraft, and the aircraft are used by
“So in addition to an established supply all the expert symposia related to the A350, a relatively small number of carriers. High
chain, A350 XWB operators find in Lufthansa and our ongoing experience with the first capital costs associated with retooling a
Technik an MRO provider with the full commercial customers for this aircraft type, shop to gain the capabilities necessary to
competence required to provide all-around we are also able to offer all the engineering, service these radically different airframes,
spares support from day one. The same completion and technical services for components and engines are other factors,
readiness applies to the dedicated diagnostic the ACJ350 at the highest possible level,” they say.
and repair processes established by our Wortmann adds. Aircraft parts made from composite
renowned Airframe Re-lated Component A dedicated “Entry-into-Service” Team materials, such as fairings, spoilers, and flight
(ARC) services, which draw from decades is currently preparing the phase-in of the controls, were developed during the 1960s
of experience in operating and repairing company’s own Lufthansa A350XWB aircraft, for their weight savings over aluminum parts.
commercial aircraft with major composite planned to arrive in November 2016, being the Aircraft designed in the 1970s used
components,” Carsten Wortmann, Corporate first out of 25 orders joining Lufthansa’s fleet. composite sandwich honeycomb structure
Product Manager, A350 Lufthansa Technik French maintenance provider Sabena for lightly loaded secondary structure, but
Market Entry. Technics has also been certificated to new large aircraft use thick solid laminates
Lufthansa Technik, which holds the support the Airbus A350. Sabena Technics for primary structure instead of sandwich
approval of the European airworthiness airframe maintenance sales head Alain honeycomb. These thick solid laminate
authority European Aviation Safety Agency Leboucher says, “We have been studying the structures are quite different from the
(EASA) as Maintenance Organisation for aircraft [A350] and its connectivity systems traditional sandwich honeycomb structures
the new aircraft type (Part 145 approval) is so we could come up with solutions especially used for flight controls, landing gear doors,
on track to provide broad A350 component designed for the Airbus A350 operators.” flaps, and spoilers of today’s aircraft.
services, offering single-source services that Sabena Technics’ services for the A350 New generation large aircraft are
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