Page 12 - AAA JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019 Online Magazine

Already in 2018, more than 50 employees of Lufthansa Technik is likely to be granted an FAA Part 145 repair
Malta attained the necessary qualifications and practical knowl- station certificate late this year or in early 2020.
edge to work on the A350-900. These skills are now also being The repair station would round out an already
used to perform overhauls on the larger type. A total of more than long list of composite work AAR performs.
US$3 million has been invested in the preparation for overhauls
of both types, with the first three customers expected until the Nascent Stage
end of 2019. MRO observers opine that even though the
A350 is at a nascent age in its lifespan, MRO
“So in addition to an established supply chain, A350 XWB oper- leaders will need to think carefully about
ators find in Lufthansa Technik an MRO provider with the full whether they can profitably compete for ser-
competence required to provide all-around spares support from vice contracts for the fleet, since there is only
day one. The same readiness applies to the dedicated diagnos- limited overall size of the market for these air-
tic and repair processes established by our renowned Airframe craft, and the aircraft are used by a relatively
small number of carriers. High capital costs
associated with retooling a shop to gain the
capabilities necessary to service these rad-
ically different airframes, components and
engines are other factors, they say.

Aircraft parts made from composite materials,
such as fairings, spoilers, and flight controls,
were developed during the 1960s for their
weight savings over aluminum parts.

Aircraft designed in the 1970s used compos-
ite sandwich honeycomb structure for lightly
loaded secondary structure, but new large
aircraft use thick solid laminates for primary
structure instead of sandwich honeycomb.
These thick solid laminate structures are
quite different from the traditional sandwich
honeycomb structures used for flight con-
trols, landing gear doors, flaps, and spoilers of
Re-lated Component (ARC) services, which draw from decades today’s aircraft.
of experience in operating and repairing commercial aircraft with
major composite components,” Motschenbacher adds. New generation large aircraft are designed with
Lufthansa Technik, which holds the approval of the European all composite fuselage and wing structures,
airworthiness authority European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the repair of these advanced composite
as Maintenance Organisation for the new aircraft type (Part 145 materials requires an in-depth knowledge of
approval) is on track to provide broad A350 component services, composite structures, materials, and tooling.
offering single-source services that greatly reduce the complexities The primary advantages of composite materi-
associated with the provision of spare parts. als are their high strength, relatively low weight,
and corrosion resistance.
“Overhauls and repairs, including warranty handling, are part
of the available package. The combination of strong in-house “They present a challenge to repair and are
repair capabilities and supply chain options, ranging from Single difficult to repair with a bonded repair method,”
Component Maintenance to Total Material Operations (TMO), says an official of a leading MRO service pro-
means that A350 fleets of any size will enjoy cost benefits normally vider. He also had a word of caution when he
only achievable by the largest fleets,”Motschenbacher says. says: “Whenever possible, replace, rather than
repair.”
“Through our intensive, long-standing cooperation with Airbus, Repairs in composite parts are either pro-
our participation in all the expert symposia related to the A350, hibited (leading to extensive replacements) or
and our ongoing experience with the first commercial customers executed with metals (aluminum or titanium).
for this aircraft type, we are also able to offer all the engineering, “Currently the repair of composite parts is
completion and technical services for the ACJ350 at the highest either prohibited, leading to an extensive
possible level,” he adds. replacement programme, labour intensive and
therefore expensive, time consuming or exe-
AAR Corp. plans to establish a repair station in Clearwater in Florida cuted with traditional metal materials, such as
to its extensive list of composites services. The composite facility aluminium or titanium,” he says.

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