July 3, 2024 - No. 27 In This Issue : US FAA adopts airworthiness directive for 13 Boeing 757-200 US planes : Analyzing the Past to Accelerate Aircraft Maintenance in the Present and Predict Issues in the Future : Maintaining Professionalism and Integrity in Aircraft Maintenance : FAA Looking For AI Help With Flight Safety : This engine runs on water and will be commercialized: Better than hydrogen and more than 400 hp : FACC equips 2,000th Airbus aircraft with Sharklets : Boeing Investigating Undelivered 787s For Parts That Were Incorrectly Installed : Degraded components led to malfunction that caused F-16 crash: MINDEF : In major investment, officials break ground for military aircraft maintenance facility at N.C. Global TransPark : Prima Air Celebrates Aircraft Maintenance Technicians US FAA adopts airworthiness directive for 13 Boeing 757-200 US planes By Reuters June 26, 20244:05 AM CDT The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is adopting a new airworthiness directive for 13 Boeing 757-200 airplanes of U.S. registry over reports of cracking in the structure in and around the lavatory service panel. Airworthiness directives are legally enforceable regulations issued by the FAA to correct an unsafe condition in a product. The FAA said stress concentrations in the lavatory service panel access pan, the fuselage skin, and the stringer 22 attachment to the service panel are too high, causing fatigue cracking. That, in turn, could result in an in-flight depressurization and reduced structural integrity of the aircraft if not addressed, the FAA said. It said the directive impacts 757-200 planes modified by particular supplemental type certificates. Reporting by Disha Mishra and Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza Analyzing the Past to Accelerate Aircraft Maintenance in the Present and Predict Issues in the Future By Seth Babcock June 19, 2024 We’ve all heard the phrase, “Have you tried rebooting your machine?” It’s the first thing practically every IT help desk and tech support specialist asks when you call them with a technical problem. But why does a technician ask if you tried rebooting your system or device whenever you call for tech support? It’s most likely the first recommended step in a decision tree that the tech support employee has been trained to follow. A simple reboot is at the very top of that tree because it’s a quick and easy fix for some basic computer problems that require clearing temporary data and refreshing the operating system. Once a reboot is done and it fails to solve the problem, the IT specialist will begin to work down the troubleshooting decision tree. The specialist will work to eliminate potential causes of the problem through trial and error, starting with the simplest potential fixes and continuing with increasingly complex fixes until a solution is found. This is a relatively common practice when it comes to troubleshooting and repairing anything that isn’t working. A similar scenario usually happens when aircraft maintenance crews are trying to identify and repair a problem with an aircraft. When aircraft systems or components begin to fail, maintenance personnel generally reference the aircraft’s maintenance manual and begin to work their way down a troubleshooting decision tree. They’ll usually start with the most common and likely problems with the easiest solutions and work their way to the more complex and challenging problems that could require costly and time-consuming fixes. THE REPEATERS SOLUTION WILL NOT ONLY IDENTIFY REPEAT EVENTS ON AN AIRCRAFT BUT WILL ALSO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE…THIS CAN ELIMINATE MANY OF THE INCORRECT FIXES THAT MAY BE PRESENT IN THE TRADITIONAL TROUBLESHOOTING DECISION TREE AND HELP MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL [MORE RAPIDLY] IDENTIFY THE SOLUTION… But there’s a challenge with this approach to aircraft maintenance: it can lead to a maintenance action that may only be a temporary fix or may not resolve the underlying issues the first time. This can lead to repeat maintenance events, causing an aircraft to be out of service multiple times for the same root cause problem. Complex systems, complex problems The systems and components on aircraft are complex and can be exceptionally difficult to troubleshoot – potentially resulting in a significant loss of time and money. Let’s take a look at the pneumatic system as an example. The pneumatic system is responsible for pulling compressed air off of the engines and supplying it to run things like the air conditioning system, providing airflow throughout the entire aircraft or the wing and engine anti-ice system. Complexity is inherent in this system because many valves and a monitoring system are needed to ensure air pressure is regulated and temperature is consistent depending on the stage of flight. Air is pulled from various compressor stages of the engine. If the aircraft is taxiing or in decent, the pneumatic system will pull air from the intermediate stage, but may need to supplement from the high-pressure stage due to low engine speeds. When the aircraft is taking off or in cruise, the intermediate stage should be adequate to supply air for the system. Enabling this system is an ecosystem of valves, computers, sensors, and sense lines. This complexity makes the pneumatic system a challenging one to troubleshoot, which is compounded by the inability to replicate scenarios the flight crew experiences in the air by maintenance teams on the ground. Airlines have a tremendous amount of historical data about their aircraft…They should be able to use past maintenance and repair operations data to drive more proactive troubleshooting… Having previously worked in aircraft maintenance at an airline, I have firsthand knowledge of what it was like troubleshooting this system. Historically, when fault codes would begin to point to problems in the pneumatic system, a mechanic would reference the troubleshooting or fault isolation manual and start to progress down the troubleshooting decision tree. The first step in the manual could be to replace the monitoring computer. Unfortunately, the monitoring computer typically has a very high “no fault found” rate and, often times, the aircraft will quickly be back out of service due to the same root cause. The systemic problem leads to additional out of service time and an incurred component overhaul cost for no fault found. How can we solve this problem and make the first fix to the aircraft the correct one? A more practical solution might be to learn from what has been done in the past to enable more rapid and effective repair operations in the present. Using data for more proactive maintenance Airlines have a tremendous amount of historical data about their aircraft, including maintenance logs, fault codes, and full flight sensor data. They should be able to use past maintenance and repair operations data to drive more proactive troubleshooting and expedite the maintenance and repair process. Collins Aerospace is developing a number of exciting new features for its Ascentia® platform that could do just that. A new tool called Analytic Developer takes 3,000 full flight parameters and transforms the data set into 1.2 million unique analyses. It then compares the results against component removals to identify patterns and correlations in the data that can be used to create new analytics that the airline can choose to enable. Analytic Developer will enhance the airlines’ ability to self-develop their own analytics quickly to supplement the existing analytics Collins currently has developed, providing a more wholistic, predictive self-service maintenance platform. THE SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS ON AIRCRAFT ARE COMPLEX AND CAN BE EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT TO TROUBLESHOOT – POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF TIME AND MONEY. Collins is pushing things a step further—to further bring predictive analytics and maintenance datasets together with troubleshooting and diagnostics. We will soon be launching another new feature in Ascentia called Repeaters, which uses natural language processing on maintenance log page datasets at an airline. The Repeaters solution will not only identify repeat events on an aircraft but will also identify the root cause and extract the corrective action and recommend the part to be replaced, if applicable. This can eliminate many of the incorrect fixes that may be present in the traditional troubleshooting decision tree and help maintenance personnel identify the solution that helps troubleshoot the root cause in significantly less time. Let’s look back at our pneumatic system example to see how this would work. As we discussed, the first step in the troubleshooting or fault isolation manual often involves replacing the monitoring computer, which is rarely the problem. The Repeaters solution would be able to look back through historical maintenance logs and identify that this step rarely fixes the problem. It would then help to point maintenance personnel to the correct action to fix the problem earlier in the process. Problems most frequently occur in the pneumatic system with the valves and/or sense lines. The Repeaters solution would identify from fault codes and maintenance logs that the valves or sense lines were the most likely culprits. This—coupled with full flight data—could also direct maintenance personnel to the particular valve or sense line that was most likely malfunctioning. A critical component to better maintenance In the commercial aviation industry, discussions about leveraging advanced technologies to improve maintenance often mention connectivity, sensor data, and artificial intelligence (AI) to become more proactive in repairing or replacing failing components and parts. In fact, I did an entire interview on this site about that capability. While it’s incredibly beneficial for airlines to predict the future and become more proactive with their maintenance, they can also benefit from looking to their past to make their present repair operations more effective. Putting the past and present together with predictive technologies will enable airlines to further use that data. With solutions like Repeaters and Analytic Developer, airlines can accelerate maintenance and repairs, reduce downtime, and streamline operations. Maintaining Professionalism and Integrity in Aircraft Maintenance Robert (Bob) Baron, Ph.D President/CEO at The Aviation Consulting Group, LLC March 30, 2024 Note: this article was originally published in 2011 A number of years ago, an experienced and qualified aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) with a tight deadline discovered that he needed a special jig to drill of a new door torque tube on a B-747. However, the jig was not available, so he decided to drill the holes by hand on a pillar drill (an unapproved procedure). Subsequently, the door came open in flight and the aircraft had to make an emergency landing. The AMT, in the interest of being a company man and trying to get the aircraft out on time, committed what is known as a situational violation. A situational violation occurs when an AMT, typically with good intentions, deviates from a procedure in order to get the job done. The reason for a procedural deviation may stem from time pressure, working conditions, or a lack of resources. This example is not only a classic maintenance human factors error but it also speaks to the issue of professionalism and integrity. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in its suggested syllabus for human factors training for maintenance, specifically mentions professionalism and integrity as a training topic. But what is Professionalism and Integrity and can it even be taught? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person” and defines integrity as “a firm adherence to a code of moral values.” The topic itself can be rather nebulous, and in fact difficult to develop into a training module, yet its importance is unquestionably a critical part of a healthy safety culture. There is some aviation-specific guidance on teaching Professionalism and Integrity from the Regulator standpoint. For instance, the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom has a small section in CAP 716 (a human factors training publication) pertaining to the subject. Two key points discussed are; 1) employees basically know how to behave in a professional manner but may be limited in doing so due to organizational issues (such as pressure, lack of resources, poor training, etc.) and 2) in a human factors training course, it is up to the trainer to determine whether problems with professionalism are on an individual or organizational level and tailor the training accordingly. Interestingly, CAP 716 does not elaborate on the topic of Integrity as it does with Professionalism, perhaps because it is assumed that both topics overlap. They do to some extent, but Integrity still warrants a bit more elucidation. As defined earlier, integrity is “a firm adherence to a code of moral values.” Based on this definition, this is where things can get interesting. How can an employee adhere firmly to a code of values that is largely unwritten and certainly not available to reference in the employee handbook? A code of values is something that is learned through upbringing and life experiences. By the time a person becomes gainfully employed, he or she should have a good idea of what is morally (and/or ethically) right or wrong. Yet, corporate greed and power can cause otherwise good people to cross the fine line of right and wrong. Recent examples include Kenneth Lay [Enron] and Bernard Madoff [Ponzi scheme], both of whom crossed the line and committed egregious violations of integrity and public trust. In aviation, on a corporate level, while financial scandals are rare, there have still been significant events that have led to deviations in integrity based on the pursuit of excessive financial gain. For instance, the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 in Chicago in 1979 was precipitated by events and procedures that were put in place by American’s upper level management. Management endorsed the use of a forklift (an unapproved procedure) to change engines on its fleet. What management was not aware of was that using the forklift was creating an unseen crack in the accident aircraft’s engine pylon. This crack continued to propagate and eventually caused the left engine to depart the aircraft on its takeoff roll and crash shortly after becoming airborne. Two hundred and fifty eight people (including 13 crew) onboard the aircraft and two people on the ground were killed. The crash of American 191 was an unfortunate example of the integrity line being crossed. It is clear in hindsight that management was trying to save money, albeit in a dangerous manner. The unapproved forklift procedure ostensibly saved time and money and thus allowed the aircraft to spend less time in maintenance and more time generating income. When upper level management endorses this type of deviant behavior and lower level employees are, by default, “along for the ride,” then a norm develops and the entire organization is complicit in crossing the integrity line. This was also the case in the events that led to the crash of Continental Express Flight 2574 in 1991 (47 screws were not put back on the horizontal stabilizer during a shift turnover). The aforementioned organizational failures raise a very good fundamental question about personal integrity; why would the employees go “along for the ride” with these types of breaches in integrity when they know they are working contradictive to approved procedures? Once again, it has to do with norms or the “normal” way business is being conducted (whether right or wrong). It also has to do with a few social psychological phenomena such as cognitive dissonance and conformity. Cognitive dissonance may occur when a pair of cognitions are consonant (in agreement) and dissonant (incongruous) at the same time. This may be the case when an employee knows that an incorrect procedure is being used universally but at the same time does not want to speak up for fear of castigation. Similarly, conformity is a strong social psychological phenomenon that occurs when an employee chooses to “go with the crowd” rather than stand out as a complainer, loner, non-team player, etc. Conformity can be further exacerbated by the tremendous peer pressure that develops in groups. Individual employees need to realize that, although the reasons for not speaking up are understandable, that does not relieve them from the need to speak up. If not, then on a personal level, they are overstepping the bounds of integrity and their actions may be a contributing factor in an aircraft accident or incident. Think about that. The topic of Professionalism and Integrity is clearly not a popular human factors topic. It is reasonable to assume that this is due to its somewhat awkward nature. Trying to “teach” the topic can become even more confounding because many instructors have a hard time compiling relevant information. Overall, there is not much guidance in comparison to the myriad of other human factors topics. So what is the bottom line of expectations for Professionalism and Integrity for employees? I propose The Ten Commandments of Professionalism and Integrity: The Ten Commandments of Professionalism and Integrity 1. Thou shalt arrive at work on time and be prepared to work. 2. Thou shalt keep current on procedures and strive to increase thy knowledge. 3. Thou shalt respect thy peers (even if thou doesn’t particularly care for them). 4. Thou shalt be part of the team effort to make safety a number one priority. 5. Thou shalt assert thyself at those times when deemed necessary. 6. Thou shalt strive to draw the line between right and wrong. 7. Thou shalt not let greed drive deviations from approved procedures. 8. Thou shalt not “go with the flow” when the flow is going the wrong way. 9. Thou shalt think carefully about what is legally right but morally wrong. 10. Thou shalt post a copy of this article in a conspicuous place in thy hangar. FAA Looking For AI Help With Flight Safety By Russ Niles Published: June 27, 2024 Facing a major controller shortage, the ragged rollout of new technology and a growing list of airliner-involved runway incursions, the FAA is asking AI for help. The agency has issued a request for information calling on the artificial intelligence industry for ideas on how to use the burgeoning technology to improve aviation safety. “The FAA envisions a new safety analytics system that will vastly expand and accelerate insights from current and additional sources of data and provide a comprehensive understanding of causal factors of safety events to help predict high-risk operations and environments,” the RFI says. The agency also admits how disorganized its own structure is, saying it includes “an extensive collection of connected and disconnected systems.” It wants all the bells and whistles that AI promises to deliver but it wants to keep what it has, and any new tech will have to integrate with the existing data infrastructure, some of which dates to the 1970s. The RFI was issued on June 10 and companies have until July 2 to address the 11 points detailed in the document. This engine runs on water and will be commercialized: Better than hydrogen and more than 400 hp by D. García 06/30/2024 in Mobility Credits: ecoticias.com China already testing the most efficient engine in history: No EVs, no FCEVs This hydrogen engine is so massive, it has the world on tenterhooks: there will only be 200, with 75,000 tons of fuel America has the hydrogen vehicle the world doesn’t know about: There are only 90, and they’re colossal In the midst of the search for new forms of fuel, an engine that runs on water appears. It is said to be better than hydrogen and produces more than 400 hp. If you were surprised by what we told you about the first compressed air model, you can’t miss what’s coming next. We have seen hydrogen as the technology of the future for years. Ensuring sustainable mobility is one of the great objectives of human beings globally and hydrogen seemed to have many ‘pros’ to be the most sought after fuel to leave aside fossil fuels. Another of the most talked about vehicles in recent times are electric vehicles, which are rapidly gaining ground. However, they are still far from being as everyday options as gasoline and diesel, which is why new options continue to appear on the market. Water engine surprises, displaces hydrogen In addition to the usual use of hydrogen, some engine manufacturers are exploring the possibility of burning hydrogen with combustion engines. This operation is more inefficient, but retains much of the essence of these engines, with a similar feel and engine sound that resembles gasoline. This concept comes from the hand of the first European hydrogen engine with a trick that we had not seen so far: injecting water. It is true that it still uses H as the current models, but with a different and promising perspective. A feat that comes from the hand of AVL Racetech engineers, experts in the development of technologies for competition and suppliers of teams from Formula 1 to NASCAR. They have announced on their website the achievement of their two-liter turbocharged combustion model that develops 410 hp of power at 6,500 rpm and delivers a torque of 500 Nm between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. These figures are recognized in turbocharged gasoline engines of similar power output, which until now have been ranked above hydrogen-burning engines. Operation of the water engine To achieve these data, they note that it is important to inject hot water into the intake system. With injectors, they spray water into the intake air manifold, a method that ensures a more homogeneous hydrogen system and avoids premature self-ignition or detonations that could end the engine’s useful life. The ultimate goal is for this model to work with higher pressure in the combustion chamber by cooling the air coming from the turbocharger. At present, H combustion engines operate with large amounts of customer air that impoverish the mixture, something that will change with this water injection method. The plan now is to take the hydrogen combustion engine off the test bench and see how it evolves in competition. This stage will be key to demonstrate the reliability of the system and see whether or not it is really viable for large-scale production. The company claims that it is an interesting option to the fuel cell because it allows transforming gasoline combustion engines to hydrogen, without adding large costs. The water model has been tested before, but now it could be different. This type of engine is not new. Other brands such as BMW tried to implement it. In their case, they sprayed water into the manifold to lower the temperature of the air reaching the combustion chamber. With this way of working they managed to control premature self-ignitions caused by excessive temperature. The water engine could have a second chance and find its place in the market. To achieve this, it will have to compete with other popular options such as the one-stroke model. FACC equips 2,000th Airbus aircraft with Sharklets Eight-foot-high composite components furnish the Airbus A320 Family, enhancing fuel efficiency via their biomimetic design. Edited by: GRACE NEHLS FACC team flanked by two Sharklets. Source | FACC AG In June 2024, FACC (Ried im Innkreis, Austria) equipped the 2,000th Airbus aircraft with Sharklets — 8-foot-high parts made of composite materials that consist of around 4,000 individual components. The upwardly curved wingtips help to significantly reduce an aircraft’s fuel consumption. The Sharklets are manufactured at FACC headquarters in Ried im Innkreis by a team of around 100 highly specialized experts, then delivered directly to Airbus production lines. They specifically equip the Airbus A320 Family; in this way, FACC says it is making a significant contribution to increasing the efficiency and range of modern passenger aircraft. To celebrate this anniversary, a Sharklet will be assembled at Airbus and will go to an airline in the Arab world. The Now and Next In Composites The composites industry is constantly being shaped and reshaped by myriad forces - people, markets, technologies - all stimulating innovative new ways to apply fiber-reinforced materials in everything from boats and wind blades to airplanes and automobiles. CW Trending is a monthly video podcast that takes a closer look at these composites forces and helps you make sense of them. CW Trending features subject-matter experts, material suppliers, technology mavens and CW's own editors to explore the ideas, technologies, trends and innovations in development or already in the marketplace. Join us and be a part of the conversation. Watch Now “Producing 2,000 Sharklets for our customer Airbus is a milestone for FACC,” emphasizes FACC CEO Robert Machtlinger. “We look forward to equipping many more Airbus aircraft with FACC Sharklets in the coming years. With over 7,000 Airbus A320 Family aircraft on order by airlines, we are now continuing this success story together.” Sharklets are biomimetic — they are inspired by large birds, such as the condor, which have outer feathers that bend upward during flight, enabling them to fly more efficiently. The name “Sharklet” is derived from the shark-fin-like shape of the component. FACC equips 2,000th Airbus aircraft with Sharklets Boeing Investigating Undelivered 787s For Parts That Were Incorrectly Installed Ty Roush Forbes Staff Ty Roush is a breaking news reporter based in New York City.Follow Jun 13, 2024,01:09pm EDT Updated Jun 13, 2024, 02:04pm EDT TOPLINE Boeing is inspecting a quality issue with undelivered 787 Dreamliner aircraft, after finding hundreds of fasteners were incorrectly installed, the company said Thursday—the latest manufacturing issue for the aerospace firm as it faces increased scrutiny from regulators over safety concerns The aerospace company said there are no immediate concerns the issue would affect flight safety. GETTY IMAGES KEY FACTS Boeing is inspecting the fasteners—a metal piece connecting two or more objects, like a joint—on “some” undelivered 787 Dreamliner planes “to ensure they meet our engineering specifications,” the company said in a statement to Forbes. There is no concern about the issue affecting flight safety, according to Boeing, which said it will determine whether any rework is needed on all undelivered aircraft in inventory. Boeing said there will be “limited to no impact” on deliveries because of the issue, adding deliveries for new 787 planes have not been paused. The investigation will cover how the fasteners were tightened at Boeing’s manufacturing plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, where more than 900 fasteners are installed per plane, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. SURPRISING FACT The Federal Aviation Administration said last month it would investigate claims from Boeing that some employees falsified inspection records for some 787 Dreamliners. Boeing notified the FAA about the issue after an employee reported what appeared to be an “irregularity” during required safety tests. Scott Stocker, general manager of Boeing’s 787 program, said in a memo the company determined the skipped inspections didn’t create a safety issue, according to The Washington Post. KEY BACKGROUND Federal regulators have increasingly scrutinized Boeing, after a metal door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 during the middle of a flight in January. A subsequent probe by the National Transportation Safety Board found the aircraft was missing several key bolts, suggesting the plane had flown without the bolts for three months before the incident. The NTSB also said paperwork for the removal of the bolts did not exist. Earlier this week, Boeing reported only receiving four orders for new planes in May, a month after the company reported just seven sales for its aircraft. Last month, Boeing gave the FAA a new comprehensive plan to address the company’s “systemic quality control issues” in manufacturing, following a warning by the agency indicating it would have increased oversight at the company. TANGENT FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said during a Senate hearing Thursday the agency has “multiple active investigations” into Boeing, adding the FAA is “processing a number of reports filed by whistleblowers,” according to Bloomberg. Whitaker also said the FAA’s oversight of Boeing was “too hands-off” before the Alaska Airlines incident in January, as the agency was “too focused on paperwork audits and not focused enough on inspections.” Degraded components led to malfunction that caused F-16 crash: MINDEF Two out of four pitch rate gyroscopes in the aircraft had degraded due to wear and tear and failed during take-off. A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-16 fighter and a sign pointing towards Tengah Air Base. A RSAF F-16 jet crashed at Tengah Air Base shortly after taking off on May 8, 2024. (File photos: AFP/Paul Crock, CNA/Raydza Rahman) … SINGAPORE: Degraded components known as pitch rate gyroscopes led to a malfunction that resulted in the crash of an F-16 jet on May 8, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said on Wednesday (Jun 19) after investigations concluded. Pitch rate gyroscopes are sensors that a flight control computer uses to control an aircraft and all F-16 fighter jets are fitted with four such gyroscopes. The pilot was unable to control the plane at take-off because its pitch rate gyroscopes gave erroneous inputs to the flight control computer, MINDEF said on May 18. The pilot responded "in accordance with emergency procedures" and ejected within Tengah Air Base before being evacuated to hospital. Training for Singapore's F-16 fleet was temporarily suspended in the wake of the crash but resumed after the cause of the crash was identified. Broad description of the F-16's flight control system. (Image: MINDEF) WHAT HAPPENED MINDEF said in its update on Wednesday that two out of four pitch rate gyroscopes in the aircraft gave "erroneous but similar inputs" to the digital flight control computer. It was found that the two gyroscopes had degraded due to wear and tear and failed during take-off. Former Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) pilot Ong Swee Chuan previously told CNA that at any one time, three out of four of them are used and the average of two is taken to provide data to the flight control computer, With two gyroscopes registering erroneous inputs that were similar, the flight control logic "accepted" them as "correct" while rejecting the inputs from each of the remaining functioning gyroscopes as "incorrect", said MINDEF. "This caused the digital flight control computer to manoeuvre the aircraft in response to the erroneous pitch rate feedback signal from the two degraded gyroscopes, making the F-16 uncontrollable by the pilot," it added. NO FAULT DETECTED BEFORE TAKE-OFF The investigation, which was led by the RSAF and supported by Lockheed Martin and the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau, also concluded that the F-16 aircraft was maintained according to established protocols. The RSAF had adhered to required maintenance inspections, said MINDEF, noting that F-16's gyroscopes are the same as those used by other F-16 operators around the world. "Lockheed Martin does not stipulate any preventive maintenance for these gyroscopes," it added. "The gyroscopes are to be replaced when a fault is detected." MINDEF added that the F-16's pre-flight built-in test "did not detect any fault" with the aircraft's gyroscopes before take-off. "It is assessed that the two pitch rate gyroscopes had degraded due to wear and tear and failed during take-off," said MINDEF. It added that the RSAF has put in place an additional preventive maintenance procedure for the gyroscopes to reduce the chance of a reoccurrence. RSAF engineers will periodically remove the F-16 gyroscope assemblies and test them using specialised equipment to increase the likelihood for engineers to detect early signs of degradation, said the Defence Ministry. This will allow them to "pre-emptively replace the gyroscopes, before the gyroscopes reach the stage of accelerated degradation leading to failure". This measure is over and above the prescribed aircraft manufacturer's maintenance procedures, noted MINDEF. It also said that each RSAF F-16 aircraft's flight control gyroscopes had been checked and cleared before it resumed F-16 flights on May 21. "According to Lockheed Martin, this is a rare occurrence and the first such failure reported to it since the F-16s first flew in 1974," said MINDEF. With approximately 3,100 F-16s operating in 25 countries and over 19 million flight hours, MINDEF added it remains "confident in the operational capability and reliability of the F-16 to defend Singapore's skies". In major investment, officials break ground for military aircraft maintenance facility at N.C. Global TransPark PRESS RELEASE Ground breaking event at Global TransPark. Photo: Danny Perez/Neuse News. State, federal and local officials broke ground Tuesday on a North Carolina Global TransPark complex that the U.S. Navy will use to maintain and repair Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. Officials said the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center East, C-130 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul complex will create more than 400 new jobs and generate $400 million in new investment for the region. The facility will expand the existing Fleet Readiness Center East, which is at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock and is the state’s largest employer east of Interstate 95. US Senator Thom Tillis at the ground breaking event at Global TransPark. Photo: Danny Perez/Neuse News. "As the most military-friendly state in America, I’m proud that the Global TransPark has become a magnet for aerospace investment that supports the mission of our fighting men and women," said Governor Roy Cooper. "This FRC East expansion is a monumental investment in Eastern North Carolina that will create more than 400 great jobs to keep our C-130s in top flying condition." Officials with the N.C. Global TransPark, the North Carolina Global TransPark Economic Development Region and the U.S. Navy made Tuesday’s announcement from the existing Fleet Readiness Center East’s UH-1 “Huey” hangar at the TransPark. “This facility represents a significant investment in North Carolina’s future,” said state Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “We’re pleased to support this project because it will mean a great deal to eastern North Carolina and better position the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps to execute their missions.” Construction is scheduled to begin on the new 700,000-square-foot facility later this year and be complete by September 2026. The Navy and Marine Corps will use the facility to maintain and repair C/KC-130J Super Hercules, C/KC-130T Hercules, and HH-60W “Whiskey” Combat Rescue Helicopter. "This massive MRO complex, with over 16 acres under one roof and over 400 new jobs, will be transformative for the GTP,” said Tom Hendrickson, chairman of the N.C. Global TransPark Authority’s Board of Directors. “The new facility is a testament to the strength of our partnership with Fleet Readiness Center East. It is our largest and most significant collaboration to date, offering unparalleled support for military aviation maintenance while also boosting economic prosperity in our community. This project will bring high-quality jobs to the area, stimulate local businesses and attract new investment to the GTP and the region." The groups that partnered to bring the facility to Kinston were the North Carolina Global TransPark, the North Carolina Economic Development Region, the N.C. General Assembly, NCDOT, the North Carolina Community College System, Golden LEAF Foundation, Fleet Readiness Center East, the U.S. Navy, Lenoir County and Kinston. “The Golden LEAF Board was pleased to award funds to support construction of a hangar that is an integral part of this project,” said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF president and chief executive officer. “Golden LEAF is proud to support the growth of the economic impact of the Global TransPark and help strengthen the presence of our country’s military in North Carolina.” Prima Air Celebrates Aircraft Maintenance Technicians June 28, 2024 Rewards can come in many shapes and forms in the aviation maintenance sector. Related To: Prima Air Prima Air's maintenance team held a cookout to celebrate the National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day. Rewards can come in many shapes and forms in the aviation maintenance sector. Pegasus Elite Aviation - recently acquired by Prima Air - has maintained the highest industry-standard Argus Platinum Safety Certification since 2008. "Working as an aviation maintenance technician at Prima Air is a great experience that offers talented individuals great opportunities within an industry-leading company committed to the highest standards," Stanley adds. Prima Air provides training programs for hands-on experience. Due to high demand, new graduates can easily secure a well-paying job upon completion of the program, meaning additional experience and a great career start. "A typical day for a maintenance technician at Prima Air is never the same," said Prima Air's VP of Maintenance, Adam Stanley. "One day you can be replacing a tire and another day troubleshooting an autopilot issue or replacing a winglet. Our technicians gain a lot of experience from the fast-paced and ever-changing environment." Stanley describes the aviation maintenance technician team as a close-knit group that supports each other. "Everyone is highly skilled in their own way, together we have over 280 years of aviation maintenance experience," he said. His advice for anyone interested in pursuing a career in aviation maintenance: "go for it." Curt Lewis