En-route to the A350 - "Overcoming time zones"
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The Lufthansa Technik Group Magazine 5.2014 September/October
New aircraft
En-route to the A350
Sales reorganization
“Overcoming
time zones”
Technical Operations Management
Added value
through integration
NASA jumbo overhaul
Rejuvenating a
special lady
2 | Content Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
Company
En-route to the A350 • Interview with Walter Heerdt: 6
“Overcoming time zones”
Lufthansa Passage, Lufthansa Technik and Airbus put the on-board
and ground handling procedures under the microscope.
New aircraft
• Route proving tour: 8
En-route to the A350
• Lufthansa Technik Philippines: 11
Expanded A380 capabilities
8
Technology & Innovation
• Thermographic crack 12
detection (TCD):
Walking robot inspects fuselage
eServices
• manage/m®: 14
Walking robot inspects fuselage New features for m/material
A new robot automates the thermographic crack
Engine Services
detection (TCD) for the inspection of aircraft fuselages.
• Cooperation with Middle River 15
Aircraft Systems (MRAS):
GEnx thrust reverser overhaul
Aircraft Services
12
• NASA jumbo: 16
Rejuvenating a special lady
• Lufthansa Technik Philippines: 20
A320 Sharklet retrofit in Manila
• A310 aircraft conversion: 22
From VIP to ZERO-G
Component Services
Rejuvenating a special lady • A340 main landing gear: 21
Electroplating shop expands
NASA’s flying observatory SOFIA is undergoing a
capacity
major overhaul at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg.
Total Support Services
• Technical Operations Management: 24
Added value through integration
16
Events & Exhibitions
• NBAA 2014: 26
Display with a “wow” effect
Categories
• News 3–5
• Personalities 25
24
• Products & Services 28
• Contacts 30
Lufthansa Technik Connection
is a complimentary information service for Lufthansa Technik’s
family and friends. Published every two months.
This and earlier issues can be downloaded from our website
www.lufthansa-technik.com/connection
Publisher
Lufthansa Technik AG
Tilman Tesseraux · Marketing & Sales · HAM TS/M
Weg beim Jäger 193 · 22335 Hamburg, Germany
Infoline +49-40-5070-5553 · Fax +49-40-5070-8860
Added value through integration marketing.sales@lht.dlh.de · www.lufthansa-technik.com
Editorial Production
Editorial office: Flightlines, Hamburg
Placing Technical Operations Management (TOM) in the Design: Art Works! Werbeagentur, Hamburg
hands of Lufthansa Technik is a highly beneficial solution. Photos: Lufthansa Technik AG, Lufthansa AG
Printing: Beisner Druck GmbH & Co. KG
Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 News | 3
And the 1,500th jumbo jet goes to…
…Lufthansa! When Lufthansa’s 14th Boeing 747-8 landed in Frankfurt in June it was
not only the 76th jumbo that Lufthansa has received from Boeing in Seattle since the 1970s –
the aircraft also represents a veritable milestone in aviation history.
first European carrier to deploy the jumbo
on scheduled services. The aircraft was
host to several major world premières in
succession, including the first film shown
on board a jumbo jet. Only twenty months
after the maiden flight of the Boeing 747-130,
the fourth Lufthansa jumbo took off on
2 April 1971 as a modified model. Boeing
had equipped the 747-200 with larger
fuel tanks and a higher take-off weight of
378 tons. This meant that the aircraft had
a longer range.
Significant technological input
“A step towards the 1990s” is how Lufthansa
CEO Heinz Ruhnau described the purchase
agreement signed on 23 June 1986 for an
T
his aircraft, whose tail number is lower. The noise footprint of the Boeing initial order of six enhanced Boeing air-
D-ABYP (“Yankee Papa”), is the 747-8 is 30 per cent smaller compared craft. Lufthansa had already been involved
1,500th jumbo to be built in the with the older Boeing 747-400. in the planning of the Boeing 747-100.
world. “It’s an honour for Lufthansa that the What started as the first training flight However, as the first airline to order the
anniversary jumbo will fly in the colours of with the new Boeing 747 over the moun- “Dash 400” (Boeing 747-400), it now
the Lufthansa crane,” said Nico Buchholz, tains east of Seattle in October 1969 went played a key part in the development of the
Head of Group Fleet Management at on to become an icon of the Lufthansa new aircraft, providing many hundreds of
Deutsche Lufthansa. “For decades, Luft- fleet, and, indeed, of commercial aviation suggestions for improvements and more
hansa has been one of the aircraft manu- as a whole. On 9 March 1970, the then than 20,000 engineer hours.
facturer’s closest advisers – a pioneer when Lufthansa CEO Herbert Culmann took With this aircraft, the modern, digitalised
it comes to developing new, environmental- delivery of the first Lufthansa Boeing 747- two-man cockpit that Jürgen Weber, the
ly friendly and fuel-efficient aircraft,” added 130 in front of the factory in Everett. The man responsible for aircraft development
Buchholz at the handover in Seattle. aircraft’s production number was 12 and at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg at the
its Lufthansa registration was D-ABYA. time and later Chairman of the Executive
World's largest 747-8 operator Lufthansa thereby became the second Board and CEO of Lufthansa, and Reinhard
international airline, after PanAm, and the Abraham, the former Chief Technical Officer
Lufthansa is expecting to receive a total of of the Lufthansa Group, had worked to
19 aircraft of this type, and will therefore be achieve became a reality.
the world’s largest operator of 747-8s As the new millennium started, the idea
among passenger airlines. The “Dash 8”, was put forth to develop an enhanced
as it is also known, has plenty to offer. By version of the Boeing 747-400. And so not
using the latest jumbo, Lufthansa is taking only was the jumbo extended by 5.6 meters,
a further step towards having a “three-liter it was also totally redeveloped, including
fleet” (per passenger and 100 kilometers). a new wing design and new engines. On
The aircraft is 15 percent more fuel-efficient 2 May 2012, Lufthansa became the first
than its predecessor model and, as a result, passenger airline in the world to receive
its CO2 emissions are around 15 percent a Boeing 747-8.
4 | News Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
Frankfurt
Beijing
147 young people
begin training
Hamburg Training // At the traditional
start of the German training
Line maintenance for year in August, 147 young
Singapore’s A380 people are beginning either
25 years of ETOPS
Ameco Beijing // Lufthansa traditional or dual-study training Authority approvals // On 12
Technik’s Chinese affiliate has programs with the Lufthansa June 1989 a Lufthansa Airbus
started to provide line mainte- Technik Group. All told, Luft- A300 took off from Frankfurt
nance and aircraft releasing
Training capabilities hansa Technik will be home to am Main for its inaugural flight
services for Singapore Airlines’
updated 591 trainees on their way to to Montréal and Philadelphia.
A380 aircraft which is used by Lufthansa Technical Training // professions in technical aircraft This was the first time that Luft
the carrier on Beijing-Singapore The new capability list of Luft- services or aircraft logistics. hansa had used a twinjet on a
route, seven flights per week. hansa Technical Training is One highlight of the current long-haul route and marks the
Ameco has already been pro- available online at the training training year is the success of start of such flying operations.
viding line maintenance and provider’s website. Please the company’s measures to The certification of the Airbus
aircraft releasing services for scan the QR increase the number of trainees A310-300 and A300-600R for
Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777 code for a PDF with lower-level secondary ETOPS – Extended-Range
and Airbus A330 in Beijing download or school qualifications. And as is Twin-Engine Operational Per-
since 2011. In addition to Sin- follow this link. now traditional, several deaf formance Standards – by the
gapore Airlines, Ameco also www.ltt.aero // trainees are among those European and American avia-
provides line maintenance to “learning the ropes” as tool tion authorities had cleared the
Lufthansa’s A380 in Beijing. // mechanics. way for the highly economic
72 of the new trainees are twinjet to be used on long-haul
beginning programs in Ham- routes. On the other hand
burg, 47 in Frankfurt, 18 in ETOPS-related procedures con-
Arnstadt, 7 in Alzey and 3 in tinue to this day to be defined
Munich. They were able to by the International Civil Aviation
choose between 13 different Organization (ICAO).
professions and practice-ori- In the early days of ETOPS
ented courses of study. The flying operations at Lufthansa
percentage of women among there was a requirement that
the new trainees has risen to the aircraft should be within
15 percent. Lufthansa Technik 120 minutes’ flying time of a
will continue its efforts to seek suitable alternate airfield at all
out and inform young women times to cover potential emer-
about the variety of possibilities gencies. In the course of the 25
available in technical profes- years that have elapsed since
sions. // then there has been a series of
new, even more reliable engine
and aircraft types for which
this limit has been raised. Thus,
Airbus is aiming to have its
latest A350 XWB certified for a
diversion period in excess of
180 minutes. //
Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 News | 5
Frankfurt
Hamburg
Authorized training SAS launching
provider for CSeries customer for HelioJet
Lufthansa Technical Training // Original Equipment Innovation
Bombardier announced at the // Scandinavian Airlines System
Farnborough International
Beijing
Tracking goes mobile (SAS) and Lufthansa Technik
Airshow that it has appointed Logistics // The mobile version have signed a contract for the
Lufthansa Technical Training of Lufthansa Technik Logistik delivery of HelioJet, making
(LTT) as its exclusive Authorized Services (LTLS)’s web-based SAS the launching customer
Training Provider for the main- consignment tracking and trac- for the new LED cabin lighting
tenance training on the all-new
Upgrade of 4-bay ing system has been available system. HelioJet is part of a
CSeries aircraft worldwide.
hangar since the end of July. This is comprehensive cabin modifi-
As Authorized Training Provider Investment // In response to based on the L/tracking Inter- cation program for seven Air-
for maintenance training for the the growth in its aircraft over- net platform already used by a bus A330/A340 aircraft which
CSeries aircraft, Lufthansa haul workload, Ameco Beijing lot of customers. Now custom- SAS is executing over the next
Technical Training will be hand has begun to install a tail dock ers can also retrieve the status months.
ling the worldwide manufac in its current 4-bay hangar. The of their important material ship- HelioJet has been designed
turer type training courses for new dock meets the needs of ments on their mobile devices and developed in a cooperation
technical aviation personnel. new aircraft types such as the at any time. To make this possi- between the German glass and
Through its expertise and its Boeing 787 and 747-8. ble, Lufthansa Technik Logistik lighting specialist SCHOTT and
experience as a recognized The company is investing more Services has added a website Lufthansa Technik. It has the
training provider, Lufthansa than one million USD in the up- that is optimized for mobile advantages of LED technology
Technical Training will also grade, which will significantly devices such as smartphones without the color changes that
support Bombardier in the reduce turnaround time while and tablets to its web-based normally afflict ageing LEDs.
development of EASA-approved improving safety for both the tracking & tracing platform The latest version, HelioJet
courseware. aircraft and the mechanics L/tracking. SpectrumCC (Color Control),
At the same time, Flight Training who work on them. The instal- Customers can view a list of the offers a full color RGBW (red-
Alliance, a newly formed joint lation is due to be finished by latest transports and full details green-blue white) LED system.
venture between the Canadian the end of September. // of individual shipments on their Consisting of just a few ele-
manufacturer of simulation smart phones via a simplified ments, the system can be inte-
technologies CAE and Lufthansa and user-friendly interface. They grated into cabins of every
Flight Training (LFT), will support also have ready access to con- size. Heliojet is flexible enough
Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft tact details for their points of to enable the light to be con-
entry into service by providing contacts at Lufthansa Technik trolled by the airline cabin
comprehensive pilot and cabin Logistik Services, for example. crew using an integrated
crew training to CSeries aircraft Search facilities enable consign- touchscreen with Graphical
customers and operators ments to be searched by select- User Interface.
worldwide. // ed parameters. The mobile Classic LED systems undergo
version builds on the good uneven changes of color during
experience gained with the the course of their installations
operation of L/tracking. Numer- resulting in unpleasant interior
ous customers lighting conditions. //
already use the
L/tracking web-
based tracking
system. //
6 | Company Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
“Overcoming time zones”
Walter Heerdt, Senior Vice President Corporate Sales & Marketing, explains how Lufthansa
Technik’s new sales organization is ensuring even faster support and more proximity to its
customers. Among other measures, this will be achieved by shifting senior management into
the regions, increasing the local presence of staff and accelerating processes.
Connection: What were the most What do you expect in terms of Lufthansa Technik already has sales
important drivers in the reorganization added value for your customers? representatives in the regions. What’s
of Sales at Lufthansa Technik? First of all, we want to align all sales behind the stronger local presence,
Walter Heerdt: The Lufthansa Technik activities across the entire Lufthansa Technik especially the new senior management
MRO network has grown over time. network to the individual needs of our level?
Beyond that, market requirements have customers. One aspect is the appropriate It’s true that we already have staffed
changed. So, the reorganization naturally number of contact persons – if desired, a local offices in many different locations.
wasn’t an end in itself; it was motivated by “one face to the customer” approach. This network covers our present require-
the knowledge that changes are necessary We want to further increase responsive- ments. However, it is not static and will be
in order to achieve our targets. We know ness and speed. Strengthening our sales adjusted whenever and wherever needed.
that these depend on the customers’ trust force in the regions will reduce travel time In most cases the present processes
and satisfaction. Both result from our per- and help us to be present when needed. require coordination with the headquarters
formance, but also from our understanding The hiring of additional local employees will in Germany. With the new organization we
of the customer’s business model and our help us understand local cultures better and, will establish three areas, one in Asia/Pacific,
possible contribution to its success. if needed, overcome language barriers. located in Singapore, one for the Americas,
Still closer to the customer
Lufthansa Technik has restructured its sales organization with the goal of offering
customers services that will make them successful in a highly competitive business.
Corporate Sales // Knowing first-hand its sales organization. While the globally of customer understanding and for the
that the market and the needs of its present MRO provider has an excellent flexibility in tailoring services even more
customers have changed over the past reputation in the market, the company to individual customer and regional needs.
years, Lufthansa Technik has restructured saw the need for an even higher degree A new sales structure which actively
promotes a regionalization is to bring
the company closer to both the
markets and the customers.
Under the lead of Walter Heerdt,
Senior Vice President Corporate
Sales & Marketing, three new
main departments have been created
to achieve this goal: Corporate Sales
EUMEA (Europe, Middle East and
Africa), Corporate Sales Asia and
Corporate Sales Americas. While Gerald
Steinhoff has assumed his new position
as Vice President Corporate Sales Asia,
Wolfgang Weynell, formerly
Vice President Marketing &
Sales, is the new Vice Presi-
Corporate Sales Corporate Sales Corporate Sales dent Corporate Sales EUMEA
Americas Europe, Middle East Asia and Americas (acting). //
and Africa
Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Company | 7
located in Miami, and one for Europe, the
Middle East & Africa, located in Hamburg.
Each of them is headed by a Vice
President. Each area is made up of sales
regions with offices in many locations.
With the new structure we intend to place
more responsibilities and competencies in
the regions. This delegated autonomy
allows for faster solutions and answers to
issues that come up.
Walter Heerdt, Senior Vice President Corporate Sales & Marketing
But the teams can’t succeed without the
support of the product divisions. How do
you support them? cation. As a result, the sales and product level. We are confident that these mea-
In addition to the external organization sales team can act as tandems within the sures will enable us to be even better at
I’ve just described, there is of course still regions. Together with our product experts, providing our customers the right products
an internal unit – our Sales Support Team – this combined know-how helps us to and to offer new ideas to the MRO market.
that is dedicated to backing up our sales answer questions and to react on the spot
employees in the regions with standardized without extensive travel and loss of time. But doesn’t standardization mean
processes wherever useful. This team We consider it another advantage that streamlining or even downsizing things,
takes over all the necessary internal coor- information transfer is easier and does not and thus reducing the portfolio?
dination with the different stakeholders in need to be handled across time zones, No, quite the opposite. For us it refers to
the Lufthansa Technik organization. This continents and many different organization- standardizing and organizing our internal
speeds up processes again – and also al units. The way it is designed now is sim- processes more efficiently such that our
frees up our local employees to spend ple and fast; this is what we are striving for. customers see less complexity in our direct
more time with their customers. support for them. As mentioned, this is
So, tailored products are about greater speed and availability for
The reorganization of Sales ultimately ultimately the objective? direct customer contacts.
means a change in roles, for you as well Yes, and we see two basic approaches
as for the others. for offering products. The first is customiz- Sometimes customers want to speak
The organization is designed to increase ing of products; here we set up flexible directly to the responsible management.
autonomy in the regions and to reduce links between services we already provide. How well will that work with the new
coordination. This of course requires the We turn what you might think of as a menu sales organization?
adaptation of processes – and as a conse- of services into an individual package. With the new VPs in the areas, access
quence also the roles people will play. The second approach is product devel- to management will be faster and better.
Some roles will not change at all, opment. This can either be initiated from However, the availability of our senior and
others will change, and there will even be market requirements or ideas we have top management out of Germany will not
some brand new ones. within the organization. In order to fulfill this change. The customer has either direct
part more effectively, the product develop- access or contact through the sales orga-
What’s behind the local collocation – ment process has been redesigned and nizations within the regions.
or assignment – of product sales staff? the organization has been adapted. There Customer contact is of the essence to
During the sales process, sooner or lat- is now a corporate product development us. We know that our customers value that.
er we get to the point where detailed prod- and innovation unit and there are respec- Therefore it will not change, and if it does,
uct know-how may be required. Given the tive receptacles in the individual product it will be to the better.
wide spectrum of the products we offer, we divisions. Products will in future be man-
need specialists in – or close to – the sales aged by dedicated product management For more information:
teams. We will achieve this with the collo- teams on corporate and product division www.lufthansa-technik.com/sales
8 | New aircraft Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
En-route to the A350
On the new long-haul Airbus A350-900’s first visit to Frankfurt, Lufthansa Passage, Lufthansa
Technik and Airbus put the on-board and ground handling procedures under the microscope.
T
he visit was part of Airbus’s official ground power, refueling, air-conditioning Lufthansa will be taking delivery of the
approval procedure for the aircraft. units and engine start assistance were all A350-900 from 2016. The new airliner
During this route-proving phase, tested for the first time. opens up a whole new dimension in aircraft
Lufthansa and Airbus are testing all the On July 26, after spending the night in engineering: 53 percent of the airframe is
relevant processes and procedures with Frankfurt’s Hangar 5, the A350 took off for made up of composite materials, which are
their system partners in order to optimize Toulouse on the next stage of its world tour. combined with titanium and advanced
the entire process chain – from arrival and Four further flights were scheduled before aluminum alloys. These state-of-the-art
handling to departure – to lasting effect. August 13. The test plane, MSN005, was materials account for over 70 percent of its
The focus is on ensuring that all workflows making these route-proving flights to a total
comply with Lufthansa standards. Towing, of 14 airports around the world.
� Please continue on page 10
Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 New aircraft | 9
Photos: Malaika Postberg
For more information about the
A350 scan the QR-Code.
www.lufthansa-technik.com/a350
10 | New aircraft Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
Photos: Dean Raineri, Malaika Postberg, Airbus
During the stop in Frankfurt, Lufthansa and Airbus were putting the entire process chain to a test – from arrival and handling to departure.
structure. The fuselage, in which lighter most fuel-efficient airliner per passenger German Airbus plants and numerous
carbon-fiber composite materials (CFRP) and 100 kilometers flown, consuming an suppliers have had an important role to
are used, makes a significant contribution average of just 2.9 liters of kerosene per play in the development and manufacture
to reducing fuel consumption. Robust sys- passenger and 100 kilometers, depending of the aircraft. The front and rear fuselage
tems based on the latest technology also on the cabin design. That’s around 25 sections are made in Hamburg, for exam-
help to reduce MRO costs. percent less than today’s aircraft. “Greater ple, while Bremen equips the wings, and
Lufthansa Technik staff from Frankfurt fuel efficiency, lower CO2 emissions and the Stade site provides the vertical stabiliz-
and Munich were on hand in Frankfurt. less noise: there’s a lot to be said for the ers. The aircraft is due to go into service
They have completed Airbus courses at A350-900, of which we will receive 25,” in the fourth quarter of 2014. So far, 742
the aircraft’s launching customer and are said Kay Kratky, a member of the Lufthansa orders have been received for the A350
highly impressed by the modern technolo- German Airlines Board – Operations and from 38 airlines.
gies used in the A350: the new flap sys- Hub Frankfurt.
tem, for instance, which allows differentia- A350-900 specifications
tion between the right and left sides. In Reduced emissions and footprint
Length 66.80 m
addition, new technologies already intro-
Wingspan 64.75 m
duced in the A380 have been further The state-of-the-art Rolls-Royce Trent
Height 17.05 m
improved. XWB engines and the aircraft’s aerody-
Max take-off weight 268.0 t
The aircraft communication network, in namic design reduce emissions to well
Range 7,750 NM
particular, has undergone significant below current statutory limits. Moreover,
Typcial seating 315
changes, and much of the maintenance the noise footprint of the new models will
Engines Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
work can be done more quickly and easily. be at least 30 percent lower than similar-
Thrust range 374 kN
The Airbus A350-900 will be the world’s sized aircraft today.
First time in Frankfurt for the Airbus
A350. Long before Lufthansa takes
delivery of its first aircraft in 2016,
Lufthansa Technik staff from Frankfurt
and Munich were on hand.Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Engine Services | 11
For the A380, the C4-check is one of
the aviation industry’s most extensive
maintenance checks to date, and
adding this capability is a significant
accomplishment for Lufthansa Technik
Philippines.
Expanded service
capability for the A380
Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) reaches another milestone
in A380 expertise as Australian airline Qantas returns for C4 heavy
maintenance checks on two of its Airbus A380s.
I
t’s the first of its kind at Lufthansa Technik the aircraft. It can be raised and lowered strong impetus and dedication to further its
Philippines and the decision of Qantas as needed to provide better access to both A380 service expertise. With the C4 heavy
to send their aircraft to Manila reflects the cabin floor levels. The middle section and maintenance approvals from aviation
long-term trust and partnership between wing docking systems are also built to authorities such as the Australian Civil
the airline and MRO provider. Adding easily inspect all wing surfaces, top and Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and the
C4-check capability for the A380 is a sig- bottom, as well as engine/pylon areas. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA),
nificant accomplishment for any MRO. The A380 is a massive aircraft – almost LTP is confident the facility has the space
First, for the largest passenger aircraft, the double the A340’s capacity. Organizations and is ideally equipped to offer complete
C4-check is one of the aviation industry’s need to adapt to its size, so taking it apart service solutions for the largest passenger
most extensive maintenance checks to requires dedicated equipment and work- aircraft in the world.
date. Second, a very limited number of shops. For this reason, a large storage area
MRO providers worldwide are certified to was built to house all 600 seats normally Leading MRO in the region
perform this check. For Lufthansa Technik installed in three-class configurations.
Philippines, reaching its latest capability Specialized workshops for different cabin With only few MRO providers capable of
only took less than a year of planning and parts were also set up to accommodate maintaining the A380, this development
completing trainings, equipment, certifica- the parts from the plane’s two floor levels. paves the way for Lufthansa Technik Phil-
tions and investments. These requirements were fulfilled by ippines realizing its vision of becoming a
The capability expansion is right on cue, Lufthansa Technik Philippines through its leading provider of MRO services in the
as early generation A380s approach their region. To date, two leading airline opera-
sixth year mark and airline operators begin tors have sent their A380s to Manila. But
to schedule their heavy checks. This year, with the advancement of its capabilities,
Lufthansa Technik Philippines has com- Lufthansa Technik Philippines is poised to
pleted C2-checks for Air France before accommodate more customers, and meet
moving on to Qantas whose first C4-check the demand for A380 heavy maintenance
was completed recently, with the second checks in the coming years.
expected to be completed this August.
Among the improvements in the A380
hangar is a fuselage docking system that Rainer Janke
joins the existing tail docking and which Phone +63-2-855-9310
was constructed to run along both sides of rainer.janke@ltp.com.ph12 | Technology & Innovation Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
vation b
no
Walking robot
In
y
Lu
k
th
ni
h
inspects fuselage
f
ans
a Te c
Lufthansa Technik has developed a robot that automates
thermographic crack detection (TCD) for the inspection
of aircraft fuselages. Once equipped with a different
sensor, the system will be capable of also examining carbon
fiber structures in the future.
I
n many industries robots are today tak- is particularly great in these applications,
ing over manual work from humans, as the visual inspections and non-destruc-
reliably and indefatigably performing tive testing procedures performed manually
extremely demanding tasks that are highly up to now not only require the highest
repetitive and call for great accuracy. level of concentration on the part of the
Lufthansa Technik has been actively pro- operators but they are also time- and cost-
moting this trend in the area of aircraft intensive.
maintenance and looking for opportunities
to automate the inspection of aircraft Cooperative effort
structures with robot-assisted systems.
The potential for productivity improvements To enable such work to be performed
more efficiently in the future, Lufthansa
Technik has teamed up with the Institute
of Aircraft Production Technology (IFPT)
at the Hamburg University of Technology
along with industrial partners edevis
GmbH and IFF GmbH to develop a robot-
assisted procedure for the inspection of Real-life test of TCD robot
fuselage structures. The Thermographic on aircraft fuselage.
Crack Detection (TCD) research project
running from September 2011 through
September 2014 is funded by the Depart-
ment for Economic Affairs, Transport and
Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City as a walking robot and has vacuum pads
of Hamburg. on its feet so that it can also reach verti-
In the course of the TCD project a robot cal and overhanging sections of the fuse-
has been developed and fitted with the lage. Only doors, windows and mounted
thermographic inspection unit. It moves parts have to be omitted during route
past pre-programmed points on the outer planning.
skin of the aircraft fuselage and examines Thermographic crack detection entails
them for damage and especially for the use of a sensor head that consists of
cracks. The machine has been designed two exciting coils for heating metal sur-Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Technology & Innovation | 13
The IR picture on the monitor allows the
detection of even very small cracks.
faces with eddy current and an infrared (IR) records the thermal behavior of the surface.
camera for analyzing the results. The video As cracks in sheet metal have a highly
signal of the camera is recorded, allowing distinctive temperature profile during heat-
precise computer analysis of the surface ing and cooling, they are easy to spot in
later on. For the purposes of the inspec- subsequent video analysis. Even the tiniest
tion, the test area is heated briefly with the cracks that have not yet fully penetrated
coils, in the course of which the tempera- the one millimeter thick sheet are rendered
ture of the metal rises by just a few degrees. visible.
In parallel to this the infrared camera
� Please continue on page 1414 | Aircraft Services Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
During one positioning operation the The combination of new detection
robot can gather data on four control procedures and mobile robot is making
areas – the edges of the chemically milled significant improvements of the efficiency
pockets of the fuselage skin plates. These of aluminum fuselage structure inspections
pockets serve to reduce the weight of the possible. Further application areas, for
fuselage skin. The IR recording of the con- example, on fuselage structures made
trol area lasts just a few seconds, so that from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP)
the entire test cycle including saving all the and glass fiber reinforced aluminum
data recorded can be carried out in less (GLARE) are to be developed and industri-
than 30 seconds. The development team alized in follow-up projects.
is currently working on improving the robot
demonstrator, the aim being to reduce its Stefan Mehler
ber 201 weight so as to improve the flexibility Phone +49-69-696-90680
cto
of the device in operation. stefan.mehler@lht.dlh.de
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New features in m/material
Customers using the material management tool in the Technical Operations WebSuite manage/m®
will be able to enjoy valuable changes, starting this August for selected users. Airline customers
LATAM Airlines and Aeromexico were instrumental in developing the enhancements.
O
n the one hand, the design of the a customer’s material supply and returns that helped us create a tool that perfectly
module m/material has been mod- supports the customer in working more suits the needs of our customers. Every
ified in alignment with the new flexibly and independently,” adds Tobias manage/m® user can now profit from that.”
Lufthansa Technik style guide, resulting in Klippel, head of Lufthansa Technik’s materi- Nonetheless, the tool’s development is
an even more optimized general user inter- al return & balancing team. A comprehen- still in progress. Another significant feature
face for smart and easy navigation. Besides sive and customizable report in Excel format will be added to m/material in the begin-
these design improvements, the project is available, as well. ning of next year. The application c/offer
team has also integrated new functions, The development itself has been orga- will enable customers to request Lufthansa
making the material management tool an nized and managed as an agile project Technik material offers through the system,
even more valuable asset for customers. according to the Scrum framework. This which will then be created within only a
The added menu “Pool Balancing” pro- means that all developments and imple- few minutes. The customer even has the
vides customers with a centralized point of mentations are made incrementally while possibility to accept the offer directly in
contact for the entire pool cycle specific to customer feedback and close collaboration m/material. “This is another milestone in
each LRU. “The tool will allow entering with customers and users serve as a fun- MRO IT material management,” underlines
return material information and active pool damental basis. “We are especially grateful Pelda, adding: “We are already looking
balancing. It therefore gives the customer for the support by our customers LATAM forward to the next year and cannot wait
an overview of all his pool material and Airlines and Aeromexico,” says Pelda. for these functions to finally go live.”
its balance,” explains IT project manager “When we presented our first prototype of
Georg Pelda, who is responsible for the the developments, we received useful Jamila Jadran
development of m/material. “This kind of feedback that we took into account. In the Phone +49-69-696-37386
transparency and structured overview of end, it was their suggestions and reactions jamila.jadran@lht.dlh.deLufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Engine Services | 15
GEnx-2B reverser overhaul
Lufthansa Technik and Middle River Aircraft Systems (MRAS) have signed an MRO
agreement that allows Lufthansa Technik to be MRAS’s authorized service provider
for the thrust reverser on the GEnx-2B engines.
T
he new long-term partnership with in design and product engineering with Lufthansa Technik will provide and main-
MRAS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik’s comprehensive strengths tain an adequate pool of spares to offer
GE Aviation, will cover the 24/7 in repair development and the manage- customers exchanges and or leases while
product support, asset leasing/exchange ment and handling of their thrust reverser is
“
and maintenance service offerings to world- valuable assets.” being repaired. These
wide operators of the GEnx-2B engines that Under the agreement, serviceable spare
power the Boeing 747-8 aircraft. “We are Lufthansa Technik will Based on this partnership, we thrust reversers will
pleased to enter into a long-term partner- provide various GEnx- will be able to offer a unique be available to world-
ship with Lufthansa Technik, a global world- 2B nacelle MRO ser- and leading worldwide 747-8 wide customers on a
class MRO provider. Lufthansa Technik is vices, including but nacelle service. 24/7 support basis.
Michael Kirstein
strategically positioned to support GEnx-2B not limited to warranty Lufthansa is currently
thrust reverser customers with high-tech repairs and modifications on behalf of MRAS. the largest operator of the 747-8 aircraft
quality repairs and overhaul services,” said Initially Lufthansa Technik will set up repair with 19 total aircraft ordered. Boeing offers
Huntley Myrie, MRAS general manager of capability at its Hamburg, Germany and the 747-8 in both freighter and passenger
nacelle products. Shenzhen, China facilities. With more than aircraft configurations all powered by the
Michael Kirstein, director of Lufthansa three decades of experience within the GEnx-2B engine.
Technik’s Airframe Related Component area of advanced composites and bonded
(ARC®) business unit, said: “Based on this material repair technology, Lufthansa Technik
partnership, we will be able to offer a unique has the proven experience to support cus-
and leading worldwide 747-8 nacelle ser- tomers through the entire life cycle of the Michael Lotzin
vice. We will generate additional customer nacelle – from the entry into service up to Phone +49-40-5070-64300
value by combining MRAS’s vast experience major and complex repairs. michael.lotzin@lht.dlh.de16 | Aircraft Services Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
For more information:
www.dlr.de/sofia
Rejuvenating a special lady
NASA’s flying observatory SOFIA, a modified Boeing 747SP, is undergoing a major
overhaul at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg. The MRO provider was chosen on account
of having the widest and longest experience at maintaining this aircraft type.Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Aircraft Services | 17
Photos: Jan Brandes
SOFIA, the flying observatory dedicated to infrared
astronomy, was flown to Hamburg by a team of
NASA pilots (top). Just days later, the aircraft was
already jacked up in the dock (left).
S
OFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for major overhaul, the question arose as to As Project Manager Operations in VIP &
Infrared Astronomy) is a flying which company could take on this task. Executive Jet Maintenance at Lufthansa
observatory that was developed by Lufthansa Technik was selected, being Technik, Sven Hatje is responsible for man-
the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and ideally qualified on account of both its aging the layover in Hamburg. Together with
the US National Aeronautics and Space proven track record in the maintenance Production Planning he has also drawn up
Administration (NASA) for research in infra- and overhaul of commercial aircraft of all the detailed schedule that shows which tasks
red astronomy. A converted Boeing 747SP, sizes and its own capabilities and experi- are to be performed when. One special
the shrunk version of the jumbo jet with ence at retrofitting and fitting out private challenge about this layover is the question
higher operating ceiling and greater range, and government aircraft. Lufthansa Technik’s of how to deal with unplanned events. Hatje
serves as the platform for a reflecting tele- expertise is underscored by the fact that a gives an example: “We had an aircraft in
scope with a diameter of 2.7 meters. When, sizeable proportion of the 18-strong global the hangar that had come in for a relatively
following the conclusion of numerous test fleet of 747SP airplanes still in service are minor check with 5,000 hours. We knew
flights and the first year of the SOFIA under maintenance contracts with the
research mission, the aircraft fell due for a MRO provider.
� Please continue on page 1818 | Aircraft Services Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
Photos: Jan Brandes
the aircraft and it was actually in good con- The points in the rear structure at which We will take out everything that was installed
dition. However, we found a small patch of support can be applied are only certified in the cockpit for operating the telescope.
corrosion that forced us to dismantle the for a weight of 44 tons, but in this case the The documentation that we are encountering
entire landing flap system plus all the spoil- load came to 48 tons. As Sven Hatje explains, in connection with this work is highly com-
ers on the wing upper surface and other “In order to raise the aircraft we used an plex and here we are reliant on the compe-
parts of the structure as well. This required alternative procedure that entailed using tence of the NASA inspectors.” Again, the
about 500 hours of unplanned additional five jacks instead of three. For normal air- instrumentation is quite different from nor-
effort, which in turn entailed extra work craf t this is not mal. For example,
“
over public holidays in order to be able to allowed, but for the SOFIA is the only
complete the job on time.” SOFIA jumbo it was 747SP to have all the
okay. To take the The airplane is truly unique engine indicators on
Weight and center of gravity pressure off the rear and I am sure the next a single display. This
support, we fitted two four months will be fascinating. requires the analog
In addition to the normal tasks there are a extra jacks on the rear Sven Hatje signals from the
number of special features about the SOFIA spar of the aircraft.” engines to be digi-
layover that pose a challenge even for an SOFIA’s special tized and directed to
experienced team, starting with the docking systems also present major challenges. the display via an appropriate cable har-
operation. The 747SP had to be jacked up The 747SP may be a familiar aircraft but, ness. For the overhaul this means that the
six meters off the ground in order to replace as well as modified cockpit electronics, the cable harnesses, some of which are the
the landing gear. The problem was that SOFIA-747 also has extensive additional thickness of a human arm, have to be
due to the 17-ton telescope the center of electronic systems that are not in service opened up, each individual cable labeled,
gravity on this aircraft is further back than anywhere else in this combination. Sven numbered consecutively by connector and
normal, so that the rear section of SOFIA is Hatje: “We have to then virtually take the then later reinstalled in exactly the same
too heavy for the normal jacking procedure. entire aircraft apart, including the cockpit. position. If meanwhile any repairs should
Positioning the 747 precisely prior to jacking it up.Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Aircraft Services | 19
be required, Lufthansa Technik’s cable the right side of the fuselage, run past the To ensure that the many special
workshop will be called in to assist. Sven telescope and divide again behind the tele- requirements for the layover are correctly
Hatje: “Because the cables have become scope’s second pressure bulkhead. considered, the production planners have
hard and rigid over time it is inevitable that The engine test run is anything but rou- created over 2,000 job cards, each up to
faults will be found. The cable workshop tine and, as such, is another instance of 100 pages long. The effort planned for the
and of course our electricians will then just how special the SOFIA jumbo is. The complete overhaul of this special aircraft is
come to our rescue.” distinguishing feature in this case is that the around 50,000 hours of labor. Sven Hatje:
SOFIA telescope has to be active and “I am delighted to have another unusual
Support from NASA and the DSI operational before an engine run-up can aircraft in the hangar in the form of this
be carried out. This is because, as the 747SP. And I know that the staff in the
Technicians from NASA and the German power is ramped up to take off power during maintenance team feel the same way. This
SOFIA Institute (DSI) will support the work a static test the aircraft experiences consid- airplane is truly unique and I am sure the
on the heavily modified rear fuselage sec- erable vibration. Under no circumstances next four months will be fascinating.”
tion that contains the telescope and its must this be transferred to the extremely Seeking out and accepting a major
special hatch. Here the 747SP has under- sensitive telescope. The attenuation and challenge – the SOFIA project gives
gone particularly heavy structural modifica- automatic level control for decoupling the Lufthansa Technik another opportunity to
tions compared with the factory condition. vibration of the aircraft structure from the demonstrate its prowess and flexibility,
Floor structure, windows and cargo bay telescope therefore has to be fully active. especially when it comes to performing
door disappeared during the conversion Commenting on this, Sven Hatje says: unusually demanding jobs.
and the flight control elements for the verti- “This example brings out clearly the fact that
cal stabilizer and elevator were moved. the SOFIA 747 is first and foremost a flying
The control cables that normally run in a laboratory rather than an aircraft. The tele- Sven Hatje
straight line under the cabin ceiling have scope will always be the top priority and only Phone +49-40-5070-67348
been diverted. They are concentrated on then can the aircraft be moved or worked on.” sven.hatje@lht.dlh.de
All components are removed from the aircraft including the operator stations, only the telescope (right) will remain in the fuselage.20 | Aircraft Services Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
Sharklet retrofit for the A320 family
The availability of kits for retrofitting Sharklets to Airbus narrowbody aircraft – promising
substantial reductions in fuel flow – has caused numerous operators to order the improvement.
Meanwhile Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) has performed the first upgrades.
E
fficiency is the name of the game. Luft-
hansa Technik Philippines has upgrad-
ed the first two Airbus A321 aircraft
from the fleet of Philippine Airlines with state-
of-the-art wingtip devices called Sharklets.
Thanks to the improved wing aerodynamics,
a Sharklet-equipped aircraft can potentially
generate fuel burn savings of up to four per-
cent, providing operators with the flexibility of
either an additional 100 nautical miles range or
increased payload capability of up to 450 kg.
The upgrades herald a major step for
operators of in-service Airbus A320 family
aircraft who can now benefit from the cost
savings and performance improvement of
installing Sharklets normally found in newer
built A320 models. Sharklets will be stan
dard on the new A320neo Family aircraft,
which are expected to enter service starting
in late 2015.
“We are honored to offer our first ever
Sharklet retrofit service for Philippine Airlines,”
said Michael Lariviere, outgoing Lufthansa
Technik Philippines Vice President for Aircraft
Maintenance. In accordance with the OEM
modification instructions and the Civil Avia-
tion Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the
aircraft maintenance team of the Lufthansa
Technik subsidiary worked round-the-clock to
install the Sharklets on PAL’s A321s.
The retrofit project was very successful.
Immediately after the first aircraft was released
to service, the team of technicians and
mechanics commenced work on the second
aircraft, which has also meanwhile returned
to service. Meanwhile, the first international
customer has contracted Lufthansa Technik
Philippines to perform the modification.
Jetstar Japan has chosen the performance
enhancement for its Airbus A320 fleet. The
airline avoids unnecessary ground time by
combining the retrofit with a C-check. Two
A320 aircraft have been modified so far.
Pear Rubio
Phone +63-2-855-9315
pearl.rubio@ltp.com.phLufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Component Services | 21
Frank Küpper of the electroplating
shop puts engine shafts in a new
oven to harden them.
Electroplating shop expands capacity
The surface technology facility in Hamburg has acquired two new ovens to replace an
old one. This increases the facility’s heat treatment capacity and allows very large components
such as Airbus A340 main landing gear to be handled.
E
lectroplating, which is an electro- would lose their properties and become supplied and transported in parts and
chemical process in which coating susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, assembled on site. The ovens will serve as
layers are formed on metal parts, causing cracks in the process. a pilot project for further ovens in Hamburg.
plays a key role in the overhaul and repair The newly installed ovens have a It is planned to procure comparable ovens
of a wide variety of aircraft components. volume of 17 cubic metres each, are for the landing gear shops and benefit from
The Lufthansa Technik electroplating shop designed for temperatures of up to 400 the experience gained at the electroplating
in Hamburg has eight electroplating bath degrees and can keep the set temperature shop.
lines with 180 treatment units for a diverse constant to within a tolerance of plus or
range of coating processes. These include minus six degrees. They thus fill the high
units for aluminium coating, waxing and requirements of Class 2 of the aerospace
degreasing equipment, a paint shop and materials specification SAE AMS 2750.
twelve heat treatment units. The latter are The total weight of the new ovens is
used regularly in the coating process: all almost eleven tons, which meant it was
chrome- or cadmium-plated parts are necessary to modify the load-bearing steel
treated in ovens in order to extract hydro- structure. And because the installation site
gen. If this was not done, the materials is on the second floor, the ovens were
The new ovens have a volume
of 17 cubic meters each.22 | Aircraft Services Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
From VIP to ZERO-G
New role for a government aircraft: Lufthansa Technik is converting an Airbus
A310 to an experimental aircraft. In the future this twinjet will be used on zero
gravity research for parabolic flights.
After the final flight in service of the
Special Air Mission Wing, the aircraft
was flown to Hamburg.
A
ircraft have a long life. Airbus A310, involvement with this Airbus A310 for over intervals for the A310 with the agreement
tail sign 10+21, is an example of 14 years and knows the aircraft inside out. of the manufacturer.” His assessment:
just such an aircraft. On June 24 it “Lufthansa Technik fitted the Airbus out as “The A310 is actually an extremely reliable
was handed over to Novespace, its new a government aircraft over two decades and trouble-free aircraft, not least on
owner, exactly 25 years from the date that ago,” he says. “At that time it was flown for account of its robust CF6-80 engines.”
aircraft manufacturer Airbus originally issued civilian purposes, but under a military
the certificate of export, on June 24, 1989. license.” High loading on parabolic flights
Initially in service with the East German It was operated by Germany’s Special
government, after German reunification it Air Mission Wing in Cologne-Wahn and up It is precisely the combination of high reli-
became part of the fleet of the Special Air to now has been used in a manner pretty ability and low accumulated flying hours
Mission Wing of the Federal Ministry of much typical for a VIP aircraft. Schuller that makes the aircraft attractive to its new
Defense. Graduate engineer Horst Schuller continues: “On the basis of the low utiliza- French customer. Up to now Novespace
has had a commercial and technical tion we were able to extend the overhaul has been operating an Airbus A300B forLufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014 Aircraft Services | 23
A big thank you for
global service, says
the inscription.
parabolic flights, amongst other purposes nibalized for all the parts that could possi- unlike a normal completion with long lead
to train astronauts. However, the stress bly be lacking in the aircraft. A mock-up times, in this case a lot of work will have to
imposed on the structure in the course of about one meter long is serving as the be carried out in parallel,” explains Frank
such flights is about 30 times the load model for the finished fuselage. Nowack. Tight dovetailing and prior con-
encountered during normal operations, a sultation with the preparation and produc-
considerable fatigue loading. Conversion marathon tion departments are essential.
With just 20,000 flying hours on the Meanwhile, the customer has flown its
clock, the A310 is the ideal aircraft in For the zero gravity trials a compartment is A310 with the new registration code of
terms of coping with the requirements of to be created in the fuselage that is closed F-WNOV to France so that pilot training
the new customer. As Senior Manager by nets to the front and rear. The seat rails can begin. At Lufthansa Technik the team
Design Engineering, Frank Nowack is can accommodate equipment or racks, is busy reviewing the documentation, buy-
“
responsible for the conversion of the air- but the compartment ing parts from the
craft. He outlines the challenges associated can also be used for used parts market
with this work: “The A310 was used on the experiments emp- and building the
The A310 is actually an
military operations in the past. In order to ty. To exclude the risk mock-up. So when
extremely reliable and trouble-
be able to handle it at all, we have agreed of injury, floors, ceil- the aircraft lands in
free aircraft.
with the new customer that we will certify ings and walls are to Horst Schuller
Hamburg at the end
it under EASA regulations. But before we be fitted with a foam of September, the
can do that, we have to first restore it to a lining. In addition, Lufthansa Technik
kind of ‘zero state’, i.e. to the state in which special lighting installations are necessary team will be fully prepared – not just for the
it was delivered to Interflug.” as the windows in this section are sealed planned work but also for any surprises.
The preparations for the conversion work up. A number of normal seats will be
are in full swing. To help with restoration of installed behind the zero gravity compart- Christian Reck
the cabin structure they found an old aircraft ment for take-off and landing. “Because Phone +49-40-5070-2957
on the surplus market, which is being can- the conversion timetable is very tight, christian.reck@lht.dlh.de
In preparation for the new customer, the
Airbus A310 was given an all-white livery.24 | Total Support Services Lufthansa Technik Connection 5.2014
Added value through integration
When tailoring the portfolio of Lufthansa Technik services to the needs of a customer, placing Technical
Operations Management (TOM) in the hands of Lufthansa Technik is a highly beneficial option.
O
utsourcing and delegating tasks Having to coordinate a sophisticated net- parameters that go beyond MRO KPIs;
and responsibilities can be a great work of counterparts on the contractor’s instead, the customer can measure
relief – especially when you are side not only increases complexity but Lufthansa Technik by defined airline KPIs
operating in a highly complex, time-driven may cost an airline a fortune when service such as technical dispatch reliability or
and efficiency-minded business such as integration fails. even technical aircraft availability.
operating a fleet of valuable technical assets. In order to live up to the approach of
Lufthansa Technik has made the experience Focus on flight operations integration, each TOM setup includes the
that while customers profit from its wide presence of a dedicated TOM Fleet
portfolio of products and services, inte- When tailoring the portfolio of Lufthansa Manager at the customer’s site. The TOM
grating all the contracted services in an Technik services to the needs of a customer, Fleet Manager makes for smooth coordi-
efficient manner can at times be challeng- one option to handle the above-mentioned nation and execution of all contracted
ing for both customer and supplier. challenges is to place Technical Opera- services, ensuring that Lufthansa Technik
With airlines whose focus is on flight tions Management (TOM) in the hands of is available “at touching distance”.
operations and for whom the decisive Lufthansa Technik. If responsible for a cus- Thus, the TOM Fleet Manager acts as a
factor of success is time, any dead times tomer’s TechOps Management, Lufthansa constantly visible interface between the
in communication can become critical. Technik can guarantee performance customer and Lufthansa Technik.
TOS® Included: Aviation Services
Total Operational Support provided by Lufthansa Group
TTS® Optional: Technical Operations
Technical Operations Management – TOM
Total Technical Support Management – TOM
TOM enables operators to enjoy far-reaching efficiency
TMO® advantages resulting from synergies in service integration
Total Material and reduced complexity in their organizations.
Operations A Lufthansa Technik fleet manager at the customer’s home
base integrates all MRO activities contracted in a TTS®
TBS™ TES® TCS® TLS™ ALTS agreement into a comprehensive service package. Operators
Total Base Total Engine Total Total Aircraft Leas-
Maintenance Support Component Landing Gear ing & Trading can focus their management capacity and financial resources
Support Support Support Support on business development while maintaining full control over
technical issues.
Single Single Single Single Single Leas-
Aircraft Engine Component Landing Gear ing & Trading
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