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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 0012.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT MANUFACTURING MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / MORLAIX, BRITTANY & COLOGNE Bombardier urged to fix CRJ700 European operators of 70-seater push manufacturer to ensure reliability issues are resolved in modification package Bombardier is coming under increasing pressure from European CRJ700 operators to ensure that its latest modification programme for the 70-seater resolves reliability issues that have dogged it since its introduction three years ago. The manufacturer will introduce a second improvement package cov ering four modifications this year - dubbed reliability improvement modification programme (RIMP)-2 - to rectify ongoing issues that were not resolved by the original RIMP-1 package implemented last year. Problems have centred on the CRJ700's fuel and hydraulics sys tems, which have both suffered from leakages. Air France-owned regional Brit Air, which was CRJ700 launch operator in January 2001 and has 10 in service, has delayed delivery of its remaining two orders pend ing an improvement in reliability, which is running at 97.5% (using a measuring system that only takes account of the initial technical fail ure). The reliability of the Brittany- based airline's CRJ700 fleet is such that two aircraft, rather than one, have to be held on back-up duty each day. "RIMP-2 should fix all the prob lems, but it will have taken three years to resolve them," says Brit Air managing director Alain Huber- deau. But he warns that if Bom bardier fails to put the aircraft right with these modifications, plans to gradually replace the airline's 19 50- seat CRJIOOs with CRJ700s could be dropped. "Our preferred choice is to stay with the CRJ700, but if it con tinues to be a problem we could cancel our remaining orders and acquire more secondhand Fokker 100s for growth," he says, adding that six of the 50-seaters are due to leave the fleet by 2006. Cologne-based Lufthansa City- Line, which operates 20 CRJ700s, is also pushing Bombardier to help it improve reliability, which is "around 98%", and the daily utilisa tion, which is 2h short of the lOh target. "We and Bombardier agree that its products need to have the same reliability as Airbus and Boeing aircraft: 99.5-99.8%," says CityLine managing director Karl- Heinz Kopfle. Huberdeau is disappointed with the support Bombardier provides in Europe. "We can wait one, two or three days for spares or special tool ing to fix a problem," he says. Implementing initiatives to improve reliability Bombardier is confident that it will see major improvements in CRJ700 reliability this year, imple menting initiatives to address outstanding reliability issues, improve its customer support operation, and expand European spares provisioning. Bombardier acknowledged in January that it was unhappy with the CRJ700's reliability and planned further in-service modifications (Flight International 27 January-2 February). "This is the only major package we see a need for," says Bombardier vice-president and general manager customer services Jeff Mihalic. "Other modifica tions will be designed to be implemented during overnight maintenance." Two new posts within the company's support operation have recently been created, says Mihalic. Martin Elliot has been appointed fleet leader CRJ700/900 and Andy Nureddin customer support director. "Martin has overall responsibility for CRJ700/900 reliability improvement initiatives, while Andy will focus on supporting customers and technicians," says Mihalic. Elliot says the CRJ700 fleet is currently achiev ing a technical despatch reliability level of "a little under 98%". Mihalic says a "joint quality initiative" was set up with Lufthansa CityLine at the airline's suggestion, which has the aim of achieving a 99.5% schedule completion rate. The manufacturer had identified last year that Brit Air had "particular difficulties with extended out-of-service times" and suggested a joint pro gramme to reduce this, says Mihalic. "Within four to five weeks they had a 50% improvement...and there is more we can do." Mihalic acknowledges that criticism of Bombardier's European spares stocks is valid, with levels at its Paris support centre only 60% of the planned amount. "We've increased this from 35% last October, and project that we will be at the planned level by mid-year," he says. A broader reorganisation of the company's European support operation will see the spares centre relocate to Frankfurt next year to improve despatch times. REGIONAL JETS An-148 final assembly gets under way at Kiev Final assembly of the prototype Antonov An-148 regional jet is pro gressing at Antonov's plant in Kiev, Ukraine. Assembly began after deliv ery of the tail unit, produced by the VASO plant in Voronezh, which was shipped to Antonov on 2 March on board an An-22 transport aircraft. Last month the An-148's main landing gear struts were installed, produced by Yuzhnyi Machinery Building Plant in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. Aircraft systems are being fitted, including the air condition ing, hydraulics, fuel and fire extin guishing equipment. The electrical power system and equipment for the flight-test systems are also being installed on the prototype. The 80-seat twin jet has been developed from the An-74, incor porating a stretched fuselage and new wing. It is powered by two Progress D-436-148 turbofans and will have a range of 2,200-5, lOOkm (l,190-2,760nm). Aircraft systems are being installed on the Antonov An-148 prototype The prototype is due to be rolled out in mid-2004, with a first flight expected to follow before the end of the year. Another two prototypes are in advanced stages of assembly, one of which will be for flight test ing and the other for static testing. Antonov is aiming to gain CIS cer tification in 2005 and begin series production in 2006. Antonov is yet to secure any firm orders, but sev eral airlines are interested. 10 16-22 MARCH 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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