North American T-2C Buckeye Restoration
Rich Vollmar
Director of Maintenance - AVMATS Spirit
AVMATS has begun restoration of a company-owned North American T-2C Buckeye, BuNo 158890, to flying condition. The Buckeye was the United States Navy's intermediate training aircraft and was intended to introduce Student Naval Aviators to jets. It entered initial service in 1959 and was replaced by the T-45 Goshawk in 2008. The T-2C was the final production version for the U.S. Navy, powered by two 2,950-lbf thrust General Electric J85-GE-4 engines. Two hundred thirty one of this version were built. Several T-2 Buckeyes are now registered in civilian markings and regularly appear at air shows.
With the experience gained by a previous military repair and restoration of the North American FJ-4B Fury (see May 2010 newsletter for details), the restoration of the T-2C Buckeye has gotten off to a good start. When the FJ-4B Fury project wrapped up, we shifted momentum towards the T-2C project and hit the ground running. The aircraft being restored sustained damage in a training incident while on duty with the U.S. Navy. Thereafter, it was acquired by AVMATS and put into storage until now.
We are currently in the structural inspection/repair and parts procurement phase of the project. Since our company-owned inventory includes many additional fuselages, wings, flight controls and piece parts, we have stock on a wide array of the required piece parts. AVMATS also owns an original set of wing fixtures, and as such, each wing has been mounted in their respective fixture and has painstakingly been put through inspection to verify flight-worthy status. Next up will be assembly and maintenance phase. Progress will be detailed in upcoming issues of our newsletter. Our goal is to return this aircraft to flight status and proudly say we kept a piece of United States Naval Aviation alive and flying.
iPod's™ and Airplanes
Mike Witte
Avionics Manager
There are many options to integrate an MP3 player into most installed entertainment systems. Options may range from something as simple as adding a set of audio input jacks to an un-used input on your entertainment system or to something as complicated as a fully integrated iPod dock allowing control of an iPod through the cabin controller.
There are many iPod interface options available from several different suppliers. Most are simply audio, video and power interfaces. These will provide power to charge an iPod, but control of the iPod is left to the existing controls on the iPod itself. If ample space is lacking to mount a docking station, we can install an adapter module that is remotely mounted with just the standard flat iPod connector on the end of a cable. Plug in an iPod and lay it on the drink rail or tuck it out of the way. If a convenient place is available, a docking station can be installed in a shelf or drink rail or an iPod-dedicated space in the cabin.
What if the existing cabin entertainment system does not have any more available audio/video inputs? We can remove a seldom used VCR or CD player and replace it with a connection point for a portable MP3 player. We can also install a small switching module that automatically senses when a video signal is active at its input and switches to that source. This allows the addition of a portable source without complicated and costly modifications to the cabin entertainment system. Moreover, if the aircraft has multiple video monitors, this same device can be installed at each monitor to allow passengers to watch their own portable device on their own monitor.
There are a few high-end cabin management systems that will accommodate control of an iPod device through the cabin control system. Regardless of the cabin entertainment system, we have options to make any aircraft iPod-Ready.
iPod is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. AVMATS Atmosphere is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc.
AVMATS MidAmerica Completes its First Hawker 800XP Paint Job
Donald Smith
Cessna Program Manager
AVMATS MidAmerica, located on the civilian side of Scott Air Force Base in Mascoutah, Illiniois, recently completed its first total strip and repaint of a Hawker 800XP at its paint facility. The Hawker 800XP joins a long list of multiple civilian and military aircraft that have passed through our doors at AVMATS MidAmerica. For many years this paint facility has primarily been dedicated to the support of a long-term military contract. Recently that contract has come to a close opening this facility up as a new choice for business aircraft owners and operators in need of these services.
At AVMATS we take environmental compliance seriously, meeting or exceeding mandated requirements. Our disposal methods and EPA-approved paint facilities are certified "environmentally friendly" and protect the interests of our clients. Our designers work with each client to create the custom paint scheme best suited to every need and want. In our state-of-the-art paint facilities a highly experienced team will ensure the optimum in finish quality. The paint booth is 6,400 sq. ft and can accommodate up to a Falcon 50 in size. Additionally, we have a 15,000 sq. ft. maintenance hangar and full FBO services available on site.
For over 30 years, AVMATS has been a name that can be trusted in bringing you the best quality maintenance in the industry at a very competitive cost. With the completion of this Hawker 800XP, we continue that tradition with a new service for our civilian customers.
Member Profile
AVMATS is a family business, and we are proud of all the talented family members we employ. Each issue will feature a different employee and the skills they add to our family. This issue features:
Brian Jansen, our Falcon Program Manager.
Brian began his career in aviation as a structural mechanic at Sabreliner with an A&P from Belleville Area College. The following nineteen years would lead his career through maintenance lead and management positions with companies like JetCorp, Midcoast Aviation, Weststar Aviation, and currently as a member of our AVMATS family. Leading multiple heavy-level Falcon and Hawker jet maintenance projects such as wing de-mates, Brian has accumulated a lifetime's amount of Falcon experience in just twenty years.
In 2008 Brian joined the AVMATS family as our Falcon Program Manager. He primarily focuses on the technical aspects of work scope completion, as well as the day-to-day operational efforts of every Falcon project at AVMATS. Brian has also worked to improve maintenance practices by establishing baselines, reducing downtimes, and continually endeavors to build and improve customer relationships.
"We are a small shop with Big Shop capabilities", Brian said. AVMATS is a TFE731 & CFE738 Honeywell Line Service Center and maintains a registered ISO9001:2008 Quality Management System in addition to FAA Certified Repair Station with EASA approval.
JT15D Mobile Response Team
Danielle Beck
Marketing Manager
As of October this year, Aviation Turbines International, Inc. (ATI), an AVMATS-Related Company based in O'Fallon, Missouri, is now offering a Mobile Response Team to better serve its JT15D customers. The company has a vehicle that is equipped with all the tooling required by PWC to perform the following services on JT15D series engines:
Hot Section Inspections | Low Pressure Compressor (Fan Disk) Replacements
Vibration Surveys | Engine Replacements | Routine Maintenance
The vehicle is capable of carrying up to two engines; therefore, the Response Team will have a loaner engine available if needed by a customer. The Team can cover a 1,000- to 1,200-mile radius territory from its home base in O'Fallon, Missouri.
"Our Mobile Response Team has 70 years of experience collectively on engine overhauls and repairs," says Tom Stanton, Vice President of ATI. "Each team member has been through the Flight Safety engine run and taxi course training. This ensures that the customer's aircraft is being handled by professionals that are not only trained for the engine work but also for the aircraft installation."
ATI has been servicing corporate flight departments with engine repairs and overhauls since 1991 and is now even better equipped to provide continued quality service. ATI maintains a registered ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and is an FAA Certified Repair Station with EASA approval.
AVMATS Spirit Structural Repair Shop
Kevin Bayne
Customer Service - Flight Structures
AVMATS Spirit's hangar operations are supported by its structural repair shop. In addition to supporting in-house customers, our structural shop supports independent parts suppliers; the Falcon, Hawker, Sabreliner, Beechcraft and Cessna fleets; and the United States Navy and Coast Guard.
Our structural repair shop's capabilities include repair of metal and composite structures such as inlets, doors, cowlings and all flight controls. The shop is assisted by the in-house DER services of Georgian Aerospace.
Longtime employee Matt Crimm manages the structural repair shop at AVMATS Spirit. Matt oversees the day-to-day operations of the shop and coordinates efforts with the maintenance and engineering departments. During the last five years, Matt has been in the forefront of supporting the U.S. Navy with repairs and replacement parts for the T39 training squadron.
Structural repair customers' first point of contact and a recent addition to the AVMATS Spirit sales team is Kevin Bayne. Also a longtime AVMATS employee, Kevin previously worked at the Spirit facility, but was most recently assigned to our Aviation Turbines International, Inc. (ATI) facility in O'Fallon, MO as liaison in support of the T39 JT12 Engine Program.
AVMATS has recently begun using the ILS parts service to allow customers to identify AVMATS' repair capabilities by part number. This has led to additional work as the shop recently completed its first repairs to air-brakes for the United States Coast Guard Falcon fleet.