We make flying more sustainable

Already in 2019 China Cargo Airlines has entrusted Lufthansa Technik AG with the component support for their Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft.  As the new Boeing 777 freighters come into service, Lufthansa Technik now has extended its component support so that China Cargo Airlines can continuously provide smooth air cargo services to more than 200 destinations around the world.

Under the 15-year contract, more than ten Boeing 777-200 freighters are covered with fully customized and extensive component services. Lufthansa Technik will support China Cargo Airlines's main base in Shanghai with its component service offices in Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Hamburg to coordinate  customer support and ensure  24/7 worldwide AOG services at different locations which are vital for flight operations. Maintenance, repair and overhaul services will be performed at Lufthansa Technik's component centers in Hamburg, Germany and Shenzhen, China.

During a signing ceremony in Shanghai, Mr. Liu Gang, Vice President of China Cargo Airlines, highly commended Lufthansa Technik's service performance level for their existing 747-400F fleet from past few years: "Our long-term cooperation with Lufthansa Technik has started already in 2000 and we have been great partners on the aviation journey for more than two decades. By given fully customized component service scope, we are very confident to continuously rely on Lufthansa Technik in servicing our new 777-200 freighters. "

"This long-term agreement enhances Lufthansa Technik's position as a key MRO provider on the Boeing 777 freighter components," said Dr. Georg Fanta, Head of Commercial Aircraft Component Services, Lufthansa Technik. "We also bring a breadth of engineering expertise and extensive experience alongside with our global logistics network to provide seamless support to our customers. "

About China Cargo Airlines:

China Cargo Airlines, established in 1998, is located in Shanghai, the most developed China metropolis at the center of the Yangtze River Delta. The airline currently possesses 14 cargo routes and operates belly space from China Eastern Airlines. Relying on the networks of China Eastern Airlines, China Cargo Airlines

Lufthansa Technik AG today formally handed over the second Airbus A350-900 government aircraft to the German Armed Forces. The aircraft, bearing the tactical registration 10+01, will soon join the fleet of the Federal Ministry of Defense's (BMVg) Special Air Mission Wing for long-haul political-parliamentary flight operations. It is equipped for the first time with a full government cabin. Siemtje Moeller (SPD), Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Ministry of Defense, ceremoniously christened the aircraft in the name of former Federal Chancellor "Konrad Adenauer", in the presence of his grandson of the same name.

The Airbus A350 christened today arrived factory-fresh at Lufthansa Technik at the end of March 2021 and has since undergone an extensive modification program at the company's competence center for Special Aircraft Services in Hamburg. The main focus was on the fitting of the full government cabin, which differs significantly from the transitional cabin of the 10+03 "Kurt Schumacher", the world's first VIP and government aircraft based on an Airbus A350, which was already delivered in 2020.

In contrast to the latter's open cabin design, the various functional areas for political-parliamentary flight operations are now structurally separated from one another, as was already the case with its two predecessors based on the Airbus A340. The remaining space in the cabin is available for the delegations traveling with the aircraft. It features seating with generous spacing, an appropriate number of washrooms and modern galley equipment.

Clearly visible to the public is the discreetly revised livery of the 10+01, which also differs in detail from its sister aircraft 10+03. It includes new lettering in the "Bundes Sans" font as well as wingtips whose outside is now fully painted in black, red and gold, the German national colors.

"Ceremonial handovers of new aircraft to the German Armed Forces have already become a fine tradition for us in recent years. Nevertheless, today is again something special," explained Soeren Stark, CEO of Lufthansa Technik. "The aircraft christened today is not the first Airbus A350 handed over by us to the German Armed Forces, yet it bears all the insignia of a new flagship with the registration number 10+01 and the history-steeped name Konrad Adenauer. This great honor is also reflected in the new government cabin we installed, which sets new standards with state-of-the-art technology and high functionality as well as cost efficiency."

Following the formal handover today, the 10+01 will be transferred to Cologne as early as tomorrow for subsequent entry into service with the German Air Force. The third Airbus A350 with the registration 10+02 and the future name "Theodor Heuss" is also at Lufthansa Technik's Hamburg base and in an advanced stage of full cabin modification. The 10+03, which is already in service, will also soon return to Lufthansa Technik to be converted from the transitional to the full government cabin.

Lufthansa Technik is currently carrying out the wold's first Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV) of a LEAP-1A engine. The PRSV serves to restore the performance of the engine. This special shopvisit  gives Lufthansa Technik the opportunity of being the first maintenance organization in the world to analyze the new engine type under real operating conditions.

This will help to identify further design requirements for component repair. The LEAP-1A engine is owned by the Swedish charter company Nova Airlines AB (Novair). Novair signed a long-term contract for engine services in 2019, becoming Lufthansa Technik's first-time customer for the new engine type. An initial test run is used first to analyze which modules are responsible for the efficiency losses. The goal is to make the dismantling and repair effort efficient while keeping the incurred costs for the customer as low as possible. In addition, the initial analysis also helps to acquire data to create  a digital twin of this engine type. This data can then also be used  for the digital platform AVIATAR as part of the Engine Health Monitoring.

"It is with great expectations that Novair now submit its first LEAP-1A to Lufthansa Technik for performance restoration," said Thomas Krook, Director Technical Operations at Novair. "Few things mean as much to our airline as getting engines through the shop with the best possible outcome. We look forward to Lufthansa Technik not only delivering the baseline product, but as seen in the past - developing knowledge and methods for sending engines back to us with the highest possible return of investment in the shop visit."

"The first Performance Restoration Shop Visit of a LEAP-1A engine marks another major milestone for us. I would like to thank our launching customer Novair for the trust they placed in us and for the opportunity to further expand our technical support for them and all other customers," said Derrick Siebert, Vice President Commercials Engine Services at Lufthansa Technik. "We are proud to be the world's first MRO supplier to carry out this PRSV and will  further develop of our services based on the gained knowledge."

Lufthansa Technik already has extensive experience with this engine type: for example, a large number of Quick Turns have been performed at the Hamburg location. Here, maintenance is carried out only on individual modules in order to provide customers with the engine as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Furthermore, lessor-specific loadings as well as numerous engine tests have already been carried out. 

A decommissioned Airbus A320 is being given a new lease of life in the service of science. The Hydrogen Aviation Lab, Hamburg's new field laboratory for testing maintenance and ground processes for future hydrogen-powered aircraft, was unveiled today. Hamburg's Senator for Economic Affairs Michael Westhagemann – whose ministry funded the joint project between Lufthansa Technik, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the ZAL Center for Applied Aeronautical Research and Hamburg Airport – today inspected the repurposed Airbus A320. The presentation of the Hydrogen Aviation Lab also marks the start of the installation of the hydrogen components in the coming months.

The aviation industry is striving to become climate-neutral, with hydrogen widely expected to play a role as a future energy carrier. This requires not only new aircraft but also new infrastructure on the ground. Hamburg is forging a path towards such a hydrogen infrastructure: Lufthansa Technik, DLR, ZAL and Hamburg Airport have joined forces to design and test maintenance and ground-based processes for hydrogen technology. The project is funded by Hamburg's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Innovation as well as the city's investment and development bank (IFB Hamburg).

Today, the project has reached a new milestone. Lufthansa Technik has prepared the aircraft – which flew for Lufthansa Group for 30 years as "Halle an der Saale" – for its crucial next stage. Over the next few months, the Hydrogen Aviation Lab will be fitted with a full suite of test systems as well as an internal tank for liquid hydrogen and an onboard fuel cell, paired with supporting ground-based hydrogen infrastructure.

Lufthansa Technik CEO Soeren Stark, DLR Executive Board Chairwoman Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, ZAL Managing Director Roland Gerhards and Michael Eggenschwiler, CEO Hamburg Airport, met with Senator Westhagemann to have a close look at the new laboratory and to provide insights into its design and project focus. While this Airbus A320 will no longer be taking to the skies, it is capable of being towed to locations at the Lufthansa Technik base and Hamburg Airport to enable real-world research of ground-based processes.

Senator Michael Westhagemann comments: "With the Hydrogen Aviation Lab, Hamburg has embarked on a great project. It will make a valuable contribution to enabling the use of hydrogen as a fuel for aviation. The focus on maintenance and refuelling procedures should provide us with insights that will be important for developing hydrogen infrastructure. This real-world lab lets us add a crucial building block to Hamburg's strategy to make aviation more sustainable. We are following two strategic goals: the development of a hydrogen economy in Hamburg and the decarbonisation of the mobility industries. We are very pleased to be able to make this world-first project possible through the Special Aviation Fund."

With the Hydrogen Aviation Lab, the project partners want to prepare for handling and maintenance of hydrogen-powered aircraft, whose entry into service is forecast for the middle of the next decade. Yet the laboratory will also spur on developers of future hydrogen-powered aircraft generations by helping optimise the procedures and safety levels during maintenance work or ground-handling.

A particularly striking example is refuelling with liquid hydrogen (Liquid H₂, or LH₂ for short). Using current technology, the refuelling for a long-haul flight could possibly take several hours. Given the pressure on aircraft turnaround times in the airline industry, this would be clearly impracticable. The Hydrogen Aviation Lab is designed to address this and many other areas of research (see examples below).

Main research topics and central questions in the Hydrogen Aviation Lab

Refuelling with liquid hydrogen:

• How can hydrogen be optimally integrated into existing airport infrastructure?
• How do we ensure competitive refuelling times and processes?
• How do we avoid overfilling and wasting hydrogen?

Cooling, insulation and occupational safety:

• How do we prevent ice build-up on components and surfaces?
• What additional protection requirements might arise in the work area
• (e.g. No Step / No Grab, personal protective equipment)?

Leakage of hydrogen gas, so-called „Boil-Off":

• How do we prevent uncontrolled escape of LH₂ when it becomes gaseous (GH₂)?
• What safety protocols are needed for handling hydrogen, e.g. during refuelling and storage?
• How can we recover escaped GH₂ and make it usable again?

Making stored hydrogen inert:

• What protective measures need to be taken to mitigate hydrogen fire hazards?
• What could suitable safety protocols look like?
• What training needs to be developed for ground or maintenance personnel?
   

Parallel to research carried out using the physical hardware of the Hydrogen Aviation Lab, the project also involves the creation of a so-called digital twin of the Airbus A320. Therein, simulations will enable researchers to develop and test predictive maintenance methods for the systems and components of future aircraft generations. Using targeted data analyses, failures of hydrogen components and systems could thus be predicted ahead of their failure in the physical system, allowing timely replacements before component failures affect aircraft operation.

Airline MRO Parts (AMP) has signed a long-term agreement with Lufthansa Technik for the supply of Consumable & Expandable (C&E) materials. The customized agreement guarantees AMP the availability of C&E materials for its Airline and MRO network across the Americas. One major reason that makes this feasible is the advanced logistic setup of Lufthansa Technik in the Americas, enabling AMP the quickest possible availability of material to ensure seamless operation of AMP and their customer's maintenance network. The exclusive three-year program begins immediately with options to extend.

"AMP is excited about partnering with Lufthansa Technik in one of their strongest performing products to support our Airline and MRO customers. It is our belief that 'C&E Supply' will allow us to further improve our world-class service through SMART Purchasing to our Airline and MRO customers. Robin and his team have been an integral part of our growth and will be a key cog in our future success." said Michael James, AMP Vice President of Supplier Alliances.

"We are thrilled that AMP chose Lufthansa Technik for the C&E supply. This is a breakthrough for Lufthansa Technik's product 'C&E supply'. This agreement will ensure highest possible material availability resulting in a reliable operation for AMP and its entire customer base," said Robin Johansson, Senior Director Sales Latin America at Lufthansa Technik.

Today at MRO Europe in London, Condor Flugdienst GmbH and Lufthansa Technik AG signed a comprehensive contract regarding component support of the airline's new and efficient Airbus A330neo fleet. Under the terms of the ten-year agreement, Lufthansa Technik will provide Total Component Support (TCS) for the Airbus A330-900neo aircraft that will join Condor's fleet in the coming years. For Lufthansa Technik it is the first TCS contract for this modern long-haul type. 

The contract, which comes into effect on January 1, 2023, covers not only the classic supply of components but also various parts-pooling and logistics services, including the establishment of a so-called homebase stock at Condor's operations center at Frankfurt Airport. The close proximity and long-standing cooperation between the two companies will enable Condor to maximize efficiency in its technical operations and ensure the best possible availability of the spare parts it needs. Various maintenance, repair and overhaul services for Condor's A330neo components are also part of the agreement.  

"The supply of necessary components for our new aircraft is an important aspect for the service entry and operation of the A330neo. The continued cooperation with Lufthansa Technik AG ensures for us a consistently optimal support according to the highest quality standards in this area," said Christian Schmitt, COO and Accountable Manager at Condor. "We are convinced of the work of Lufthansa Technik AG as well as the services it offers and look forward to having this important reliable partner at our side in the long term." 

"New contracts with Condor are always important milestones for us, because we enjoy a trustful collaboration for decades," added Kai-Stefan Roepke, Vice President Corporate Sales Europe, Middle East and Africa at Lufthansa Technik. "Nevertheless, this milestone is a special one for me. Not only because with the A330neo, for the first time, Airbus' latest aircraft program will also benefit from our component services, but also because we were able to win this contract in a very competitive environment. I am very grateful to Condor for the trust they have placed in us." 

The TCS for Condor's A330neo fleet continues a successful collaboration that has been in place for many years. Lufthansa Technik already provides reliable component services for Condor's other Airbus and Boeing subfleets. The two companies also work together in many other MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) areas, such as engine and landing gear maintenance. This year Condor also became the first airline customer for Lufthansa Technik's HeatNow cabin floor heating system. 

 

About Condor: 

As Germany's most popular leisure airline, Condor has been taking its guests to the world's most beautiful holiday destinations for more than 66 years. Every year, more than nine million guests fly with Condor from the nine largest airports in Germany, from Zurich in Switzerland and Vienna in Austria to around 90 destinations in Europe, Africa and America. Condor operates a fleet of over 50 aircraft, which are maintained by the company's own maintenance operation, Condor Technik GmbH, according to the highest safety standards at the Frankfurt and Dusseldorf locations. From fall 2022, Condor will be the German launch customer for new Airbus A330neo long-haul aircraft. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology and maximum efficiency, the latest-generation 2-liter aircraft is the European front-runner with 2.1 liters per passenger per 100 kilometers and the highest level of customer comfort. Further information and images are available at http://www.condor.com/downloads. 

In recent weeks, Lufthansa Technik AG sealed major new long-term contracts for the strategic component support of renowned ultra low-cost (ULCC) airline brands Wizz Air, Frontier Airlines and Volaris. The new agreements take into account the three carriers' rapidly growing fleets, and thereby offering new levels of synergies and flexibility for further growth. Based on current fleet plans, the new Total Component Support (TCS) deals will ultimately cover approximately 1,000 aircraft of the Airbus A320 family. 

Lufthansa Technik's Total Component Support (TCS) usually encompasses services such as spare parts pooling and an MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul) coverage for thousands of part numbers required in regular airline operations. While all three aforementioned airlines will make extensive use of these standard offerings, the recently signed contracts also include more specialized service packages that directly address any airline's individual requirements and tailor the contracted component supply accordingly. 

The ten-year contract with Wizz Air Hungary, Wizz Air UK, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and Wizz Air Malta, for example adds dedicated component lease and supply services to six logistic hubs in Europe (Katowice, Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, Rome, London) and one in the Middle East (Abu Dhabi). Moreover, the contract provides additional flexibility for the airline that can now easily extend it to additional AOCs (Air Operator Certificates) it might set up in the future. Currently, Wizz Air operates a fleet of 166 A320 family aircraft, but it is set to grow to 500 aircraft by 2030. 

The agreement with Frontier Airlines also includes special on-site team support in which Lufthansa Technik's experts will be working hand in hand with the airline's local teams to supply, return and troubleshoot components at eleven maintenance stations throughout the United States. The airline can also rely on lufthansa Technik's extensive local component MRO capabilities. An overarching supply concept will moreover make sure that critical material is strategically positioned in dedicated homebase stocks and warehouses all across Frontier's operation. By 2029, Frontier's fleet will have nearly tripled from 115 A320-family aircraft today to 272 aircraft. 

The contract with Volaris boosts Lufthansa Technik's components business in the Americas by another triple-digit number of aircraft. From 114 aircraft operating today, the carrier´s fleet is set to almost double in the duration of the contract. Volaris will not only benefit from the MRO provider's local parts pooling capabilities, they will moreover make intensive use of Lufthansa Technik's AVIATAR digital operations suite, jointly exploiting smart services such as Condition Monitoring, Reliability Monitoring and predictive component maintenance with the aim to avoid in-flight component failures and keep the number of technical diversions to a minimum. 

"We are pleased to extend our Total Component Support contract with Lufthansa Technik, which we have worked with since Wizz Air was founded in 2003. Lufthansa Technik is a trusted partner that understands and can support our ambitious growth plans," said Michael Delehant, Executive Vice President & Group Chief Operations Officer of Wizz Air. "We look forward to working even more closely with the team as we grow our fleet to 500 aircraft by the end of the decade." 

"Frontier is very pleased with the execution of a favorable, long-term extension of our Total Component Support Agreement with Lufthansa Technik. By extending this relationship through the end of 2031, we are not only showing the trust that we have in Lufthansa Technik to support Frontier's rapidly growing operation, but we are also establishing a strategic partnership that will only strengthen Frontier's position as a leader in the ULCC marketplace. At Frontier we believe the sky is for everyone, and with a partner like Lufthansa Technik, we are confident we will be able to continue to offer the low fares our customers have come to know and love," said Spencer Thwaytes, Vice President and Treasurer, Frontier Airlines. 

"Volaris will benefit to continue having access to one of the largest and most reliable aircraft component pool, MRO component solutions and home base stock expert advise that will support our three Air Operator's Certificates in Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica," said Holger Blankenstein, Executive Vice President of Volaris Airlines.  

"Wizz Air, Frontier und Volaris are impressive examples of successful ultra-low-cost carriers that are embarking upon ambitious growth plans. We feel honoured being chosen to accompany and support their success stories as an integral partner," said Soeren Stark, Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik. "The long-term extension of the components contracts with these three airlines not only underlines our competitiveness in a price-sensitive and more and more digitally-driven market, it also provides a significant boost for our components business in the Americas and Europe." 

Wizz Air, Frontier and Volaris already enjoy a long-standing and successful business relationship with Lufthansa Technik. The MRO company's services for Wizz Air even date back to the airline's foundation in 2003. Besides the recently extended component services, Lufthansa Technik takes care of the Subcontracted Continuous Airworthiness Management Tasks (SCAMT) for various AOCs of Wizz Air and provides the airline with comprehensive digital services from its AVIATAR portfolio. Frontier has been a customer since 2014 and also receives overhauls and Mobile Engine Services (MES) for its CFM56-5B engines as well as Cyclean engine washes from Lufthansa Technik. Volaris first contracted Lufthansa Technik in 2012 and, beside the components support, has meanwhile also received MES for its V2500 engines. 

Lufthansa Technik returns to this year's NBAA-BACE with a full booth and crew showing a number of new products, including the EXPLORER VIP cabin concept.   

With a dedicated after-market sales team for «nice», the industry leading cabin management system for business jets, Lufthansa Technik is proud to announce product developments tailored to the growing needs of Bombardier Challenger 300 and 350 operators. The newly created product portfolio consists, for example, of an attractive retrofit-offer which provides an unrivalled high-definition screening experience, bluetooth connectivity and many other options. "This best-in-class business jet, with easy to install 21st century technologies on board, will take the customer experience to the next level," said Gordon Weller, Director Aftermarket & Customized Solutions. 

TIOS (Three-In-One-Solution), the inhouse-developed radome and structural integration unit for mounting on the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft, lately integrated new antennas and cameras: Satcom Direct Plane Simple® Ku-band variant tail-mount antenna and Collins' "Ku-SAT 2000" can now be installed in TIOS as well as Otonomy's "CAMHD-T Camera" and the Aerial View System "AVS900". Besides, a Supplemental Type Certificate to install TIOS on the Boeing 737-9 is in the planning process. 

The EXPLORER design concept will be presented for the first time in the United States. The concept is based on the current market trend originating from superyacht owners who want to go to far away places and have their yacht serve as an hotel and/or base camp for a wide variety of leisure activities and excursions. Lufthansa Technik's specialists have chosen the Airbus A330 as the platform for realizing this customer need. As a classic widebody aircraft, it offers sufficient space for a large number of novel cabin ideas and also a sufficiently long range to fulfill the desires of the EXPLORER target group. Within the overarching theme of "explorers and adventure", there is an exclusive extension: in collaboration with the renowned luxury mobility brand BRABUS, a special Adventure Lounge is offered on the aircraft lower deck, which can be viewed from the main deck through a glass floor.

Today, for the first time, a Boeing 777-300ER operated by Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) took off on a passenger flight with the AeroSHARK surface technology jointly developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF. The fuselage and engine nacelles of the aircraft were recently fitted with approximately 950 square meters of so-called Riblet films, which replicate the flow-efficient properties of shark skin in order to reduce drag. Flow simulations have already identified a savings potential of just over one percent for this type of aircraft. The first scheduled flights with the aircraft registered as HB-JNH will now serve to validate this savings potential in daily flight operations.

Thanks to its special surface structure of microscopic ribs - known as Riblets - AeroSHARK reduces the frictional resistance of this aircraft's outer skin by just over one percent, according to the calculations and flow simulations. As a result, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are also reduced by the same order of magnitude. For this Boeing 777-300ER of SWISS, this would equate to annual savings of around 400 tons of kerosene and more than 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide.

The AeroSHARK modification of the HB-JNH began at the end of August and culminated in several test flights on September 8 and 9. During these flights, it had to be demonstrated in detail that the AeroSHARK modification had no negative impact on the operational safety and handling of the Boeing 777.

As soon as the calculated savings potential has been validated in actual flight operations, the full-scale roll-out at the launch customers SWISS and Lufthansa Cargo is planned to begin. Further Boeing 777s will then receive the AeroSHARK modification as part of regular maintenance layovers. Both airlines plan to have all their Boeing 777-300ERs and 777Fs successively fitted with AeroSHARK. This would make them the first passenger and cargo airlines worldwide to optimize a complete sub-fleet with this technology. When all of the current eleven Boeing 777s at Lufthansa Cargo and twelve at SWISS have received their AeroSHARK modification, they will reduce the Lufthansa Group's carbon footprint by more than 25,000 tons annually.

About BASF:
Chemistry for a sustainable future - that's what BASF stands for. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers from almost all industries and in almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF achieved global sales of €78.6 billion in 2021. BASF shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. For more information, visit www.basf.com.

As of 15 October, Joerg Speri (43) will take over as Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico (LTPR) from Pat Foley (51). Mr. Speri held various Management positions in the Lufthansa Group, mainly outside Germany. His latest position was Senior Director of Network Sales & Customer Service at Aircraft Maintenance Services. He holds two Masters degrees in business and aviation management from Mid Sweden University (Sweden) and Massey University (New Zealand). Pat Foley is one of the founding fathers of LTPR and was in charge as CEO of LTPR for more than five years. He steered the company through demanding times. Mr. Foley will take on the newly created position as Head of Business Development The Americas for Aircraft Maintenance Services.