Lufthansa Technik AG reorganized its global Corporate Sales management team at the beginning of the year. Kai-Stefan Roepke has taken over responsibility for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and Thomas Boettger for the Asia Pacific region. Frank Berweger remains Vice President Corporate Sales for the Americas.

In December 2020, Kai-Stefan Roepke started his new job as Vice President Corporate Sales EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa). He succeeded Robert Gaag, who retired last year. Kai-Stefan Roepke began his career at Lufthansa Technik in 1996 and has held several positions within the company since then. In his previous role, he was Vice President of Commercials, VIP & Special Mission Aircraft Services in Hamburg since May 2017.

Thomas Boettger has taken over his new position as Vice President Corporate Sales Asia Pacific in January 2021. Since 2001, he has worked in different positions within the Component and Engine department at Lufthansa Technik. Previously, Thomas Boettger was CEO of XEOS in Wrocław, Poland, a joint venture subsidiary of GE and Lufthansa Technik, since 2016.

"With Kai-Stefan Roepke and Thomas Boettger, we have been able to appoint two experienced managers from our own ranks, who now complete the leadership team of our Corporate Sales. In these challenging times they will decisively support our sales activities with their expertise," said Johannes Bußmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik.
 

Sichuan Airlines and Lufthansa Technik AG signed a 5-year agreement for digital fleet solutions through AVIATAR and engine maintenance services for the V2500 and CFM56-5B engines of the Airbus A320 fleet. AVIATAR will support Sichuan Airlines' Airbus A350, A330 and A320 fleets.  

For digitally optimized fleet operations of its overall 168 Airbus A350, A330 and A320 aircraft, Sichuan Airlines will implement AVIATAR's solutions - including condition monitoring, fleet management, certain predictive maintenance & health management solutions and event analytics. Under the duration of the contract, a full range of engine services are provided to Sichuan Airlines' A320 fleet.

"The new cooperation with Lufthansa Technik is part of our commitment to ensure the highest possible operational reliability and a further confirmation of the excellent relationship between us and our long-standing partner. We look forward to further intensify our close cooperation for the benefit of both parties." said Shao Chuan, Deputy Chief Engineer and General Manager of Engineering of Sichuan Airlines.

Johannes Bussmann, CEO of Lufthansa Technik said: "We greatly appreciate the trust Sichuan Airlines has placed in us and are delighted that they have joined our AVIATAR Community as well as selecting us for the engine support of their A320 fleet. Through our value adding digital solutions, we will support our partner Sichuan Airlines in optimizing their technical operations processes and help to eliminate unscheduled maintenance related events."  

Launched in 2017, AVIATAR is the independent platform for digital products and services developed by Lufthansa Technik. The platform offers its users digital products ranging from predictive maintenance to fulfilment and automated solutions. AVIATAR combines fleet management solutions, data science and engineering expertise to provide a comprehensive range of integrated digital services and products for airlines, MRO companies, OEMs and lessors that seamlessly integrate with physical fulfilment in TechOps and beyond.

Lufthansa Technik AG is proud to welcome United Airlines as the newest user of its AVIATAR platform. The airline signed a contract in late 2020 for digital support through AVIATAR for its Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 fleet, with plans to work with Lufthansa Technik to develop new predictive maintenance solutions for its Boeing 737 fleet.

Combining the strengths of the world's third largest Boeing 737 fleet operator, engineering know-how and data expertise will lead to unique predictive maintenance solutions for United's different fleet types.

United has already begun integrating AVIATAR into its existing processes and training procedures.

"By leveraging AVIATAR's digital platform, our tech-ops professionals can access data, insights and recommendations that help us optimize our operations and reduce flight delays or cancellations caused by maintenance issues," said Kurt Carpenter, United Vice President of Technical Operations Planning and Strategy. "We are excited to collaborate with Lufthansa Technik on this innovative digital maintenance solution which represents the future of aircraft maintenance program management."

"Innovative digital solutions are a cornerstone of our corporate strategy and joining forces with United Airlines as a leading global airline is a strong signal for the aviation market," said Johannes Bussmann, CEO of Lufthansa Technik. "Together with United Airlines we will further improve digital TechOps on a large scale and look forward to jointly creating new use cases for advanced digital technologies."

Launched in 2017, AVIATAR is the independent platform for digital products and services developed by Lufthansa Technik. The platform offers its users digital products ranging from predictive maintenance to fulfilment and automated solutions. AVIATAR combines fleet management solutions, data science and engineering expertise to provide a comprehensive range of integrated digital services and products for airlines, MRO companies, OEMs and lessors that seamlessly integrate with physical fulfilment in TechOps and beyond.

The Luxembourg-based company ESPACE 2001 S.A., which specializes in industrial robotics and image processing, has acquired all the shares in the joint venture 3D.aero GmbH from the previous owners Lufthansa Technik AG and Pepperl+Fuchs SE with effect from 1 January 2021.

3D.aero was founded in 2017. Since then, the company has been researching, developing and marketing innovative automation and digitization solutions for the aviation industry. In addition to industrial maintenance and factory automation solutions, 3D.aero also offers optical measuring device applications, digital inspection and image processing applications and related consulting services.

ESPACE 2001, which offers services in the field of robotics and industrial automation, intends to further develop 3D.aero's portfolio and to market the company's existing products and expertise in sensor-based automation technology in various industries outside of aerospace. The Administrateur Délégué of ESPACE 2001, Dr. Werner Neddermeyer, said: "We are very pleased to continue the successful and close cooperation with 3D.aero that has grown over the years. As shareholders of 3D.aero, we will push ahead with a targeted further development in the field of sensor-based automation technology, and in particular in the field of high-resolution 3D sensor technology. It is of particular importance to us that our highly specialized and motivated employees continue to lead the company to economic success with interesting and future-oriented technologies in the field of industrial 3D sensor technology and data processing. To this end, we will expand the strategic partnerships that exist to a large extent in the aviation industry and in other areas".

Dietmar Focke, Vice President Engine Services at Lufthansa Technik, evaluated the agreement: "The dramatic impact of the coronavirus crisis on the aviation industry has unfortunately not stopped at 3D.aero. To ensure the survival of the company, an orientation towards new markets is necessary. We are therefore extremely pleased that in ESPACE 2001 we have found a buyer that not only has a high level of expertise but also the necessary broad market positioning. I wish our employees the best of luck and success in their new working home, and thank them for the great work they have done over the past few years".

Dr. Gunther Kegel, CEO of Pepperl+Fuchs, welcomes the agreement: "We are convinced that the strategic reorientation of 3D.aero, which was made necessary by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, can be moved forward much faster under the umbrella of ESPACE 2001, and we are delighted to have found a future for 3D.aero and our employees in this way. We would like to thank them for their excellent work and wish all of them the best of luck and success. In future we would like to continue our cooperation in automation on a project-specific basis".

The headquarters of 3D.aero with its 20 employees is the Hamburg Innovation Port (HIP).

With the previously announced departure of Constanze Hufenbecher and Antonio Schulthess from the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik AG at the end of the year, the new Executive Board department of Finance and Human Resources will initially be taken over by the Chairman of the Executive Board, Dr Johannes Bussmann, on a provisional basis from 1 January 2021. The transitional arrangement will apply until a new head of the department is appointed. The Supervisory Board will decide on this personnel matter at the beginning of the new year.

In November, the Supervisory Board decided to reduce the size of the Executive Board and to change the structure of the individual departments accordingly. In the course of this reorganisation, Constanze Hufenbecher as Chief Financial Officer and Antonio Schulthess as Chief Human Resources Officer decided to leave Lufthansa Technik at the end of the year to pursue new entrepreneurial challenges. Dr Johannes Bussmann as Chief Executive Officer and Soeren Stark as future Chief Operating Officer will remain on the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik AG.

Lufthansa Technik AG has recently handed over eight Patient Transport Units (PTU NG) for intensive care patients and 16 oxygen supply systems for medium to lightly injured patients to Airbus Defence and Space. The new PTUs are destined for the multinational Airbus A330 MRTT operated by the MMU (Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Unit) of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), which will also collaborate with the European Air Transport Command (EATC), and enable the transport of up to eight intensive care patients and 16 lying patients with oxygen supply systems. This makes medical evacuation missions (MedEvac) with the aircraft of the MMU fleet possible. 

Shortly after the handover, training for doctors and medical staff will begin at the new units, which are to be completed by the end of November. The first installation of an A330 MRTT of the MMU is scheduled for December. This will create one of the largest and most powerful MedEvac aircraft. The national Airbus A310 MRTT fleet of the German Air Force has already been equipped with the PTU's predecessor model for almost 20 years and is now being gradually replaced.  

The Patient Transport Unit Next Generation complies with NATO standards and is also approved as a civillian medical device. With the units now delivered, the model is in use on four different military and civil aircraft types.  Using seat track adapters, a PTU NG can be installed in almost any aircraft within minutes, allowing the same unit to be used in a fleet of different aircraft types. A unit consists of several modules that can be assembled very quickly without tools and, due to their size and weight, can be easily handled by two persons.  

The core of the PTU NG is a new oxygen system, which is suitable for the latest ventilators. These require oxygen up to three times the amount of conventional devices. Technically, the latest aviation safety requirements have been applied. The PTU NG is developed and manufactured by Lufthansa Technik in cooperation with specialists of Aerolite. 

The Airbus A330 MRTT combines the advanced technology of a new generation tanker with the operational experience recorded during more than 200,000 FH in service. The A330 MRTT is interoperable with receivers worldwide and delivers true multi-role capabilities as proven during the recent MedEvac and strategic transport missions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

EME Aero, the engine services joint venture between Lufthansa Technik AG and MTU Aero Engines AG, has recently completed the first regular maintenance visits of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM Geared Turbo Fan (GTF™) engines. Since January, when the first engine arrived in line with Pratt & Whitney's low pressure turbine (LPT) retrofit program, a total of 21 engines were successfully delivered back to different customers. Moreover, EME Aero has now become an official member in the Pratt & Whitney GTF MRO network.  

After completing the LPT retrofit program, whose 15 engines were used to smoothly start up operations in the facility, EME Aero has now already completed another six regular customer engine shop visits. "Despite all the obstacles and additional challenges due to the Covid 19 situation, we are still right on track with our ramp up," said Derrick Siebert, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Business at EME Aero. "The entire team is proud of reaching another important milestone by completing the first series of shop visits of GTF engines. This proves that EME Aero has now achieved full operational readiness."  

EME Aero is one of the world's most advanced and largest shops for the latest generation of commercial aircraft engines. With only 18 months from construction to Entry into Service, it was questionable if the very challenging ramp up program could be met. Yet, in December 2019 the state-of-the-art engine shop, including a fully operational test cell, was ready to start operations as an MRO facility. 

"The roughly 400 employees, who have been trained at the company's own training center and at the locations of the two joint venture partners in Germany, finally are now ready to carry out full repairs on the PW1100G-JM," said Robert Maślach, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Operations at EME Aero. "We are optimistic about our future. The strong team spirit from the project and ramp-up has shaped us and is carrying us through these challenging times to be ready for upcoming steep ramp up."  

The next step for EME Aero is the implementation of a high tech flow line planned for the end of this year and readiness for the induction of PW1500G engines in the middle of 2021.  

"Pratt & Whitney would like to congratulate the EME Aero for completing their first Pratt & Whitney GTF engine overhaul," said Joe Sylvestro, Vice President Aftermarket Operations at Pratt & Whitney. "As the GTF fleet continues to grow, the GTF MRO network is ready to provide world-class maintenance services to our customers across the globe." 

As part of the restructuring program RISE, Lufthansa Technik AG will change the structure of its Executive Board responsibilities. In future, the Executive Board will consist of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a Chief Operating Officer (COO) and a Board member for Finance and Human Resources. The COO will then carry responsibility for all operating divisions. As part of this reorganization, Constanze Hufenbecher (currently Chief Financial Officer and responsible for the VIP & Special Mission Aircraft Services business unit) and Antonio Schulthess (currently responsible for human resources, lean and process management and the Engines and Aircraft Systems business units) have decided to leave Lufthansa Technik at the end of the year to pursue new entrepreneurial challenges. 

"We thank Constanze Hufenbecher for her very successful work at Lufthansa Technik," said Dr Detlef Kayser, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. "She has considerably professionalized the processes in the areas of finance, purchasing, legal and foreign trade as well as infrastructure and has significantly increased both their efficiency and effectiveness." 

Constanze Hufenbecher has made a major contribution to gearing the management of the Lufthansa Technik Group even more strongly towards profitability and cash flow, thus laying the foundation for the company to remain capable of acting and maneuvering even in the most severe crisis in aviation. She has further succeeded in stabilizing the VIP & Special Mission Aircraft Services business unit and, together with the management team there, in developing it to its current earnings strength. 

"Antonio Schulthess has played a key role in shaping the Lufthansa Group for many years, and very successfully so, in very diverse top management positions. We are very grateful for this," added Dr Detlef Kayser. "As a member of the Executive Board, he has continuously improved the performance of Lufthansa Technik's human resources department and has thus played a major role in shaping the company's worldwide growth by well over 4,000 employees in recent years. 

Under the leadership of Antonio Schulthess, the Engines and Aircraft Systems business units have set further important milestones, including the contractual linking of the CFM LEAP engine type to Hamburg, the opening of the two major engine joint ventures XEOS and EME Aero in Poland, the establishment of the global Mobile Engine Services network and the successful turnaround of the Landing Gear product segment.  

The Supervisory Board of Lufthansa Technik AG very much regrets that the company is losing two exceptionally successful and valued leaders in the course of restructuring and wishes Constanze Hufenbecher and Antonio Schulthess all the best for their new challenges.  

The Supervisory Board will soon decide on the appointment of the new Executive Board member for the Finance and Human Resources departments. Dr Johannes Bussmann remains CEO of Lufthansa Technik, while Soeren Stark will continue in his responsibility for the operational business as COO. 

SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy), a modified Boeing 747SP, is due for another "pit stop": For a routine check at Lufthansa Technik, the flying observatory of the US space agency NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) landed at Hamburg Airport on 30 September 2020. During this layover, which is equivalent to a C-check taking place approximately every three years, the Boeing 747SP is put through its paces. 

"We are looking forward to the renewed cooperation with Lufthansa Technik," says Heinz Hammes, SOFIA Project Manager at DLR's Space Administration branch. "The special circumstances this year require cooperation and increased flexibility from all parties involved. We are convinced that we are in the right place for the tasks ahead." 

China Aviation Supplies Co. Ltd. (CASC) and Lufthansa Technik Shenzhen recently signed a long-term Total Component Maintenance contract in Beijing. The contract extends a comprehensive component maintenance and material support concept by more than 40 Airbus A320 aircraft operated by Qingdao Airlines. During the signing ceremony, both parties reviewed previous project collaborations on Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 and A320 fleets, and held in-depth discussions on their future cooperation in aviation material support.

CASC, a long-standing partner of Lufthansa Technik, will provide Qingdao with component management; Lufthansa Technik will provide Total Component Maintenance (TCM). TCM includes comprehensive closed-loop component repair and overhaul service for selected parts or the entire aircraft – with the cost benefits of a per-flight-hour payment. Especially during the current COVID crisis, this component support concept ensures that the fleets of participating airlines remain highly reliable while helping operators avoid cash outlays for material. This latest addition of the Airbus A320 fleet to the comprehensive cooperation makes both parties the biggest component support provider on a power-by-the-hour basis in mainland China.