Garrett Expands Training, Aircraft Services

GE's Garrett Aviation Services is talking up a wide range of initiatives here at NBAA 2000, from increased training to help solve the chronic A&P technician shortage to avionics upgrades on an increasing number of aircraft types.

The Garrett branch in Augusta, GA is establishing stronger ties with Augusta Technical College, which may include provision of surplus equipment for trainees to work on and the appearance of Garrett professionals as guest lecturers at the school, as well making the Garrett-Augusta facility available for student field trips.

Also along educational lines, Garrett-Augusta is working to help operators meet new FAA terrain avoidance mandates requiring new avionics equipment. "After the FAA's regulations were made official, our customers started contacting us for clarification, said local sales manager Lamont Durante.

Garrett's response was to organize a series of terrain avoidance avionics workshops throughout the Southeastern U.S. Garrett also instituted a two-part installation procedure which saves time as the first part coincides with customers' regular maintenance scheduling, with completion and certification done later.

Honeywell Mark VIII EGPWS and TAWS units are being installed on a number of different aircraft at several Garrett facilities in line with the FAA terrain-avoidance directive. Garrett's also working with Honeywell toward an STC for the Mark VIII system with an upgraded GNS-XLS flight management system. The program is to be completed this fall.

Another initiation mandating new equipment is RVSM, for reduced vertical separation minimums, already in place for trans-Atlantic flights and being phased in for European business jet travel. Garrett is installing Honeywell Primus Epic systems in Gulfstream II and III aircraft, and with its ElectroSonics subsidiary and two other firms is developing an RVSM retrofit package for Cessna 500 aircraft. Garrett-Springfield has secured an STC for a Rockwell Collins ProLine 4 RVSM package on Falcon 20s.

Elsewhere Garrett says it will meet its goal for performing no fewer than five Boeing Business jet completions at The Jet Center in Santa Barbara, CA (three BBJs have been delivered and the fourth and fifth are in the shop now); has boosted its GE CF34 engine support for Bombardier Challenger and CRJ aircraft at five locations; and, at Garrett-Springfield, has certified the first installation of the Collins ProLine 4 suite on a Falcon 50 retrofitted with Honeywell TFE731-40 engines.