3rd Quarter TechniLink - Lufthansa Technik Philippines Files/TL_3Q06_CE.pdf · Tec hniLink is...

TechniLink3rd Quarter

2006

phone +63-2-855-9319 fax +63-2-855-9309 [email protected]

Philippine Airlines

Six years of partnership

2 TechniLink 3rd Quarter 2006

Dear readers,

ON SEPTEMBER 1st 2000, LufthansaTechnik Philippines opened its doors andstarted to welcome international custom-ers. On the occasion of our sixth anniver-sary, we look back proudly and would liketo thank you, our valued customers, foryour continuous support of LTP.

It was three years ago when PhilippineAirlines entrusted its Airbus A330/A340fleet to us for the first heavy maintenancecampaign, which signaled the the start ofour heavy maintenance operations. Weare pleased to welcome back all aircraftfor the 8C/10Y check campaign (page6).

Also, in this issue is a special feature onhow aircraft utilization is maximized byCathay Pacific through its collaborationwith LTP (page 5).

The US Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) once again gave recognition toLTP’s promotion of the development ofemployees’ skills and knowledge throughtraining, by presenting the company withits fourth Diamond Award and Certificateof Excellence (page 7).

Half way through the year, things areindeed looking up and we are excited tobuild new partnerships with you, ourcustomers.

We hope that you find this issue asexciting as we envision our future to be.

Sincerely,

Richard [email protected]

Richard Haas, Vice President —Marketing & Sales, Lufthansa TechnikPhilippines

FOUNDED IN the year 2000 as a jointventure of Lufthansa Technik AG andPhilippine aviation service providerMacroAsia, Lufthansa Technik Philippinesextends line and base maintenance servicesto international customers. It is the LufthansaTechnik Group’s prime center for A330/A340heavy maintenance.

LTP provides the total technical andengineering support requirements of theentire Philippine Airlines (PAL) fleet and isrendering line and base maintenance to morethan 20 domestic and international carriers.

Four hangar bays and workshops havebeen upgraded to the latest industrystandards to support aircraft maintenance,major modifications, cabin reconfigurations,engine maintenance and painting for A330/A340, A320, B747-400 and B737 aircraft.

Through a partnership with LufthansaTechnical Training Philippines (LTTP), LTPmechanics are certified through EASA Part66-compliant courses.

LTP holds repair station certificates fromthe FAA, EASA, ATO and other airworthinessauthorities.

Our customers:

19-21 September 2006 24-26 October 2006Xiamen International Conference Amsterdam RAI Convention Centreand Exhibition Centre Amsterdam, HollandXiamen, China

Meet us at …

� Air Asia� Air Calin� Air Macau� Air Mauritius� Air Niugini� Air Philippines� Asiana Airlines� Austrian Airlines� bmi� Cathay Pacific� China Airlines� Eva Air� Hifly� Japan Airlines� Jet Airways

� Jetstar Asia� Korean Air� Lufthansa German

Airlines� Malaysia Airlines� Nippon Cargo

Airlines� Pacific East Asia

Cargo Airlines� Philippine Airlines� Qantas Airways� Qatar Airways� Silk Air� Singapore Airlines


TechniLink is published quarterly by Lufthansa Technik Philippines for its customers and friends.

associate editorsLiza Martija&Tonton Rola art directorGildo Velarde adviserRichard Haas [email protected]

TechniLink 3rd Quarter 2006 3

THE LAST of the three Jet Airways (India)Ltd. A340 rolled out of the Lufthansa TechnikPhilippines hangar on time after undergoingC-checks.

After the release, the three aircraft flew toDelhi and immediately re-entered JetAirways’ regular flight schedule.

Jet Airways commenced its operations onMay 5, 1993 and operates over 320 flightsdaily to 43 destinations across India. It alsoflies out to international routes such asLondon, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Colomboand Kathmandu.

Based in Mumbai, the carrier prides itselfin having the youngest fleet of aircraft inIndia, consisting of the modern Airbus 340-300E, Airbus 330-200, Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 and the ATR 72-500.

On-time releases for Jet Airways C-checks

Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) recentlywelcomed two new Vice Presidents on board.

Dietmar Fischer, formerly the Director ofProcurement at Lufthansa Technik AG’sCompletion Center, is the new Vice Presidentof Technical Services. He also brings withhim experience as Head of EngineeringDepartment (Interior) also at the LHTCompletion Center. He started his career asa design engineer and moved up as teamleader of an engineering group that handled

Transitions at Lufthansa Technik Philippinesflight test installations for Airbus A320 andAirbus Beluga, component placement andwire routing of electrical systems for theA321, and authored Technical Documenta-tion for the Airbus A320 family and A330/A340 aircraft. He succeeds Sepp Heinrichwho is back in LHT Hamburg.

Anno Schneider now heads LTP’s AircraftMaintenance Department. He brings withhim 19 years of experience earned fromLufthansa Technik Frankfurt, Hamburg,

Brussels and Ameco Beijing. Prior to LTP, hewas the Director of Cabin & StructureMaintenance in Lufthansa Technik Frankfurt.He also had extensive experience as LineMaintenance Director in Frankfurt and wasalso assigned in Ameco Beijing as Assistantto the General Manager and later on asMarketing & Sales Director. ThomasRueckert, the former Vice President ofAircraft Maintenance, is now the Director ofthe Aircraft Maintenance Center in Berlin.

All Jet Airways aircraft were released with fast TAT.(left to right) Lucila Batac, LTP Accounts Manager

together with Jet Airways’ Pathi Gurucharan,Captain Nikolaus Tsiropoulos and Captain

Contractor Shiraz Behram, and LTP VP-AircraftOverhaul Elmar Lutter.

Fischer Heinrich RueckertSchneider


Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) mechan-ics are earning praises for their performancein Lufthansa Technik in Frankfurt.

The LTP team composed of mechanicsfrom the line and base maintenancedivisions became part of a project, whichentailed the cabin reconfiguration for allLufthansa German Airlines Airbus A320 andBoeing B737 fleet.

According to Thomas Rueckert, LTP VicePresident for Aircraft Maintenance, Frankfurtis very pleased with the performance of theLTP team.

“During the modification program and theadditional workload like reverser and enginechanges they were able to prove their skills,”Rueckert said. “According to Jochen Laupert,Line Maintenance Section Manager, theyhave played a vital role in the on-timecompletion of several layovers,” he added.

Of the eight mechanics sent to Frankfurt inApril, four mechanics from Base Mainte-nance Division have completed theirassignment this September. Mechanics fromLTP’s Line Maintenance Division are stayingin Frankfurt until October.

The deployment of mechanics is part ofthe LTP External Assignment and Develop-

LTP mechanics shine in Frankfurt

ment (LEAD) Program that aims to develop amanpower pool from which overseasdeployments to LHT subsidiaries andbusiness partners can be sourced.

LTP mechanics have gained moreexperience through deployments to different

TO MARK the occasion, a fitting ceremonywas staged at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburgin the presence of numerous VIP guests.These included Dr. Jürgen Weber, Chairmanof the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa,Boeing Vice President Scott Carson andBernd Junkers, grandson of the aircraft

Historic Lufthansa aircraft Ju 52

70 years old and still going strong: Lufthansa’s historic three-engine propeller aircraft D-AQUI, lovingly named Aunty Ju, this yearcelebrated its “big O” birthday with a host of VIP guests.

Since its restoration was finished in 1986, the Ju 52has transported nearly 150,000 passengers during13,000 flights, achieving about 7,000 hours air time.

Celebrating 70 years in good company

designer Hugo Junkers. 200 invited guestscelebrated Aunty Ju’s birthday. Despite being70 years of age, the Ju 52 has not lost any ofher charm. The high point of the festivitieswas a formation flight in which the birthdaygirl flew alongside three other historic aircraft,the Do 27, the Saab Safir and the Me 108.

As well as the 70th birthday of the Ju 52,two other “big O” birthdays were alsocelebrated: the Reinhardt AbrahamStudienförderung, a foundation set up topromote the education and training ofstudents in the field of aviation, was estab-

lished ten years ago, with more than 50students receiving support. The DeutscheLufthansa Berlin Foundation, owner of D-AQUI, also celebrated its 20th birthday. Theprevious Chairman, Dr. Gerwin Dienger,handed over the baton to Bernhard Conradin June.

Base maintenance mechanics who completedtheir assignment in Frankfurt. They have playedkey roles in the on-time completion of severallayovers in Frankfurt.

LHT subsidiaries such as Malta, Munich,Budapest and Frankfurt.


SATURDAY, 21:50H, CX 913 arrives atManila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.After the A330 makes its way to Bay 7 tounload passengers and cargo, mechanics ofLufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) immedi-ately attend to it.

A flurry of activities soon take place asmechanics zealously work on the A330.They methodically go about the A-check, asthey need to complete it so that the aircraftcan make it on its return flight to Hong Kongearly morning the following day.

Such is the efficiency of the Cathay PacificA-checks that no aircraft is grounded for along period thereby, maximizing theutilization of its fleet.

The brief ground time is achieved throughmeticulous planning by Cathay maintenanceplanners. By equalizing typical A-checkitems and distributing them in every A-checkvisit, shorter ground time is possible. Themaintenance package is also drawn up insuch a way that not much work is loaded ontop of the A-check items.

Of course, aircraft rotation is alsokey. The A330 that is required to have anA-check is scheduled as the last flight outto Manila and the first flight out to HongKong.

For all of Cathay’s preparations to bearsuccessful results, it has to rely on amaintenance provider that is located nearby,

Maximizing aircraft availabilityvia overnight maintenance at LTPAchieved through Cathay Pacific and LTP collaboration

well equipped and experienced in perform-ing A-checks.

With a mere two-hour flying distancebetween Hong Kong and the Philippines,LTP, which has been completing A-checksfor Philippine Airlines, is a logical choice.

By carrying out A-checks for Cathay, therelationship between the two companies wasexpanded from previously conducting heavymaintenance on the carrier’s A330 andA340 aircraft.

With the understanding that completing anovernight A-check does not leave much

Lufthansa Technik Philippines Chairman ofthe Board Washington SyCip was recentlyconferred the Officer’s Cross of the Order ofMerit (Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse) of theFederal Republic of Germany for hisoutstanding achievements as a business-man and as a promoter of Philippine-German cooperation and friendship.

German Ambassador to Manila Dr. AxelWeishaupt, on behalf of Federal GermanPresident Dr. Horst Kohler, bestowed thehighest order of the German governmentabroad to Mr. SyCip.

In the Ambassador’s speech, he de-

Germany honors LTP Chairman of the Boardscribed Mr. SyCip’s story as one of thegreatest success stories in Philippinebusiness and noted that German trade andindustry in the Philippines will not be where itis without the support of the outstandingbusinessman.

Mr. SyCip, is the founder of the Philippines’leading accounting and managementconsulting firm, SyCip, Gorres & Velayo & Co.

LTP Chairman Washington SyCip beingcongratulated by LTP President and CEO

Dr. Andreas Heizner, while Andreas Rubin, STEAGAG General Manager (left) and German

Ambassador Dr. Axel Weishaupt, look on.

room for errors, LTP gave particular care totraining, acquiring authorizations andcomplying with Cathay’s standards in linedocumentation procedures, aside from thestandard preparations made preceding anA-check.

Given the limited time to perform the A-check, every minute counts. Everyone inLTP’s base maintenance operation recog-nizes this and with a common desire toproduce quality work the swiftest way, theyhave carefully organized the work proce-dure—from planning, tooling to assignmentof tasks.

Through the professionalism of theworkforce, LTP has been able to releaseCathay Pacific’s A330s on time ever since itwas contracted for the A-checks, conse-quently helping Cathay realize optimumaircraft utilization of its A330 fleet.


Philippine Airlines (PAL) strengthens itspartnership with Lufthansa Technik Philip-pines (LTP) by entrusting its entire A330/A340 fleet of 12 aircraft for 8C/10Y check tothe maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)company.

PAL was the launch customer of LTP’sheavy maintenance operation when in 2002,LTP performed the series of 4C/5Y checksfor the flag carrier’s Airbus fleet. The newagreement is therefore a continuation of therelationship between the two companies interms of its heavy maintenance campaign.

“PAL has always been proud to beassociated with LTP and our confidence isunderlined by the fact that we remain as oneof the biggest customers of LTP today,” saidJaime Bautista, PAL President and COO.“There is no doubt that through LTP’sexpertise and world-class facilities, PALwould be able to complete its heavymaintenance campaign on time and with theexpected high quality result,” he added.

LTP President and CEO, Andreas Heiznersaid, “We are grateful for the continued trustof PAL in LTP. In 2002, PAL was the launch

PAL signs 8C/10Y check of its Airbus A330/A340fleet with Lufthansa Technik Philippines

customer of our heavy maintenanceoperation and we are glad to welcome themback for the second campaign. Let meassure you that LTP remains committed inour companies’ shared passion for qualityand safety.”

LTP has been providing total technical andengineering support for the entire PAL fleetconsisting of more than 30 aircraft since thespin-off of the carrier’s Maintenance andEngineering Department in September 2000.

PAL leads LTP’s growing Airbus customers


FOR FOUR straight years Lufthansa TechnikPhilippines received the Diamond Award andCertificate of Excellence from the US FederalAviation Administration (FAA).

This is the FAA’s highest recognition to compa-nies that have facilitated training hours for at least25 percent of their technicians in a calendar year.

Dr. Andreas Heizner (3rd from left), LTP Presi-dent and CEO receives the award from RenatoLutz and Larry D. Moheit, FAA AirworthinessInspectors (left to right), while Alfred Sturm, LTPVice President for Quality Management looks on.

4th DiamondAward for LTP

PAL President and COO Jaime B.Bautista and LTP President and CEO Dr.

Andreas Heizner sealed the 8C/10Ycheck agreement with a handshake.

for base maintenance, which include AirCalin, Air Mauritius, Austrian Airlines, bmi,Cathay Pacific Airways, Hifly, Jet Airways,Lufthansa German Airlines and QantasAirways.

PAL first took to the skies in 1941, makingit Asia’s first airline. Since then it hasbecome one of the most respected airlinesaround the world with a young and modernfleet of aircraft and a route network thatspans 31 international cities and 21domestic points.

Lufthansa Technik Philippines is a jointventure between Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT)and MacroAsia Corporation, with LHTholding the majority stake. The companyoffers a wide-range of aircraft MRO servicesto customers worldwide.

Within the worldwide Lufthansa TechnikGroup of companies, Lufthansa TechnikPhilippines has been established as a primecenter for heavy maintenance of the A330/A340 family of aircraft.


PICTURE THIS: Instead of modern skyscrap-ers, there is a vast stretch of rice fields beforeyou. In place of cars on the main thorough-fares, airplanes such as the DC-4, aretaxiing.

This was in the 1930s, pre-war Manila andwhat you are imagining is not the Philip-pines’ premiere business district but thecountry’s first international air terminal.

Known as the Nielson Airport, it was builton a 42-hectare piece of land in Makati (eastof Manila) owned by Ayala y Cia. Theproperty was originally part of the vastHacienda San Pedro de Makati owned bythe Spanish-Filipino Ayala family. Thehacienda encompassed most of what is nowthe city of Makati. It was an ideal location foran airport because Makati was then just asparsely populated town adjacent to Manila.The site was located on a hard tract of landjutting from rice fields, clearly visible from theair, allowing clear approaches from all sides.

The pioneering spirit behind the airport isa New Zealand-born stockbroker andaviation enthusiast named Laurie ReubenNielson. It was an ideal time for pursuing theproject as there was a need for an aiport tosupport the increased economic activity inthe Philippines, especially in the miningindustry. At that time, the government of

Nielson Airport: Manila’sformer gateway to the world

President Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944)was encouraging infrastructure projects.Nielson convinced several other Manila-based foreign investors to join him in theproject.

The construction of the airport proceededafter the group succeeded in leasing theproperty. On July 1937, the Nielson Airportwas inaugurated and was touted as thebiggest and best-equipped in Asia. It was atwo-storey concrete stucture cleverlydesigned to resemble an airplane from abird’s eyeview.

Nielson Airport became the base of theAmerican Far Eastern School of Aviation.More importantly, with the introduction ofcommercial air services at the airport, itbecame the primary gateway betweenManila and the rest of the country and, laterbetween the Philippines and the world. ThePhilippine Aerial Taxi Company (PATCO), thefirst airline company in the country, and theIloilo-Negros Air Express Company, the firstFilipino-owned air service, started operatingfrom Nielson Airport. When PhilippineAirlines was established, its very first flighttook off in March 1946 from the NielsonAirport to Baguio.

After World War II, the partially damagedairport and its facilities were fully restored

and commercial air services, includinginternational flights, resumed in 1946.

In 1948, when the airport’s operationsfinally ceased and relocated elsewhere,ownership of the airport’s facilities weretransferred back to the owners of the land,Ayala y Cia. Although the runways wereeventually converted into roads (now knownas Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas) andthe other structures were sacrificed to giveway to the development of the Makatibusiness and commercial district, the ownerstook extra pains to preserve the airport’spassenger terminal and control tower, whichcame to be known as Nielson Tower.

Today, the Nielson Tower is the permanenthome of the Filipinas Heritage Library, a one-stop electronic research center that housesthousands of contemporary volumes onPhilippine history, art, language, religion and

The restored Nielson Tower bounded by majorthoroughfares that used to be Manila’s runways.

View of the Nielson Airport, showing the runways and control tower.


LAST JULY 31, Philippine Airlines marked the60th anniversary of a major aviation feat – thefirst crossing of the Pacific Ocean by anAsian carrier, achieved by a converted WorldWar II Douglas DC-4 troop transport – withcommemorative rites in both Manila and SanFrancisco.

In Manila, PAL chairman and chiefexecutive Lucio C. Tan led over 200 guestsin an advance tribute to the milestone.

Paul Jones, deputy chief of the UnitedStates mission, represented U.S. ambassa-dor Kristie Anne Kenney as principal guest ofhonor at the event.

An exhibit of rare photos, advertisementsand posters of PAL’s activities in the 1940s, itsfirst decade, was also on view during theoccasion.

In San Francisco, PAL President and ChiefOperating Officer Jaime J. Bautista hosted areception at the Westin St. Francis on July 31,the actual date of the anniversary.

“This feat (of crossing the Pacific) broughthonor not only to PAL but also to thefledgling Philippine Republic, which was thenless than a month old,” Dr. Tan said.

“It proved that the newly independent nationhad what it took to mount a viable commercialair service across the vast Pacific.”

“As well, that maiden PAL flight fromManila to Oakland—the first by a Philippinecarrier to a destination beyond the country’sborders—established a reliable air link withthe United States that has flourished over thedecades…and is today one of the enduringsymbols of Philippine-American partnership.”

For his part, PAL President Bautistarecounted the challenges the pioneeringtrans-Pacific crossing faced. “It was an epicjourney from Manila to Guam, Wake,Johnston Island, Honolulu and, finally,Oakland. The odyssey lasted 41 hoursacross more than 7,000 miles.”

“Like most historic events, it materializedthrough a combination of foresight, chance,hard work and, in large measure, grit andaudacity.”

Currently, PAL flies 28 times weeklybetween Manila and five U.S. points in thePacific and the mainland – nine times to LosAngeles, eight to San Francisco, four to LasVegas, three to Honolulu and four to Guam.

PAL celebrates 60years of crossingthe Pacific

ABOARD Philippine Airlines’ Boeing 747sflying across the Pacific daily, some peoplethink the 13 hours or less that it takes tocomplete the crossing are rather long. Veryfew can remember the time when 13 hoursdid not take travelers even halfway across theocean.

Sixty years ago on July 31, PAL made itsfirst flight across the Pacific and it took 41hours for that flight to reach Oakland,California. It made four stops before arrivingat Oakland.

The aircraft was a Douglas DC-4Skymaster chartered from Trans OceanAirlines. The flight made PAL the first Asianairline to cross the Pacific.

Since starting post-war service on Feb. 14,1946, PAL had planned on operating to theUnited States as well as other countries. Butit did not plan on a trans-Pacific crossing sosoon.

A dock strike on the US West Coat heldUS ships, which were to come to Manila andpick up American servicemen going home.

The American military services did nothave enough planes and ships to carry thehomesick GIs.

No commercial airline service was thenavailable between the Philippines and theUnited States.

Andres Soriano, then president of PAL,stepped into the breach by chartering DC-4sfrom Trans Ocean and securing permitsfrom both the Philippine and US govern-ments for a non-scheduled service.

Trans Ocean had been set up by formermilitary pilots to operate “routes of opportu-nity”. The DC-4s were surplus military aircraftand not known for comfort. Powered by fourPratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-2000 enginesof 1,450 horsepower each, the DC-4 couldmake just over 200 miles per hour atcruising speed. It was not pressurized so it

41 Hours Across the Pacificcould not fly much higher than 10,000 feet.Its range was a little over 2,000 miles.

On July 31, 1946 at Nielson Airport inMakati (see related article on page 8), some40 American GIs, happily climbed aboardthe DC-4 chartered by PAL. The flight crewwas composed of Trans Ocean personnel.The cabin crew was a solitary stewardessprovided by PAL.

The first leg, Manila to Guam, was 1,385nautical miles long and took about eighthours. The next was Guam to Wake, 1,303miles apart, and needed another seven anda half hours to close. The third leg ended ontiny Johnston Island, 1,267 miles and sevenhours and 40m minutes away. FromJohnston Island to Honolulu, it was only 713miles and just over four hours. The fifth andlast leg, from Honolulu to Oakland, was thelongest, 2,090 miles and nearly 12 hours offlying.

The flight was equally an ordeal for thecrew and the passengers. The piston enginesmade sleep a challenge. Unable to climbabove bad weather, the plane bounced evenin moderate turbulence and gave itsoccupants a bad shaking in rougher spots.

The lone stewardess not only had to seeto her passengers’ comfort, but also had tocook meals where mealtimes came enroute.She also had to keep the lavatory clean, nota pleasant task when the passengersbecame airsick.

There were no terminals or lounges for thepassengers to relax in where the DC-4stopped before reaching Honolulu. The bestaccommodations were weather-beatenmilitary Quonset huts.

It was with much relief for both thepassengers and the crew when the DC-4touched down at Oakland. Cheers filled thecabin from soldiers who knew that they hadreached their country at last.

the social sciences, and rare titles and bookson microfische, and an extensive library ofslides and photographs.

Nielson Airport–PAL’s birthplaceSixty years ago, on July 31, 1946, a Philippine Air-lines Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, carrying a full load of40 American soldiers, took off from Nielson Airport inMakati for California. Photo shows PAL officers andstaff led by President Andres Soriano (standing at rightin a white suit, holding a black hat) in front of theNielson control tower on that historic day.


*All photos appearing on these pages are from the Ayala Memory-Filipinas Heritage Library


Lufthansa Technik Budapest recently completeda series of Boeing 737 C-checks for LufthansaGerman Airlines.

Lufthansa Technik Budapest was establishedin 2001 to perform heavy maintenance IL and D-checks on Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft.

A C-check is completely different from a heavymaintenance event with shorter turnaround timesrequiring different levels of support within theorganization. To meet this challenge, theHungarian colleagues created special shiftswithin the production organization as well as inthe support organizations, such as engineering,planning and material support. “We realized thata six-day turnaround time did not leave muchtime to evaluate defects or order spares AOGand we also recognized that all defects had to beconsidered as critical and managed accordingly.Hence, we prepare our organization with thisshort response time in mind. Although we hadalready performed more than 50 heavy mainte-nance events for Lufthansa, we were setting upspecial procedures with our Frankfurt colleagues,holding specific preparation meetings on-siteprior to the layover start just as we would do withany other new customer,” said Pat Foley, ChiefOperations Officer of the Budapest facility.

Additionally, the colleagues at LufthansaTechnik Budapest enrolled the support andknow-how of Lufthansa Technik Berlin andLufthansa Technik Malta, the C-check experts inthe commercial Overhaul Division. The results ofthese efforts have been impressive. LufthansaTechnik Budapest redelivered all the five aircraftwithin the contracted turnaround time. Negotia-tions have been completed for the performanceof three more layovers in Budapest duringAugust.

C-checksperformed inBudapestBroadens product portfolio

Lufthansa Technik Budapest cel-ebrated its fifth anniversary in June2006. Thanks to the team spirit of itsstaff and the high quality of their work,today the company is an importantcornerstone in Lufthansa Technik’sglobal overhaul network and a centerof excellence for Boeing 737 andAirbus A320 heavy maintenance.

Today Lufthansa Technik Budapestcan look back with pride on what ithas accomplished since the lease forthe hangar was signed five years agoand look forward to the future withoptimism. Owned jointly by LufthansaTechnik (85%) and Malev HungarianAirlines (15%) and based at FerihegyAirport in Budapest, the company wasfounded in 2001 with the aim ofstrengthening Lufthansa Technik’soverhaul capacity for single-aisleaircraft, following the successfulconcept applied to Shannon Aero-space.

With team spirit and high qualitySince the first Boeing 737 Classic

left the hangar after a D-check in May2002, Lufthansa Technik Budapest hashandled 80 heavy maintenance events(D-checks and IL-checks) for Boeing737 Classics and Airbus A320 familyaircraft. If one includes smaller checksand modifications, the total number ofevents rises to 100 events. Beginningin March 2007, the Boeing 737 NG willjoin the portfolio of the Hungarianoverhaul specialist. The hangar hastwo docks in which two aircraft, forexample one B737 and one A320 nextto it, can undergo their layoverssimultaneously.

Excellent reputation and wellpositioned

One special feature of the hangar isits highly efficient ventilation system,thanks to which airplanes can bepainted on the spot and do not haveto be towed to a second hangar forthis work, thus cutting down on thework entailed. With a workforce of over330 highly skilled staff, LufthansaTechnik Budapest’s customer basecurrently numbers 14 airlines andoperators. In addition to 737 andA320 heavy maintenance, LufthansaTechnik Budapest now offers linemaintenance in Ferihegy as well – aservice that is geared particularly tothe requirements of low-cost carrierssuch as Wizz Air. Lufthansa TechnikBudapest’s geographical location isideal for customers from Eastern andCentral Europe as well as carriers fromRussia and the CIS. The company canhold its own against the globalcompetition on account of its technicalcapabilities, the quality of its work andespecially its impressive throughputtimes.

Competitive layover timesMarek Wernicke, Chief Executive

Officer of Lufthansa Technik Budapest,therefore had good reason to feelconfident about the future prospects ofthe company on the occasion of thefifth anniversary festivities. “We are wellpositioned,” he said, “and have anexcellent reputation in the MROindustry. If we continue along thepresent growth path, we will succeedin raising our productivity and capacitystill further.”

Lufthansa Technik Budapest celebrates 5th anniversary

The “can-do spirit”


Mt. Pinatubo treksLand of fire and ash, now atourist hotspot


HOW WOULD you like to trek up an activevolcano? Even peek (or heaven forbid,swim) inside its crater?

One of the Philippines newest touristattractions is Mt. Pinatubo. Located on theisland of Luzon, 90 kilometers (55 miles)northwest of the capital city Manila, thisunique venue is perfect for adventureseekers who are in the hunt of some of themost extreme locations nature can offer.

Dominated by a 2.5 kilometer crater lakeand a moon-like terrain strewn with giganticboulders, ash canyons, lahar(mudflow) fieldsand gushing brooks hot enough to cookeggs, the scene at Pinatubo reminds you ofa grand Hollywood set that often leavesvisitors in awe at the power that formed thissurreal scene.

Destructive pastIn June 1991, Mt. Pinatubo, previously quiet

and inconspicuous for more than 500 years,awoke. The eruption of volcano was somassive that its top was literally blown-off. Iteven altered the world’s climate by loweringglobal temperatures by 1ºC when it injected20 million tons of sulphur dioxide into thestratosphere.

It was the largest eruption since that ofNovarupta(Alaska) in 1912, and some tentimes larger than the 1980 eruption of MountSt. Helens(Washington). Sadly the human

cost was equally devastating, as it left over100,000 people homeless, and turned anerstwhile fertile area into a barren wasteland.

Growing tourist sceneTen years after its eruption, Mt. Pinatubo

has quieted down, enough for the Philippinegovernment to promote the area as a majortourist attraction. Generally not for the faint ofheart, it offers a variety of activities for thethrill seeker.

Most Pinatubo visitors go there to trek upthe caldera. Going up would require rentinga 4x4 vehicle or local jeeps for a three-hourride through the so-called Crow Valley laharfield, a shifting landscape of silt and rocks.There is no road here, as the terrainconstantly changes.

When the jeep can go no further, visitorsthen hike through mineral-rich streams anda spectacular terrain with cliffs of crumblingsilt, bubbling hot springs, and deep canyons.

This easy to moderate trek is about threehours and goes up to an elevation of about600 meters, and ends on a ledge with agrand view of the crater lake which is

surrounded by jagged peaks. Now calledLake Pinatubo, visitors can time their arrivalto have lunch there, or even spend the night.One can even lounge by the lakeside wherethe water is warm and soapy, filled withminerals. The thought of swimming in thislake should tingle anyone’s senses—Thisvolcano is still very much active, with the nexteruption expected in the next 490 years!

For those who would prefer an easierroute to the crater, flying tours using smallaircraft can be arranged from Manila or thenearby Clark Development Zone, formerlythe United States’ largest air base in Asia.

And for an even more relaxing Mt.Pinatubo experience, visit the unique Mt.Pinatubo Wellness Spa. Here you can enjoya Sandy Shower—guests are invited to liedown and submerge themselves in a bed ofvolcanic rock and salt, long thought to begood for the skin and eases arthritic pain-perfect after a day’s trek up the caldera.

InformationFor more information on Mt. Pinatubo treks

and tours, visit www.luzoncentral.com.ph.

IT’S DEFINITELY sweeter the second timearound.

The Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP)soccer team and pep squad, both deter-mined to make up for a double bridesmaidfinish in the 2005 soccer tournament, didn’tdisappoint their followers after respectivelycapturing this year’s European Chamber ofCommerce Philippines (ECCP) soccer andcheerleading titles.

LTP President and CEO, Dr. AndreasHeizner, manager of both soccer and pepteams, congratulated everyone for the twinfeat.

Soccer team, pep squad take ECCP titles

Champions at last

“Let’s continue to show everyone that inLTP, we can excel in the hangar and on thefield. Congratulations to the two teams andthank you for making us proud,” Dr. Heiznersaid.

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3rd Quarter TechniLink - Lufthansa Technik Philippines Files/TL_3Q06_CE.pdf · Tec hniLink is...

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