HAMBURG, Germany, 3 Feb. 2016. Lufthansa Technik AG engineers in Hamburg, Germany, have developed the Logo Light Protector to avoid unscheduled maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) actions. The light protector avoids damage that can occur while removing a logo light located in the horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing 777 commercial passenger jet, for example.
Until now, there has been an inherent risk of damage to the glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) surface layer of the stabilizer while removing the sealant around the cover of the logo light. The sealant is often cemented on the aircraft surface. In this case, the delamination of the surface requires time-consuming repair at a significant cost.
Lufthansa Technik engineers have solved this problem by developing a metal ring, the Logo Light Protector, installed in and around the logo light cut-out. The sealant is placed between the cover of the logo light and the protector, with no contact to the stabilizer. The stabilizer will also protect the area from erosion.
“Due to the comprehensive experience of our technicians and engineers performing daily MRO inspections, we find potential issues that can occur on in-service aircraft. We also have the design and engineering capabilities to develop smart solutions for these problems," says Beate Rehberg, project manager in Lufthansa Technik's Original Equipment Innovation Division.
The first installations of the light protector have been performed on Lufthansa Cargo's Boeing 777 fleet. Lufthansa Technik's Original Equipment Innovation Division is offering the Logo Light Protector to all 777 operators.
The Lufthansa Technik Group, with more than 30 subsidiaries and about 26,000 employees worldwide, is a provider of services for the aviation industry. Lufthansa Technik is licensed internationally as a repair, production, and development enterprise. The Group's portfolio encompasses the entire spectrum of services in the areas of maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification and conversion, engines, and components.
Aircraft images courtesy Shutterstock.
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