Aviation

Lufthansa Technik to convert Airbus A400M and A321neoLR into patient transport units

Lufthansa Technik AG recently began the strategic further development of its proven patient transport unit PTE (German: Patiententransporteinheit) for the air transport of patients in intensive medical care. Based on an order placed by the German Armed Forces in 2020, an initial 26 PTE NG (New Generation) units will be produced over the next two years.

The further development for the German Armed Forces is based on the Patient Transport Unit (PTU) NG in international service, of which Lufthansa Technik recently delivered eight additional units to NATO’s Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport fleet. One goal of the further development is to make the PTE NG flexibly deployable on all suitable aircraft types of the German Armed Forces. To enable it to be used, for example, on both the Airbus A400M and the future Airbus A321neoLR of the German Air Force, it will receive all the necessary military and also civil approvals as both aviation and medical equipment.

The specification and airworthiness certification will be carried out by Lufthansa Technik. The specialized Swiss medical device manufacturer Aerolite has been contracted to develop and manufacture the system. For installation in different aircraft types, the partners have also developed a special concept that allows electrical connection to various onboard power systems with direct and alternating currents. Installation requires no tools and takes only a few minutes.

The German Armed Forces currently operate 37 first-generation PTEs, which were procured at the time for the Airbus A310 MRTT and C-160 Trans all. Almost all of them are still in daily service since 2018 also on the Airbus A400M. The new generation will also meet the requirements of the German Air Force’s future transport fleet. The wealth of experience gained from Bundeswehr missions flows directly into the PTE NG.

Related Topics:A321neoLR Airbus A400M Lufthansa Technik

Aviation

Boeing Resumes 737 MAX Manufacturing After Seven-Week Strike

In a crucial move for its recovery, Boeing has restarted production of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner, about a month after a significant seven-week strike involving 33,000 factory workers came to an end.

This marks a key milestone for the planemaker, which has been facing considerable challenges in recent years, including heavy debt and a series of setbacks.

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According to the report from Reuters, Boeing resumed the production of the 737 MAX jetliner last week, a pivotal step as the company aims to meet the growing global demand for air travel. With over 4,200 orders from airlines, Boeing’s ability to get the 737 MAX production line back in motion is vital for its financial recovery.

Although Boeing had previously planned to restart production earlier, the company faced numerous obstacles that delayed this process. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Thursday that while Boeing had not yet resumed production, they had plans to restart by the end of the month.

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The road to this point has been rocky for Boeing. Setbacks such as the tragic fatal crashes of the 737 MAX, the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing supply chain issues, production safety concerns, and increased regulatory scrutiny have all contributed to delays in the company’s efforts to ramp up production.

The seven-week strike, which involved thousands of Boeing’s factory workers, added yet another hurdle. Despite these challenges, production of the 737 MAX officially resumed on Friday, according to one of the anonymous sources.

Boeing, however, declined to comment on the matter. The planemaker is now focused on reaching its goal of producing 56 737 MAX airplanes per month, a target that has been delayed due to the many issues that have beset the company over the past few years.