Composites Repair Centre


ACS UK Repair Centre is set up to carry out EASA Part 145 and FAA approved repairs to composite structural and interior components. Further information of our scope of repair services is provided below:

Specialist Projects

With our extensive knowledge, highly skilled repair technicians, and production facilities, we undertake “special projects”, regardless of complexity. We work in conjunction with customer design teams to provide documented, achievable actions to meet customers’ individual interior modifications, with the ability to manufacture one-off composite components to support this.

Facilities

  • 5 and 3 Axis CNC machining
  • Multi Daylight Platen Presses
  • CMM Roma arm for digital inspection
  • Fully equipped paint facilities, with experience with anti-static, anti-erosion and metallic effect paint
  • Inspection area
  • Controlled lay-up facilities
  • Autoclave and Ovens
  • UKAS approved on-site test laboratory for project compliance requirements
  • CATIA 3D design program

REPAIR AND VIP REFURBISHMENT


Repair, refurbishment and modification to aircraft interiors offers a lower cost option with reduced timescales, compared to a complete interior replacement. This can be imperative with shorter maintenance periods, and the costs associated with having aircraft out of service for an extended period.

ACS UK offers a portfolio of services for the interior repair, refurbishment or modification of all commercial, VIP and corporate aircraft.

All work is completed in-house at our facility in Cambridge and, where required, with the support of our production facility and test laboratory services. We can additionally provide an on-wing/in situ service fulfilled by our Field Repair Team.

ACS UK offers a quality service with on-time delivery, providing aircraft with an up to date, contemporary, modern design.

Interior Refurbishment

  • Complete interior refurbishments, of all cabin areas, including vanity units, galleys, stowages, bulkheads, side tables/ledges and cabin class partitions utilising our premium ChameleonTM decorative finish or Microtex Aestetica® range.
  • Partial interior refurbishment or removable interior components.

Challenger 600 Interior Refurbishment

ACS Uk, Cambridge recently won the project to refurbish the interiors of a fleet of Challenger 600 series aircraft. The project involved the interior refurbishment of the galley area, vanity units, bulkhead partitions and passenger comfort areas, from the original wood veneer, to our premium ChameleonTM decorative finish in a high gloss lacquer wood effect film.

Our ChameleonTM finish not only provided a cost effective sleek modern design, it offers a weight saving of 300% over traditional veneers. Each project was completed within the agreed timescales of 6-8 weeks.

RADOME REPAIR AND TEST


ACS UK has the most comprehensive EASA-approved indoor Radome test facilities in Europe. We have over 14 years of experience of efficient testing and quality repair of commercial, cargo, corporate and VIP aircraft or helicopter Radomes.

Our Radome test facility is set up in accordance with Saint-Gobain’s (formally Norton Radomes) agreed standards. We have installed a replica anechoic test facility, based on the system Saint Gobain use for the testing of new and repaired Radomes, in the USA. ACS UK is contracted to work to Saint-Gobain repair schemes as well as OEM/SRM/CMM, providing the capability to test any in-service aircraft radome.

Comprehensive inspection, testing and support is carried out by our skilled Test Engineers and Repair Technicians, at our dedicated facility in Cambridge.

Customers benefit from reduced turn-around times due to our on-site testing and repair facilities, meeting the demands and requirements of shorter maintenance periods, and operators holding less stock of radome spares.

Services

  • Test only service, including same day or 24hr turn-around
  • Radome repair and test (Class 1 to Class 5)
  • AOG Radome repair and test
  • No-obligation on- or off-site Radome evaluation & repair quotation
  • Fixed price standard repairs and tailored support agreements
  • Customised paint services to meet customer exact colour match requirements
  • Modification projects, specific to customer requirements e.g. research & development or weather research projects

Facilites

  • Comprehensive computerised anechoic chamber
  • Fully equipped paint facilities, with experience with anti-static, anti-erosion and metallic effect paint
  • Fully compliant layup and curing facilities

Exchange & Loan Radomes

ACS UK has added an exchange or lease Radome service to its portfolio, providing a cost-efficient option, versus taking an aircraft out of service for repair or the lease of an aircraft, to meet an airlines scheduling requirements.

Please contact us for an up to date stock listing of available Radomes.

Dreamliner Radome Repair

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded during peak season following a mid-air bird strike to the quartz radome structure, the largest (7’ in diameter) ever designed and manufactured for commercial aviation by Saint Gobain.

Due to our extensive experience with over 50 Radome types, ACS UK was contacted to carry out this critical repair.

Due to the limited commercial in-flight service of the 787 Dreamliner, the instruction for the provision of repair to the B787 Radome, outlined in the Structural Repair Manual, was predominantly based on the manufacturing materials used in the USA.

These materials were not readily available in Europe, potentially affecting the critical turn-around of the Radome back into service. Technical discussions were carried out with Boeing to establish a suitable alternative material that satisfied their stringent technical requirements. This concluded with Boeing’s approval, and the Radome and aircraft returned to service within 7 days.

Repair Capabilities

Below is an overview of our Radome capabilities; however we have test and repair experience with over 50 OEM Radome types, please contact us for details of our full capabilities:-

  • Airbus – A319/A320/A321
  • Boeing – 737, 757, 767, 787
  • Embraer – 135/145, 170/190
  • BAe 146
  • Falcon 20
  • Gulfstream

STRUCTUAL REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS


ACS UK dedicated EASA and FAA approved composite repair centre has been in operation for over 15 years. Our skilled technicians and project staff have over 35 years of combined aircraft composite repair and refurbishment experience.

Repairs are carried out to SRM/CMM and OEM approved repair schemes, ACS UK being the sole European BAe approved repair centre for BAe 146 spoilers.

Our facility is set up to repair damage to components highlighted during a scheduled maintenance check, or damage caused by:

  • On ground collisions
  • In-air impact
  • Projectile damage

Structural Repair Services

  • Composite structural repair, including fuselage/body fairings, flying controls and engine cowls
  • Damage evaluation and detailed repair scheme reports for OEM approval
  • Field Repair Team, for on wing repair
  • AOG composite external/internal repairs
  • Metal bonding on/off wing
  • Bespoke standard repair agreements, for long term contracts

British Airways Wing Repair

A British Airways Boeing 747, while taxiing to its stand at Heathrow Airport, suffered collision damage to a winglet (designed by Boeing to reduce drag, and to improve fuel efficiency), shearing off the entire winglet tip.

The 8ft high winglet was shipped to our Cambridge repair centre for damage evaluation by our skilled technicians, to develop a repair scheme and carry out the structural repair.

ACS UK designed and manufactured a one-off localised tool, designed to keep the panel profile, and completed the repair with carbon fibre and Nomex® honeycomb core. All trailing-edge metal work was replaced, completed with a primed paint finish for return to British Airways.

The entire repair, including the in-house manufacture of the tooling aid, was completed within 10 days.

  • On-ground collisions
  • In-air impact
  • Projectile damage