US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey has agreed to oversee two mediators working to resolve the contract dispute between FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Assn. that has simmered since the agency imposed a contract on the union in 2006 after it declared an impasse in negotiations. LaHood made his comments yesterday at a joint luncheon meeting of the Aero Club of Washington and the Wings Club of New York in Washington. Garvey was appointed to lead FAA by President Bill Clinton and her term overlapped part of George W.
LIAT said Brian Challenger will serve as interim CEO, succeeding the departing Mark Darby, while a permanent replacement is sought. Challenger joined the board in 2006.
Qantas suffered one of its worst-ever collapses in yield on international flights in March, according to a Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation analysis. QF's international yield plunged 11% year-over-year in March following a 2.4% fall in February. CAPA said yesterday that March domestic yield dropped 10.1% after falling 9.7% the prior month. March international passenger numbers were down 15.8% and domestic numbers declined 2.6% to 1.4 million. Low-cost subsidiary Jetstar Airways saw international passengers rise 36.3% to 186,000 and domestic increase 1.8% to 686,000.
The recession and resulting demand decline "left their mark" on Lufthansa Group's first-quarter performance, Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber and other senior officials said in a note to shareholders yesterday, pointing to steep drops in business passengers and cargo in explaining a net loss of €256 million ($333.8 million) on a more than 10% decline in revenue.
Thales was awarded a contract by DFS, the German air navigation service provider, for the delivery, installation, training and commissioning of the PAM-FRA1 wide area multilateration system.
GREAT SUCCESS STORIES IN AVIATION ARE a rarity even in good times, and noteworthy accomplishments are even less likely when an airline has had to rise from the ashes of a fallen parent. Sydney-based Regional Express, known as Rex to locals, has done all this and more and remains profitable in the worst economic downturn in at least four decades.
CFM International, the GE Aviation/Snecma joint venture, is beginning testing on its first demonstration LEAP-X engine core as it aggressively develops a powerplant for a potential next-generation narrowbody entering service by 2018 ( ATWOnline, May 15). The LEAP-X does not feature an open rotor design, but GE and Snecma nevertheless are engaged actively in testing the technology first conceived in the 1980s.
TO SAY THAT THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A challenge for the US regional airline industry understates the case for a group of carriers buffeted by financial losses, capacity reductions imposed by mainline partners and efforts by those partners to restructure longstanding contracts. SkyWest Inc. Executive VP and CFO Brad Rich could have been speaking for the entire industry when he said, "This is the most challenging time we've faced in the 21 years I've been at SkyWest."
United Airlines launched a carbon offset program that complements its existing efforts to reduce its impact on the environment. Its environmental initiatives include fleet enhancements, an EcoPower engine wash system and alternative-fuel ground support equipment vehicles. Last year it was the only US airline to participate in the environmental program ASPIRE, using 11 fuel-savings initiatives in a single transpacific flight to save more than 32,000 lb. of carbon emissions.
Eight months after equal measures of recklessness, stupidity, greed, market ignorance and political meddling resulted in an economic meltdown that has led to a trillion dollars in taxpayer bailouts, the highest US jobless rate in 30 years and the loss of billions of dollars of retirement savings, it's comforting to know that some politicians in Washington are firmly focused on writing new regulations to protect consumers from . . . the airline industry.
The guilty verdict and a two-year jail sentence handed down in early April to Capt. Marwoto Komar, the pilot-in-command of Garuda Flight GA200, a 737-400 that crashed at Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on March 7, 2007, killing 21, has become the case du jour in the continuing debate regarding criminal action against flight crews involved in airline accidents.
HE GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IS TAKING A TOLL on all sectors of the commercial aviation business and regional aircraft sales are no exception. While manufacturers of regional jets and turboprops continue to speak confidently about the long-term market prospects for their products, there is no sugarcoating the near-term pain. Both Embraer and Bombardier have announced major workforce cutbacks and are hunkering down to ride out the financial storm.
MOSCOW'S DOMODEDOVO International has been growing at a dazzling speed and last year had the honor of reporting the largest percentage increase in passengers among Europe's 40 largest airports. Throughput reached 20.4 million, up 9% over 2007, following a robust 22% hike in 2007 and a healthy 10.1% growth in 2006. This compares with an overall decrease in passengers at European airports of 0.2% in 2008 and increases of 6.5% in 2007 and 6% in 2006, according to data from Airports Council International-Europe.
The rate of decline in global passenger traffic slowed in March compared to February, according to Airports Council International. But the organization warned that the swine flu outbreak could affect trends going forward as people cancel travel plans and authorities try to contain the outbreak. Airports handled a total of 250.8 million passengers in March, down 8.3% compared to the year-ago period but an improvement over the 10.3% year-to-year decline recorded for February passenger traffic.
A little more than a year after the highly touted opening of London Heathrow's Terminal 5 turned into a nightmare for British Airways passengers and a public relations disaster for the airline and BAA, the facility is more than living up to its original promise, say BA officials.
Imagine a business traveler whose flight has been delayed for the third time. She's going to be late to an important meeting, where she is scheduled to give a presentation. The look on her face says it all: She's frustrated and stressed. But the next time she needs to speak with someone in the airline's call center, the agent is likely to see only her name, membership number and status.
US Trade and Development Agency, along with the American Assn. of Airport Executives and Civil Aviation Authority of China joined forces to launch the Airport Environmental Partnership. The AEP will employ resources designed to mitigate the environmental impact of airport development and management. Several US airports have agreed to share their "best practices" on common environmental issues such as green construction initiatives and waste management with their Chinese colleagues.
Sustainable biofuels for the airline industry are just around the corner, say two suppliers that already have conducted successful inflight demonstrations.
International Assn. of Airport Executives and IATA are working on a series of airport training initiatives including an airport operations certification program as well as specific courses to support airport employees. Topics include Aerodrome Design and Operations; Safety and Management Systems; Airfield Marking and Lighting, and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting. For more information on the training programs, contact [email protected].
WHILE GLOBAL COMMERCIAL aviation is an intensely competitive business, it is notable among the world's for-profit enterprises for its high level of interconnectedness and reliance on cooperation among competitors. Technology platforms used by one airline often are applicable to another, even fierce rivals. Many of the worldwide aviation business's inefficiencies, in fact, arise from a lack of common standards and systems.
Continental chief Larry Kellner hinted that the carrier may migrate to the Star Alliance Common IT Platform at some point after it joins the alliance in October.
Sapphire Energy, which has conducted flight demonstrations with Continental and Japan Air Lines, likewise is excited about the potential of algae-derived biojet. It claims that by 2011 it will be producing 1 million gal. of diesel and jet fuel per year, double its initial estimates. By 2018 the number will be 100 million gal. annually and by 2025 it will be up to 1 billion gal. of fuel per year. In context, that is 3% of the US's 36-billion-gal. renewable fuel standard.
Following a sharp decline in profit in 2008, Dublin Airport Authority will scale back some of its plans for a renovation and airport improvement projects in the face of an anticipated 11% drop in passenger numbers at its three airports this year. For the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, DAA group, which represents Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, reported a profit of €78 million, a fall of 28% from a year earlier. Passenger boardings dipped 0.6% to 29.9 million.
Finnair and Qatar Airways have joined the Aviation Global Deal Group that was launched in February to take leadership of the climate change debate and develop a global policy for tackling aviation emissions. Air France KLM, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, airport operator BAA and international nongovernmental organization The Climate Group formed the organization to present a united front to fast-track an industry response and last month presented their ideas during a UNFCCC session in Bonn. Attendees at the ATW-Leeham Co.
CFM International last month launched its CFM56-7B Evolution engine enhancement program for EIS in mid-2011. The new engine, in combination with aerodynamic refinements to the 737NG, will burn 2% less fuel. Key to the improvement is the use of advanced computer codes and 3-D design techniques to improve airfoils in the high- and low-pressure turbines to lift engine performance. Also, CFM is improving engine cooling techniques and reducing parts count to achieve lower maintenance costs.
