Interactive Flight Technologies has appointed Brian Barents to its board. Barents is a former president and chief executive of Learjet, and currently is a management consultant to the Pritzker Organization. The statement from IFT said, "His responsibilities include the negotiations for the formation of a large U.S.-based aerospace company, and he will serve as the president and chief executive officer of this new corporation."
Mesaba Airlines will begin offering daily direct service to Kenora, Ontario, May 22 from Minneapolis/St. Paul. The Northwest Airlink flights, with 30-seat Saab 340s, will stop in Ely, Minn.
National Transportation Safety Board said Friday that 444 people died in air carrier accidents through November, the highest total since 639 people were killed in all of 1985. In 1995, there were 67 fatalities from air carrier accidents. Most of the fatalities through the first 11 months of the year, 343, occurred in scheduled Part 121 operations, a gigantic jump from the six fatalities in this category through November of 1995. There were 38 fatalities in non-scheduled Part 121 accidents, up from two the year before.
Aerolineas Centrales de Colombia has signed a contract to buy up to eight A320s, Airbus said. The contract covers four firm orders plus options. The first two aircraft are to be delivered in November 1997 and the third and fourth in July and October 1998.
International Civil Aviation Organization and Flight Safety Foundation are distributing worldwide a training aid developed by Boeing in an attempt to help pilots avoid situations that can result in controlled flight into terrain. The foundation says CFIT accidents are "the leading cause of commercial aviation fatalities," accounting for 80% of deaths between 1979 and 1991. There were four CFIT accidents in 1995 involving Western-built jet transports.
Lufthansa has ordered an additional A340 from Airbus Industrie, bringing its total to 18 and making it the largest A340 customer. The A340-300 will be delivered in the first half of 1998.
As United prepares to negotiate mid-term wage adjustments with salaried employees and its management group, aiming at provisions similar to the ones it reached tentatively with its Machinists and Air Line Pilots Association units, President and Chief Operating Officer John Edwardson told employees he predicts payouts would be made next year.
FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive on 747-200 aircraft with Pratt&Whitney engines, requiring inspections to detect broken sealant common to the lower horizontal clevis of the inboard and outboard strut midspar fittings, and of the fasteners. FAA said the action is intended to detect and correct cracking and fracturing, which could result in separation of the engine and strut from the airplane.
Women in Aviation International launched a site on the World Wide Web this week, offering information on its annual conference, scholarship listings, upcoming events and membership services. The Web address is http ://www.wiai.org.
Air 21 Chairman Mark Morro "stepped down" Wednesday as the Fresno- based F28 operator talks with San Diego-based Pacific Southwest Airlines, Inc. (PSAI) on a possible takeover of Air 21 by PSAI. The offer on the table is for PSAI to acquire control of Air 21 and turn it into the "PSA Shuttle." David Walsh has been named acting chairman and chief executive, an Air 21 spokesman said. Expect talks to be wrapped up by early next week (DAILY, Dec. 19).
Airlines Reporting Corp. reported that travel agent sales increased 11% in November from the same month in 1995, to $4.849 billion. Domestic and international fare revenue each rose 11% for the month, while domestic commissions rose 5% and international 3% to a total of $461.2 million. For the first 11 months of the year, sales were up 4% to 59.2 billion as domestic revenue gained 10% and international 8%. Travel agent domestic commissions rose 2% to $3.5 billion and international commissions were up 3% to 2.5 billion.
Uzbekistan Airways has ordered three RJ85 aircraft from Aero International (Regional), AI(R) reported. Value of the transaction was placed at $75 million. Delivery is set for next year.
Hawaiian Airlines' traffic dropped 6% in November from the same month in 1995, to 297.7 million revenue passenger miles. Capacity during the month decreased 1.7% to 396.2 million available seat miles, and the load factor fell 3.5 points to 75.1%. Hawaiian carried 406,818 passengers in November, a 4.1% decrease. Hawaiian's cargo ton miles jumped 26.3% to 3.9 million. For the first 11 months, Hawaiian's traffic rose 7% to 3.5 billion, ASMs rose 9.5% to 4.6 billion and the load factor fell 1.8 points to 75.4%. Cargo ton miles rose 23.6% to 37.2 million.
American's VP of passenger sales, Jack Williams, is leaving the airline after 23 years to become president of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Williams is being replaced by Peter Bowler, currently managing director of reservations, whose appointment as a corporate officer will be submitted to the board of directors in January. Carol Wright, manager of the Southwestern Reservations Office in Tucson, will succeed Bowler.
Arlington, Va.-based USAir says it "considers the PSA mark to be owned by USAir," and it has been using it in commerce - as PSA Airlines out of Dayton, Ohio - and intends to continue to do so in the future. Pacific Southwest Airlines, Inc., is a startup carrier which holds a supplemental cargo certificate that is being modified for turbojet operations. It is not a USAir company.
United and Bloomingdale's, partners for three years, are offering personal shopper service, make-overs, package delivery or 10% shopping discounts at certain Bloomingdale's stores, through Feb. 15, to United international first class passengers headed to New York and Los Angeles.
In a surprising consensus, FAA, manufacturers and airlines have reached agreement on the foundation for the next-generation precision landing system - the Global Positioning System local area augmentation system (LAAS) architecture, which will provide aircraft guidance for precision approaches down to Category 3 conditions, airport surface navigation, and missed approaches and departures. The parties plan to establish firm system requirements, standards and ground system specifications within 12 to 18 months, and RTCA will hold a special meeting Jan.
FAA last week altered its proposal for upgraded flight data recorders to ensure that aircraft acquired by U.S. carriers, but operated under a foreign registry, are covered. FAA proposed to require the upgraded digital flight data recorders (DFDRs) in aircraft operated under Part 135 that were "brought onto the U.S. register after Oct. 11, 1991." FAA also is considering granting an exemption to a mainstay of the commercial regional fleet, the DHC-6 Twin Otter.
Embraer delivered its first two 50-passenger EMB-145 regional jets to wholly owned Continental subsidiary Continental Express (COEx) in a hand- over ceremony Wednesday at Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. COEx President David Siegel said, "The aircraft has consistently outperformed its [original] specifications." The carrier is expected to take delivery of two additional aircraft Dec. 30. All will remain in Brazil, where they are being used to train Continental crews until after the first of the year.
Acting FAA Administrator Linda Hall Daschle will discuss future financing needs of her agency, aviation security and funding for the Airport Improvement Program this week on Aviation News Today, to be aired on Washington's NewsChannel 8 Sunday 12:30 a.m.-1 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.-2 p.m.
TWA has extended for a limited time its offer of Trans World One upgrades under its frequent flyer program to passengers flying on military and government fares. TWA said it carried more than 90,000 military and government passengers last year. Travelers taking four transatlantic flights by May 31, 1997, can receive a certificate for an upgrade valid until Aug. 31.
ValuJet said yesterday that FAA and DOT approved its use of charter flights to serve Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach between Dec. 19 and Jan. 6. The carrier had planned to expand its own service to the three destinations, but FAA refused late Wednesday to approve the additions to its schedule. ValuJet said Kiwi International, Spirit Airlines and Sun Pacific International will operate the flights at their scheduled times between Dec. 20 and Jan.
TWA and USAir will benefit most from the upcoming lapse of the 10% tax on passenger tickets, according to a Lehman Brothers analysis. Nearly 35% of TWA's and 29.4% of USAir's pre-tax earnings in 1997 will be attributable to the tax lapse if it lasts six months. Northwest (7.3%), American (8.5%) and United (9.3%) will benefit least.
