DOT General Counsel Nancy McFadden discusses aviation security and other aviation issues on Aviation News Today on Washington's NewsChannel 8, Sunday from 12:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
German regional carrier Eurowings said the passenger volume across its domestic and European scheduled and charter service network increased 10% during the first half of 1996. Almost 800,000 passengers traveled on its scheduled services during the six months ended 30 June, a 15% increase on the same period last year. The average load factor increased 3.6 percentage points on scheduled services, to 56.4%.
The BMW/Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engine was certified Wednesday by FAA. The engine, which will power the Gulfstream V, Bombardier Global Express and British Nimrod 2000, was approved Aug. 14 by the European Joint Aviation Authorities.
United, in the wake of Continental's potentially huge order for Embraer 145 regional jets and American's apparent settlement with its pilots on the regional-jet issue, is the next major carrier that must address the issue. Air Wisconsin is the only United Express carrier with jets - 14 BAe 146 quadjets - and authority to operate up to 18 under grandfather rights. Atlantic Coast is evaluating 50-passenger jets and Mesa recently ordered 16 Canadair Regional Jets plus 16 options, but those will be operated under the Mesa mantle or as America West Express.
ValuJet, still waiting for word from DOT on when or whether it can fly again, told DOT this week it could lose $10 million for each month it is not permitted to resume service. "In addition, unless ValuJet can reasonably point to the prospect of resuming operations in the near future, it also would risk being declared in default by certain bank lenders," the carrier said in a response to an Association of Flight Attendants motion to keep the carrier on the ground.
International Civil Aviation Organization, Japan, China, South Korea and North Korea have agreed to set up airways over North Korea, initially through the Pyongyang Flight Information Region for a route between North America and South Korea/China. The five organizations agreed tentatively to set up Pyongyang-Beijing and Pyongyang-Niigata airways as well, and they will discuss a Japan-China airway. Japan air transport industry officials think North Korea plans to impose fees on foreign airlines flying in its airspace.
Interactive Flight Technologies and representatives of the Pritzker family of Chicago have signed a letter of intent to form a strategic alliance that will use Pritzker's marketing resources to enhance IFT's relationship with U.S. and foreign air carriers, IFT said.
Atlantic Coast Airlines has completed development of standardized crew resource management procedures and has begun putting them in effect, reaching the implementation phase of an FAA-funded program to evaluate a process the agency hopes will help flight crews improve performance and reduce accidents, FAA said this week.
Next regional aircraft consortium, and probably the last, very likely could consist of Fairchild Dornier, Embraer and Saab - if not all three, then two. In a marketplace that seems to encourage family product lines of regional aircraft from which to select, such as those from AI(R) and Bombardier, Embraer and Saab are stuck with 50-passenger fuselages that cannot be stretched further, and Fairchild Dornier will have one if it stretches the Do 328 as promised. Interestingly, top Embraer executives visited the Saab factory in Sweden before the Farnborough Air Show.
Air Canada flew 10.2% more revenue passenger miles in August than in the same month in 1995. Systemwide capacity rose 9.1% for August, although international capacity jumped 13.7%, while international RPMs grew 16.8%. The lone area of decline was domestic RPMs, which fell 1.7%, while Canadian capacity was up 1.4%. Aug 96 Aug 95 8 Mths 96 8 Mths 95 RPMs 2,137,000,000 1,939,000,000 13,065,000,000 11,194,000,000
Fifteen of the nation's largest regional airlines posted a combined 57.1% load factor in August on revenue passenger miles that grew 9.9% to slightly more than 1 billion and available seat miles that rose 6.3% to nearly 1.8 billion. The combined carriers boarded 4.3 million passengers. Gulfstream International topped the RPM growth list, with a gain of 69%, but that was against ASMs that jumped 80.3%.
The governments of Australia and New Zealand agreed yesterday to allow all airlines of each country to operate unlimited passenger and freight service between the two countries. The agreement, effective Nov. 1, reverses a last-minute decision in 1994 by New Zealand Transport Minister Laurie Brereton, who pulled the plug on opening the travel market between the two nations just days before it was to come into effect. The Single Air Market (SAM) agreement opens all city-pairs within and directly between both nations.
Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)) consortium's new regional jet will weigh in at 67,769 pounds, well below the widely observed scope limitation of 75,000 pounds, and cruise at Mach 0.78, somewhat below its competitor's - the stretched Canadair RJ's - 0.81. It is a matter of dispute which aircraft will reach the market first. The AI(R) consortium consists of Aerospatiale of France, Alenia of Italy and British Aerospace.
American Trans Air, dropping five 757-200s with Pratt&Whitney engines from its fleet, is exploring divestiture of two more P&W-powered 757s as well, leaving it with a single engine type, the Rolls-Royce RB211, on the remainder of its 757s. The airline has four new 757-200s on order from Boeing, indicating that it likely will equip them with RB211s as well.
With completion of its 90-day safety study, FAA has been tasked to act on the recommendations of the task force led by Deputy Administrator Linda Daschle. The task force report, issued late Wednesday, also has been sent to Vice President Gore and the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security to be used in that effort.
Senate passed legislation (S.1831) this week to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board through fiscal 1999. The House passed its version on July 22. Both bills include two changes requested by NTSB regarding the Freedom of Information Act. One generally prohibits disclosure of records or information relating to NTSB's participation in foreign aircraft accident investigations for two years.
American Eagle has named Robert Cordes president of affiliate Wings West. Cordes succeeds Mary Jordan, who became president at Canadian Regional Airlines on Sept. 1. Wings West is based in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Aero International (Regional) has revealed a number of enhancements for the Jetstream 41 and ATR 42/72 twin turboprops. Not the least of those is an active noise control (ANC) system for the Jetstream. A production installation trial of the GEC/Marconi system has been successfully completed, and the company reports noise reductions, particularly in the propeller plane, of eight to 10 dBA. The equipment is currently undergoing formal qualification testing and will be available as a customer option beginning in the first quarter of 1997.
Canadian Airlines and its regional partners will launch Sept. 20 the largest fare sale in the airline's history, covering more than 7,000 city- pairs in North America. Canadian is lowering prices by as much as 30% off lowest available fares. Travel can start Sept. 20 and must be completed by Feb. 28, except for a Christmas blackout period. The sale was organized after "close coordination" on pricing and scheduling with partner American, said Canadian's Gregg Saretsky, VP-passenger marketing. The promotion includes flights to London, Mexico City and Honolulu.
The European Regional Airlines Association (ERA) has created a World Wide Web site on the Internet. The site, accessed at www.eraa.org, will combine news and opinion from the group with detailed background information on Europe's expanding regional air transport sector.
Lufthansa CityLine will become the world's first all-jet, purely regional airline when it cuts loose its last three Fokker 50s to Contact Air early next year. The launch customer for the Canadair Regional Jet just took delivery of its 25th CRJ and also operates 14 Avro RJ85s. It will receive three more CRJs and one more RJ85 by yearend. It also operates seven Fokker 50s, which are being transferred to Contact Air to operate for CityLine. The last three will be transferred to Contact Air in early 1997.
USAir's bid for U.S.-London Heathrow service has prompted varied industry responses, garnering support from unions and the proposed U.S. destinations but reservations from other U.S. carriers. Saying the proposed American- British Airways alliance is inconsistent with the continued development of its partnership with BA, USAir applied in August for authority to operate scheduled service beginning April 1, 1997, between Heathrow and Philadelphia, Boston, Charlotte and Pittsburgh.
Only three engine manufacturers responded to Aero International (Regional)'s request for proposals for the new 70-passenger AI(R) 70 regional jet - Allison/BMW Rolls-Royce with the Allison AE3012, GE with the CF34-8C, and Snecma/Pratt&Whitney Canada with the SPW14, a new development. AI(R) wants an engine in the 13,000-pound-thrust-plus class and plans to eliminate one of the three candidates by yearend. The Allison proposal would team the company with BMW Rolls-Royce for the first time, with each participating according to its expertise.
Gerald Kauvar, staff director of the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, will speak at an Aero Club of Washington's luncheon Tuesday at noon at the Capital Hilton Hotel, 16th and K St. N.W. On Wednesday, at a 6 p.m. reception in Room 2167, Rayburn House Office Building, the club will present its 1996 Trophy for Aviation Excellence to FAA and the Joint Aviation Authorities for their efforts in the certification of the Boeing 777. For information on both events, contact the Aero Club at 703-327-7082.
