Lockheed Martin Federal Systems said yesterday it will lead a study team competing to develop ways to protect battlefield use of the Global Positioning System navigation signal by the U.S. and its allies while preventing hostile forces from exploiting the GPS signal. The military has expressed concern about the vulnerability of GPS in theaters of conflict (DAILY, March 12).
Eastwind Airlines celebrates its first year of service today at Trenton- Mercer Airport in New Jersey. Its media alert for festivities at 2 p.m. promises "major business news," as well as a "surprise introduction of important VIP."
The government's incumbent air traffic control radar manufacturer, Northrop Grumman, has formally protested the award of the $619.9 million Digital Airport Surveillance Radar (DASR) program to Raytheon Company 10 days ago. Northrop Grumman filed its complaint Monday with the General Accounting Office (GAO), bringing to a halt any activity on the program to provide Defense Department and FAA with 213 primary and secondary radars. In a written statement, Northrop Grumman said "errors and inconsistencies in the evaluation process" led to its protest.
American Automobile Association predicts that U.S. Labor Day travel will increase 2% this year, to 33 million people, but 30 million of them will use automobiles. The three million that take airplanes, trains or buses to their destination total no more than last year, AAA said. The association's projections are based on a survey of 1,500 adults by the Travel Industry Association.
TWA has appointed a new executive VP and chief financial officer, Edward Soule, who was chief financial officer from 1986 until 1995 at employee- owned brokerage firm Edward Jones&Company in St. Louis. Soule replaces Robert Peiser, who left TWA two months ago after disagreeing with President Jeffrey Erickson on the direction the airline was taking and, some said, how to handle labor issues. TWA said at the time that Peiser's decision to leave was based on a difference of "style" rather than "substance or strategy" (DAILY, June 21).
A government official acknowledged yesterday that a decision on the ValuJet's application to return to the air is imminent. Barring unforeseen problems, the department is likely to issue a show cause order approving the restart by the end of the week, another source said. ValuJet, saying it still expects to be in a position to restart service Friday, has filed a motion at DOT for immediate action on its requests for certificate reissuance and an exemption permitting the immediate commencement of advertising, reservations and presales.
National Air Transportation Association and Helicopter Association International accused FAA yesterday of proposing to restrict flights at a park where there are no flights of the type being restricted in an attempt to set a precedent to restrict air service over other national parks like the Grand Canyon. FAA proposes to prohibit or severely restrict sightseeing flights over Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, Colo. "There are no sightseeing operators near this park, so there simply is nothing to restrict," said HAI President Frank Jensen.
South African Airways has upgraded its inflight service on domestic flights by offering standard plates and utensils in business and economy classes, and enhancing the service procedure to get meals to passengers more quickly. The new place settings and cutlery in economy class replace plastic meal packs. Business-class meals will be served on Royal Doulton china.
Administrator David Hinson's plan to leave FAA this year and uncertainty about immediate prospects for current pilot flight/duty time rulemaking raise the possibility that the issue will wind up on the desk of Hinson's successor, Air Line Pilots Association President Randolph Babbitt said yesterday.
FAA's rationale for acquiescing to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's plans to turn Meigs Field into a park is "utter nonsense," Illinois DOT Secretary Kirk Brown told FAA Administrator David Hinson last week in a strongly worded letter. Brown urged Hinson to reverse the position FAA took earlier this month with Chicago officials - the agency could not force the city to keep Meigs as an operating airport.
Pilots of Reno Air's 24 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft will train at FlightSafety International's Long Beach Learning Center at Long Beach (Calif.) Municipal Airport. Announcing a contract for use of its MD-80 series full-flight simulator, FlightSafety said it is expanding the center with a 16,000-square-foot building that will house as many as six simulators, classrooms and briefing rooms.
Revenue passenger miles of Air Transport Association member airlines increased a strong 6.5% in July, compared with the same month a year earlier, but ATA President Carol Hallett said reauthorization of the 10% ticket tax yesterday by President Clinton "will certainly impact this impressive growth pattern." She said a "significant part of this growth" was due to the absence of the airline ticket tax, which lapsed last Dec. 31 and was not restored by Congress until last week. Yesterday, Clinton signed legislation restoring the tax. Capacity rose only 2.8% in July.
Rannoch Corp. will provide test and evaluation support for developing Global Positioning System-based landing systems that meet requirements for Category 2/3, the company said yesterday. Under a subcontract to Systems Resources Corp., Rannoch will support the FAA Technical Center for two years in its development of local area augmentation systems. The company's work will include development of the local area augmentation system testbed and evaluation of field and flight test performance.
British Airways Holidays is offering travel agents two London vacation packages and two African safaris at reduced rates from the U.S. The packages, available for 40%-50% off, are for travel in January and February to London, and in April and May to Kenya and Tanzania.
Southwest has brought back its Friends Fly Free promotion for a limited time in all markets it serves. "When we ended the Friends Fly Free promotion in April after several years of continuous availability, we said we would bring it back on occasion to reinforce the fact that Southwest Airlines is the best friend of the cost-conscious traveler," said Dave Ridley, VP-marketing and sales. Companions can fly free with a full-fare- paying passenger. Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 31.
In a bid to save its plans for acquiring two Boeing 747-400s by October, Air-India management has sent a team of top officials to Washington to negotiate with the Export-Import Bank for easier loan conditions, Air-India sources said Tuesday. The negotiations, scheduled this week, involve officials from Air-India, Exim Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank, the loan arranger. The Exim Bank told Air-India this month it would have to provide a six-year guarantee from the Indian government in order to use the 12-year US$355.260 million loan for aircraft purchase.
Western Pacific Airlines has extended again the sale date for its Super Summer Saver fares, this time until Aug. 26. The sale was set to expire Monday. Travel still must occur by Feb. 13. Tom DeNardin, VP-sales and marketing, said, "Colorado Springs is only a relatively short drive from Denver. Many folks consider the savings WestPac offers as well worth a short trip."
Kiwi has received FAA approval to return to its fleet the last two of four aircraft it voluntarily grounded to satisfy FAA concerns about its pilot training and recordkeeping. Kiwi now is allowed to operate all 15 of its aircraft but will place only 12 in service through September and early October while it performs heavy maintenance and installs hush kits on some of the others.
The new Pan Am late yesterday gained tentative DOT approval for its long- pending application to start scheduled service. At the same time, the carrier firmed up agreements with Aviation Representation Services (AvReps International) and sister company Aviation Management Services (AvMan) for marketing and sales support in Central and South America and Mexico. The AvReps deal provides for a "sizable" pre-purchase of Pan Am tickets, Pan Am said AvReps is expected to announce soon.
Airbus and Fokker Aircraft Operating Costs Systemwide Aircraft Utilization Per Day First Quarter 1996 A320-100/200 America West Northwest United Number of Aircraft Operated 19 51 30 Total Fleet Operations Departures 97 196 104
Ellen Roy, comptroller of McDonnell Douglas Technical Services Co., will be president of the McDonnell Douglas subsidiary, effective immediately, MDC said this week. She succeeds Ron English, who resigned.
JetTrain is offering introductory fares of $25 on its new Pittsburgh- Philadelphia service, set to begin Aug. 26. The carrier will operate three daily flights on weekdays and two each on Saturday and Sunday. "As Pittsburgh's only hometown carrier, it was only natural to connect two of the busiest cities in Pennsylvania with the very best in airline service at everyday low fares," said JetTrain's President and Chief Executive Jim Davis.
Transbrasil is seeking an amendment of its exemption authority to operate combination and air cargo transportation service between Brazil and Chicago, Detroit and Boston under a code-share arrangement with TWA. The carrier currently has authority to operate combination service to Miami, Orlando, New York and Washington. (Docket OST-96-1658)
