India announced a string of concessions to boost the fortunes of airlines and travelers as part of its fiscal 2002 budget. It will scrap a 3% customs duty on the import or lease of aircraft, helicopters, gliders, flight simulators, parts and other accessories, which Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shanawaz Hussai said could drop the cost of a 737/A320-type transport by $1.25 million or more. An additional depreciation of 15% on new plant or machinery acquired on or after Apr. 1, the start of the fiscal year, has also been introduced.
American and United airlines have entered into an e-ticketing agreement which will enable passengers flying both airlines to use one e-ticket and not stand in line and convert to a paper ticket. Interaccessibility of e-reservation systems will allow passengers to simply present a photo I.D. along with an e-ticket receipt when switching to a flight on the other airline.
The Bush Administration is examining a key rule governing foreign investment in the U.S. defense industry. One important provision under scrutiny is the Exon-Florio Act. Under the 1988 legislation, the President can block acquisition of a U.S. company by a foreign enterprise if it is deemed to harm ``national security.'' The review is undertaken by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) comprised of high-ranking government officials from several agencies.
Honeywell and Thales Avionics Ltd. have agreed to jointly produce an airborne high-speed satellite communication (satcom) device that will operate via the Inmarsat Swift 64 network. They expect the new HS-700 to enhance users' existing satcom systems by adding a channel capable of handling data at 64 Kbps., versus 2.4 Kbps. for current systems. The first flight test is planned for late this year, with full production and certification expected in early 2003.
The 9510 circuit breaker simulator is a single-pole switch developed for flight simulators and other military and commercial simulation/training applications. It has the same look and feel of the company's military and commercial flight-deck products, but doesn't need high-activation currents within the simulator. Plug-in/pull-out terminals speed installation and replacement without rewiring. Accessories are available to modify its appearance to suit different simulators.
The FAA's management of national airspace system programs is once again under fire, this time from the Transportation Dept.'s Inspector General. While earning kudos for progress in Free Flight Phase 1, the agency is being chastised for schedule slippages and cost growth in a number of other major projects.
The combination of satellite communications, data links and Global Positioning System receivers has revolutionized the Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission. But CSAR crews are left to deal with a patchwork of systems while acquisition processes try to match the pace of technology advancement.
INTERLAKEN CAPITAL AVIATION SERVICES HAS BECOME THE FIRST operator under FAR Part 135 to receive Category III approval for the Falcon 900EX equipped with a Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics Head-Up Guidance System. Cat. III operations include a Decision Height of 50 ft. and Runway Visual Range of 700 ft. A second Falcon 900EX is being equipped with the system.
The Afghanistan air campaign is not over, but analysts and senior military officials are hailing it as the first conflict in which intelligence was the primary U.S. weapon. Key factors in their assessment were persistence (the ability to maintain round-the-clock surveillance), integration at the tactical and operational levels of intelligence from many sources, and the ability to control data collection.
James R. (Ron) Menning has been appointed vice president of the Aerospace Original Equipment division and Richard C. Johns general manager of the Aerospace Maintenance Repair and Overhaul division of the Canton, Ohio-based Timken Co. Both divisions are in Lebanon, N.H. On the corporate level, Robert D. Arbogast has become vice president-operations, Gary Kenmir vice president-aerospace and super precision for Europe, Richard A. Knepper director of technology and John D. Breen vice president-business development/controller.
British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce saw sales and pretax profit rise for 2001 in preliminary results, but the company warned 2002 would see commercial jet engine deliveries fall by some 33%. Sir Ralph Robins, Rolls-Royce chairman, also took the opportunity of the Mar. 7 announcement to confirm his retirement. Company sales grew by 8%, up at 6.3 billion pounds ($8.94 billion) compared with 2000, while pretax profit stood at 192 million pounds, compared with 166 million for the previous year.
Airbus successfully demonstrated the maximum brake energy of the A340-600 though with a slightly unusual ending--11 of the 12 main landing gear wheels burst in a 5-min. period following the stop.
After several years of losses, Air China registered a profit of 49.84 million yuan ($6.39 million) for the year ended Dec. 31, 2001, far from the $71 million projected by the airline. An Air China official in Beijing said the airline would have posted a higher profit had it not been for high operational costs and payment of compensation to 230 workers in a voluntary separation plan late last year to trim the workforce. Another loss would have meant the airline having to again postpone its proposed listing on the Hong Kong and New York stock exchanges next year.
Skip Madsen has been appointed president of the Executive Aircraft Corp., Wichita, Kan. He was executive vice president/chief operating officer of Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb.
Mechanics for United Airlines have approved a five-year contract with the carrier. The pact, which was approved by 59% of union members, is retroactive to July 12, 2000, and makes the 13,000 mechanics the highest paid in the U.S. airline business.
The International Chamber of Commerce arbitration panel in Geneva has upheld the decision by Space Systems/Loral to terminate a production agreement with Alcatel effective Feb. 22. However, the panel also upheld Alcatel claims that SS/L was guilty of various breaches of agreement relating to the exchange of information and procedural/administrative provisions. A decision on a reported $300 million in damages--sought by Alcatel--is pending. The findings followed a U.S.
The Defense Dept.'s list of new Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations reflects the organization's current fixation with unmanned aerial vehicles and the war on terrorism.
Cathay Pacific Airways' profits for 2001 plunged to HK$657 million (US$84.23 million) from HK$5 billion for the previous year. The profit for the first half of 2001 was HK$1.319 billion, but the carrier lost HK$662 million during the second half. The decline was attributed to the global economic crisis and impact of the Sept. 11 attacks on demand for air travel.
In a county where the dead can be a powerful voting bloc, this could be serious: It's not just the living who would have to clear out if Congress adopts legislation aimed at doubling the capacity and shrinking the delays at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Testifying before the House aviation subcommittee last week, Illinois and Chicago officials reported that 543 ``dwelling units'' would have to be demolished to make way for four new East-West runways, part of a $6.6-billion plan to boost O'Hare's capacity from 900,000 to 1.6 million operations a year.
With the resumption of Ariane 5 operations after a seven-month shutdown, Arianespace is preparing a tight launch schedule involving four more Ariane 5 missions and five Ariane 4 flights.
John Kane has become Chicago-based vice president-new business development for Libby Communications, Ridgefield, Conn. He was national accounts manager for Zulanas Distributors of Denver.
Joel Schindall has been named vice president/chief technical officer of Loral Space&Communications of New York. He was senior vice president-engineering and development/chief engineer at Globalstar.
South African Airways has concluded an order covering nine Airbus A340-600s, six A340-300 Enhanced transports, 11 A319s and 15 A320s. They are scheduled to replace in the next 8-9 years Boeing 747-200/300/SPs, 767s and 737s. SAA has not specified engines for the order's single-aisle twinjets, but its new A340-600s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500s. Its A340-300s will be equipped with advanced CFM International CFM56-5C/P engines, a move that launches the new powerplant on the A340-300 Enhanced.
Vice President Dick Cheney may be hiding in secret underground complexes as part of the shadow government, but you'll be able to reach him via Boeing's Connexion. The U.S. Air Force awarded Connexion a $112-million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to provide airborne broadband communications upgrades and support for the four C-32As (757-200s) that serve Cheney and Cabinet members. Boeing is to supply integrated, two-way communications capabilities on board the aircraft including its satellite-based Connexion Internet and data services.
THE NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSN. (NATA) has developed a biometric ``smart card'' that contains a photograph and fingerprint of the holder. The card is being issued to students at the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Fla. Students must show the card to a dispatcher, who swipes the card through a reader while the student's thumbprint is read by another screening device. If a student's identification is validated, he or she may proceed to the aircraft. The card features a biochip designed by I/O Software and uses a Microsoft.NET Windows platform.
