Reductions in air service between smaller communities and congested hubs could result from European Commission proposals to amend the slot allocation regulations. ``We believe that if this becomes law, it could happen,'' said Mike Ambrose, director general of European Region's Airline Association (ERA).
The Avro RJX-85 development aircraft, G-ORJX, has been fitted with four ``block 2'' engines and has accumulated approximately 130 hours in more than 60 flights. The aircraft was due to leave the United Kingdom for three months of ``hot and high'' and cold weather trials at Eglin Air Force base, Fla., at the end of August. The plan is for the aircraft to fly to engine-maker Honeywell's base at Phoenix and then on to Colorado Springs, Colo. Cold weather trials will follow in the Freezing Chamber at Eglin.
British Airways is aiming for a resumption of Concorde supersonic London-New York service late this month, and Air France's Paris-New York service will start about a month later. Before this can happen Concorde's certificate of airworthiness has to be re-instated to both airlines. A British Airways-modified Concorde flew two verification flights out of Heathrow and they are claimed to be a complete success by Capt. Mike Bannister, chief BA Concorde pilot.