To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected] (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Sept. 11-13—Airline Engineering & Maintenance: Asia Pacific Conference, Crowne Plaza Mutiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysa, www.airlineengineering-asiapacific.com/ Sept. 12-13—MIU Events’ Business Aircraft Europe 2012, Biggin Hill Airport, England, www.miuevents.com/bae12
Republic Airways remains “cautiously optimistic” about reaching a capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with American Airlines even as it eyes potential large regional jet opportunities with both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. In a presentation at the 2012 Dahlman Rose Global Transportation Conference last week in New York, CFO Timothy Dooley said the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings by American parent AMR Corp. offer “significant scope relief to allow larger aircraft to operate under CPAs with regional carriers.”
Rolls-Royce’s (R-R’s) Singapore plant has finished assembly of its first Trent 900 engine and manufacture of its first wide-chord fan blade. Paul O’Neil, director of R-R’s facility at Singapore’s Seletar Aerospace Park, declines to say which airline will receive the engine because even though it has been assembled, the Trent 900 has yet to be shipped overseas. R-R will hold a ceremony in Singapore on Sept. 12 to celebrate the engine’s completion.
It is hard to escape the conclusion that the fortunes of Australia’s two major airlines are moving in opposite directions at the moment. While Qantas can only hope it has bottomed out after a traumatic 12 months, Virgin Australia is on the rise as it capitalizes on a successful strategic realignment.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will bring its passenger pre-screening program to the United Airlines terminal at Newark Liberty International Airport in mid-September. PreCheck already is available to eligible American Airlines passengers at nearby John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports and to Delta Air Lines passengers at LaGuardia.
Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority , Nashville, Tenn., promoted Emily Richard to assistant VP-strategic communications and external affairs from director of corporate communications and government relations.
Boeing and All Nippon Airways are investigating the causes of a hydraulic system pump issue that forced the crew of a 787 flight to shut down one of the Trent 1000 engines before takeoff.
Propelled by the introduction of the 787 into service, Boeing’s overall Airplane Health Monitoring (AHM) capabilities are expanding rapidly. AHM is poised to deliver distinctly predictive inflight data to engineers and maintainers that will allow them to interdict incipient problems before they fully manifest themselves—and the airframer is introducing the approach across its product line.
Lufthansa, acquiescing to demands from its cabin crew union UFO, next year will fold Berlin flight attendants into its permanent workforce. The announcement by CEO Christoph Franz on Friday came after the latest strike by UFO forced the airline to cancel about half of its 1,800 daily flights. Part of UFO’s complaint with the airline is its policy of outsourcing certain functions, particularly flight attendants working from Lufthansa’s Berlin base, who are currently employed through a staffing company.
The FAA plans to withdraw a recently issued engine component vibration testing rule change that has triggered sharp industry protest and a legal challenge from the Modification and Replacement Parts Association.
Berlin Airports’ board of directors is expected to announce a further delay to the opening of Berlin Brandenburg International Airport following an extraordinary meeting scheduled for Friday. Matthias Platzeck, the prime minister of the State of Brandenburg and co-chairman of the airport operator, yesterday indicated that the new facility will not be opened until October 2013, about two years later than originally envisioned. This latest delay follows a review of the facility by recently appointed Chief Operating Officer Horst Amann.
Click here to view the pdf Fuel Watch: Global Jet Fuel Prices (midpoint) As of September 5, 2012, compared with previous week and previous year cts/gal prev. week prev.
Air India, Boeing and the Indian government have agreed on terms over compensation for delays to the airline’s 787, clearing the way for the long-deferred deliveries to begin officially on Sept. 7. The 787 was ordered as part of a wider deal for 68 737s, 777s and 787s announced in January 2006. The order, worth $11 billion at list prices, included 27 787-8s, the first of which was expected to be delivered in September 2008.
Delta Air Lines is talking to railroad companies about transporting cheaper crude oil from North Dakota to the airline’s oil refinery, but the airline probably will not make a decision until December. “We’re working hard at that development,” Delta President Ed Bastian said during a presentation to the investment community at the Deutsche Bank Aviation and Transportation Conference. “It’s a big opportunity. It’s huge, and only can be accessed if you own a refinery. It’s not something the market in general would be able to access.”
The last portion of a 737 product improvement package (PIP) that Boeing says already returns better-than-expected fuel savings, is being prepared for introduction on the airframer’s production line at Renton, Wash.
Qantas expects its new alliance with Emirates Airline will help return its ailing international unit to profitability, as the carriers plan to broaden an initial code-share deal into a revenue-sharing partnership on some routes. The airlines intend to start code-sharing in April, when Qantas will move the stopover point for its London flights from Singapore to Dubai. This will enable Qantas to connect to 33 European destinations on the Emirates network via the UAE carrier’s hub. The airlines also will link their frequent flyer programs.
