To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected] (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) June 20—RAes Forum, Europe’s Emission Trading Scheme: Conflict or Compromise? A panel with Günter Hörmandinger, EU Delegation, and Nancy N. Young, Airlines For America, www.raeswashington.com June 20-21—World Aviation Event Ltd. Aviation Expo 2012, Bitburg Airport, Germany, www.expo.aero
You can now register online for Aviation Week events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/conferences or contact: Lydia Janow, 212-904-3225 or 800-240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada only.) Sept. 19-21 — MRO IT Conference & Showcase, Hyatt Regency Miami, Miami, Fla. Oct. 9—Aircraft Composite Repair Management Forum, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Oct. 9—MRO IT Europe, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Oct. 9-11—MRO Europe, Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The nomination of Michael Huerta as the next FAA administrator may finally advance, now that the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has scheduled a hearing for June 21. Huerta, who has been the acting administrator since December, was deputy under Administrator Randy Babbitt, who resigned after being charged with driving while intoxicated. Those charges were later dismissed.
AirAsia’s founder and group CEO, Tony Fernandes, is relinquishing his day-to-day management duties at the Malaysian carrier in order to devote more time to AirAsia’s associate carriers in other markets. AirAsia says that it will announce a new CEO for AirAsia Malaysia on June 18 and that Fernandes’ move is related to the executive’s decision to relocate from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta, the site of AirAsia’s new Asia regional office. Fernandes will retain his title as group CEO, an AirAsia spokesperson says.
The FAA’s Flight Standards Service by October is hoping to have guidance in place that would change the approach inspectors take toward addressing minor compliance issues. Flight Standards Director John Allen said earlier this year that the agency’s officials were “trying to change a culture within the Flight Standards Service” to encourage inspectors to work out minor issues with operators before jumping to enforcement action.
A fleet renewal plan being implemented by Mongolian carrier Eznis Airways will see the airline place its first Boeing 737-700 into service next month and add Bombardier Q400s later this year.
Privately owned Bangladeshi carrier United Airways is adding up to four BAE Systems Jetstream 32 aircraft to its fleet because the country's government wants more services to small markets. The carrier’s managing director, Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury, says, “I am planning to be in Sydney, Australia, on the 15th [June] to inspect the first two aircraft which we are trying to get from Australian carrier Aeropelican.”
FAA officials, acutely aware of a potential pilot shortage looming in the next several years, have been quietly developing a “U.S. Aviation Academy” concept involving a private/public partnership to encourage new student pilots and help offset the costs. Flight Standards Director John Allen is among those spearheading the effort, which has been in the discussion stage but is starting to crystallize, says John Duncan, who recently was appointed deputy director of Flight Standards.
The first concrete details of US Airways’ merger plan with AMR Corp.’s American Airlines unit are starting to emerge, with the Tempe, Ariz.-based airline’s CEO Doug Parker telling shareholders that the combined entity would be the dominant carrier across two-thirds of the U.S. and a sizable competitor in the remainder of the country.
Airlines for America (A4A) has joined other supporters of the nascent biofuels industry in an effort to amend a bill now before the U.S. Senate that would block further funding for biofuel development.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the union seeking to represent passenger service agents at American Airlines, is increasing its efforts to gain support for its cause on Capitol Hill after a federal court in Texas suspended the planned ballot. The court said it will start hearing American’s case against the union on June 21, the same day the vote was scheduled to begin, and because of the strength of American’s case also issued a stay on the election. American’s case against the CWA centers on qualification standards to launch organization votes.
