Boeing will deliver its first 747-8 Freighter to launch customer Cargolux on Sept. 19 and turn over the second of the 13 aircraft the Luxembourg-based carrier has ordered on Sept. 21.
A diplomatic cable unearthed by Wikileaks sheds more light on an FAA audit of Australia’s aviation safety oversight in 2009, and reveals that the FAA was concerned enough to consider restricting air service between the two countries.
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. 12—A&D Finance Europe, London Sept. 14-15—Airlines, MRO, Aircraft & Engine Lessors: “The Tricky Triangle,” Dublin Sept. 26—Aircraft Composite Repair Management Forum, Zurich Sept. 27-29—MRO Europe 2011, Madrid Sept. 28—MRO Military Europe, Madrid Oct. 20-21—MRO IT, Chicago
Argosy International has named Richard Rocco, previously its CFO and executive VP of operations, as its new president and chief operating officer. He also has been elected to the board of directors.
Xael Charters will inaugurate Cuba service from Tampa International Airport at 1 p.m. Thursday Sept. 8. ABC Charters will begin its service at 2:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. The inaugural flights were reported incorrectly in the Sept. 1 Aviation Daily.
Great Lakes Aviation, a U.S. regional carrier that gets nearly half its revenue from federal government Essential Air Service (EAS) funding, has negotiated another reprieve from a balloon payment of more than $30 million that gives it a new deadline: Oct. 17. Great Lakes owes the money to Raytheon Aircraft Credit Corp., for notes that were used to finance the purchase of aircraft and secured by 25 Beechcraft 1900D turboprops.
The fiscal 2012 budget for the FAA may begin to take shape this week when Congress returns from its August recess, but it is unlikely to offer near-term certainty or good news. Analysts are already predicting that with just a few weeks left in the fiscal year, Congress will have to pass a continuing resolution that keeps funding at fiscal 2011 levels.
In observance of U.S. Labor Day, Aviation Daily will not publish an issue dated Tuesday Sept. 6. The next issue will be dated Wednesday Sept. 7. For customers with access to the Aviation Week Intelligence Network, news coverage will continue at aviationweek.com/awin.
Tiger Airways Australia has reached the cap on daily operations imposed by safety regulators, and the carrier is now seeking approval to restart more domestic routes. Tiger is currently only allowed to operate 18 daily sectors, due to limits set by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) following a five-week grounding. The airline will achieve its full allowance when it relaunches daily Sydney-Perth flights on Sept. 7.
Airbus says Boeing’s decision to develop a re-engined 737 rather than an all-new aircraft was a predictable lower-risk move, but believes the European manufacturer’s head start with the A320NEO puts it in pole position for market dominance.
Three companies have received a total of $12 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to help commercialize technologies to produce drop-in biofuels, as the U.S. steps up efforts to reduce its reliance on imported oil as the source of transportation fuel. Roselle, Ill.-based LanzaTech has received a $4 million cost-sharing contract to develop a technology to convert biomass-derived ethanol into jet fuel using catalysts. The company is working with Boeing and biofuel producer Imperium Renewables.
German federal police have validated that a reduced-size explosives detection system produced by L-3 Security & Detection Systems meets the European Union Commission’s regulation for Standard 3, which calls for improved detection at the first level of baggage inspection. The L-3 eXaminer SX generates a high-resolution, three-dimensional color image in real time including a 360-deg. view of the object. The unit is a smaller version of the eXaminer XLB, which earlier met the standard recommended by the European Civil Aviation Conference.
Lufthansa is officially putting its loss-making subsidiary BMI on the market. The company has formally started a sales process for BMI, and executive board member Stefan Lauer says, in addition to an outright sale, a partnership “could be a viable option.” At the same time, Lufthansa continues in its efforts to reduce losses at the unit.
Mexican carrier Interjet has received U.S. Transportation Department approval to begin service from Mexico City to Miami, New York and San Antonio (Aviation Daily, Aug. 26). Interjet, with the support of the Mexican government, is making use of the rights previously granted to Mexicana de Aviacion, until or if bankrupt Mexicana is able to resume service on the routes.
The New Zealand government is developing policy and planning roadmaps that will help set the agenda for the country’s airspace design and air traffic management. Two blueprints will be drafted—a high-level policy document, and a plan for its implementation. The policy will be produced by the Ministry of Transport, while the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be responsible for the plan.
All Nippon Airways has taken a major regulatory step toward creating a low-cost carrier through a joint venture, and has also appointed a senior ANA executive to run the LCC. On Aug. 31, ANA applied to the Legal Affairs Bureau of Japan to establish the joint venture with Malaysian carrier AirAsia. The joint venture company, AirAsia Japan Co. Ltd., will apply for an air operator’s certificate (AOC) “with the aim of beginning low-cost operations from August next year,” ANA says. It previously has said the AOC application will be made in September.
Allegiant Air is expecting a 19% to 21% year-over-year increase in its passenger unit revenue in the third quarter. That would follow its 27.5% increase in the second quarter.
Passenger air travel was up 5.9% in July, according to figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Cargo traffic, however, contracted by 0.4%. The increase on the passenger side “was likely based on the much more optimistic economic outlook that marked the beginning of the year,” Director General and CEO Tony Tyler says. “With business and consumer confidence now tanking, sluggishness in international trade, and high fuel prices, the expectation is for a weaker end to the year.”
Tampa International Airport President Joe Lopano is hoping that service to Cuba, which is scheduled to start Sept. 8, will gain the Florida airport a reputation for providing international air service.
The 2,300 members of the Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU) of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) have presented Spirit AeroSystems with an alternative contract to the one that was rejected by members on July 28. But so far, Spirit’s management has listened and not spoken.
Miami International Airport edged out Edmonton International Airport in Alberta, Canada, to take the Peggy G. Hereford Overall Award for Excellence sponsored by the Airports Council International-North America. Each airport ranked first in four different categories to honor airport marketing and communications programs and teams. But in a tie-breaker, Miami was selected due to its second-place finish in the "special events" category. Edmonton is a past three-time winner of the overall award.
