Republic Airways says it might not be able to take six Embraer 190 aircraft that are scheduled for near-term delivery if it cannot proceed with a public bond offering to raise $74 million for its Frontier Airlines subsidiary next month. Republic plans to fly the 190s for Frontier, but says the inability to raise capital would “directly impact” its ability to finance the deliveries.
Canada has a rate of runway incursions that is three times that of the U.S., a rate of runway excursions that is higher than in the U.S., and wet runway incidents that are on the order of four times that of the U.S., says Mark Clitsome, director of air investigations for the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada.
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
The investigation into the Aug. 9 crash of an Antonov An-12 in the Russian Far East belonging to Avis Amur could be hampered by damage to the aircraft's black boxes. The Russian Interstate Aviation Committee says the flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been brought to Moscow for inspection. When the storage devices were opened, investigators found heavy damage to the devices. Experts will try to restore them as best as possible to extract whatever information is available. The crash killed all 11 onboard.
Deborah Hersman, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, told members of the Air Line Pilots Association that she "stands behind" the pilots in their demand for the publication of a definitive rule for flight and duty time. "We share your concern about organizations that are putting profits ahead of safety and are slow-rolling the publication of a final rule," Hersman said Aug. 18 at an ALPA Air Safety Forum in Washington. A congressional deadline to publish it by Aug. 1 was held up by an Office of Management and Budget review.
Volga-Dnepr Technics has signed a Letter of Intent with Super Jet International, a joint venture of Sukhoi Holdings and Alenia Aeronautica, to become a certified center for maintenance of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jets.
Thai Airways International’s board has decided that the airline’s new full-service, short-haul carrier that will start flying next July will be called Thai Smile Air. The Star Alliance carrier earlier had tentatively named the startup Thai Wings and had aimed to have it flying earlier.
A significant amount of the 2,501 single-aisle and 584 twin-aisle aircraft that are parked will not return to revenue service, believes Stuart Rubin, manager of valuations for the Aviation Specialists Group. He sees some Boeing 757s coming back, but aircraft such as the MD-80 will not. He sees a limited market for 737 Classics and believes Airbus A320-200s are at risk of not returning.
A new procedure agreed on by civil aviation authorities in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao has reduced conflicts in the airspace over the Pearl River Delta, one of the major congestion bottlenecks in Asia. The agreement establishes a third handover point for traffic crossing the Hong Kong and Guangzhou flight information regions (FIRs), effective Sept. 22. The added point will enable aircraft headed for Shenzen to transit the Hong Kong FIR more easily, says Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department.
Environmental groups largely applauded the Obama administration's biofuels plan announced Aug. 16, but one—the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)—is linking the initiative to the EU's emissions trading system (ETS).
United Continental Holdings’ first Boeing 787 is now being assembled at the U.S. manufacturer’s facility in Everett, Wash. The aircraft, the first of 50 from two separate orders made prior to Continental Airlines’ merger with United Airlines, is scheduled for delivery early next year, and will mark the first delivery of a 787 to a North American operator. United Continental says the 787-8 will be configured with 36 flat-bed seats in its business class, 63 in Economy Plus and 120 seats in economy.
Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris wants U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) approval to provide service between Mexico City and Chicago until—or if—Mexicana de Aviacion is revived and returns to the route.
Greg Principato, president of Airports Council International—North America, tells the newly formed Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that airports can do their own financing if the federal government removed funding restrictions.
Practical alternatives to Halon, an ozone-depleting hydrocarbon used for fire-extinguishing systems in cockpits, engines, lavatories and cargo holds, are still a few decades away from mass development.
