AAR Corp.’s position as a Tier 1 commercial aerospace supplier has been given a boost with the proposed acquisition of two freight system providers from global conglomerate Teleflex Inc. The deal, valued at $280 million, will add cargo loading system supplier Telair International and freight container and pallet maker Nordisk Aviation Products to AAR’s growing portfolio, which only 10 days ago was bolstered by the purchase of U.K. maintenance, repair and overhaul provider Airinmar.
United and Continental Airlines expect to receive a single operating certificate by the end of this year, says Jim Keenan, senior VP-technical operations for United. “This doesn’t mean all of the integration will be done” but that FAA will approve the airlines’ plans for integrating processes and operating in parallel environments until everything is meshed. He says United plans to finish integrating passenger services early next year.
Airports Council International-North America , San Diego, has honored John Infanger, editorial director for Airport Business Magazine, for 25 years of service to the aviation community.
The battle to take control of bankrupt and grounded Italian carrier Livingston is not over yet even though a bidder has been recommended to take over the airline (Aviation Daily, Sept. 30). A committee overseeing the airline, after a review of two competing bids to revive it, has chosen the one by RT, a company set up by Riccardo Toto, who is the son of Alitalia shareholder Carlo Toto. RT was the recommendation made to the committee by the commissar responsible for day-to-day management of Livingston's remaining assets and obligations.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Oct. 24-25—Shephard Group’s Air Power Middle East 2011, Ritz Carlton, Doha, Qatar, +44 (175) 372-7019, www.shephard.co.uk Oct. 24-26—American Astronautical Society’s Fourth Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium: Launching the Future in Space Exploration, University of Alabama, Huntsville, www.astronautical.org
Pratt & Whitney’s belief in geared turbofans as the way of the future is growing as the engine maker works with Airbus to re-engine the A320 family and begins discussions on widebody applications with both the European airframer and Boeing. Detail design of the PW1100G installation on the A320NEO is showing an unexpected advantage stemming from the size of the geared turbofan’s (GTF) low-pressure turbine (LPT), which is smaller than in a conventional turbofan.
American Eagle Airlines’ management has agreed to revise the carrier’s divestiture plan, with a notable extension to capacity guarantees, in a deal with the Air Lines Pilots Association that could enable AMR Corp. to spin off the regional operation by year-end.
Introducing the Aero 100 Airfare Benchmark Index Designed for anyone with risk on the future level of airfares – for example Airlines, Banks/Credit Card Companies, Corporate Travel Managers, etc. The Aero 100 Airfare Benchmark Index tracks daily airfares within the domestic airline market. The Aero 100 delivers financial risk mitigation and protection against constant fluctuation of airline ticket prices by providing the price settling mechanism for Commodity Futures Contracts.
Delta Air Lines, which just launched a premium economy class for its long-haul international services on June 1, says it also will add the extra-legroom seats to its entire mainline fleet and more than 250 two-class regional jets by next summer.
Air Canada and its flight attendants union have agreed to resolve their contentious labor negotiations through binding arbitration. The Canadian Union of Public Employees says the option was the only viable alternative after the government intervened in a planned strike action early this month (Aviation Daily, Oct. 13). A decision is expected Nov. 7.
By finalizing TAM’s order for Airbus A320s, including A320NEO narrowbodies, Airbus has reached more than 1,000 firm orders for the aircraft type since program launch in December. The aircraft maker has commitments for roughly 200 more NEOs that have yet to hit the order book. TAM had previously agreed to buy 22 NEOs and 10 standard A320s, but the contract is now final. TAM has yet to select either the CFM International Leap-X1A or the Pratt & Whitney PW1100 engine.
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) Oct. 24-26—A&D Programs, Phoenix Nov. 2-3—Engine MRO Forum, Istanbul Nov. 7—China Business Aviation Forum, Beijing Nov. 8-10—MRO Asia, Beijing Nov. 16-17—Lean Six Sigma for MRO Europe, Amsterdam Nov. 30-Dec. 1—Aerospace & Defense Finance Conference, New York
Members of the U.S. Congress met with leaders of ICAO in Montreal Oct. 21 to denounce the European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS), due to go into effect Jan. 1. The lawmakers were led by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has approved a bill that would prohibit U.S. airlines from participating in the ETS. The House is scheduled to consider the bill as early as today. The Senate has not proposed a companion measure. Mica calls the ETS ill-conceived and a violation of international law.
Alaska Air Group in 2012 will continue to expand its Hawaiian network and look for “opportunistic growth” in markets recently dropped by competitors to maintain the company’s current financial performance, says Chairman and CEO William Ayers.
In the world of aerospace and defense, the term “aftermarket” often is an afterthought. Replacing seat belts, repairing an old turbine blade or running painstaking systems checks just don’t hold the “wow” factor of composite airframes, next-generation engines or the latest unmanned aircraft. Yet MRO—maintenance, repair and overhaul—is a big business. The consultancy ICF SH&E values the civil market at $50 billion a year globally and sees that growing to nearly $65 billion by 2020. Spending to sustain military aircraft probably adds another $85 billion a year.
