Twenty nine communities in 22 states have until Oct. 30 to accept grants awarded under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP). DOT awarded $6 million in grants for fiscal year 2011. The program was created in 2000 under the AIR-21 Act to help smaller communities improve air service and lower air fares. The grants aim to help communities offer air service for underserved airports.
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.
SuperJet International has launched the Sukhoi Business Jet with a $200 million order for four aircraft from Comlux-The Aviation Group, a leading VIP charter services company based in Switzerland. The Sukhoi Business Jet is based on the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airliner that entered service in April. The 100-seat twinjet is built in Russia.
General Electric has submitted all documents to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for certification of the Czech-built H80 turboprop and is on track to deliver 12 engines before the end of the year.
Airbus estimates that airlines in the South Pacific region will require 736 new passenger and freighter aircraft between 2011 and 2030, with demand driven by strong traffic growth to Asian markets. The forecast total, covering aircraft with 100 seats or larger, would be worth $98 billion, Airbus says. This regional estimate includes Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and is broken out from Airbus’ latest Global Market Forecast.
Hawaiian Holdings , Honolulu, appointed Scott Topping executive VP, CFO and treasurer of the corporation and its subsidiary, Hawaiian Airlines, succeeding Peter Ingram, who will relinquish the CFO role and become executive VP and chief commercial officer.
The Qantas ground workers union may have called off their strike originally scheduled for Oct. 7, but the airline’s labor strife continues. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) is threatening to reinstate labor action if the airline does not come forward with a new contract offer. Qantas is involved in acrimonious labor disputes on several fronts, and its engineers union is due to continue rolling strikes this week. However, the carrier also received some good news when its domestic flight attendants union reached a contract deal on Oct. 6. A vote is scheduled between Oct.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Oct. 10-12—National Business Aviation Association 64th Annual Meeting and Convention, Las Vegas, 202-783-9000, www.nbaa.org Oct. 10-14—International Air Transport Association’s World Passenger Symposium, Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore, www.iata.org
Perhaps feeling pressure from abroad, at least two EU countries are wavering in their commitment to the planned Jan. 1 extension of the EU’s emissions trading system (ETS) to aviation and all operators flying into and out of European airports. According to separate reports from Europe, officials from both Italy and the Netherlands believe the EU may need to consider postponing extension of the ETS to aviation. Also, either or both may raise the issue at an EU Environment Council meeting scheduled today in Luxembourg.
Garuda Indonesia has signed a memorandum of understanding with CFM International for maintenance support on CFM56-7B engines that power the airline’s Boeing 737-800s, says CFM. CFM also says, “As part of the proposed [15-year, power-by-the-hour] contract, CFM and Garuda’s maintenance arm, GMF AeroAsia, will jointly develop overhaul capability for the CFM56-7B engine. Once capable, Garuda’s CFM56-7B engine overhauls will be undertaken by GMF.”
Cargolux confirmed Friday that it still is negotiating with Boeing over the contractual issues that caused the cargo carrier to call off delivery of its first two Boeing 747-8 freighters Sept. 19 and 21. On Oct. 1, Cargolux said the two sides had reached a tentative agreement and that further details would be disclosed after an agreement was signed and the Cargolux board met on Friday, Oct. 7. On Friday, Cargolux said negotiations will continue over the weekend.
Lufthansa Technik Philippines in February plans to open a one-bay hangar that is big enough to accommodate an Airbus A380. Dominik Wiener-Silva, VP-marketing and sales for the MRO, says LHT Philippines plans to place the first customer aircraft in the new facility in April 2012. He confirmed that LHT Philippines has a first customer for the hangar but would not confirm media reports that it is Qantas. The MRO plans to use the extra capacity to complete cabin modifications and C checks.
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. 12-13—Fifth Edition of Lean Six Sigma for MRO Forum, San Francisco Oct. 20-21—MRO IT Conference and Showcase, Chicago 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
Guy Hachey is making a big bet on a shaky industry. The president and chief operating officer of Bombardier Aerospace is planning to invest more than $1 billion annually in the next few years on new aircraft, technology, facilities and maintenance support. While the largest chunk will be used for the new CSeries commercial jet, Bombardier also is putting considerable sums into the beleaguered business jet market for projects such as the Learjet 85, Global 7000 and 8000 derivatives, and the Global Vision cockpit. “People say, ‘You don’t generate cash,’” says Hachey.
Airports Council International-North America , Washington, named Oris Dunham, first director of ACI-NA, the recipient of its William E. Downes Jr. Memorial Award for 2011.
Spanish operator Iberia is getting ready to start a retrofit program for 17 Airbus A340-600s next year, which is scheduled to start in mid-October 2012 at its Madrid maintenance facility. Each aircraft will take about four weeks to complete, says Eugenia Nieto de Antonio, the engineering project manager for cabin interiors and IFE upgrades at Iberia. The airline plans to complete all of the modifications in-house at its Madrid maintenance facility.
David Neeleman, president and CEO of Azul Brazilian Airlines and founder of JetBlue Airways, will speak at the Friday Oct. 14 International Aviation Club luncheon in Washington. The lunch is being held at noon at the City Club of Washington, 555 13th St. NW, Washington, DC 20004. Space is limited and the club must have all reservations by noon Oct. 12. Walk-ins will be accepted if space is available. For more information, go to IACWashington.org.
Iberia is setting up a new subsidiary for short- and medium-haul routes. The airline, Iberia Express, will be based in Madrid and is aimed at turning the money-losing short-haul business back to profitability. The move was approved by the board of Iberia’s parent International Airlines Group (IAG) at a meeting on Thursday.
Finnair’s profit warning signals that the shift in Europe’s airline outlook from a soft market to even weaker underlying conditions is setting in far more broadly than initially expected. The warning comes on the heels of suggestions by European regional carrier Flybe and British Airways’ parent International Airlines Group (IAG) that market conditions have taken a turn for the worse.
