US Airways is considering tablet computers, such as Apple’s iPad, as possible electronic flight bags but is conducting a variety of tests to ensure there is no interference with aircraft avionics before making a decision. The carrier is already partnering with FAA on an EFB pilot program to install the devices on 20 Airbus A319s and 16 A330s when fully implemented. If the trial is successful, US Airways plans to add EFBs to its entire fleet.
Norwegian Air Shuttle has added another Boeing 787-8 lease deal to its fleet plans in anticipation of starting long-haul service next year. The airline now has six 787-8s on long-term lease agreements. The latest deal, with International Lease Finance Corp., is the third with the lessor. The first aircraft are due next year, with one just put on contract for a 12-year term due for delivery in 2014. “Negotiations for further aircraft will continue,” the airline says.
Inflight connectivity provider Aircell has rebranded its commercial aviation division Gogo and unveiled plans to launch a wireless inflight entertainment service.
Delta Air Lines is hoping to pull out of most of its Essential Air Service (EAS) airports and gain government support for six underperforming markets as part of its ongoing capacity control initiative. The carrier in various regulatory filings has targeted 24 U.S. markets in its plan. According to Delta, these services—all of them a legacy of its Northwest Airlines acquisition—cost the airline $14 million a year, and now that it has decided to retire the Saab 340 fleet, also acquired in the Northwest deal, it can no longer afford to support these markets.
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—MRO for Aircraft & Engine Leasing, 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 Oct. 24-26—A&D Programs, Phoenix
A U.K. task force formed over a year ago is proposing a host of measures to improve the performance of airports in southeastern England with a strong focus on operational changes at London Heathrow.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) July 23-24—Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow July 23-24—Dayton Air Show, Dayton Int’l Airport, Dayton, Ohio July 25-31—Experimental Aircraft Association Air Venture Oshkosh 2011, Oshkosh, Wis., www.eaa.org
Corporate jet manufacturers can, figuratively, take a New York Statewide Airport Economic Impacts Study that shows direct economic and job benefits from the jets and slam it down on President Obama's desk. The study shows that for New York, 67 general aviation airports and five heliports employed 9,100 people and generated $1.12 billion in 2009. Each corporate jet based in the state generates $1 million in spending and five direct jobs. Obama has been accused of harming the industry after equating business jets with corporate greed.
The New Zealand government has authorized negotiations to begin for new air service agreements with Brazil, China and other nations in East Asia and South America. The talks will be aimed at allowing greater market access to New Zealand and overseas airlines. “We are looking to remove restrictions on current agreements and begin negotiations with other countries to create new agreements,” Associate Transport Minister Nathan Guy says in a press statement.
Nordam Group , Tulsa, Okla., elected Meredith Siegfried CEO, replacing Bill Peacher, who will continue on the company's board and serve as a financial consultant.
The U.K. Competition Commission on July 19 will issue the final assessment on BAA airport ownership, which is expected to reaffirm the need for the operator to sell London Stansted as well as Glasgow or Edinburgh airport.
Lufthansa is the latest European airline to introduce biofuel use at least on a limited basis into its day-to-day operations, but expansion of the foray will have to wait until key supply concerns are alleviated.
India’s federal government is committed to saving ailing national carrier Air India and clearing the airline’s huge debt, a senior civil aviation ministry official says. Air India has about 400 billion rupees ($9.07 billion) of debt, including 180 billion rupees in working capital loans taken from a consortium of banks and 220 billion rupees borrowed to acquire new aircraft. “The government is committed to Air India. We are bound by that commitment to revive Air India,” says Nasim Zaidi, secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Martinair CEO Paul Gregorowitsch is to join Air Berlin’s executive board, several industry sources tell Aviation Week. Air Berlin has no comment on the report. The 54-year-old executive is expected to be in charge of sales as chief commercial officer.
Thomas Cook has signed an agreement with Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corp. (ALC) to take six Airbus A321s starting in 2013. The aircraft adds to the charter operator's A321 fleet, but will be the first equipped with the winglets that Airbus is adding to the narrowbody. The aircraft will use the 220-seat layout and add to 71 narrowbodies the group currently operates. The first two of the ALC aircraft are to be delivered in 2013, with the rest following in early 2014. The aircraft are CFM56-B3/3 powered.
Aerospace Industries Association affiliate The NextGen Institute is still looking for an airframe expert to serve on a joint FAA/Single European Sky ATM Research technical team evaluating trajectory-based operations. Proposals to serve on this team, which involves symposium participation and technical interchanges, were originally due July 12. It has enough applicants for pilot, air traffic controller, avionics, decision support and automation-flight data manager experts, but is holding the airframer position open for another 14 days to July 29.
American Airlines has entered into a sale-leaseback arrangement with lessor AerCap for as many as 35 Boeing 737-800s. The initial deal covers 29 737-800s, of which American has already ordered 26. Three more 737s are being ordered as part of the sale and leaseback accord, which also includes the possible addition of six more 737-800s for which American hold purchase rights.
