The FAA has proposed an airworthiness directive (AD) regarding the life limit of certain high-pressure compressor (HPC) shafts in all Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4H1 turbofan engines, and is inviting comments before Aug. 29 on the regulatory, economic, environmental and energy aspects of this proposed rule.
Click here to view the pdf Summary of Cargo Carriers Systemwide Expense Indicators, Fourth Quarter 2010, (Dollar Amounts In Thousands) Aircraft Aircraft Property &
The founder of Southwest Airlines is adding a new wrinkle to the debate on Boeing’s next move in the single-aisle market; Herb Kelleher says the company should develop an all-new replacement for the Boeing 737 in response to Airbus’s A320NEO (new engine option). But, there’s a catch. If Boeing is going to offer an all-new jet, he believes airlines will need it by 2018, which is one to two years earlier than the service entry dates floated by Boeing.
SkyWest’s Atlantic Southeast Airlines division will be renamed SureJet when the company formally merges the unit with ExpressJet Airlines, which was acquired late last year. The rebranding will be adopted when ASA and ExpressJet start flying under a single operating certificate. That is expected to be approved by FAA by the end of the year.
Lessor AerCap has signed lease deals for 16 aircraft in the second quarter. The agreements include four Airbus A320s for Virgin America, three for Garuda, three for Interjet, one for Amsterdam Airlines, two A319s for Aircompany Tatarstan, one for Avianca and two for Bangkok Airways. Among the second quarter's new aircraft deliveries was one A330 for Virgin Atlantic, one A320 each for Hainan Airlines, Amsterdam Airlines and Brussels Airlines, two A320s for Interjet and one A319 for Tatarstan.
The Boeing 787 made its inaugural visit to India Wednesday morning as the airframer looks toward introduction of the aircraft into the fleets of some Indian airlines. There was a loud cheer by onlookers as the aircraft touched down and taxied to Terminal 3 at New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport at 11:10 a.m. local time. The aircraft, which can fly up to 16,000 km (9,600 miles) nonstop, is suitable for long-haul routes, such as Mumbai-Sydney, Delhi-Tokyo, Delhi-New York and Delhi-Toronto, says a senior Boeing official.
The FAA’s budget has a lot in common with airline passengers headed out of town on a holiday weekend—it is stuck in a long queue. A House Appropriations panel was supposed to begin considering a bill to fund the Transportation Department, and within that, the FAA. But the bill will likely have to wait until after the August recess, according to a key lawmaker, while Congress works to come to an agreement on the debt ceiling and other contentious spending bills for other departments, including the Environmental Protection Agency. But Rep.
Southwest Airlines founder and Chairman Emeritus Herb Kelleher sees the U.S. airline industry continuing to shake out as it still grapples with the aftereffects of deregulation in 1978. He predicts continued consolidation will reduce the number of U.S. carriers. But competition will remain tough. “When your principal capital assets travel over 500 mi. an hour and can be anywhere in a short amount of time, you have competition built in, so I don’t think having fewer airlines necessarily reduces competition,” he says.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans this fall to begin testing a new identity-based passenger screening protocol at select airports and with select carriers. The motive behind the pilot program is to enhance TSA’s identity-based, preflight screening capabilities and provide “trusted travelers” with expedited screening, TSA said.
Passenger traffic at Tampa International Airport, after two years of decline and a poor 2010 showing, is rebounding on gains in international service and a rise in visitors. International traffic increased 16.7% in May from May a year ago, largely on a strong performance by British Airways to London and new services by AirTran and JetBlue to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visitor traffic increased 4.4% in May following a 1.8% rise in April. For the July to September period, the airport is expecting 4.5% more passengers than last year.
A General Accountability Office (GAO) report on U.S. efforts to deter terrorists from traveling provides exceptionally detailed information on the burgeoning effort, but adds that the U.S. program is at times uncoordinated and that foreign partners do not exchange information as they should.
India will soon sign a bilateral agreement on aviation safety with the U.S., thereby opening a market for export of aeronautical products to the U.S. and other regions of the world. “The Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement will open up huge potential for investment. It will also usher in mutual acceptance of aeronautical products and parts developed in either country,” says Dr. Nasim Zaidi, secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.
EADS subsidiary Premium Aerotec officially opened a new site in Romania on Tuesday. The Ghimbav plant is producing metal parts for the Airbus A320, A330 and A380 programs. Part of the 60,000-sq.-meter facility became operational last year. Production will be ramped up until the end of 2012. Premium Aerotec plans to employ around 500 staff in Ghimbav. It also operates plants in Augsburg, Nordenham and Varel, Germany.
A cancellation pegged by analysts to Dubai Aerospace Enterprises has reduced Boeing’s net 737 order book by 35 aircraft, meaning its hot-selling 777s are on a net order par with its single-aisle family. DAE, which in December 2007 placed orders with Airbus and Boeing for some 200 single- and twin-aisle transports but subsequently ran into a financial brick wall, canceled 32 orders from Boeing in February. Earlier this month, it dropped 45 orders from Airbus.
U.S. airlines may have to detail 19 different types of ancillary revenue under a new reporting standard proposed by the U.S. Transportation Department. DOT’s notice of proposed rulemaking, scheduled for release July 15, is an attempt to determine the total revenue generated from passengers. Citing a 2010 Government Accountability Office report, the department says current reporting rules requiring just ticket price, baggage fees and reservations change and cancellation charges lack transparency for passengers, legislators and regulators alike.
Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey will be the keynote speaker at the Aero Club of Washington's monthly luncheon, noon July 19 at the Capital Hilton, 16th and K Sts. She intends to address critical decisions facing the industry, especially the outcomes of choices not made. To reserve a seat, email Nancy Hackett at [email protected].
Click here to view the pdf Summary of Network Extender Carriers Systemwide Expense Indicators, Fourth Quarter 2010, (Dollar Amounts In Thousands) Aircraft Aircraft
The head of the EasyGroup, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, has launched another broadside against EasyJet’s fleet expansion plans as he tries to push the low-fare carrier to focus on profitability over expansion. It is a long-running battle between the airline’s founder and major shareholder and management that has been waging for several years and has persisted even after major management changes at the airline.
If the U.S. does not invest in aerospace and technology soon—not to mention find a way to attract more students into engineering—it risks losing its competitive edge as the leading country for aviation and aerospace in the world, says Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Alcoa kicked off the second-quarter earnings season by reporting a 138% increase in income for the period, compared with the same three months in 2010. Revenues were up 27% to $6.6 billion, and net income was $322 million, compared with $136 million in the second quarter of 2010. Costs associated with restructuring and new debt had a dampening effect on the quarter’s results, the company said in its earnings call.
Responsible for directing the execution of strategic and tactical plans to attract airlines to Tampa International Airport and to increase flights in domestic and international markets. Provides key leadership for the Airport in the execution of short- and long-range market strategies and initiatives toward achieving specific market objectives. Visit www.tampaairport.com for application/additional information.
One leading manufacturer of explosives detection systems has not run into problems with the Transportation Security Administration, which this week came under fire from the Government Accountability Office for the way it handles capacity upgrades of EDSs. “We haven’t run into problems; TSA has been very open with us with regard to some of the challenges and delays,” says Bill Frain, senior VP-government affairs for L-3 Communications, which with Analogic produces the Examiner family of security equipment.
