The death of a roof repairman at Kennedy Space Center on March 17, one day after the center held a safety "stand down" to review safety procedures, will elevate concerns about safety consciousness as the site transitions from the shuttle to Crew Exploration Vehicle operations. The roofer fell from a Kennedy building and was not involved in any aerospace activities. But the accident serves as a reminder about the risks inherent in launch site operations.
Proposed NATO common funding for strategic airlift could get a profile boost this year as the trans-Atlantic alliance increasingly eyes an expanded logistics-support mission in Darfur, Sudan.
The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV) program has been slightly slowed by a fiscal 2006 budget cut handed down by Congress late last year, but otherwise has not been adversely affected, according to prime contractor Lockheed Martin.
Brazilian carrier TAM on May 30 will launch daily nonstop service from Rio de Janeiro (Galeao) and Sao Paulo (Guarulhos) to New York Kennedy airport using Airbus A330-200s.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to widen the scope of airport security beyond passenger checkpoints, Administrator Kip Hawley said yesterday.
Dragonair yesterday reported higher passenger numbers and increased cargo volume in February, but executives said high fuel prices are still putting a lot of pressure on the bottom line.
Goodrich cinched a deal with Boeing to supply flight deck lighting and cabin attendant seating on the 787, bringing the total number of systems the company is supplying on the aircraft to 11. Goodrich estimates $110 million in original equipment and aftermarket sales over the life of the contract. The company's systems team in Colorado Springs is building 16g-certified cabin attendant seats. It's the second lighting deal for Goodrich on the 787 after the company won a contract in 2004 to supply exterior lighting on the aircraft. -LR
Mexican low-cost carriers Volaris and Interjet accounted for 22% market share in just one week of operations, said the CEO of Volaris, and with more LCCs readying for takeoff, analysts are worried about the lack of adequate airport infrastructure to accommodate so many newcomers
MAIR Holdings CEO Paul Foley is scheduled to appear in court this week after being subpoenaed by the union representing flight attendants at MAIR subsidiary Mesaba. The Association of Flight Attendants is arguing against Mesaba's request to the court to reject collective bargaining agreements for the airline's pilots, mechanics and flight attendants.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Ingrid Lee at [email protected] MARCH 21 -- ACI-NA Commissioners Leadership Reception, Washington, www.aci-na.aero, 202-293-3035, email [email protected] MARCH 22 -- Wings Club Luncheon featuring Giovanni Bisignani, Director General & CEO, International Air Transport Association (IATA), Yale Club, New York City, 212-867-1770, email [email protected]
The House Homeland Security Committee should convene an urgent hearing to review airport security following news reports that federal screeners failed to spot bomb-making materials in baggage used in undercover tests, the panel's top Democrat said last week.
SR Technics signed a memorandum of understanding with Concors to set up a joint venture to establish a maintenance facility at Latvia's Riga International Airport. Concors is already based at Riga; CEO Sergey Ratnikov said the joint venture is key in positioning Latvia as a major aviation center in the Baltic region. In its first phase, the proposed company would offer line, base and heavy maintenance for Airbus and Boeing narrowbody planes. Later on, component and technical services for fleet management would be offered. -LR
Alitalia on Friday won the bid to acquire the Italian low-cost carrier Volare, the Italian industry ministry announced. The sales contract of the company, which was placed under state-controlled administration after its collapse in December 2004, "must include the obligation for the acquiring company to maintain [Volare's] entrepreneurial activity for at least two years," said the ministry. The buyer must also maintain Volare's employment at its level of December 2005 for a period of two years, the ministry added.
US Airways this month expects to submit its plan to FAA outlining how it will merge America West's and US Airways' operating certificates. Al Crellin, executive VP-operations, predicts the airline will operate on a single certificate by the second quarter of 2007. "It is a complex process, but everything is running on track," he says.
Mesa Air Group has filed a countersuit in bankruptcy court against Hawaiian Airlines for unspecified damages yesterday and accused the local carrier of violating antitrust law. The Phoenix-based regional said in its filing that Hawaiian's lawsuit against Mesa was an attempt to "monopolize" interisland air transportation. Mesa responded that the suit was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
