Satena, operated by the Colombian air force as a commercial airline, plans to go international in 2007 with flights to Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. After 44 years of serving domestic destinations -- mostly to remote or isolated areas not covered by other airlines -- Satena will invest $100 million in infrastructure, technology and fleet (now being expanded with Embraer regional jets) to upgrade passenger services and guarantee optimum safety.
Spain's Grupo Ferrovial could make its long-rumored bid for U.K. airport operator BAA this week, U.K. and Spanish media reports say. Ferrovial last month said it is considering a bid as part of a consortium, and speculation has surrounded investment funds in Australia, Canada and Singapore as potential partners.
Northwest and its pilots union on Friday reached a tentative $358 million concession deal after round-the-clock negotiations, staving off a looming decision by the bankruptcy judge and a possible strike.
Regional startup Wayra Peru will launch operations on March 20, announced Oceanair President German Efromovich. Oceanair holds a minority 49% equity stake in the carrier, a joint venture with Peru's Sustainable Investments Fund (FIS), which holds the majority stake.
You can now register online for Aviation Week events. Go to www.AviationNow.com/conferences or contact Lydia Janow, 212-904-3225 or 800-240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada only) APRIL 5-6 -- U.S. Defense Budgets and Programs Conference, Arlington, Va. APRIL 25-26 -- MRO Military Conference, Phoenix APRIL 25-26 -- MRO USA Conference & Exhibition 2006, Phoenix MAY 17-18 -- MRO Military Europe, Berlin SEPT. 19-21 -- MRO Asia, Xiamen, China OCT. 24-26 -- MRO Europe, Amsterdam
Aiming to capitalize on rising demand for advanced jet engine metals, Ladish Co. plans to increase its capacity to forge super-alloy materials by 50%. The company will add a third isothermal forging press at its plant in Cudahy, Wis. Isothermal forging, a process pioneered by Ladish in the early 1970s, is required to forge super-alloy materials that can withstand high temperatures. Aircraft engine makers are using more advanced metals to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
St. Louis Airport is on track to open its fourth runway in mid-April, reports Director Kevin Dolliole. Runway 11/29 is about 9,000 feet long and will boost operations capacity as much as 60% in bad weather. The problem is that the number of weekly departures is down 37% from four years ago and capacity is off nearly 50%. Dolliole tells the FAA Forecast Conference there are as many as 30 empty gates at the airport.
If the Bush Administration wants to cut airport funding, it should do so through the FAA reauthorization process instead of through annual budget requests, Airports Council International head Greg Principato says. For the second year in a row, the Administration budget proposes cutting Airport Improvement Program grants far below levels recommended in previous authorization legislation.
Maine textile manufacturer Tex Tech Industries last week recieved a contract from Airbus to provide fire barrier materials for passenger cabins. Tex Tech said it has indirectly supplied materials to Airbus for years, and the company also has contracts with Boeing, NASA and the U.S. Defense Dept. In addition to specialty fabrics and fibers for aerospace uses, Tex Tech also makes tennis ball felt and ballistics safety equipment.
Aeropostal renewed its regular flight schedule out of Maiquetia after a month of schedule adjustments forced by the Jan. 5 collapse of a bridge on the Caracas/Maiquetia Expressway (DAILY, Feb. 28). The carrier operates 48 daily domestic flights to and from Barcelona, Puerto Ordaz, Maracaibo, Maturin, Barquisimeto, Porlamar and Valencia. No updated information was released on international flights.
And the American society for Public Administration named Joan Bauerlein, FAA director of aviation research and development, the recipient of this year's National Public Service Award.
Southwest and the Albuquerque police are getting a lesson in the law of unintended consequences from a federal appeals court, which ruled last week that a full jury should decide whether a Southwest employee who was the victim of a workplace prank gone bad should prevail. Customer-service representative Marcie Fuerschbach claims her supervisors and colleagues staged her arrest, with the help of two willing Albuquerque police officers, as a way to celebrate the end of her probationary status with the airline.
Delta last week reported a deep $300 million net loss for January, including one-time reorganization costs, a large deficit for 31 days but less than the $314 million loss posted last year.
