W.W. Grainger, Inc., a Chicago-based industrial supplier, said it will open a facility at Denver International Airport, its third location in the Denver area. The non-stocking, will-call facility will improve service for current customers United and city and county operations, and offer assistance to hotels and other airlines in purchasing maintenance, repair and operating supplies.
Australia is overhauling its safety regulations, including a requirement for charter operators to upgrade to the higher standards demanded of scheduled airlines, and harmonizing its rules with those of the U.S. and other major aviation nations. John Sharp, minister for transport and regional development, said the U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are the "universal language" of aviation and Australia will adopt the FAR number system and, where possible, FAR-style language in drafting new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations.
FAA is proposing to accept applications beginning Dec. 1 for participation in the privatization pilot program established by Congress last year. In a notice to be published in today's Federal Register, FAA issued proposed guidance for preparing applications for exemptions from federal law needed to privatize airports. The agency proposes to handle applications for the five slots on a first-come, first-served basis, and it will evaluate them in the order of receipt. In other words, if the first five applications submitted on or after Dec.
DOT officials plan to meet with U.S. carriers to discuss possible expansion of service to China, Mark Gerchick, DOT deputy assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, told The DAILY."We're taking a hard look at China, but we're not undertaking action at this point," he said. For starters, "there seem to be increasingly more code-sharing possibilities." Changes would fall well short of dramatic revisions.
Polar Air Cargo has inaugurated 747 service to Manchester, U.K., with two frequencies a week. Polar serves London Heathrow three times a week. It has a fleet of 16 747-100/200 freighters.
TWA lost $71.6 million in the first quarter, nearly double the $37.1 million loss in the prior-year period. A first quarter loss "was anticipated," said Chairman and Chief Executive Gerald Gitner, and TWA finished the period "ahead of plan." The airline's supply of cash and cash equivalents dwindled to $136.5 million from $181.6 million at the end of 1996.
Sabre has chosen MapQuest Publishing Groups to supply interactive mapping for its Travelocity World Wide Web site. Travelocity users who book travel and receive itineraries online also can have access to maps showing hotel locations in the U.S. and receive driving instructions in text form with an overview map or mini-maps of 150,000 towns in North America. MapQuest is a business unit of GeoSystems Global Corp.
First annual general meeting last week of the Nav Canada board since acquiring the civil air navigation service from the government last Oct. 31 shows that the company is meeting operating and financial goals, officials said. In the four-month period since the acquisition, revenues reached C$302 million and operating expenses C$235 million, which produced, after interest and depreciation, an operating surplus of C$26 million. Second quarter results for the period ending Feb.
BFGoodrich Co. and Unison Industries have reached an agreement under which Unison will purchase the BFGoodrich Aerospace Engine Electrical Systems Division, Norwich, N.Y., and the manufacturing operations in Fort Worth. Terms were not disclosed.
Emirates Group has signed a $118 million finance agreement for the fourth of seven 777-200s powered by Rolls-Royce engines. Financing was provided by BritishBank, the National Bank of Dubai and the Societe Generale of France.
Southwest achieved the highest airline quality rating for the second straight year, widening the gap between it and its rivals, in rankings issued yesterday by an independent group of academic researchers. The 1996 airline quality rankings, the seventh year of the survey, rated American Airlines second, followed by United, Delta, Continental and Northwest.
Revima, Normandy, France, has contracted with McDonnell Douglas to overhaul landing gear on MD-11s. Europe has one-fourth of all MD-11s in service - about 50 aircraft operated by Lufthansa, Swissair, KLM, Finnair and Alitalia.
Hawaiian Airlines will begin operating two weekly nonstop flights from San Francisco to Maui, Hawaii, May 2. The carrier will offer roundtrip fares of $299 on Tuesdays and $329 on Saturdays between May 2 and June 12, and from Sept. 5 until Oct. 25. The tariffs require purchase 48 hours before departure. Hawaiian said Maui is its second most popular destination after Oahu. It will operate DC-10s with 34 seats in first class and 270 in coach.
Alaska Airlines made financial progress during the first quarter, but still was not able to turn a profit due to higher fuel costs and other expenses. The airline also carries a lot of seasonal passengers and cargo in the Pacific Northwest, including some cold-weather destinations customers avoid in the winter. Alaska posted a net loss of $5.7 million, slightly better than the $7.2 million loss in the 1996 period. The airline's operating loss deepened to $5.4 million from $5.2 million, as revenues rose 8.3% to $380 million.
Rada Electronic Industries and New Reef Enterprises said they plan to establish the "first new Smart CATS Center" near Miami Airport to provide avionics testing and maintenance for commercial aircraft. New Reef is a joint venture announced last October between Rada and Hong Kong investors. The center, which is expected to become operational in the fourth quarter, will focus on Boeing aircraft flight instruments.
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. authorized $1.65 billion in asset- based financing for 10 separate commercial aircraft export transactions in the first half of its fiscal year, an increase over the previous period. Eximbank helped finance sales or leases of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft to Egypt, India, Kenya, Korea, Morocco, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic, and guaranteed a $105 million long-term lease of MD-90s to China.
Kal-Aero said it received FAA approval to upgrade an existing AlliedSignal Mark V ground proximity warning system (GPWS) with windshear detection to an AlliedSignal enhanced GPWS with windshear detection. The supplemental type certificate results in a warning system that offers not only aural alert messages, but also graphical displays. The enhanced system gives pilots visual detection of flight paths, displays threatening terrain and provides alerts based on topography.
America West will offer double FlightFund miles through May 22 on qualifying flights operated only by America West at valid fares. The double miles are available on flights originating or ending in Albuquerque, Burbank, Denver, El Paso, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Ontario, Oakland, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, Reno, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Tucson.
U.S.-French talks taking place today and tomorrow in Washington will examine in detail the French draft proposal for a new bilateral. The probability that the U.S. will present a counter-proposal ranges from unknown to doubtful, according to industry sources. The two countries continue operating without a formal bilateral agreement, approving schedules on a seasonal basis. "There are a lot of U.S. carriers that want a lot of things," one industry source said. "Both sides are talking about phasing into a new agreement with more opportunities.
DOT will issue today a "statement of compliance policy" that says notices required by various department rules must be given or made readily available to passengers traveling via ticketless travel "no later than the time they check in to the airport for the first part of their itinerary," a spokesman said.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., India's state-owned aeronautical company, has received a $22.5 million contract from Boeing to manufacture components and develop software, HAL officials said last week. The four-year contract covers structural parts for 737 and 747 aircraft, including doors, plus computer software programs for Boeing company operations, Indian officials said.
Continental Express will begin serving Savannah, Ga., from its Newark hub on June 12. The airline will provide three daily nonstop flights using 50- seat EMB-145 regional jets.
Liberalization of the European Union's air transport sector will not lead to many opportunities for new entrants, according to the European Commission's annual survey, Panorama of EU Industry. Growth potential is greater for Europe's airports, but mainly for mid-size and small facilities, it says. The survey warns that the recent upturn in Europe's air transport industry cannot depend on breakthrough technologies to stimulate demand since these already are being exploited.
Rep. Ron Packard (R-Calif.), a member of the House Appropriations transportation subcommittee, introduced legislation (H.R. 1389) to adjust aviation tax revenues each year based on the level of FAA funding the previous year. The bill, which would put into law the "linked financing" mechanism proposed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, is similar to legislation (H.R.4206) introduced last year by former Rep. Jim Lightfoot (R-Iowa) (DAILY, Sept. 27, 1996). Under the Packard bill, tax rates would be increased, if necessary, to cover an FAA funding increase.
