Airport Group International named Andrew Jarema director-information systems and David Allday manager-environmental safety and health. AlliedSignal Aerospace appointed Jim Strang VP-space station programs for its Aerospace Equipment Systems business and Peter Machuga VP-materials management. Cargo Network Services promoted Anthony Calabrese to full-time president of the U.S. subsidiary of the International Air Transport Association.
Aerospace Industries Association named Christian Shore, Hughes Aircraft, AIA representative on the U.S. NATO Industrial Advisory Group delegation. National Association of Flight Instructors appointed Sean Elliott executive director.
Herb Kelleher isn't the only western-U.S. low-fare airline CEO with a penchant for appearing in costume. While Elvis sightings are common at Southwest, Ed Beauvais of Western Pacific has dressed as a wizard to promote mystery fares and Jack Frost to promote winter wonderfares. Last week he showed up as a human projectile to highlight spring fling fares. A Hollywood stunt double stood in for him and was shot out of a nitrogen- powered catapult.
Cathay Pacific has received extended range twin engine operations (ETOPs) approval from the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department for its A330s. The carrier will be able to operate the aircraft up to 120 minutes away from usable airports, serving destinations such as Cairns, Brisbane, Colombo and Perth.
Delta intends to hire 90 people to fill new, full-time cargo support representative positions and 80 associates - part-time workers - for its Atlanta Air Mail Sort Facility. W.E. Doll, VP-cargo, said in an internal memorandum that the contract by which Delta outsourced its Atlanta air mail contract expired in January, and this "enabled us to take a fresh look at our staffing to determine if a Delta work force could compete cost effectively for the contract.
FAA is extending for 90 days, through June 19, the comment period on its proposed rule on flight and duty times for commercial pilots. Associate Administrator Anthony Broderick said the extension is "in response to requests filed. The FAA has determined that the extension is warranted because of the scope and complexity of the proposal."
- In Federal Register dated March 8...Proposed an airworthiness directive on certain Jetstream ATP aircraft to require inspection for damage of the antenna mounting reinforcing plates.
A NASA Ames research scientist, Steve Casner, has developed a prototype software program that helps pilots learn how to fly advanced commercial aircraft using a laptop computer. The program, operating on Macintosh computers, mimics the flight management system of an automated glass cockpit and enables flight training professionals to program their own learning materials and exercises for their students.
Poor credit quality of a purchasing airline killed prospects for a USAir buyout, says Renee Shaker, Moody's VP and senior airline analyst. The issues that would kill such a deal today, she said, are labor integration and antitrust issues.
DOT issued its procedural schedule for the antitrust immunity application of United and Lufthansa. Answers are due April 3 and replies no later than seven working days later. (Docket OST-96-1116)
Airlines operating shuttles in the Washington, D.C.-New York-Boston markets will be up against new competition in 1999 - high-speed rail. Vice President Al Gore, DOT Secretary Federico Pena and Amtrak President Tom Downs announced Friday that DOT has awarded Bombardier a contract to build a fleet of 18 high-speed, electric-powered trainsets, 15 high-horsepower locomotives and three maintenance shops along the Northeast Corridor to replace Amtrak's Metroliners.
Controlled flight into terrain continues to be a leading cause of airline fatalities, according to Flight Safety Foundation. An update of an FSF-led international campaign to reduce CFIT accidents, citing Boeing statistics, tallies four CFIT accidents between November 1994 and November 1995, in which 178 people were killed.
United, perceived by the marketplace and even its employee-owners as bland and indistinct, has hired two high-powered consulting firms and launched a marketing campaign to soup up its image.Plans for the makeover are to be completed in the spring and implemented in the fall. For now, "we generate about as much excitement as the Social Security System," admitted one employee.
National Route Program, by which aircrews can fly more direct routes when they are at high altitude, saved industry about 25 million pounds of fuel in one year and reduced its costs by $2 million, according to Robert Baker, executive VP-operations. High-altitude operations make business aircraft one of the program's principal users, says National Business Aircraft Association President John Olcott.
DOT has sent to Congress a proposal to extend the authorization for the Airport Improvement Program through fiscal 1997 and the authorizations for FAA research, development and engineering, facilities and equipment and operations through fiscal 1999. The proposal also would give DOT authority to enter into agreements with airport sponsors to implement innovative financing techniques. For fiscal 1997, FAA authorization levels provided in the bill are $1.35 billion for AIP, $1.789 billion for F&E, $195.7 million for R,E&D and $4.92 billion for operations.
More than 60% of 400 Part 135 on-demand air charter operators surveyed by the National Air Transportation Association indicated that FAA's proposed new rule on flight and duty times for commercial pilots will "force them into other vocations," NATA said.
Summary of U.S. National Carriers Systemwide Traffic August 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) Alaska 1,102 11.77 861 949,167 Aloha 541 10.23 137 74,004
Frost Hanna Mergers Group will own 40% of Pan Am-The New Airline with consummation this summer of the merger agreement that will provide Pan Am with $10 million and make it a publicly traded company. The merger is subject to Pan Am obtaining an operating certificate, shareholder approval and registration of securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission (DAILY, March 15). Frost Hanna's business is completion of mergers with primarily private companies as a way of going public, and it provides additional financing.
The sale of $4.05 billion in pass-through certificates to an underwriters' syndicate by GPA Group has brightened prospects for the troubled aircraft leasing giant, according to Standard&Poor's and Moody's Investors Services. S&P said its ratings of GPA Group and related units remain on CreditWatch, but it revised implications "to positive from developing." It said completion of the securitization will "allow an upgrade of current ratings.
Taiwan has become Macau's third-largest source of tourists since new air routes opened early in December. A Macau tourism official said more than 500,000 arrivals from Taiwan are expected this year. There were 208,000 in 1995, a 15% increase over 1994.
Aero Costa Rica named Maria Escosa VP-sales and marketing. British Airways World Cargo retitled five VPs in North America as VP- sales: Richard Tams (West), based in Los Angeles; Roy Linkner (Southeast), based in Atlanta; Steve Earl (South), based in Miami; Brian Russell (Central), based in Chicago, and Mike Conley (Northeast), based in New York; Fiona Clohosey was named VP-service delivery for the Americas, a new position.
Dallas-based Dalfort Aviation is polling 4,000 Dallas-area travelers to assess interest in new long-haul airline service from Dallas Love Field, using aircraft with 56 seats or fewer. The aircraft size is required in order to get around a provision in the Wright Amendment limiting commercial service from the Dallas city airport.
Granted orally an exemption to Viacao Aerea Sao Paulo to serve Toronto, with local traffic rights, as a beyond point on Vasp's existing authority to operate scheduled combination service between any point or points in Brazil and New York...Granted orally an exemption to Romanian carrier Tarom renewing its authority to operate five weekly Bucharest-New York flights and two weekly Bucharest-Chicago flights. Both services are operated via the intermediate points Amsterdam and Timisoara.
FAA Administrator David Hinson said Friday he will announce creation of a free flight steering committee "almost immediately" but declined to say at what level FAA will participate. The committee is vital to beginning the free flight process, and the RTCA task force recommended last October that it be co-chaired by the FAA administrator and an airline executive officer. Robert Baker, executive VP-operations for American, and other members of the task force stressed Friday the importance of participation by all industry elements.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers International Traffic August 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) American 1,457 11.06 2,152 3,136,758 Atlantic 385 4.38 4,078 1,570,272
