- In Federal Register dated March 15...Proposed to supersede an airworthiness directive on JanAero B series combustion heaters concerning retention of pressure decay tests. - In FR dated March 19...Superseded an AD on Enstrom F-28/280 series helicopters concerning inspections of a certain main rotor transmission clutch assembly. - In FR dated March 20...Proposed to supersede an AD on certain McDonnell Douglas MD-11 and DC-10 aircraft requiring testing of electrical connectors to the engine generator and fire bell shutoff switches.
DOT Secretary Federico Pena notified air travelers to Greece Friday that Athens Hellenikon Airport does not meet the security standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Greek government disputed the statement. Pena based his action on an FAA assessment of security measures, but a spokesman for the Greek Embassy in Washington said, "We are surprised by this statement.
DOT's study of the impact of new entrants in the U.S. market is likely to be released in about two weeks. It is expected to document the effect of startups on fares and identify points where competitive conditions may favor new entry.
France told U.S. carriers Friday to scale back planned summer service to France in the wake of DOT's rejection of Air France's request for additional U.S. summer service. TWA, Tower, American, Delta, Continental and United all were informed that they would have to curtail some of their summer service, which was approved in February and set to begin April 1, according to industry sources. The affected markets are New York, Washington and Houston.
British Airways on Friday awarded General Electric Aircraft Engine Services of Nantgarw, Wales, a 10-year repair and overhaul contract valued at $2.3 billion. BA's first such contract to GE came in 1991, "but this new agreement provides significant benefits" for the airline, said Brian Philpott, BA engineering acting managing director. George Duncanson, GE managing director, said the 10-year contract "besides securing long-term employment in Wales, will also serve as a springboard for GE engine services global growth strategy."
Established carriers and startups alike are rallying around the industry position, stated by Air Transport Association, that DOT should avoid over- regulation of electronic ticketing procedures. In comments on potential regulations, ATA said carriers need flexibility in deciding when, where and how to provide customers with required consumer notices (DAILY, March 21).
British Airways and America West will announce soon a marketing agreement that will feed BA at Phoenix when it starts daily London-Phoenix service July 1. The marketing alliance between the two carriers, being finalized, will include code sharing and participation in each other's frequent flyer programs.
Boosting open skies, the Economic Strategy Institute study of the U.S.- Japan standoff, "Turbulence over the Pacific," favors extension of the 1952 agreement over proposals to limit fifth freedoms while expanding direct U.S.-Japan service. The study, released last week, explores four scenarios offered in recent rounds of negotiations: an open skies agreement; extending the current 1952 agreement; and two formulas for capping U.S. beyond service while increasing direct U.S.-Japan flights.
White House policy on the satellite-based Global Positioning System is expected tomorrow from Vice President Gore or later in the week from President Clinton. The policy will come in the form of a Presidential Decision Document (PDD). Sources say the civil aviation community will endorse the policy.
Air Canada and Lufthansa, as anticipated, have unveiled a cooperative pact that includes code-sharing and blocked-space agreements and could go further. The accord breaks up partnerships between Lufthansa and Canadian International and between Air Canada and Air France (DAILY, March 19). As of June 15, Air Canada and Lufthansa will operate joint nonstop service from Vancouver and Calgary to Frankfurt. Lufthansa will fly daily 747 nonstops between Frankfurt and Vancouver, while Air Canada will sell seats and put its code on the flights.
Airbus Industrie has developed a modification of the autopilots on A300- 600s and A310s that gives pilots a third way to disengage the autopilot below 400 feet in all flight modes. An Airbus spokesman described the modification as a program of "continuous enhancement of inflight safety" that Airbus maintains on its aircraft. Airbus said airworthiness authorities have approved the modifications, and it is sending its customers a service bulletin that will enable them to make the adjustments themselves.
Yet another organization, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, is expressing doubt about how FAA documents its proposed rules. Proposing a rule that could cost operators of 46,000 Textron Lycoming engines more than $1 billion, FAA cites an accident and 10 service difficulty reports, but internal agency documents show only five service difficulty reports, according to AOPA. Earlier, the Air Transport Association questioned information FAA says it gathered for a new rule on pilot flight and duty time.
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American and Continental pressed their competition for new U.S.-Lima service in briefs to DOT last week. The carriers seek seven new weekly frequencies available for scheduled service between Lima, Peru, and a point in the U.S. other than Miami or Fort Lauderdale, effective Nov. 1. American proposes daily Dallas/Fort Worth-Lima and Continental daily Houston-Lima service. Both airlines would operate single-plane one-stop service to Los Angeles using 757s.
Air Transport Association, which vehemently opposed international overflight fees imposed last year by Canada, is silent on imposing similar fees in the U.S., cited as probable last week by DOT Secretary Federico Pena.Some airlines, such as American, Northwest and Delta, are said to favor some form of user fee while others, such as Southwest and ValuJet, want a return to the ticket tax.
U.S. and Poland initialed amendments to their air services agreement Friday, expanding route rights and approving code sharing between Polish and U.S. airlines beginning Nov. 1, with some limits on frequencies and the number of carriers involved.
Indian Airlines has begun flying from Calicut, India, to Doha, Qatar, and Manama, Bahrain. The flights, begun March 6, are being flown with A320 aircraft three times per week. With Doha and Manama as new destinations, the carrier now serves 17 international points. Indian operates 10 A300s, 30 A320s and 14 737s.
DOT has renewed for one year the authority of United and Lufthansa to conduct operations under their code-share and blocked-space accord. (Docket OST-95-369)
