The Pentagon will not buy militarized versions of Boeing's 747-400F freighter to supplement its planned fleet of McDonnell Douglas C-17s, Defense Department Acquisition Chief Paul Kaminski said Friday.
Swissair reintroduced scheduled service to Shanghai during the weekend. It will add the destination three times a week as a continuation of its current Boeing 747 flight from Zurich to Beijing.
Boosting his upcoming Asian trip, DOT Secretary Federico Pena outlined his travel plans to Asian industry and press groups last week. "Asia is the fastest-growing market anywhere," he said, noting steady growth in U.S. jobs and airline revenues coming from the region. "And that's why I'm taking this 17-day trade mission to Asia before joining the President at the APEC summit in Osaka - to help American businesses be more successful and to make certain we're competing on a level playing field."
FAA and NASA Ames are testing at Denver a device that provides proposed routes for fuel-efficient descents that accurately meet scheduled times of arrival. The new tool, called the Descent Advisor, is providing arrival time accuracy within 20 seconds based on a single clearance 25 miles prior to descent.
South African Airways said Friday it plans to order four 777-200s and two 747-400s and take options on three more 777s in a deal totaling about $1.3 billion, the largest in its history. It has not yet selected an engine. The carrier plans to take delivery of its first airplane, the longer-range version of the 777, in 1997. SAA currently operates 13 737-200s and 16 747s.
The possibility that United will move to acquire USAir is the starting point for a new wave of airline restructuring, but regardless of what happens, the industry will consolidate to three or four clusters of international carriers, Air Canada Chairman Hollis Harris said Friday. Speaking to the Society of Senior Aerospace Executives (SSAE) and to reporters afterward, Harris painted a frenzied picture of airlines merging and realigning with new partners. Because of its nearly 24% voting stake in Continental, Air Canada will be in the midst of the action, he said.
Projection that direct flights will increase 40% during the next 15 to 20 years are "good news economically for aviation" but have serious safety implications, FAA Administrator David Hinson told an international audience last week in Chicago. "More flights mean more accidents unless safety grows at a rate that matches or exceeds the growth in air traffic," Hinson told McGraw-Hill's Chicago '95 aviation conference. He cited such efforts as the Flight Operations Quality Assurance Program, which analyzes data collected by U.S. airlines, as vital to safety.
Ramp damage to aircraft occurs more often during arrivals than departures, according to a study by NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System. In more than a third of damage incidents, only one ground crew member was attending the aircraft. Pilots attributed error to ground crew in more than half the incidents but faulted themselves almost as frequently.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is offering roundtrip fares between Boston and London Gatwick for $348 for midweek travel and $388 for weekend travel. For flights from Milwaukee, Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse to London, the fares start at $506 and include connecting flights to Boston on Midwest Express or Business Express. The offer is valid for passengers originating in the U.S. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 17, and all travel must be completed by March 31. Blackout dates and other restrictions apply.
Air Canada, which owns nearly 24% of Continental, stands to make a lot of money if another non-U.S. airline wants to buy in. Air Canada already has recovered its entire investment and has its Continental holding booked at $9 per share, but the U.S. carrier has been trading at about $40 per share lately.
SIA Group officially opened Friday its recently completed Airfreight Terminal 5 - dubbed the SIA Superhub by the airline company - at Singapore Changi. The S$215 million terminal was built and will be managed by SIA's ground-handling subsidiary, SATS Airport Services, and is dedicated to serving the two airlines in the SIA Group, Singapore Airlines and SilkAir. "The Superhub presents a new specialization in cargo handling at Changi," said SATS Chairman Cheong Choong Kong. "It is predominantly a facility for cargo transshipment.
Granted orally an exemption to Cargolux Airlines International to operate scheduled all-cargo service with passengers on the upper deck of its freighter aircraft, from points behind Luxembourg, via Luxembourg, to a point or points in the U.S. and beyond the U.S., via intermediate points. Granted orally an exemption to Servicios Aerolineas Mexicanas to engage in charter passenger service between Mexico and the U.S. and other charter operations to and from the U.S.
Senate Aviation subcommittee chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), angered by the failure of U.S.-U.K. talks, promises to focus on them - and may try to hold DOT's feet to the fire - at international aviation hearings he plans this month.
Superseded an AD on Boeing 234 helicopters concerning inspections of the forward and aft transmission first-stage sun and spiral bevel ring gear bolted connection. Proposed an AD on Eurocopter AS 350 and 355 series helicopters to require inspection of the cyclic pitch change control rod end fittings. Proposed an AD on Bell Textron 214ST helicopters to require inspections of the tailboom. Proposed an AD on certain McDonnell Douglas DC-8 aircraft to require inspection for cracking of the swivel bogie beam lugs.
Singapore Airlines expects to choose this week between Boeing and Airbus Industrie to supply at least 33 "medium-sized, medium-range" transports worth some US$5 billion. "The fight is between Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s," a spokesman for the carrier said. Last year, SIA ordered 21 aircraft and optioned 31 more, splitting the US$10 billion package between Boeing 747-400s and Airbus A340-300s. Some industry executives speculated last week that the carrier may buy from both manufacturers again.
Vanguard Airlines is offering $45 fares for every seat on its flights between Denver and Salt Lake City through Dec. 15, except on Nov. 22 and Nov. 26. After Dec. 15, fares will be $59 for off-peak periods and $89 peak.
Pilots at PSA Airlines, a USAir Group subsidiary based in Dayton, have ratified a four-year contract that becomes amendable Feb. 29, 2000. The contract covers 150 pilots.
Southwest extended the deadline for purchasing its $19 21-day advance purchase fares to Nov. 21. The fares are good for travel through April 5. Southwest VP-Marketing and Sales Dave Ridley reported "tremendous" customer response to the Gotta Go fares.
Mesaba Holdings is in the process of rebuilding its close alliance with senior partner Northwest following Mesaba's abortive attempt to operate a low-fare jet carrier on the East Coast. The carrier also is negotiating a new Airlink marketing agreement with its senior partner and minority owner, including a new proration agreement.
In a move to boost the profile of its service in business travel markets, Canadian Airlines International has launched the "Canadian Shuttle." The shuttle will connect Eastern Canada's three biggest business centers, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, as well as Western Canada's three busiest markets, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
