British Aerospace appointed George Rose to the new position of director-finance and treasury, David Scannell director-financial control, Tony Rice chief executive-British Aerospace asset management, David Brent group treasurer, and Robert Southwell group chief executive-BAe Australia Holdings Ltd.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved FAA reform legislation (S.1239) Thursday, adopting revisions proposed by aviation subcommittee leaders but rejecting an attempt to strip new user fees from the bill. Amendments approved by the panel include measures to fund the essential air service program from the user fees the bill would establish, restrict FAA's authority to charge fees for aircraft certification, and require a study of air service to rural communities.
Delta Connection carrier Comair said last week it has completed the contract and financing negotiations for 10 additional Canadair Jet aircraft, bringing total firm orders to 45, of which 26 are in service. Comair has options for another 25, which could bring its Canadair Jet fleet to 70. The aircraft is powered by General Electric CF 34-3A1 engines.
Northwest, American and United have filed applications for newly available service in the U.S.-Hong Kong market. American wants to operate between Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago, on the one hand, and Hong Kong, on the other, via Vancouver, as part of its code-sharing arrangement with Canadian Airlines International. American said it would begin the service within 90 days of receiving necessary approvals. United applied for Chicago-Hong Kong nonstop service, using Boeing 747-400 aircraft, beginning June 6, 1996.
USAir will provide partner British Airways with 30 737 first officers for BA's European operations at London Gatwick, according to USAir's Air Line Pilots Association unit. Because of a pilot shortage, BA seeks 20 737-400 pilots and 10 737-200 pilots for a six-month commitment, plus training.
Lufthansa is expanding its non-smoking operations to include all flights within Germany and many flights within Europe. Starting this month, all 566 daily flights connecting 50 city-pairs in Germany will be smoke-free. By April 1996, the airline will extend its non-smoking policy to all flights within Europe lasting 90 minutes or less. Non-smoking tests on seven routes to the U.S. and Canada - Munich-Chicago, Frankfurt-Chicago (a code share with United), and Frankfurt-Washington, -New York, -Toronto, -Vancouver and -Calgary - have been made permanent.
The Regional Airline Association elected Clark Stevens, president and chief operating officer of Mesa Air Group, as chairman of the association's board of directors at RAA's Fall Membership Meeting in Washington last week. Stevens replaces Atlantic Coast President Kerry Skeen, who was RAA chairman in 1995. RAA's board of directors also named four new board members: Dan Garton of American Eagle, Bryan Bedford of Mesaba Aviation, John Selvaggio of Midway Airlines and Dick Nelson of Skyway Airlines.
The establishment next Monday of a new office to handle issues involving suspected unapproved aircraft parts - and other recommendations from an agency task force - have drawn a cold response from the aviation industry (DAILY, Nov. 8). Sarah McLeod, executive director of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association and the chairman of FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, and other industry officials gave the agency bad marks for its failure to consult with other groups working on the issue.
National Transportation Safety Board Wednesday night approved four recommendations to FAA which, if adopted, could greatly expand the amount of information available to airlines on the training and work histories of their pilots and pilot-applicants. The recommendations stem from the safety board's public meeting Oct. 24 on the fatal American Eagle Jetstream crash in North Carolina last December.
RAA is joining the World Wide Web. As part of the association's new public affairs campaign to improve the image of regional airlines, there will be an RAA "Home Page" with at least four "icons" that surfers can access - news desk, industry background and statistics, aircraft equipment information and membership directory. The initial information comes primarily from the RAA 1995 Annual Report and should be available shortly. The news desk is aimed at the general media and in addition to industry news releases, will contain updated information about accidents.
British Aerospace has shuffled a number of top management positions in its finance departments, including the naming of a new head of its Asset Management Organization and JSX Capital Corporation. Tony Rice, former group treasurer for the U.K.-based regional aircraft manufacturer, was appointed to the newly created position of chief executive of British Aerospace Asset Management.
Air France's Air Littoral subsidiary has begun service into London City Airport, Fokker announced. Fokker said in June it hoped to have its JetLine family of aircraft certificated for operation at close-in, short- runway London City. Air Littoral's 79-seat Fokker 70s, replacing ATR 42 turboprops on the London City-Paris route, will make more than 30 flights weekly in each direction.
Nominations of Charles Hunnicut to be DOT assistant secretary for international aviation and Nancy McFadden to be DOT general counsel were approved Thursday by the Senate Commerce Committee, but Hunnicut's Senate confirmation may take a while. Committee member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R- Texas) said she would place a hold on his nomination because she is concerned about international aviation policy, particularly with regard to the U.K. and Japan. DOT's international aviation slot has been vacant since the Clinton administration took office almost 34 months ago.
General Electric's GE90 turbofan won its long-awaited certification on Boeing's 777 widebody twin Thursday, after final certification test issues with the FAA were resolved earlier in the week. Delivery of the first GE- powered airplane to launch customer British Airways, originally scheduled for late September, was expected during the weekend.
Seat-mile costs for a comparable trip in Europe are 120.5% higher in Europe than in North America, according to cost comparisons developed recently by Bombardier Regional Aircraft. The costs were contained in a comparative analysis of the Canadair Regional Jet and the Saab 2000 high- speed turboprop, but proved instructive when comparing the two operating environments. In addition to higher crew and fuel costs, North American operators do not face exorbitant costs for landing, navigation and Eurocontrol ATC charges, or the $7.24 per-passenger service charge.
Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association named John Thornton, former legislative and PAC director for MEBA affiliate National Air Traffic Controllers Association, deputy director-legislative and political affairs, a new position.
Continental Express Chief Executive and President Jonathan Ornstein has resigned, Continental said Thursday. The company said it expects to be able to name a successor soon.
ValuJet filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Delta and TWA alleging antitrust violations by both and breach of contract by TWA for failing to lease ValuJet 10 slots at New York LaGuardia and instead leasing them to Delta. ValuJet is seeking temporary and permanent injunctions to prevent TWA from leasing the slots to Delta, and to require TWA to lease them to ValuJet. According to the suit, filed in U.S.
During the past five years, sales outside the U.S. accounted for 70% of Boeing Commercial's business, according to Bob Dryden, executive VP. More than 85% of the jobs created by those sales stay in the U.S., he says.
Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air flew 70 million revenue passenger miles in October, a 7.9% increase from 65 million in October 1994. Capacity was up 9.5% to 117 million ASMs from 107 million in the prior-year period. The load factor dropped 0.9 percentage points to 59.9% from 60.8%. Passenger boardings rose 2.9% to 315,301 from 306,378. Oct. 1995 Oct. 1994 10 Months 1995 10 Months 1994 RPMs 70,000,000 65,000,000 702,000,000 597,000,000
