First flight of the new ATR-42-400 was completed this week, bringing still another ATR product closer to market. The -400 is virtually identical to the new hot-and-high ATR-42-500, for which certification is "imminent," but has less powerful engines. It replaces the ATR-42-300.
Pilot error: U.K. Ministry of Defense has blamed the captain of a Royal Air Force BAe 146 for overshooting a runway and coming to rest in soft soil in June 1994. The pilot was not flying the airplane, but Prince Charles was, and the captain was faulted for not taking control away from him.
Comair Holdings reported that net income for its first quarter, which ended June 30, jumped to $16.6 million from $9.4 million in the same period last year. The Delta Connection carrier said total revenues rose to $115.4 million from $87.9 million. Passenger revenues increased to $111.1 million from $84.4 million. David Mueller, chairman, attributed the net increase to higher fares and traffic growth. The Comair board declared a 3-for-2 common stock split and an eight-cent quarterly cash dividend, both payable Aug. 10 to holders of record July 28.
The House Rules Committee late Wednesday approved a rule that would allow a floor vote on an amendment to the DOT appropriations bill (H.R. 2002) to give the President line-item veto authority. A line-item veto covering only the DOT bill was proposed in a Rules Committee hearing Wednesday by Rep. Bill Orton (D-Utah), but the potential amendment protected by Rules would apply to all funding bills.
...Business Express, meanwhile, says it will retain an investment banking firm "to advise the company on strategic business options and growth plans." Such options include an initial public offering, development of strategic alliances as well as merger and acquisition opportunities, the company said. According to Wilkinson, the carrier has had "a good summer; we are performing much better; traffic is building; the [three Avro RJ70] jets are starting to perform. We are a player again." Could there be a link-up with Mesaba in the future?
The City of Tuscaloosa, Ala., is objecting to plans by American Eagle affiliate Flagship Airlines to drop service at the point, saying the city's burgeoning economy justified continued service at the point and that it would be without service if Flagship were allowed to withdraw.
Atlantic Southeast's selection of five used British Aerospace BAe 146 quadjets was not without some aggressive competition between new-aircraft manufacturer Avro Aerospace and Asset Management Organization (AMO) - both British Aerospace units. It was a question of "new" versus "used" with Avro advancing its new RJ-series aircraft and AMO its inventory of used 146s, the RJ's predecessor. Perhaps the bottom line for Atlantic Southeast was the monthly rent, which unconfirmed reports indicate may be as low as $60,000 per unit.
AMR Eagle's Executive Airlines unit Nov. 1 will add three daily roundtrip flights between Miami International Airport and Vero Beach Municipal Airport in Florida's Treasure Coast region, using 33-seat Shorts 360 aircraft. AMR Eagle's VP-Marketing Joel Chusid said, "We've been wanting to serve the Treasure Coast for some time, and we're delighted that we now have that opportunity." American Eagle, which is enlarging and renovating its Miami terminal, said the project should be finished by this fall.
National Labor Relations Board has asked the National Mediation Board to decide which agency has jurisdiction over a petition concerning whether Federal Express employees seeking union representation should be subject to the National Labor Relations Act or the Railway Labor Act.The case dates back to an August 1991 petition for representation of ground service workers claiming National Labor Relations Act jurisdiction.
Gulfstream International Airlines will expand its service at three cities in Florida early next month, the regional said. On Aug. 6, the company will begin service between St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Tallahassee, operating three daily nonstops. The carrier also will double its daily flights between St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Miami, with connecting flights to Tallahassee. The regional will offer introductory roundtrip fare to Tallahasssee of $69 from St. Petersburg/Clearwater and $138 from Miami for tickets purchased on or before Aug. 15.
Establishment of a new association to represent operators of general aviation airports will be discussed at an organizational meeting scheduled Aug. 18. The effort is led by Michael Stephens, who has worked previously for the Airports Council International-North America and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. "General aviation airports have unique needs that differ greatly from air carrier airports," Stephens said. "Their dealings with the community are different.
ATR has received an order for seven 66-passenger ATR 72-210 aircraft from Air New Zealand's Mount Cook Airline, ATR said. The aircraft will progressively replace the 44-passenger Hawker Siddeley HS748s currently operated by Mount Cook Airline. Deliveries will begin in September and be completed by the end of this year or the beginning of 1996. The transaction was announced against a backdrop of simmering controversy over renewed French nuclear testing in the South Pacific. ATR is a partnership composed of French firm Aerospatiale and Italian company Alenia.
Legislators urged the administration to stand strong in talks with Japan and industry officials pressed for more effective guidelines for future international negotiations yesterday during a hearing on U.S.-Japan aviation relations before the House Transportation and Infrastructure aviation subcommittee.
Formosa Airlines of Taiwan has ordered two Fokker 50 turboprops and two Fokker 100 jets - the company's first jets, Fokker said. The carrier brought two Fokker 50s into its fleet at the beginning of this year. The two additional F50s will be configured with 56 seats and delivered in September and October. They will go into service on routes out of Taichung to various destinations within Taiwan.
Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation, observing the fifth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, has released an ADA compliance guide for travel and tour agencies. The guide summarizes the public accommodations section of the law, which affects nearly all businesses, and suggests ways to remove barriers for customers with disabilities. The travel guide complements summaries published for other industries. Copies are available for $2.50 from CBBBF, Suite 800, 4200 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22203.
NASA engineers plan to gather a wide range of data on supersonic transport flight dynamics next year in a series of 35 instrumented test flights by a Russian Tu-144 SST, according to the head of the agency's High Speed Research program. Louis J. Williams told The DAILY work is on schedule for a February start of test flights from Tupolev Design Bureau facilities near Moscow, with modifications of the 1982-vintage Tu-144 testbed NASA will instrument already well under way.
DOT has found a wide disparity in the method of listing fees and charges in advertisements by airlines and travel agents for air tour packages, and it has issued guidance to U.S. and larger foreign carriers and the larger travel agencies. A letter from Samuel Podberesky, DOT assistant general counsel for aviation enforcement and proceedings, generally calls for more specific language on the price of hotel, cruise, tour, car rental and other services when bundled with air fare.
GE90-powered 777 flight tests resumed Sunday after a hiatus of nearly two months, caused by a fan imbalance problem and ground testing of a fix.The aircraft accumulated eight hours of new flight time by yesterday, prompting hopes that Boeing can deliver the first GE-powered 777 to British Airways on schedule, in September.
Duff&Phelps Credit Rating Co. said yesterday it has established a commercial paper rating of D-2 for McDonnell Douglas Finance Corp., the wholly owned McDonnell Douglas subsidiary that finances aircraft purchases and leases equipment. The agency cited improved earnings quality in MDFC's $2 billion portfolio, which as of March 31 was allocated 68% to aircraft finance, 19% to commercial equipment leasing, and 13% to non-core and other business.
America West filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding its plan to prepay with existing cash $48 million of its $123 million in 11.25% senior unsecured notes, and to exchange the $75 million in notes for new notes with a lower coupon and longer maturity. The prepayment would give it an opportunity to improve its balance sheet and should reduce debt by about 10%, said William Franke, chairman and chief executive.
Korean Air will begin July 26 operating three weekly flights between Washington Dulles Airport and Seoul. Leaving Dulles every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, a KAL 747 will stop in New York and go on to Seoul. With the addition of Dulles, the carrier has boosted the number of its North American gateways from seven to 11 during 1995, including recently launched service at San Francisco, Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth. "We are now the only Asian carrier to offer such extensive service from North America," said T.J. Kim, KAL's senior VP-American region.
South Africa is permitting Air Express International and three other forwarders to be ground-handling agents for imports in a three-month trial at Johannesburg Airport, AEI reported. The pilot program allows AEI to de- consolidate containers and loose cargo, clear the shipments through Customs, carry them to its warehouse and release them to local importers. Until the volume of imports caused Customs to loosen restrictions, South African Airways was the import-handling agent for about 75% of airlines serving the country, AEI said.
A senior U.S government official said yesterday he was hopeful - but not optimistic - that today's meeting in Los Angeles between DOT Secretary Federico Pena and Japan Transport Minister Shizuka Kamei will produce a breakthrough in the aviation dispute between the two countries. Commenting that optimism was "too strong" a term to describe his outlook, the official noted that this week's talks have been trimmed to one day from two, beginning at the vice ministerial level before Pena and Kamei meet, and broadened to involve more than the immediate needs of Federal Express.
