Raytheon said its latest variant of the Hawker, the 800XP, has gained CAA and FAA certification. The aircraft is powered by AlliedSignal TFE731-5BR turbofans.
American Express has given the largest grant in its history - $5 million - to World Monuments Fund for creation of World Monuments Watch, a global initiative to protect and preserve endangered cultural and architectural sites. The joint effort will begin with establishing a list of the 100 most endangered monuments of the world.
Sita Group said Boeing will be the first user of AeroNet, its new networking service designed for high performance and secure global communications. Sita said Boeing will use AeroNet for its Reference Engineering Data Automated Retrieval System, offering airline customers fast access to the manufacturer's latest aircraft engineering drawings and parts lists.
Lufthansa's technical services subsidiary, Lufthansa Systems, is developing an information system to enable an aircraft's crew to identify maintenance problems in flight and relay them to ground personnel before the aircraft reaches its destination. The airline is testing the system on its Airbus A340 and Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The BISAM (Broadband Integrated Services for Aircraft Maintenance) system grew out of a joint project between Lufthansa and Sietec Systemtechnik and is based on a prototype developed by Deutsche Telekom's subsidiary, De Te Berkom.
National Air Transportation Association is selling a videotape called "Miles Ahead With Air Charter" on marketing charter carriers and increasing revenues. The video is available for $10, plus a one-time licensing fee of $250 for NATA members and $500 for non-members.
Reno Air has sold $25 million worth of 9% senior convertible notes due Sept. 30, 2002, resulting in net cash proceeds to the carrier of $23.75 million. Reno Air said it will use the capital to eliminate borrowings at a higher interest rate for its fuel facility, and for general corporate purposes, which could include the acquisition of engines and spare parts. Robert Reding, president and chief operating officer, said the transaction essentially completes financial restructuring plans for 1995.
Export-Import Bank said it has reduced the 4% fee for large-aircraft guarantee transactions to 3% in response to changes in European export credit financing by the three credit agencies that support Airbus Industrie sales. The 4% fee was adopted in August 1993, and the change results from an analysis of the competitive condition for U.S. aircraft manufacturers, it said. The 3% fee is applicable immediately on all existing and new letters of interest, all existing and new preliminary commitments and all new final authorizations, Eximbank said.
Canadian Airlines International yesterday launched a promotion for "last- minute weekend getaways" that reduces full economy fares an average of 80%. The tariffs, which are valid for travel to 14 Canadian cities, can be booked as late as one day before departure, enabling customers to make last-minute decisions to travel. Gregg Saretsky, VP-passenger marketing, said the fares "give customers the unique combination of affordability and flexibility on a full-service airline." The fares, which will be available until Dec. 7 for travel between Aug. 18 and Dec.
Fokker yesterday reported a record net loss of 651 million Dutch guilders, or US$406.9 million at recent exchange rates, and far more than the 500 million guilder deficit expected by the dwindling number of analysts who still follow the company. The company had a net loss of 196 million guilders in the same period last year. Fokker attributed the adverse results to the dollar exchange rate, which it said had an impact on turnover and the book value of leased aircraft.
USAir has extended its offering of reduced fares by as much as $110 in more than 450 markets until Dec. 15. Tickets must be purchased at least seven days in advance and by Aug. 21.
Last week's U.K. offer of additional London Heathrow access has not received good reviews from U.S. carriers for the most part. Many believe the proposal would benefit only American and Northwest.
United Airlines and Heart Smart Restaurants International, Chicago, have joined forces to provide nutritional special meals. Beginning this month, all of the carrier's vegetarian, medical, religious and lighter-choice special meals will meet Heart Smart guidelines and be served with a nutritional fact card. The guidelines require that 30% or fewer calories in meals come from fat and 10% or fewer from saturated fat, and that they have 150 or fewer milligrams of cholesterol and 1,100 or fewer of sodium.
Southwest plans to add four new nonstop destinations to its Nashville service Oct. 29, expanding to Austin, Las Vegas, San Antonio and Cleveland. It will offer one nonstop flight per day to the first three cities and three daily nonstops to Cleveland. Pete McGlade, VP-schedule planning, said Nashville represents potential growth opportunities for Southwest.
U.S. Major and National Carriers Food Expenses First Quarter 1995 Cost Per Systemwide Passenger America West $ 8,324,388 $ 2.18 American 148,870,000 7.68 Continental 25,239,000 2.94 Delta 78,445,000 3.76 Northwest 57,345,000 5.14
Boeing customer financing totaled $2.6 billion as of June 30, down from $3.1 billion in 1994, according to a 10-Q report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Of this amount, $816 million is in notes receivable, down from $1.2 billion at yearend. Sales-type leases totaled $1.16 billion, down from $1.24 billion, and operating leases totaled $736 million, down from $747 million.
Engine overhaul company Aviall probably will report "flattish" revenues in the third quarter, making up with new business for the loss of work on 42 engines at Continental resulting from the carrier's abandonment of its Continental Lite product, Gruntal&Co. said this week. The investment company reaffirmed its Outperform (Long Term) rating but said it expects Aviall's third quarter earnings to be down from the 1994 quarter because of work process re-engineering, which hurt cycle times in July and caused the company to turn aside some business during the month.
U.S. and foreign airlines operating to the U.S. are comfortably ahead of Stage 3 noise compliance deadlines, according to a report FAA soon will send to Congress (DAILY, July 28). The report will show that of the 299 U.S. and foreign carrier fleets operating to the U.S., 66.3% have met the 1994 Stage 3 deadlines, William Albee, manager of FAA's policy and regulatory division, said yesterday. Some national carriers operate a 100% Stage 3 fleet to the U.S., Albee said, primarily because of their long- range aircraft.
U.S. Major and National Carriers Interest Expenses First Quarter 1995 % Of Total Operating Systemwide Expenses America West $ 15,878,514 4.91 American 145,067,000 4.23 Continental 44,752,000 3.84 Delta 62,827,000 2.16
The Senate agreed last week with the House that FAA should find ways to fund Loran-C, calling the program "proven, reliable and cost-effective." The new Federal Radionavigation Plan, issued recently by DOT, calls for Loran to be phased out by 2000. The program currently is funded by the Coast Guard.
DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH and Raytheon Co. of the U.S. have agreed to develop a next-generation air traffic management system based on Raytheon's AutoTrac system, the U.S. company said. Under a 1994 agreement, Raytheon is providing its AutoTrac 2000 ATM system for the new DFS control center in Langen. The new systems will satisfy requirements of the European Air Traffic Control Harmonisation and Integration Programme, Raytheon said.
Managements at Pratt&Whitney and Rolls-Royce insisted this week that rumors of a pending merger of their engine businesses are the product of City financial analysts, and nothing more. London's Sunday Times newspaper quoted P&W President Karl Krapek as saying that P&W wants to merge its commercial aircraft engine business with Rolls's civil business. But the Times never talked to Krapek despite attributing the merger remark to him as a direct quote.
Aeromexico and British Airways have struck an agreement that will enable members of their frequent flyer programs - Aeromiles and Executive Club, respectively - to accumulate and redeem mileage awards on each other's flights. Members will be able to access local and international flights in both airlines' systems throughout the world, and frequent flyer information will be available at both airlines' ticket offices and in their reservations systems, ensuring that mileage will be credited correctly.
As September's scheduled resumption of U.S.-Japan aviation negotiations nears, Congress and industry are pressing U.S. negotiators to renew demands that Japan live up to all provisions of its agreement with the U.S. Last week, the Senate passed unanimously an amendment to the DOT appropriations bill calling on President Clinton to identify "strong and appropriate" countermeasures the U.S. can take against Japan, and to impose whatever is "necessary and appropriate" if Japan does not honor U.S. passenger carriers' beyond rights (DAILY, Aug. 11). Sponsored by Sen.
Lone Star Airlines is offering specially reduced fares to all points it serves from Dallas/Fort Worth until Sept. 4. The tickets will be valid for one year, beginning Sept. 5. One-way fares to Hot Springs, Ark., are $69, to Del Rio, Texas, and Enid, Okla., $79, and to St. Louis $99. Included is a $69 fare between St. Louis and Hot Springs. No reservations are needed to purchase the tickets, which are exchangeable.
Hawaiian Airlines, shackled by a shortage in working capital that is likely to continue in the near future, posted a $451,000 net loss for the second quarter of 1995. The loss is an improvement from the $8.8 million deficit posted in the same 1994 period. The carrier's operating profit was $431,000, compared with an operating loss of $6.7 million last year. Operating revenues were boosted by a $2 million gain in adjustments to air traffic liability for a total of $85.5 million, compared with $75.5 million in 1994.
