DHL Worldwide Express promoted George Gonzalez to director-operations and transportation for the Latin America and Caribbean region. Swissair appointed Werner Rohrer general manager-marketing for North America and Dieter Luethi general manager-Western region of the U.S.
Loral Federal Systems said its new ground control software is ready for navigation missions for Global Positioning System satellites. Loral said tests proved the ground control system can modify software onboard GPS Block IIR satellites' reprogrammable processors, a new feature of the next- generation spacecraft. This capability will enable controllers to program the spacecraft computers from the ground and add new mission features when in orbit. The company said it also established a telemetry link for evaluating the spacecraft navigation positioning data.
New Entrant carrier Presidential Air is seeking additional time to complete its FAA certification process. The carrier notes that since getting its certificate last May to begin interstate and foreign charter flights (DAILY, May 18, 1994), several significant changes have taken place. The airline has replaced several key staff members and revised its original marketing plan, which now uses Airbus A300-B4 aircraft instead of Boeing 737s. Presidential said it scrapped plans to use 737s when it found it "financially advantageous" to lease the A300s.
The turnover last week by the Navy to the FAA's Eastern Region of airspace over Bermuda will provide more efficient flight management, according to John Walker, air traffic division manager. And along with a reduction in vertical separation from 2,000 to 1,000 feet beginning in early 1997, even more airspace will be made available, Walker said. The West Atlantic is experiencing some of the largest traffic growth, as Europeans "have discovered" the Caribbean and Florida, "so there is tremendous demand," Walker said.
FAA Administrator David Hinson and other top ranking agency executives will tout GPS at a two-hour seminar at the Paris Air Show. FAA also will have a fiber optic display on satellite navigation, data link and free flight.
- In Federal Register dated May 26...Superseded an airworthiness directive on Hartzell Propeller HC-92 series propellers concerning inspection of the blade shank area...Issued an AD on Bell 206 series helicopters requiring replacement of certain crosstube assemblies...Proposed to supersede an AD on Robinson R22 helicopters concerning checks for slippage of the tail rotor drive.
Civil Aviation Administration of China, CFM International and GE Aircraft Engines broke ground Friday for a new aircraft engine maintenance training center in Chengdu, China. The new school will open in 1997 and will support operation of CFM56, CF6 and GE90 engines. Training is to begin soon in temporary facilities, with CFM and GE supplying engines and providing instructional staff.
Officials from U.S. and Brazil are slated to conduct three days of talks in Washington, beginning tomorrow, covering the full range of aviation activities between the two countries, said a DOT spokesman. Officials will be looking toward liberalizing the existing agreement by increasing carrier designations, adding scheduled and charter frequencies, liberalizing passenger and charter cargo operations, and code-sharing provisions.
FAA has renewed a prohibition against overflights or flights by any airline serving the U.S. from Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). It further prohibited any flights to or from the U.S. by an aircraft serving an intermediate point on the way to Serbia and Montenegro. FAA cited national security reasons for its action. A previous prohibition expired Aug. 26, 1994.
Kiwi International's traffic, boosted by a two-for-one promotion, hit a record in April and more than doubled in May 1995 from May 1994. Kiwi carried 141,000 passengers in April and 149,573 passengers in May. The airline says it has seen a tremendous response to its new Bermuda service, launched about 10 days ago.
Canadian Airlines International began serving Chicago and Orlando, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers Friday. The carrier has operated charter service to Florida since 1974. By July 31, Canadian and code-sharing partner American will jointly offer 64 flights a day to 15 cities in North America. Canadian is offering daily service to Chicago O'Hare from Vancouver with 737s. The flights to Florida are from Toronto.
Alliant Techsystems named Donald Short VP and controller; Donald Willis VP-Emerging Business Group, a new position, and Peter Bukowick VP- Aerospace Systems Group. Amtran, holding company for American Trans Air, named Gerald Carusi senior VP-marketing and planning for the airline. Atlantic Aviation elected Frank Milian senior VP-Flight Services and of parent company Atlantic Aviation Corporation. Diamond Aircraft Industries named Christian Dries president and chief executive.
Advanced avionics developed for the Boeing 777 are likely to pay off handsomely for Honeywell. Its avionics content on the aircraft totals more than twice the revenue for Honeywell systems on the 757, and it was contracted to install some of the 777 avionics technology on the next- generation 737. Honeywell already is marketing the avionics to other customers, and the new flat-panel displays will go in the space shuttle cockpit.
New Jet Aircraft Deliveries March 1995 Last 12 Months Carrier # Type Engines Delivery Air Mauritius 1 A340-300 CFM56-5C3 2 Air Canada 1 Canadair RJ CF34-3A1 6 Air China 1 767-300 PW4056 1 Air Inter 1 A320-200 CFM56-5A1 1
Northwest has selected Minnesota firm Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. to build its Iron Range Reservation Center in Chisholm, Minn. Construction on the center will begin immediately, and it is expected to be operational by next spring. The center is designed to handle all telephone reservations and service activities for Northwest's WorldPerks frequent flyer program, and national and international ticket sales. The facility will employ more than 600 sales agents and other staff by 2001.
Legislation has passed in Texas that requires the state's travel purchasing unit, the General Services Commission, to approve as state vendors all travel agents that meet certain requirements, the American Society of Travel Agents reports. The bill (Texas Senate Bill 1295) also requires the GSC to give preference to Texas-owned businesses. ASTA's Southwest Chapter has worked on the legislation that it says could directly and indirectly affect $80 million in annual travel purchases.
American Eagle inaugurated its first transborder flights Thursday to Montreal Dorval Airport from New York Kennedy. American Eagle carrier Flagship Airlines, based in Nashville, is operating two daily roundtrips in the market with ATR-42 aircraft.
When the time comes for American to order aircraft again - after getting labor concessions - the proposed Airbus A340-8000 likely will be a prime candidate. When asked about plans for the airline's long-haul fleet, Chairman Robert Crandall said the carrier can retain some MD-11s or it can get longer-range planes "that will allow us to overfly Tokyo." He also said that if London Heathrow continues to be a "constrained market," American probably will want a version of the same airplane to serve the Atlantic.
United and Marriott Hotels, Resorts and Suites have agreed to a partnership that enables Marriott Miles members to earn 500 miles in United's Mileage Plus program for each Marriott stay. Members can earn an additional 2,500 miles for every fifth stay. No flights are required, and there is no limit on mileage earned. To launch the partnership, Marriott and United are offering a sweepstakes with a grand prize of a lifetime of free travel anywhere in the world on United and a lifetime of free stays at Marriott hotels.
Orange County Chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents will host a meeting for California travel agents June 8 that will feature tourism officials from Egypt, Israel and Jordan to promote travel to those countries. The meeting, which will include speakers, a trade show, dinner, entertainment and camels, is from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Radisson Plaza Hotel, 18800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine, Calif.
Alaska Airlines says fares introduced by competitor Reno Air to celebrate its second anniversary are so low - $22 from Seattle to Portland and San Jose, and $44 to Reno - that it wonders if Reno "is going to be around for its third birthday." But the low tariffs were not too low for Alaska - it matched them.
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Continental and Alitalia have begun code sharing to Milan Malpensa Airport from Newark on Alitalia's 767 aircraft. Continental expects the flights to be as successful as its code-sharing service with Alitalia in the Newark- Rome market. Alitalia's Magnifica business class is available on the flights to Milan, and Continental's BusinessFirst product is offered on the flights to Rome. Until Aug. 31, Continental OnePass members will receive double miles when they fly to Milan in economy class and triple miles in business class.
DOT has found Merlin Express fit to conduct commuter operations. A subsidiary of Fairchild Aircraft, Merlin Express plans to operate commuter feeder service with Metro III and Metro 23 aircraft to support the hub-and- spoke operations of other larger airlines (DAILY, May 12). Its initial operations will be conducted under a wet-lease arrangement with Midway Airlines and will be designed to feed Midway's new Raleigh/Durham hub.
