USAir Express will replace its F28 jets with Dash 8s between Pittsburgh and Newport News, Va., in September. The reduction from 68-seat aircraft to 37-seat capacity is part of cutbacks, announced this week, from Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Lansing and Portland, Ore. The changes complete USAir's 5% schedule reduction (DAILY, July 5). David Mercer, chairman of the Peninsula Airport Commission, said jet service has been "on the marginal list" for some time. "We hope this move will help USAir to become healthy so that one day they can reinstate jet service."
Alaska Island Air (AIA) has countered criticism of its operations, asserting that it should be declared fit to continue service. After having its Part 135 certificate suspended for 30 days, beginning June 1, for violating the Federal Aviation Regulations, the carrier asked DOT for an exemption from the 45-day review of its fitness, so it can begin service as soon as possible. Three Alaskan carriers - Baker Aviation, Inc., Cape Smythe Air Service and Frontier Flying Service - filed a joint answer opposing the exemption request, however (DAILY, July 5).
Collins Commercial Avionics announced yesterday that its forward-looking windshear weather radar has received supplemental type certification from FAA after completing requirements aboard a 737-300 equipped with Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) displays. The Collins WXR-700X warns of windshear up to 90 seconds ahead of the flight path with both visual and aural alerts, the company said.
Vanguard Airlines is offering $79 roundtrip fares during July between Kansas City and Minneapolis/St. Paul to passengers completing their trip in one day. The Day Tripper Special is available until July 31.
AAR Corp. reported fourth quarter net income of $3.5 million, up 45.7% over the 1994 quarter, and a sales increase of 7.9% to $129.6 million. For the year that ended May 31, net income was up 10.2% to $10.5 million while sales increased 10.7% to $451.4 million. The company provides parts, equipment and technical services for the aviation industry.
ValuJet's June load factor increased 2.9 percentage points from the same month last year, to 75.7%. Through the first six months this year, the carrier's load factor increased 3.9 points, to 69.2%. During the month, ValuJet began nonstop service to Chicago from Washington Dulles and to Boston from Atlanta and Washington. In addition, the company announced plans to add Jackson, Miss., Kansas City and Newport News/ Norfolk to its route system in July. With the new destinations, ValuJet will offer DC-9 service to 26 cities in 17 states.
United and its Air Line Pilots Association, Machinists and Association of Flight Attendants units say that they are unaware of any FBI investigation into last year's employee buyout, and that no officials have been contacted despite recent news reports to the contrary. The FBI will not comment on reports that an investigation is under way, requested by anti-buyout pilots asking whether financial and legal advisers, promised fees without the knowledge of union members, had a conflict of interest.
National Transportation Safety Board called on FAA to require inspection of high-pressure compressor steel discs of Pratt&Whitney JT8D engines that were last overhauled by Turkish carrier Turk Hava Yollari. The inspection should be made before engines attain 3,000 cycles since the THY overhaul, NTSB said. The recommendation results from NTSB's investigation of an engine fire June 8 at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport on a ValuJet DC-9, one of nine DC-9s the U.S. carrier acquired from THY.
...Aspen and other Colorado markets also are the focus of two new proposed regional airlines that apparently want to replicate the Aspen Airways and Rocky Mountain Airways of the past. Peak Airlines, backed by Aspen business interests, would bring the Convair 580 back to the market, while Maverick Airways, being launched by former Rocky Mountain and Continental Express pilots, would liberate some former Rocky Mountain/Continental Express de Havilland Dash 7s from storage in Amarillo. Maverick is seeking code-sharing and investment support for its efforts.
AmeriJet International has launched scheduled cargo service to Guyana, the company's 17th Caribbean location and its first in South America. AmeriJet is serving Georgetown via intermediate points throughout the Caribbean with two flights a week, using 727-100s and -200s. Its route system also includes five U.S. cities and three locations in Mexico. AmeriJet said it will open a cargo facility at Piarco Airport, Trinidad, on July 12. The building will include a warehouse with offices and refrigerated storage space.
Continental's systemwide passenger traffic declined 1.6% last month on 6.8% less capacity, producing a load factor increase of 3.8 percentage points to 70.9%. Through the first six months of this year, Continental's traffic increased 1.4% on 0.6% less capacity, causing its load factor to rise 1.3 points to 63.6%. The airline cut capacity in an overall down-gauging of its fleet, eliminating its Airbus A300s and curtailing early-morning and late-night flights that carried lower-than-average loads.
FAA said yesterday it is developing the architecture to integrate the new technologies that will underpin the future worldwide airspace system and will present its timetable at an agency-hosted conference in early December in Denver.
Delta will offer new afternoon snacks in first class on flights in North America, beginning tomorrow. Delta currently rotates four menus, and the new service will offer eight - four spring-summer and four fall-winter. Meals include San Francisco chicken breast plate, Florida turkey sandwich, Texas fajita salad and Rocky Mountain turkey chili.
Loran-C is "a technology whose time has come and gone," according to George Donohue, FAA associate administrator for research and acquisition.Aviation and maritime users bought Loran equipment on the strength of a U.S. promise to support Loran until 2015, but Donohue said that "while there needs to be a transition time, all technology has a natural life to it."
Ailing Fokker announced a restructuring program that includes several management changes including the appointment of H.R. Grond as VP-Fokker PropJetLine with overall responsibility for the F50 and F60 programs. He was project manager of Fokker 60 Utility. He succeeds J. Zaaijer, who was named VP-sales for the corporate and government market. D. Koen, who was VP-defense systems and aircraft participation, was named VP-Fokker Aerostructures, a new unit created to design, build and sell aircraft parts. The current VP-business planning, J.M.M.
Western Pacific Airlines will offer introductory fares valid Aug. 1 to Aug. 14 on its new service between Colorado Springs and Wichita, San Diego, Indianapolis and Houston. One-way fares will be $49 to Wichita and $69 to the other three cities. The walkup fare is $109 to Wichita, $129 to San Diego and Houston, and $139 to Indianapolis. The low fares require a 21- day advance purchase and apply only during off-peak hours. Western Pacific uses a ticketless system.
U.S. Trade and Development Agency granted $125,000 to support a study on installing flight inspection systems to validate and calibrate navigational aids in Russia. Parker Gull will conduct the study.
Frontier Airlines is taking three former USAir BAe 146 quadjets out of California to free up 737s used in its Dakota and Montana markets for expansion elsewhere. What the Denver-based new entrant has not said is that the 146 would also enable its entry into the lucrative Aspen market. Although United controls the Denver-Aspen market through Air Wisconsin and Mesa, the resort is open to BAe 146 competition from afar, such as Business Express is contemplating under Delta and Northwest code-shares from Dallas/Fort Worth and Minneapolis/St. Paul...
AMR Eagle carriers Flagship, Simmons and Wings West continue to become geographically indistinguishable as they continue to swap markets across the Midwest and East. Simmons in June turned over a number of Nashville markets to Flagship (see chart on Page RA2).
Appleton, Wis.-based Air Wisconsin flew 45.4 million revenue passenger miles last month, a 63.3% increase from the same 1994 month. Capacity also increased a lot - 53.4% to 73.9 million available seat miles from 48.2 million, pushing the load factor up 3.8 percentage points to 61.5%. Enplanements rose 3.6% to 142,750 from 137,780. Air Wisconsin, which operates 14 BAe 146 jets as United Express at United's Chicago and Denver hubs, said its June load factor was a new monthly record.
House Appropriations Committee declined to adopt most of DOT's restructuring proposal as part of its FY96 appropriations bill, but it did accept one portion of the plan as it relates to FAA. The panel recommended $5.77 million for operations of the office of commercial space transportation within FAA.
Airbus and Fokker Aircraft Operating Costs Systemwide Utilization Per Day Fourth Quarter 1994 A320-100/200 America West Northwest Number of Aircraft Operated 17 50 Total Fleet Operations Departures 88 202 Block Hours 201 536 Flight Hours 177 458
America West plans to hold a frequent flyer mileage auction for "dream" vacations. FlightFund members can bid on eight travel packages for two, all of them available between Sept. 15 and March 1996 and including air fare and ground transfers. While the auction gives members the opportunity to win a dream vacation, it also gives America West the chance to clear away thousands of frequent flyer miles. Vacations include a Super Bowl weekend Jan.
