China, while training hundreds of pilots a year, expects demand to exceed supply by about 200 annually, according to the Civil Aviation Administration. An official quoted by The China Daily said aviation colleges and institutes will enroll 456 students this summer. This follows 509 enrolled last year.
Pratt&Whitney said it has completed testing on an Airbus A330 the ability of its PW4168 turbofan engine to operate at 75,000 pounds thrust. The engine is certificated at 68,000 pounds thrust. The latest testing was in anticipation of future A330 models that will require more power. Pratt said its engine is the first to offer the aircraft such a high thrust rating.
International Air Transport Association Director General Pierre Jeanniot cautioned the world's airlines yesterday that being large does not guarantee low operating costs, and he urged carriers to help offset the cost of new satellite-based navigation systems through revenue from on- board entertainment systems.In a speech to an aviation symposium in Montreal, Jeanniot complained about continuing subsidies for "other transport modes and [the] official indifference toward aviation infrastructure."
Puerto Rico Ports Authority and the airlines opposing the authority's airport fees have executed a settlement establishing new rates and charges for years 1995 and 1996. The parties yesterday filed a proposed recommended decision to be issued by DOT Law Judge Ronnie Yoder for case dismissal. (Docket 50178)
Consolidated Freightways posted a first quarter net profit of $24.2 million on revenues of nearly $1.3 billion and said its Emery Worldwide subsidiary earned $13 million during the period. Emery's operating profit was up 22.7% from the first quarter last year, and its revenues increased 21.3% to $412.8 million. "Emery's financial improvement was fueled by continued strong growth in international business," said Donald Moffitt, Consolidated Freightways' chief executive.
The U.S. major carriers' systemwide March passenger traffic rose 6.5% from a year ago on 2.5% more capacity, pushing the group's load factor up 2.4 percentage points to 63.6%. American, Northwest and United all recorded load factor gains, while America West and Southwest suffered declines. Continental, Delta, TWA and USAir reported essentially flat year-over-year load factor comparisons.
Airborne Freight reported yesterday that its net earnings fell to $1.8 million in the first quarter, compared with earnings of $6.4 million in the same quarter last year. Revenues for the quarter rose 13.5% to $529.9 million from $466.6 million, and shipments increased 20%. Chief Financial Officer Roy Liljebeck said the first quarter results "were being negatively impacted by an unexplained drop of 3.5% in the average weight per domestic shipment.
Lufthansa Technik AG has won a five-year contract from marketing partner United to overhaul the 100 V2500 engines that power the U.S. carrier's fleet of Airbus A320s. Lufthansa has been operating the A5 version of the V2500 on its A321s since early last year, and it currently has 25 of the engines. The V2500 contract is the second cooperative project between United and Lufthansa Technik. In late 1994, five of United's Boeing 747s were painted at Lufthansa Technik's facility in Hamburg.
Aviall's first quarter net earnings increased 32% to $1.69 million from $1.28 million in the first quarter last year. Net sales rose 8.5% to $212.2 million from $195.6 million, and the company's gross profit rose 11.5% to $40.8 million. Aviall management said sales from its commercial engine services business was up 17.8% to $124.5 million, accounting for nearly 59% of its net sales for the quarter. Gross profit from commercial engine services rose 28% to $16.8 million.
Thai Airways plans to expand its capacity 15%, starting in October, according to its corporate plan. The increase will come from the delivery during the year of one 747-400, six A330s and three DC-10-30s it had mothballed the past two years. The airline says it hopes to match the additional capacity with traffic growth of about 15%.
U.S. Major Carriers Traffic March, 3 Months 1995 (000) March March % 1995 1994 Change America West Revenue Passenger Miles 1,170,318 1,094,701 6.9 Available Seat Miles 1,629,359 1,494,478 9.0 Load Factor (%) 71.8 73.2
Northwest has made a number of financial reporting changes, effective in the first quarter, that it said will enable more accurate comparisons with the rest of the airline industry. As a result, Northwest has restated statistical data for the past several years. The airline has reclassified rebates made to customers in the Pacific market - a standard industry practice - as a reduction to passenger revenue, rather than as a commission expense.
Bombardier is believed to have chosen a Pratt&Whitney engine - new, not a derivative - to power its new 72-passenger de Havilland Dash 8-400 high- speed turboprop. An announcement was expected last week but has been delayed.
While visiting San Francisco Airport Friday, DOT Secretary Federico Pena announced an Airport Improvement Program grant of $21.2 million for improvements at the facility. The funds will be used to reconstruct a runway and taxiway and to build a new taxiway. Pena said the grant "illustrates our commitment to strategic investment in our transportation infrastructure, a key to the nation's economic growth and global competitiveness." The grant is part of $54.6 million in AIP funds awarded to California airports for fiscal 1995.
Southwest's first quarter 1995 net earnings dropped nearly 72% from a year ago to $11.8 million, and its operating profit fell 69.2% to $23.4 million. In the first quarter last year, Southwest posted a record net profit of $41.8 million and an operating profit of $76 million. The decline in profitability was not unexpected. Southwest had a difficult fourth quarter, and management had made it clear since the first of the year that several factors that hurt these earnings had carried over into the first quarter and may be felt in the second quarter as well.
TWA has once again extended its offers to holders of its 10%, 8% and 11% notes and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. to exchange the notes they hold for new debt and equity as part of the struggling carrier's financial restructuring. The offers have been extended through midnight May 5. The airline also said its general solicitation efforts would reman suspended pending Securities and Exchange Commission review of its amended S-4. A further amendment of the S-4 is expected pending the outcome of talks with noteholders.
Alliant Techsystems elected David Jeremiah to the board. Barnes Group elected Theodore Martin president and chief executive officer and Thomas Barnes chairman. FlightSafety International named Andy Parrish marketing manager-Savannah Learning Center. Intertrade named Kerry Koch controller. Logistics Worldwide named Randy Clark executive director. Stevens Aviation appointed Rich Collins manager of its Atlanta office. USL Capital named Michael Flagg senior VP-corporate business development.
United's entire domestic fleet is now equipped with GTE advanced digital Airfone service. GTE Airfone said 450 of United's airplanes feature air- to-ground and ground-to-air calling, fax and data transmission capability, as well as conference calls, information services and shopping. The cost for sending or receiving calls is $2.50 to connect and $2.50 per minute. Cost for sending or receiving faxes and data is $1.50 to connect and $1.50 per minute. An additional $2 activation fee is charged for receiving calls of faxes.
Continental pilots, up in arms about the pace of contract negotiations, picketed their Newark and Houston hubs Friday and are threatening to take action, perhaps a strike, as early as June. The Independent Association of Continental Pilots (IACP) said this is the first time the pilots have picketed the hubs since 1985. They are protesting being without a contract for 12 years. IACP has been negotiating an initial contract since it became the pilots bargaining agent in July 1993.
FAA issued last week an Advisory Circular entitled Government Aircraft Operations, providing details and a guideline on how the agency will apply a new law increasing oversight of most government aircraft carrying passengers or operating commercially. Taking effect April 23, the law will affect more than 5,000 "public aircraft," airplanes and helicopters, operating in the U.S.
After two meetings, the six U.S. and two European carriers discussing a smoking ban on transatlantic flights have suspended talks until after the summer season. They are negotiating under antitrust immunity that expires May 24, and they are considering a request for an extension until September or October.
British Airways plans to begin operating Boeing 777s between London and Boston in early December - the transatlantic debut for BA's GE 90-powered twinjets. BA's first revenue flights with the new aircraft will begin in September, shortly after the U.K. carrier takes delivery of the first of the 15 777s it has on firm order. The first BA 777 revenue flight will be between London and the Gulf states. BA holds options for 15 777s in addition to the aircraft on firm order.
-- In Federal Register dated April 14...Issued an airworthiness directive on Boeing 737 aircraft requiring identification of the part and serial numbers of the main rudder power control unit...Issued a notice of an open forum with the FAA administrator and deputy administrator, and public meeting on a proposed rule on commuter operations and general certification May 18 in Anchorage.
The main sticking point in the International Civil Aviation Organization's efforts to develop a way to oversee international compliance with its safety and technical standards is whether results of such oversight should be disclosed, according to Carol Carmody, U.S. representative to the ICAO Council. In an interview taped for broadcast Sunday, Carmody said ICAO will have a proposal in time to be at the top of the ICAO Council's agenda when it reconvenes in June.
Aviation industry representatives cautioned FAA last week not to mandate the National Transportation Safety Board recommendations on flight data recorder (FDR) upgrades without further study. During a half-day public meeting in Washington, an eight-person panel composed of FAA and NTSB officials was told that the enhancements would be too costly, require aircraft down time and add significant costs to the production and price of new aircraft.
