The National Mediation Board (NMB) will be deciding the fate of Delta flight attendant wages and benefits, in a manner of speaking, now that the Assn. of Flight Attendants has filed for an election. The union filed a petition to represent the Delta flight attendants last week. After years of trying to organize the carrier’s flight attendants, the AFA in recent weeks has seen interest surge as the attendants heard more about potential mergers with Northwest or United. The NMB will now determine if an election is warranted, which typically takes 60-90 days.
Asian aircraft projects are multiplying at a rate that can only alarm industrialists in Europe and the Americas who like to think of their regions as the real home of aviation technology.
Jenn, a talking virtual assistant, debuted Feb. 6 on Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air web site. The carrier says it’s the first airline to adopt the ActiveAgent tool developed by Spokane, Wash.-based NextIT, and beta testing indicated it would help reduce the time required for customers to complete an online task. About half of Alaska’s ticketing is sold through its web site, according to the carrier. After the Jenn bar is activated, the homogenized face of a young woman appears on a section of the monitor screen and welcomes inquiries.
In an effort to promote its businesses, which range from telecommunications to oil to aircraft engine-making, Russia’s AFK Sistema has opened an office in New Delhi, the Moscow-based company announced last week. Sistema controls Russia’s largest mobile phone company, and plans to build a wireless network in India. The Russian company controls 51% of Indian mobile operator Shyam Telelink, and has noted that it will invest up to $7 billion to roll out a pan-Indian network.
The space shuttle Endeavour that will carry major new Canadian and Japanese hardware to the International Space Station is to be rolled to Launch Complex 39A on Feb. 18. This is three or four days earlier than previously envisioned, now that minor technical issues have been cleared. The early rollout will enable the normal month-long period of pad processing to keep pace with plans to launch Endeavour on the STS-123 mission as early as Mar. 11. Endeavour was moved from its Orbiter Processing facility bay into the Vehicle Assembly Building on Feb.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Assn. (GAMA) and other organizations are forging a list of agenda items to deliver to the U.S. presidential candidates. The goal: to put GA on their radar screens and remind them it is an important aviation sector. GAMA says general aviation contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy each year and employs more than 1.3 million. GAMA is working with FAA Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell to convey that message when a transition team starts forming. Have any of the current candidates evinced interest in GA issues?
Air France-KLM would financially invest in a merged Delta-Northwest to strengthen the company and boost operating margins for transatlantic partners. The size of the investment hasn’t been announced, but a commitment would come if the two U.S. airlines decide to merge. Air France Deputy CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon says a combination of Delta with Northwest would be “very good news.” No investment would hit the Air France-KLM books until next year.
U.K. aerospace executives may take comfort from knowing the government has a renewed space strategy, but industry remains hazy as to how politicians plan to provide funding to fully support its aspirations through 2012.
Solid revenue growth, coupled with an increasingly healthy balance sheet and a weak dollar, are whetting Safran’s appetite for acquisitions, but management also remains interested in consolidation within France.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace is planning a components repair facility in China as its next move in a strategy to serve the country’s potentially enormous budget-airline sector. The company is taking a fairly long view, since the highly regulated Chinese market now has few budget airlines, and rules issued during the past year have made starting them harder.
Buffalo, N.Y.-born Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) became chairman of the House air and land forces subcommittee last year when Democrats won control of Congress. Aviation Week & Space Technology Congressional Editor John M. Doyle spoke with him in his cramped Capitol Hill office about the need to reconcile defense spending with long-term defense strategy and readiness. AW&ST: Considering the trouble Congress and the White House had last year reaching agreement on legislation, are you less optimistic about getting anything done this election year?
Mesa Air Group attributes its $2.8-million, first-quarter net loss to costly aircraft transitions and a revenue-damaging reduction in operations as its fleet declined in the calendar year to 183 aircraft from 200. During the quarter, Mesa posted a $90-million cash bond—the lion’s share of its restricted cash—as security for a court judgment. The court ruled against Mesa last fall and in favor of Hawaiian Airlines in a breach of confidentiality case. The alleged breach was reported to have occurred during Hawaiian’s bankruptcy. Mesa is appealing the ruling.
I was troubled by the Jan. 21 “Inside Avionics” column in which it is noted that soon “aircraft control functions and inflight entertainment will be running on the same server on a passenger jet.” I cannot understand why aircraft designers want to do it this way. To save money? How expensive can servers be? Any savings or efficiencies realized from the use of a common server will be negated by the trouble and expense involved in hack-proofing the system. A common server will never be 100% hack-proof and is just a disaster waiting to happen.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air hosted its first invitation-only Air Service Conference Feb. 5-7 to meet representatives from existing and potential airport destinations, eliminating the need for the carrier to attend multiple air service-related conferences. Allegiant operates a fleet of MD-80 aircraft to provide low-cost service to U.S. leisure destinations such as Phoenix, and Orlando, Fla.
A large infrared sensor designed to detect rocket plumes will equip a high-flying surveillance drone that the Japanese defense ministry proposes to build as a counter to missile threats from North Korea and China. The aircraft, which would operate at a higher altitude than the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, would also use an active electronically scanned radar to detect cruise missiles.
International Aero Engines’ first V2500 SelectOne engine is poised to begin test and certification flight tests on the prototype Airbus A320 in Toulouse.
Indonesia proposes to tighten capital requirements on airlines, mandating that they own at least two of their aircraft. The others can be leased. The regulation will apply to companies that are already operating and is expected to go into force next month.
Brazil’s aviation authority ANAC has awarded type certification to the Bombardier Challenger 300 and Challenger 605 business jets, and one each of the twin-engine airplanes have been delivered to customers in Brazil. The Challenger 300 is capable of flying from Sao Paulo-San Juan nonstop with eight passengers and a full payload, while the Challenger 605 can fly Sao Paulo-Miami nonstop with eight passengers.
Cessna Aircraft Co. has completed wing mate on the first Citation CJ4 business jet that is scheduled for first flight later this year, followed by entry into service in 2010. The wing features moderate sweep and three speed brake panels on the upper surface of each wing. Cessna has received orders for 130 CJ4s. The twin-engine jet is projected to have a cruise speed of 435 kt., a full fuel payload of 1,000 lb. and a maximum payload of 2,100 lb. Collins Pro Line 21 avionics will be standard equipment with four 8 X 10-in. flat screen displays.
Extended operations in Iraq and elsewhere have had significant consequences for military readiness, particularly for the Army and Marine Corps, a congressional report says. The Defense Dept. also is relying more on Navy and Air Force personnel and contractors to perform some tasks formerly handled by Army or Marine Corps personnel. Those jobs include: engineering, security, intelligence, medical, communications, logistics and explosive ordnance disposal personnel.
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, along with airlines, airports and Gifas, the French aerospace industries association, late last month signed a broad environmental pact. In a theatrically staged, deceptively impressive show of strength, they jointly stressed determination to significantly (and quickly) slash the nuisances that plague commercial air transport—emissions and noise among them.
TerreStar says problems with the feed array on its first satellite, being built by Space Systems/Loral, may push back launch of the spacecraft another three months. The potential delay, which will only be confirmed after more tests in April, comes on top of a 10-month deferral announced early in 2007. The hybrid geostationary mobile service satellite operator still hopes to have the unit aloft by late 2008 or early 2009. The first hybrid Mobile Satellite Services spacecraft, funded by rival ICO Communications, is slated for launch this spring.
It was a very good year—2007 yielded record high billings and shipments for general aviation manufacturers. But the aviation sector faces dynamic challenges in sustaining that level of success. Last year’s billings reflect a 16.5% increase compared with 2006 (see chart), with shipments the highest recorded in about 25 years, noted GAMA Chairman Alan Klapmeier at the Feb. 12 General Aviation Manufacturers Assn. Annual Industry Review and Market Outlook briefing. He is also chairman and CEO of Cirrus Design Corp.
