A survey of economic indicators by Airports Council International (ACI) showed that 82% of its members had operating surpluses in 1996 or were at least at the break-even point. The combined operating surplus was $2.5 billion. Geneva-based ACI represents 475 operators that run 1,200 airports in 152 countries and territories. But only a handful--85 representing 246 airports--responded to the survey. Of those, 15 reported operating losses. ACI reported combined data for 222 airports showing gross revenues of $11.4 billion and expenses of $8.9 billion.
A consortium of Indian banks is considering a proposal to refinance East-West Airlines Mumbai, one of India's privately owned carriers that has gone bankrupt in the last year. ``We could be flying as early as December if our proposal is accepted'' by the banks, a senior airline official said. The consortium, led by Indian Bank, is not commenting, but industry analysts are optimistic. They point out that East-West had its operator's license renewed by the federal Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Boeing plans to recall and transfer to its Wichita factory at least 100 laid-off Douglas Aircraft assembly mechanics as manufacturing bottlenecks threaten its breakneck production buildup.
Part of a transition to the next-generation Space-Based Infrared System missile warning network began recently with groundbreaking for a new ground control station at the Buckley Air National Guard Base near Denver.
China is forming its own Star Alliance, but the group's goals aren't as globally lofty as the more famous one started by Lufthansa, United, Thai International, Air Canada and SAS. The New Star Aviation Alliance, which is scheduled to begin operations Jan. 1, includes China's regional carriers in Shenzhen, Sichuan, Shandong, Wuham and Zhongyuan, according to the official China Daily. At first, the alliance will be used to ``strengthen cooperation'' and ``improve competitiveness'' among its members.
Boeing engineers are studying prior Douglas work on a proposed large four-engine transport, one of two models known as the MD-12. New Boeing subsidiary Douglas Products Div. conducted significant engineering work on the double-deck transport in the early 1990s but couldn't afford product launch. Projected specifications included 481- and 570-passenger versions, with the former having a range of more than 1,000 naut. mi. than that of its ``largest contemporary transport'' (AW&ST Nov. 21, 1994, p. 57).
Glynn S. Lunney has been appointed vice president-strategic and business planning and Howard DeCastro vice president/ program manager of the Houston-based United Space Alliance. Lunney was vice president/program manager, and DeCastro was deputy program manager.
A 5.5-in.-dia. laser-powered launch vehicle has made a short but successful free-flight at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The technology, while far from application, has the potential to significantly lower the size, weight and cost of access to space. The technique uses a ground-based, pulsed laser that is beamed to a reflector-concentrator located at the rear of the 50-gram launch vehicle, according to Leik Myrabo and Franklin Mead, scientists at the USAF Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate at Edwards AFB, Calif.
Its non-stop services from Glasgow to New York and Boston as of Nov. 1, and warned that other U.K. long-haul regional routes with insufficient local demand to stay profitable were also in jeopardy. BA said the route has lost 7 million pounds ($11 million) during the last three years. Robert Ayling, the airline's chief executive, said the decision was forced by delays in approval of BA's proposed alliance with American Airlines. He said the alliance was needed to generate the level of transfer passengers required to make such regional transatlantic services profitable.
Boeing's ability to deliver new commercial aircraft on schedule is likely to remain hobbled at least through mid-1998--not just the first quarter, as the company recently indicated. Part of the problem is the supply chain is operating much like a complex set of gears that isn't properly synchronized. For example, many suppliers are reporting lead times of greater than 52 weeks for raw materials, such as titanium. Yet the material is desperately needed for parts that have been promised to customers in less than half that length of time.
Thomas C. Cleary (see photo), chairman/CEO of G&H Technology, Camarillo, Calif., has been named Entrepreneur of the Year in Manufacturing in Greater Los Angeles in a program sponsored by Inc. magazine and Merrill Lynch.
The controversy swirling around NASA about continuing to assign astronauts to stay on Mir has spawned undercurrents of debate among its experienced personnel about the agency's relationship with the Russians and its decision-making process. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin gave final approval for the launch of astronaut David Wolf to replace Michael Foale--for a four-month stay on Mir--only about 30 hr. prior to the scheduled Sept. 25 liftoff of the space shuttle Atlantis. Multiple review panels have endorsed the decision.
Florida State Sen. Daryl Jones, 42, who also serves as an F-16 pilot in the Air Force Reserve, is likely to be nominated as Secretary of the Air Force to replace Sheila Widnall. Widnall, 59, will return to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a ``leadership role,'' although the exact position is as yet undecided, according to MIT President Charles Vest. She was associate provost at the university when named to her Pentagon post.
U.S. and Japanese negotiators failed to reach agreement on a definitive new, liberalized air services agreement last week in Tokyo, but agreed to meet next month in Washington to try to settle remaining outstanding issues.
Thierry Antinori has been appointed managing director for Western and Southern Europe and Werber Kellerhals managing director for France, of Lufthansa German Airlines.
As the Swed-ish air force prepares to declare its first JAS 39 Gripen squadron operational, industry partners on the program are working to define future upgrades while pressing ahead with several export campaigns.
Mars Global Surveyor is finding the planet's atmosphere to be about twice as dense as predicted at the upper levels, but engineers have been able to compensate with minor altitude changes for the aerobraking passes. The density difference has little effect on Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) because it can adjust during the 400 orbits of aerobraking, but it could cause problems for plans to aerocapture future probes into orbit--where there is only one chance to do much larger braking.
The Indian government has doubled its foreign travel tax--called an ``airport tax''--to 600 rupees ($17). The only exception is for passengers bound for neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The new tax is expected to yield 1.8 billion rupees ($51.4 million) in added revenue and is part of a midyear financial package aimed at helping to pay for recent expenditures such as a government pay raise.
U.S. Navy Capt. Kenneth E. Barbor is expected to be promoted to rear admiral (lower half) and named head of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at the Stennis Space Center, Miss. He will succeed Rear Adm. Paul G. Gaffney, 2nd, who will be chief of naval research. Barbor has been commanding officer of the Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanaography Center, Norfolk, Va.
The Quiet Communities Act of 1997 slowly has gained cosponsors--40 U.S. House members--since its introduction last January by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.). The bill asks for reestablishment of the Environmental Protection Agency's noise abatement and control office, which has been closed since the early 1980s. Lowey contends that noise from many sources, including aviation, has worsened since that time. The bill asks for studies to check on the effectiveness of the FAA's antinoise programs and to examine noise abatement at the nation's airports.
Honeywell/Pelorus has logged multiple sales for its new SLS-2000 satellite landing system. Included are two for NASA space shuttle training aircraft located at Kennedy Space Center and White Sands, N.M., and one for the Naval Air Weapons Center at Patuxent River, Md. Canada already operates two at the Regina and Saskatoon airports and at least one more is headed for South America. There also have been SLS-2000 sales to Melbourne, Australia, and Russia, according to Jay Mesiti, director of business development, airport control, for Honeywell.
