The National Aviation Associations Coalition, a group of 24 aviation organizations, issued a "white paper" this week on the national air transportation system. The paper restates the major points of the group's earlier initiative aimed at "enhancing the integrity and value of the national aviation system" (DAILY, Dec. 28) and offering specific goals.
DOT will reorganize for the most part along modal lines, according to an administration official.To be unveiled today by Secretary Federico Pena, the new structure would shrink the department from 10 working units to three, devoted to aviation, surface and maritime modes.
The long-awaited and often delayed public float of the Australian government's remaining 75% share of Qantas has been postponed again because of poor market conditions, according to the government. The privatization, which was announced in June 1992, was originally scheduled in 1993 and tentatively in 1994 before the government said last summer that it would act in the first half of calendar year 1995, likely in the June quarter (DAILY, July 6). The amended Qantas Sale Act gives the government until the second half of August to complete the transaction.
Gene Rainville was named executive vice president of international sales. Rainville most recently served as senior vice president of marketing for Dassault FalconJet Corp, Paramus, N.J.
The U.S. Air Force is soliciting contracts for the Pacer Crag program, which integrates the C/KC-135's compass replacement, radar replacement and Global Positioning System (GPS). In a Feb. 2 Commerce Business Daily announcement, the AF's Oklahoma Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla., said the chosen contractor will be responsible for prototype installation on three aircraft. A draft request for proposal will be issued around March 6. Five fixed priced options are available on top of the one year fixed price contract.
The U.S. Air Force's Sacramento Air Logistics Center will award five companies a total of up to $400 million for the second phase of work on the Design Engineering Program II (DEP II). The prime contractors for are reported to be Battelle, SAIC, Southwest Research, TRW and Unisys. A spokesman for Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan AFB, Calif., said the contracts were still in the source selection phase, and that an announcement would be made Feb. 5 or 6.
House National Security Committee Chairman Floyd Spence (R-S. C.) said yesterday that the committee's approval of a bipartisan commission to review defense needs, despite Defense Secretary William J. Perry's strong objections, "serves notice that the [Pentagon's] Bottom-Up Review is no longer credible."
Top Pentagon officials, including Defense Secretary William Perry, Deputy Defense Secretary John Deutch and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. John Shalikashvili, briefed President Clinton on readiness and quality of life issues yesterday at the Pentagon. In public remarks prior to the meeting, Clinton said he wanted "to get a good briefing on the readiness issues and on the quality of life issues that are implicit in the request we're making in the defense budget." The Administration will unveil its fiscal 1996 budget request Monday.
When China refused to admit responsibility after one of its Long March rockets blew up during the 1992 launch of an HS-601 model communications satellite built by Hughes Aircraft Co., the company took a politically expedient approach.
Richard J. Powers has been appointed director, financial administration. Most recently, Powers was chief of the financial advisory services branch at the National Institutes of Health.
Laurie A. Broedling has been named vice president - human resources, effective Feb. 20. Presently, Broedling is associate administrator for continual improvement at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Delta Air Lines will build up operations at Atlanta, Cincinnati and Salt Lake City, its most successful hubs, and hand over some of its short-haul markets to Delta Connection carriers in a major realignment of its domestic route system. The May 1 switch to more long-haul flights, which will increase available seat miles and move the carrier closer to its cost goal of 7.5 cents per ASM, is estimated to yield $40 million-$60 million annually through cost savings and revenue enhancements, according to Senior VP-Marketing Robert Coggin.
Balkan Bulgarian Airlines plans to apply for a $67 million loan from a state fund, according to Executive Director Valeri Doganov. He told a news conference that a plan for a long-term investment credit from the State Fund for Reconstruction and Development has been worked out, as well as a business program to repay the money. Bulgaria had wanted to privatize the airline, but recently suspended the program because of a lack of investor interest (DAILY, Jan. 27).
The Pentagon won't have anywhere near as many McDonnell Douglas C-17 airlifters at its disposal as planned in then-Defense Secretary Les Aspin's 1993 Bottom-Up Review, raising questions about U.S. abilities to support the BUR's professed two regional contingency strategy, the General Accounting Office says.
S&P raised its ratings on Northwest Airlines and NWA Inc. debt because of the airline's greatly improved earnings, refinancing and repayment of debt, and enhanced financial flexibility. S&P raised its rating on NWA's $200 million senior notes due 1996 to B from B-; on Northwest's $8 million special revenue bonds to BB- from B+; and NWA Trust No. 1's class A senior aircraft notes to AA from AA- and class B subordinated aircraft notes to A from A-. Except for the NWA Trust ratings, all the ratings remain below investment grade.
Jeffrey E. Grant, previously vice president for quality GM Hughes Electronics, a subsidiary of General Motors Corp., was named vice president and the fourth member of the office of president at Hughes Space and Communications Co. (HSC). Richard J. Neiger, who most recently served as vice president and controller of Hughes Industrial Electronics, was named vice president, operations for Hughes Telecommunications and Space Co.
Burlie A. Brunson, formerly director of advanced technology programs, has been named vice president of Washington, D.C. operations for Lockheed Sanders. Brunson succeeds William A. Gureck who retired in December 1994.
Air Canada plans to suspend its weekly Montreal-London-Lyon service and its twice-weekly Montreal-London-Nice flights when it implements its summer schedule. The 767 aircraft used on both routes will be reallocated to more profitable markets, the airline said.
