American Society for Testing and Materials approved a new specification that "details the properties and criteria necessary to control the manufacture and quality of alternative fuels for safe use in aviation," US FAA said. The effort was supported by the FAA/industry-sponsored Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative. FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and the Environment Nancy LoBue said the step could lead to approval of a number of alternative fuels in the next few years.
Fokker Services said a change in the F100 flight manual now allows for just two cabin attendants in aircraft seating 100 passengers or fewer. Previously, three were required unless an operator received specific permission from local aviation authorities. Fokker said the adjustment could result in €150,000 €200,000 ($210,790-$281,050) in annual savings per aircraft.
London Heathrow Terminal 5's baggage system was operational again yesterday following a mechanical glitch that resulted in a shutdown lasting several hours Sunday. British Airways was forced to close check-in desks at midday and then reopen them about an hour later for passengers with carry-on bags. Flights continued to depart without passengers, with some 5,000 stranded, according to reports ( ATWOnline, May 4).
Tailwind Technologies of Ohio announced the formation of Hartzell Aerospace "to serve as the consolidating platform for the aerospace companies Tailwind holds, apart from its general aviation business, Hartzell Propeller." These companies include Industrial Tube Co., Electrofilm Manufacturing Co. and AcousticFab.
Air India will pay about half of its employees their June wages on July 3 rather than July 15, Aviation Industry Employees' Guild General Secretary George Abraham told Mint. AI had planned to defer payment owing to a cash shortage but relented after negotiations and a strike threat ( ATWOnline, May 4). A meeting regarding payments to remaining employees is scheduled for July 4.
Yemenia Yemen Airways A310-300 with more than 150 people onboard crashed late last night in the Indian Ocean. Flight IY626 was on its way from Sanaa and was due to land at Moroni, the Comoros capital. Reports early Tuesday indicated that one five-year-old child was found alive, but that no other survivors had been located. Yemenia operates four -300s, as well as two A330-200s and four 737-800s. Airbus said the aircraft involved in the accident was built in 1990 and had been operated by Yemenia since October 1999.
The US House of Representatives on Friday passed by a vote of 219-212 the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act, which now moves to the Senate for consideration and could, if passed, prove to be an onerous financial burden on airlines, according to the US Air Transport Assn.
OzJet Airlines of Australia announced its acquisition by Strategic Airlines, a charter and ACMI operator. Strategic said it will introduce an A320 on OzJet's Perth-Derby service by the end of September, replacing a chartered F100. Strategic ED Michael James said it will "retain some of the existing [OzJet] employee base for future company operations." In May, Strategic placed an A320-200 into service with Solomon Airlines on a Brisbane-Honiara flight. It reached agreement to lease an A330-200 from Swiss International Air Lines in April and will begin operating the aircraft in October.
US Dept. of Justice strongly opposed extension of antitrust immunity to Continental Airlines when it joins Star Alliance this October, arguing that the immunity request is "unprecedented in scope and breadth" and would "sanction collusion" between current Star member United Airlines and Continental "on all international service."
Republic Airways Holdings airlines flew 851 million RPMs in May, down 5.2% from the year-ago month. Capacity dropped 4% to 1.12 billion ASMs and load factor slipped 1 point to 75.8%. Pinnacle Airlines flew 380.3 million RPMs in May, down 7.9% year-over-year, against a 4.4% fall in capacity to 509.9 million ASMs. Load factor dropped 2.8 points to 74.6%.
Elbit Systems announced a $76 million deal with the Israeli Ministry of Transportation to supply its C-MUSIC system, an infrared countermeasure technology designed to protect commercial aircraft from missiles.
Airbus subsidiary Tasc Aviation and Germany's Softec have signed a partnership agreement that they say will greatly help air carriers with passenger revenue accounting tasks from its new base in Dubai
Boeing subsidiary Aviall Serviceshas opened a new customer service centre in the Middle East, following a formal event at Dubai Airport Free Zone on June 25.
The US National Transportation Safety Board last week said it is investigating two recent incidents involving A330s operated by TAM and Northwest Airlines in which the airspeed and altitude indications "may have malfunctioned." NWA is a unit of Delta Air Lines. Both aircraft landed safely. Such malfunctions are suspected in the May 31 loss of an Air France A330-200 ( ATWOnline, June 10).
Air France Industries and KLM Engineering & Maintenance are confident they will be able to maintain a positive operating result this year despite the downturn in the airline industry and consequent contraction of MRO contracts. "It will be a challenge, and results could be affected by the currency exchange rates, but we believe we are well positioned to sustain our operational performance," AFI President Alain Bassil told ATWOnline at the Paris Air Show earlier this month.
Civil Air Navigation Services Organization Secretary General Alexander ter Kuile announced his intention to step down on completion of his three-year third term at year end. He joined CANSO in January 2001 as its first full-time secretary general. Chairman Ashley Smout said, "Alexander has made an unparalleled contribution to CANSO and his departure will leave a huge gap. But thanks to his tireless efforts the association has never been stronger, and we will continue to build on his excellent work."
CASC/Airbus Customer Services training and support center in Beijing is looking to adjust its business model as more airlines acquire their own simulators, MD-Administration and Programs Michelle Pierre Petit told ATWOnline last week. The 18,800-sq.-m. facility, which opened in 1997, includes two A320 and one A330/A340 simulators. "More airlines buying their own simulators means we have to also focus on training the trainers," Petit said. The facility has about 20 airline customers, but there currently are 16 A320 FFSs in China with more to come.
Messier Services signed a four-year contract with Aerotron covering support of hydraulic components and avionics for an estimated 50 Airbus aircraft. Work will be performed in two Messier facilities (France and the UK) until 2013, with an automatic 12-month renewal period. ST Aerospace will provide maintenance-by-the-hour component support to Cimber Sterling A/S beginning in June. The five-year, $18 million contract covers support and access to a stock of rotables on an exchange basis in support of its fleet of five 737NGs.
Navtech signed contracts with flydubai (three-year deal for its Airport Analysis data product), Aero Contractors Nigeria (for its new flight planning product WebFP and an FMS navigation data service) and Etihad Airways (three-year subscription to FMS, to be used on its fleet of A320s).
Sabena technics and Al Wazzan Group will set up a joint venture to provide MRO services to operators in the Middle East from Kuwait City. The MRO facility will offer proximity services such as line, light and heavy aircraft maintenance, pooling and logistics support. The investment will include a new hangar that is expected to be operational next year. The JV's first customer will be Kuwait-based premium carrier Wataniya, which already is supported by Sabena technics.
Pratt & Whitney cut 200 salaried positions across its US-based operations (including approximately 170 in Connecticut) this week as part of a restructuring initiative announced in March by parent United Technologies ( ATWOnline, March 30). "It is clear that this is not a short-term economic downturn. Engine orders as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul activities are lower, requiring us to make difficult decisions," the company said.
Goodrich Corp. opened a 50,000-sq.-ft. facility at Tianjin Airport Industrial Park to support nacelle and thrust reverser original equipment as well as MRO activities. In addition, it will support "engine buildup and podding work" for the new A320 family final assembly line in Tianjin. The facility will serve as an interim location until Goodrich opens a permanent 170,000-sq.-ft. complex directly across from the FAL.
British Airways said that 6,940 employees, about 17% of its total workforce, have agreed to either unpaid leave, part-time work or unpaid work in a move that will save the airline up to £10 million. CEO Willie Walsh called it "a fantastic first response." Unpaid leave/work was available for 1-4 weeks, with the pay deduction spread over 3-6 months.
Air France said yesterday that the body of Flight 447's captain and that of a flight attendant have been recovered by search crews. So far, 50 bodies have been found from among the 228 passengers and crew aboard the A330-200 that crashed some 360 mi. off Brazil's northeast coast on May 31 ( ATWOnline, June 18).
