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Staff
As the industry continues to evolve, airlines will look more toward a la carte pricing for services beyond tickets, said Mark Mitchell, managing director-customer experience for American. Airlines are trying to get passengers to pay for what they use, said Scott Dolan, senior VP-airport operations for United. “This is a way to offset our costs.”

Staff
The revision of a Bureau of Reclamation rule will ensure access for seaplanes at more than 400 lakes in 17 western states, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The bureau issued a rule in 2006 requiring documentation showing that lakes were used in the past for seaplanes before they could be used again. AOPA, the Seaplane Pilots Association and other groups lobbied for the rule revision, which is expected to be issued in the next few months.

By Bradley Perrett
Indonesian government will sell up to 40% of Garuda Indonesia in an initial public offering, possibly this year, but will not immediately pursue its plan to bring in a strategic partner for the barely profitable carrier. The timing will depend on the state of financial markets, however, says state Enterprises Minister Sofyan Djalil. If the sale doesn’t go through this year, then it will be next year, he says.

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Elyse Moody
FAA’s initial review of U.S. airline compliance with airworthiness directives closed Friday, with most of the aircraft needing reinspection already returned to service. Rather than expecting to find ADs that were not completed, FAA spokesman Les Dorr said the agency’s inspectors are verifying technical compliance with the directives and questioning how maintenance personnel completed the work. At this point in the audit, Dorr said, “FAA has seen an overwhelming level of compliance.”

Staff
Overall transatlantic travel is still growing, but at a slower pace, says Donald N. Martin & Co. The leading airlines in the market saw their traffic grow 3.9% in February, down from January’s 5.1% and December’s 8.9%. Some European tourist offices are projecting little or no growth in travel from Americans for 2008. However, Commerce Dept. figures have yet to show that to be the case, and the industry is encouraged by the continued rise in new U.S. passport applications.

Michael Mecham
Boeing has stepped in to undo a major partnership in its global supply chain for the troubled 787 program by agreeing to acquire Vought Industries’ 50% share of the Italian-American fuselage builder, Global Aeronautica.

Staff
The first stage of the historic open-skies agreement between the U.S. and the European Union went into effect at midnight yesterday. Negotiations on the second stage of the agreement are expected to begin in May.

Luis Zalamea
Airfares in Mexico are going up by 3% to 5% as a direct result of increasing fuel prices, Gilberto Lopez Meyer, CEO of Mexico’s civil aviation regulator DGAC, said last week.

Staff
PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD. PC-12, PC-12/45 and PC-12/47 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0291; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-019-AD; Amendment 39-15429; AD 2008-06-17] – Requires inspections of the stick-pusher servo-cables for correct installation, position and tension. Using the instructions contained in PC-12 Service Bulletin No. 27-018 (dated Nov. 27, 2007), adjust the stick-pusher servo cable tension or replace parts, as necessary, before further flight.

Staff
MIDCOAST AVIATION was named an authorized repair center for structures that EADS Socata builds for the Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft. EADS Socata produces the upper center fuselage section and the lower body fairing for the 7X. The recognition authorizes Midcoast to perform warranty and non-warranty repairs on both metallic and composite components built by EADS-Socata.

Staff
Embraer’s board of directors approved the launch of two new business jet models Friday, a move that will fill a couple of critical niches in the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer’s product line. The two new models, which were discussed at last fall’s National Business Aviation Association convention (BA, Oct. 1/148) will be a Midsize Jet (MSJ) and a Midlight Jet (MLJ). They will have the capacity to carry 7 to 12 passengers and will be positioned between the company’s Phenom 300 light jet and the Legacy 600 super midsize.

Staff
The National Air Transportation Association last week reiterated its opposition to a proposal to permit congestion-based pricing at certain airports, telling the Federal Aviation Administration that such a scheme is only a “short-term fix to a long-term problem.” FAA in January proposed to allow airports to increase fees on operators conducting flights at congested airports during the busiest hours in an attempt to encourage air carriers and other aircraft operators to use less congested alternative airports (BA, Jan. 28/38).

Staff
AIRCRAFT EMISSIONS will come under a spotlight during a hearing before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming scheduled April 2. The hearing, “From the Wright Brothers to the Right Solutions: Curbing Soaring Aviation Emissions,” will assess aviation’s contribution to greenhouse gases and the potential for reducing aircraft emissions. The committee noted that aviation generates 12 percent of U.S. transportation carbon dioxide emissions and three percent of the U.S. total carbon dioxide emissions.

Staff
Gulfstream Aerospace became the first aircraft manufacturer to be granted FAA Organizational Designation Authorization (ODA) for initial phase manufacturing at the company’s production facility in Savannah, Ga. The ODA approval, which Gulfstream characterized as “a significant regulatory milestone,” allows the company to act on behalf of FAA to examine Gulfstream aircraft designs, production quality and airworthiness.

Staff
CPI Aerostructures, Inc. reported a significant improvement in its finances for 2007, and officials described a rosy outlook for the future. Revenue for the Edgewood, N.Y. manufacturer was up 56 percent to just under $28 million, compared with $17.9 million during 2006. Net income totaled $1.9 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, a turnaround of more than $3 million compared to the net loss of $1.2 million, or 23 cents per share, recorded in 2006.

Staff
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Staff
WEST STAR AVIATION’S facility in Grand Junction, Colo. recently completed a Hawker 800A modification for AirMed International. The modification included a new interior, air system, avionics package, satellite phone and paint. AirMed, an air ambulance service that flies more than 2,500 transport missions a year, plans to operate the aircraft to support the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. AirMed is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. and has bases in Honolulu, Hawaii, Rochester, Minn. and soon in Hong Kong. West Star, which also has locations in East Alton, Ill.

Staff
BOMBARDIER received an order from an undisclosed customer for six CRJ700 NextGen regional jets and options for 10 more. Bombardier valued the firm orders at $207 million (U.S.), and said the value could increase to $562 million if all options are exercised. The Canadian plane-maker also confirmed that a previously announced order for 10 Q400 turboprop aircraft and 10 options was placed by Air Berlin. The airline originally had requested to remain unidentified.

Staff
EMBRAER EMB-135BJ and EMB-145XR airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0292; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-286-AD] – This proposed AD would require removing the sealant used to protect the wiring conduits of the left- and right-hand clear-ice detectors at the holes through the wing spars and installing protective Teflon spiral around the wiring. This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the aviation authority for Brazil, is designed to prevent leaking fuel from accumulating inside the conduit.

Staff
CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY 208 and 208B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0331; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-009-AD] – This proposed AD would require inspection of the left and right wing wire bundles and repair or replacement of any damaged wires found, per the instructions of Cessna Service Bulletin CAB08-02 (dated Feb. 4, 2008). This proposal also would require inspecting the wire bundles to confirm correct attachment to the anchor points and correcting any improperly attached wires.

Staff
GERALD E. (JERRY) SCHLESINGER, 63, an aviation executive who specialized in finance and operations, died March 22. Schlesinger was the retired chief financial officer of NetJets, the former chief executive of Aerospace Products International, one of the founders of aviation training firm Simuflite and a former CFO of Butler Aviation. A pilot and intelligence specialist in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, Schlesinger was a graduate of Bryant College. He began his career as an accountant with PriceWaterhouse.

Staff
The U.S. Coast Guard is evaluating basing options for its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as collaborative flight tests with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) using a Predator B wrap up in March. The Coast Guard has a requirement for maritime surveillance, according to Capt. Matt Sisson, Coast Guard aviation acquisition chief. Within the requirement, “a shore-based or shipboard unmanned aerial system may provide that kind of economical surveillance for us,” he said.

Staff
AS THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA tries to scale back operations at Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) with a ban on larger business jets, city officials are beginning to discuss the long-term future of the airport. A 1984 settlement between FAA and the city obligates Santa Monica to operate and maintain SMO as a general aviation facility until July 1, 2015. Last week City Council Member Ken Genser said that airport closure is a “very rich” discussion that needs to occur, adding, “I believe we don’t have obligations past 2015.” See article below.

Staff
The operator of an aircraft based at a small airport in Ohio who felt he was being discriminated against because the airport charged tenants but not transient users got his day in court – but not the decision he was seeking.