All air transport news – Page 2198
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JAA warns of fraught times ahead
Replacing the European Joint Aviation Authorities with its planned successor, the single European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), over the next five years is going to be fraught with difficulties, according to JAA director-general Klaus Koplin. The JAA has completed its basic task, Koplin says, and its remaining job is to ...
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Pakistan International introduces first 747-300 with revised scheme
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has begun its fleet update programme with the introduction of the first of six Boeing 747-300s on lease from Cathay Pacific. The first aircraft, in a modified colour scheme, is being operated to London. The Rolls-Royce RB211-powered 747-300s, acquired under a lease-purchase contract, replace six Pratt ...
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Lufthansa ponders A319CJ for long-haul luxury service
David Learmount/TOULOUSE Lufthansa is considering using the Airbus A319CJ corporate aircraft to carry high yield passengers on scheduled long-haul services. The CJ is the corporate jet version of the 124-seat A319 short/ medium-range twinjet. This has a customised cabin and increased fuel capacity through the addition of auxiliary tanks ...
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Dynamic return
Watch out, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics is getting back into the aircraft business. The company that dumbfounded the industry, when it spectacularly and lucratively dismembered itself in the early 1990s, is confounding observers by reassembling itself. GD's agreement to acquire business jet manufacturer Gulfstream has surprised most and puzzled ...
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US Q400 order on horizon as targets are bettered
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Bombardier and US regional carrier Horizon Air are negotiating a deal for at least 20 Dash 8 Q400 turboprops. An order from Horizon would represent a critical breakthrough in the North American market for the Canadian manufacturer. Although not confirmed by either party, ...
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Aeroflot bucks trend as Russian airlines suffer declining market
Paul Duffy/MOSCOW Jens Flottau/MOSCOW Passenger traffic figures for Russia's many airlines reveal that most suffered a significant decline last year, with Aeroflot Russian International Airlines one of the few to have bucked the trend. The flag carrier reported an increase in emplanements and claims to have returned a profit, albeit ...
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A charged affair
Sky-high landing and navigation charges are driving airlines from key Japanese airports Andrejz Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Japanese "capsule" hotels which offer their guests space not much bigger than a mortuary drawer are symbolic of the overcrowding and overpricing of Tokyo and other Japanese population centres. The lack of available space ...
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In recovery
Asia's economic slump continues to colour aviation statistics - but the worst may be over Chris Jasper/LONDON From a statistical point of view, the global airport picture last year was dominated by the Asian economic collapse, with the Asia-Pacific region suffering a major decline in passenger traffic and aircraft movements. ...
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Partnership imperative
Latin American carriers are searching for international partners and injections of capital to survive into the 21st century Paul Lewis/MIAMI Financial reform, regulatory liberalisation and growing competition are transforming the face of air transportation in Central and South America. As political barriers are lowered progressively, airlines from Mexico to Chile ...
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Clinton approves Iridium launch
Andrezj Jeziorski/PARISUS President Bill Clinton has approved the 7 June launch of an Iridium communications satellite from China, despite fears of a fresh US clampdown on Chinese launches of US spacecraft. White House officials have hastened to deny any link between this decision and the furore between the USA and ...
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$3.6 billion project aims to build Internet in space
Lockheed Martin is joining TRW and Telecom Italia to develop a $3.6 billion global broadband multimedia and Internet satellite system. Lockheed will invest $400 million in the new Astrolink system, while Telecom and TRW will each contribute $250 million. The first satellite is planned for 2002 and three more ...
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Euroconsult predicts healthy future for commercial satellites
Industry consultancy Euroconsult predicts healthy growth in demand for commercial satellite launches over the next decade. Speaking at the First World Summit on the Space Transportation Business, in Paris on 10-11 May, Euroconsult's executive vice-president for space and communications, Rachel Villain, predicted that demand will average 132-163 satellite launches ...
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Rotary Rocket holds Virgin funding talks
Andrzej Jeziorski/PARIS California's Rotary Rocket is in talks with UK millionaire and Virgin founder Richard Branson on funding for its Roton re-usable launch vehicle (RLV) programme. Rotary Rocket chief executive Gary Hudson is understood to have met Branson to discuss the programme. The company needs about $150 million ...
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Rising Star
Global alliances are in style, but their benefits are only now becoming clear Chris Jasper/SYDNEY Global airline alliances are the height of fashion, with two major groupings operating and possibly two more hurrying to enter the fray. Yet despite this scramble, the true importance of alliances has been ...
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European airlines' profits slip
Julian Moxon/BRUSSELSEuropean airlines remained profitable last year and ordered record numbers of aircraft, but it was a "black" year for punctuality, according to the Association of European Airlines (AEA) Operating profits, at $1.94 billion, were $400 million lower than for the previous year. Although 1997 figures were a record, much ...
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Delta completes acquisition of Atlantic Southeast
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines following the approval of a shareholders' meeting of ASA Holding, the parent company of the regional airline. Delta and ASA have announced schedule changes, beginning on 1 June, that will include ASA jet service to ...
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AlliedSignal plans structural realignment to reduce costs
AlliedSignal Aerospace will complete a major restructuring of its organisation by the end of this month, in a move designed to reduce costs and complexity, and to simplify supply chains and improve market focus and profitability. "We've organised our businesses in the way our customers buy," says AlliedSignal Aerospace ...
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BFGoodrich goes for growth
Guy Norris/SAN DIEGOBFGoodrich's newly enlarged Aerospace business is forecasting continuous growth from this year, thanks largely to sustained high volumes, fresh acquisitions and special diversification initiatives at its California-based Aerostructures Group, formerly known as Rohr. The growth strategy hinges on staying closely allied to Boeing and its future airliner programmes. ...
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R-R sharpens blade business with Israeli venture
Rolls-Royce is expanding control over manufacture of compressor blades for its engines with the setting up of a joint venture in northern Israel with two local companies and a large investment at its own factory in Scotland. The new company, Techjet (Israel), will be 50% owned by the UK ...
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Older E-2Cs may be sold
Paul Lewis/BETHPAGE Northrop Grumman and the US Navy are discussing offering older Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft for sale on the international market, while also negotiating to place retired A-6E Intruders with at least one potential operator. The US Navy is starting to phase ...