All air transport news – Page 2305

  • News

    Tests begin on Rafale optronics

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARISFlight tests of the Thomson-CSF Optronique front sector optronics (FSO)system that will give the Dassault Rafale fighter a passive infrared and television imaging capability have begun on a Dassault Falcon 20 testbed. The FSO will provide all-weather air-to-air and air-to-ground surveillance and targeting and, says Thomson-CSF Optronique, is the ...

  • News

    Fares fair in Japan

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Japanese start-up Skymark Airlines has raised its fares, relaxing a price war which has hit the yields of all three major Japanese airlines on two of Japan's highest-density routes. Skymark's announced 17% increase in its Tokyo-Fukuoka one-way fare was matched by Japan Airlines, with All Nippon Airways and Japan Air ...

  • News

    Head start

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Lufthansa CityLine's decision to sign on the dotted line for $1.6 billion-worth of Fairchild Aerospace 728JET regional airliners undoubtedly represents a major achievement for a (relatively) small US-German aircraft manufacturer with big ambitions. But it does far less to answer the question of how this overcrowded sector of the market ...

  • News

    City Bird deal angers Sabena

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELS A row has broken out between Belgian national airline Sabena and local associate City Bird over an agreement with fledgling Congolese national airline Lignes Aeriennes Congolaises (LAC) allowing City Bird to operate the Brussels-Kinshasa route on the African carrier's behalf. Sabena is demanding BFr350 million ($9.2 ...

  • News

    United joins PETAL II datalink trials

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Emma Kelly/LONDON United Airlines has committed its Boeing 777s (above) to Europe's Preliminary Eurocontrol Test of Air/Ground Data Link (PETAL II) programme. PETAL II is Europe's groundbreaking datalink programme aimed at validating air-ground datalinks in an operational air traffic control environment. The three-phase programme involves air traffic controllers and aircraft ...

  • News

    Rockwell Collins makes Boeing comeback on 767

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Boeing has chosen Rockwell Collins to provide the flightdeck liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for the 767-400ER. This is a significant victory for Collins in its battle to regain Boeing flightdeck display market share from Honeywell. "In a sense it is a comeback for us," says Steve Piller, vice-president Boeing ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    LanChile is to offer three nonstop flights a week between Los Angeles, California, and its base at Santiago, Chile, from 3 July, in addition to the daily Los Angeles service via Lima, Peru. It is also adding direct services to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with connections to Cordoba and Mendoza. Swedish ...

  • News

    Raytheon's STARS fails to shine in time for FAA programme

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Problems with development of the Raytheon Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) have forced the US Federal Aviation Administration to delay its deployment. It will acquire a rival air traffic control system instead for interim use at some heavily used airports in New York and Washington DC. STARS is ...

  • News

    Southwest gets more 737-300s

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Southwest Airlines is looking to expand its Boeing 737-300 fleet with secondhand acquisitions. This follows its conversion of more 737-700 options to firm orders. The extra capacity is needed for the airline's planned launch of 50 more US domestic services in the third quarter of this ...

  • News

    Franchise relationships boost expansion of regional market

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/LONDON The rapid expansion of the regional market in North America and Europe continued unabated last year, fuelled by US majors focusing on the consolidation of regional franchise relationships, and franchise expansion by their European counterparts. The US Regional Airlines Association (RAA) reports that passenger traffic increased ...

  • News

    Chinese airlines post big losses

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/LONDONChina Eastern Airlines has become the second of the country's big three operators to reveal disappointing financial results for last year. The Shanghai-based carrier reported a net loss of 632 million yuan ($76 million) for the year, compared with a profit of 332 million yuan in 1997. The result ...

  • News

    Remote control

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    AirWolf Filter has developed a low-cost, remotely mounted, oil filter system for Lycoming and Continental horizontally opposed engines, and for nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney radials. According to the Ohio-based company, the system provides high filter efficiency and, because it is mounted on the fuselage firewall instead of on the powerplant, ...

  • News

    Private conversions

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Two private Middle Eastern operators have chosen BFGoodrich's Super 27 re-engining kit for their Boeing 727-200s. The conversion involves replacing the number one and three Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7/9 powerplants with the higher bypass-ratio -200 series derivative. As well as Stage 3 compliance, BFGoodrich says that the Super 27 modification ...

  • News

    All the rage

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Prevention of 'air rage' incidents is better than cure, according to IATA David Learmount/LONDON The problem of disruptive passengers is so complex that the world's airlines are struggling to agree on remedies. There is consensus on one thing, however - prevention is better than cure. The International Air ...

  • News

    Workshop

    1999-05-05T00:00:00Z

    TAT Group subsidiary LAB and French carrier Regional Airlines are to set up a jointly owned maintenance centre for regional aircraft based at Clermont-Ferrand Airport and line maintenance at 13 other airports. Initially, the centre will undertake maintenance of the Regional Airlines fleet. The fleet comprises British Aerospace, Embraer and ...

  • News

    Boeing gets back on track

    1999-05-01T00:00:00Z

    A "solid and clearly improving performance" at Boeing has seen the company post healthy first quarter net profits of $469 million - a better than anticipated result after the aircraft giant's woes last year. Boeing warns, however, that recent stronger prices on commercial jets are not expected to hold for ...

  • News

    Routes

    1999-05-01T00:00:00Z

    Delta in China - Delta Air Lines and China Southern Airlines have begun a non-stop codeshare service between Los Angeles and Guangzhou. China Southern operates the route three times a week with a Boeing 777. Guatemala bound - Continental Airlines will begin a non-stop Saturday service between New York ...

  • News

    FAA shifts Y2K focus

    1999-05-01T00:00:00Z

    US concerns over year 2000 (Y2K) compliance are shifting to the international arena after a live test of the country's air traffic control system revealed no date-related problems. The test, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration on 10-11 April, involved all major elements of the US air traffic ...

  • News

    TAAN joins Venezuelan start-up

    1999-05-01T00:00:00Z

    Despite warnings from industry observers that Venezuela's future calls for fewer rather than more airlines, new carriers continue to line up to fill the hole left by the demise of flag carrier Viasa. TAAN (Transporte Aereo Andino) is the latest planned start-up, and one of three carriers seeking operating certificates ...

  • News

    Spirit soars in USA

    1999-05-01T00:00:00Z

    A US start-up which has so far secured its mostly profitable existence by controlling growth and sticking to niche leisure markets up and down the east coast is to test new waters. Detroit, Michigan-based Spirit Airlines will begin a non-stop service to Los Angeles in June and is expanding operations ...