CARRIERS FACE 'WORST-EVER TWO YEARS': IATA
Airliners were being parked at a rate of 200 aircraft a month around the world in September and October, and the International Air Transport Association predicts "the toughest revenue environment in 50 years" and "the worst-ever revenue outlook for the next two years", with the fall in revenues offsetting the benefits of lower fuel prices. One positive story is that US carriers expect to report a $300 million profit in 2008 - 1% of revenue.
SATURN MOVE KICKS OFF RUSSIAN CONSOLIDATION
Russia's state-dominated Russian Technologies is to consolidate major powerplant makers under a proposed United Engine Corporation built around NPO Saturn, UMPO and Perm Motors Zavod, which together account for the bulk of domestic engine production for civil and military aircraft, including the PowerJet SaM146 engines for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airliner.
US AIRCRAFT SALES REFLECT WANING DEMAND
Sales of US-made commercial aircraft in 2008 will be virtually flat at $80.6 billion, after rising 10.5% in 2007, according to Aerospace Industries Association figures. Total aerospace industry sales are on pace for a 2.1% increase to $204 billion, about $5.7 billion less than they would have been without the 57-day Boeing machinists' strike. Sales in 2009 are expected to reach $214 billion.
BA, QANTAS FINED FOR PRICE FIXING
British Airways and Qantas have been fined by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission A$5 million ($3.3 million) and A$20 million respectively for price fixing in their cargo operations between 2002 and early 2006. Both airlines, along with several others, had already been found guilty by US authorities of taking part in an international cargo price-fixing conspiracy.
IMI BID TO LIGHT OFF US FLARE SALES
Israel Military Industries is negotiating a joint venture with a US company for the production of decoy flares for passenger and military aircraft. IMI chairman Avner Raz says the joint venture will increase funding to develop new generations of flares and help IMI win US military contracts.
DUCOMMUN WINS $102 MILLION RADAR CONTRACT
Ducommun Technologies has won a $102 million contract running until 2020 with Raytheon for the manufacture and sub-system integration of radar racks and electromechanical enclosures for the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet active electronically scanned array radar system and for F-15E radar modernisation.
ANZ BUYS TWO REPAIR SHOPS IN AUSTRALIA
Air New Zealand is expanding its maintenance operations in Australia through the purchase of Tenix Aviation and Masling Industries. Tenix supports general aviation and regional carriers at Adelaide airport, Parafield airport and Darwin. Masling repairs gas turbine engine accessories at Cootamundra.
BRISTOW EXPANDS UK OPERATION BY ACQUISITION
Bristow Helicopters is to transfer its UK instrument rating training operations from Norwich to Gloucestershire with the acquisition of Severn Aviation, to be renamed Bristow Academy. The move will upgrade Bristow's IR training from single- to multi-engine and roughly double student numbers, to about 55 IR courses a month.
Source: Flight International
