BRAZIL AVIATION CHIEF STEPS DOWN
RESIGNATION President of Brazilian civil aviation authority ANAC's board Milton Zuanazzi is to resign amid the ongoing political struggle over reorganisation of the country's civil aviation sector. Brazil has faced two major fatal airline accidents and the breakdown of its air traffic control system in just over a year. Zuanazzi will be replaced by Solange Paiva Vieira, the Brazilian secretariate for civil aviation.
UMECO SELLS MRO DIVISION
ACQUISITION UK-based components and logistics firm Umeco has completed the sale of its repair and overhaul division to US electronics specialist Ametek. The £36 million ($72 million) sale, which was agreed last month, includes UK maintenance, repair and overhaul-provider AEM and French firm Antavia.
FAA MULLS OVER GOVERNMENT INCURSION REPORT
REVIEW The US Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a draft copy of a year-long audit by the Government Accountability Office delving into runway incursions, ramp accidents and runway overruns in the USA. The final report, with FAA comments, is expected to be released on 20 November.
ENGINE WASHING SLASHES FUEL COSTS
SAVINGS Dutch carrier Martinair estimates that it has saved up to $2.2 million in fuel costs over the past year after conducting a year-long test of on-stand engine washing for its aircraft fleet. Martinair has been co-operating on the project with Pratt & Whitney and Stella Aviation Technics, which claims to be the first independent maintenance company to offer an ecological package of services aimed at reducing environmental damage.
MISSILE SUCCESS FIRES TEJAS PROJECT
WEAPONISATION The Aeronautical Development Agency's Tejas light combat aircraft programme passed a major weaponisation milestone on 25 October, when the first prototype of the Indian aircraft fired a Russian-made Vympel R-73 air-to-air missile, validating safe separation. "Four LCAs are now flying, and we hope to receive the first squadron by 2010," says Indian air force chief Air Marshal Fali Homi Major. Tejas prototypes have now completed more than 760 flights.
FUEL CRISIS GROUNDS NORTH KOREAN TRANSPORTS
OPERATIONS North Korea has grounded its fleet of almost 300 Antonov An-2 transports and curtailed some air force training activities due to high oil prices, according to a report by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. "An-2s have been grounded for a long while now, as limited fuel supplies are being diverted to other training purposes," a military source told Yonhap. The single-engine biplane is capable of transporting up to 14 passengers, and with a range of almost 850km (460nm) could be used to deploy troops in the event of renewed conflict between the Korean nations, which are still technically at war.
BA FIRST-HALF PROFITS UP BY QUARTER
RESULTS British Airways increased pre-tax profits 26% in the first half in reaching £593 million ($1.22 billion). While revenues were fractionally down for the six months ending 30 September at £4.46 billion, costs were cut nearly 4% at £3.9 billion. This enabled it to boost operating profits 26% to £556 million for the first half. Passenger revenues fell slightly to £3.9 billion during the period. Cargo revenues over the first six months dropped nearly 9% to £290 million,
ATOM BOMBER DIES AGE 92
OBITUARY Paul Tibbets, who piloted the US Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress, that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died aged 92 at his home in Columbus, Ohio. A colonel at the time of the atomic bombing, Tibbets retired as a brigadier general in 1966 and is survived by his second wife and three sons. He consistently defended the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on the grounds that they saved more lives than they ended by eliminating the need for an invasion of Japan. The B-29 he flew over Hiroshima, Enola Gay, is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
Source: Flight International
