press release

  • | |

    Rolls-Royce wins $2.2bn TotalCare® deal from Emirates

    Monday, 14 February 2011—

    Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won a $2.2bn TotalCare® long term services contract from Emirates, covering Trent engines for 70 Airbus A350XWB aircraft. The agreement will bring the airline’s Rolls-Royce powered fleet of 128 aircraft, in service and on order, under TotalCare® arrangements.

    Tim Clark, President – Emirates Airline, said: “Emirates’ 70 A350XWB aircraft on order will play an important role in our growth when they come online in the next few years. This TotalCare® contract with Rolls-Royce is an important step in ensuring our A350XWB engine life cycle costs are managed effectively and maintained to the highest standards. Already current users of TotalCare®, we look forward to maintaining this relationship with Rolls-Royce to drive additional operational improvements.”

    Mark King, Rolls-Royce, President  – Civil Aerospace, said: “We are delighted to sign this contract with Emirates, a valued customer with three Trent engine family members already in service. With this contract all of Emirates’ Rolls-Royce powered fleet are, or will be, supported by TotalCare® packages that add significant value and allow customers to optimise their operations.”

    TotalCare® long term service agreements, in place on 90 per cent of all Trent engines, are designed to minimise customer financial risk and enhance operational performance and reliability, allowing operators to concentrate on their core business.

    The new TotalCare® contract for Trent XWB engines comes two months after Rolls-Royce won a $1.2bn TotalCare® contract for Trent 700 engines powering 27 Airbus A330s and Trent 800 engines powering 21 Boeing 777s.

    1. 1. Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets – civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
    2. As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,500 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines.
    3. Annual underlying revenues were over £11 billion in 2010, of which more than half came from the provision of services. The firm and announced order book stood at £59.2 billion at 31 December 2010, providing visibility of future levels of activity.
    4. Rolls-Royce employs 39,000 skilled people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries.  Over 11,000 of these employees are engineers.
    5. In 2010, Rolls-Royce invested £923 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions.
    6. Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company’s engineers with the forefront of scientific research. 
    7. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment, and to further developing employee skills.
  • |

    Boeing Celebrates Premiere of New 747-8 Intercontinental

    EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) today unveiled its new 747-8 Intercontinental, the new high-capacity passenger airplane that offers airlines the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large passenger airplane while providing enhanced environmental performance.

    Approximately 10,000 guests, including customers, Boeing employees, government officials, partners and suppliers, gathered in the factory in Everett, Wash., to witness the premiere of the Intercontinental at an event themed “Incredible, Again.” Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Albaugh said the newest 747 incorporates technological advancements that make it an extremely productive airplane for customers.

    “The new 747-8 Intercontinental features the latest in innovative technologies — applying many of the breakthroughs also found on the 787 Dreamliner,” said Albaugh. “We think our customers will value the low operating costs and passengers will enjoy the comfort of the striking new interior.”

    “The 747-8 Intercontinental will be a great complement to our fleet, fitting nicely into the 400-seat category, improving our fleet’s eco-efficiency even further,” said Nico Buchholz, executive vice president, Lufthansa Group Fleet Management. “As launch customer, we are looking forward to welcoming this new aircraft to our fleet next year as it adds to our ongoing fleet modernization and environmental efforts.”

    Korean Air and VIP customers have joined launch customer Lufthansa in ordering a total of 33 747-8 Intercontinentals. First delivery of the 747-8 Intercontinental is scheduled for the fourth quarter.

    “As the only airplane in the 400 to 500-seat market, the 747-8 Intercontinental will give operators an airplane perfectly suited for long, heavily traveled routes around the world,” said Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager, Airplane Programs, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The new 747-8 Intercontinental will set a new standard in economic and environmental performance, while providing a world-class passenger experience.”

    The 747-8 Intercontinental will have the lowest seat-mile cost of any large commercial jetliner, with 12 percent lower costs than its predecessor, the 747-400. The airplane provides 16 percent better fuel economy, 16 percent less carbon emissions per passenger and generates a 30 percent smaller noise footprint than the 747-400. The 747-8 Intercontinental applies interior features from the 787 Dreamliner that includes a new curved, upswept architecture giving passengers a greater feeling of space and comfort, while adding more room for personal belongings.
    The airplane unveiled today is painted in a new Sunrise livery of red-orange that only will appear on the first 747-8 Intercontinental and is a significant departure from Boeing’s standard blue. The new color palette honors many key Boeing customers whose cultures recognize these colors as symbols of prosperity and good luck.

  • |

    Dassault’s Enhanced Vision System (EVS) Receives FAA Certification for the Falcon 7X

    SAINT-CLOUD, France, February 11, 2011 — Dassault Falcon has received operational certification from the FAA for the Falcon 7X Enhanced Vision System (EVS). This follows certification received from EASA in July, 2010.

    Dassault’s EVS provides an image on the Head-Up Display (HUD) and flight deck displays that enables the pilots to see the terrain and airport environment in low visibility situations such as in fog, haze, snow or at night. It incorporates LCD HUD technology and offers a high quality, brighter video presentation with a unique two-mode setting that optimizes the video for either an approach configuration (to enhance approach and runway lights), or a general purpose configuration. It also takes advantage of special IR video processing developed specifically to minimize visual artifacts and distortion.

    “Incorporating technology that enhances safety and situational awareness is a prime goal in the continuing development of all our programs,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. “This additional certification is further affirmation that we are achieving this goal. Our fully integrated EVS offers advanced features not available on any other system, and has already generated a great deal of interest among the Falcon family,” Rosanvallon added. EVS significantly improves situational awareness, not only during take-off, approach and landing, but also during ground maneuvering.

    In addition to enhanced situational awareness, the Falcon 7X EVS system provides operational credit towards reduced minima in low visibility landing conditions from the published IFR minima down to a minimum of 100 feet above the threshold elevation. This provides minima equivalent to Cat II minimums even on Cat I standard instrument approaches and on non-precision approaches.
    A one day pilot training course, consisting of ground instruction and full flight simulator training (including at least six approaches) is required for operators using EVS.

  • |

    AirTran Flight Attendants Announce Six-Week Picketing Schedule in Six Cities

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AirTran Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today announced a “Six Cities in Six Weeks” picketing tour. As frustrations escalate over management’s continued stalling of contract negotiations, AirTran Flight Attendants will begin a series of public protests on Monday, February 14 in Atlanta and conclude on April 1 in Baltimore. If a tentative agreement is not reached by April 1, then picketing will continue in six additional cities.

    Six Cities in Six Weeks Picketing Tour
    Monday, February 14 – Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
    Tuesday, March 1 – Orlando International Airport (MCO)
    Wednesday, March 9 – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
    Thursday, March 17 – Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
    Wednesday, March 23 – Orlando – AirTran Shareholders Meeting
    Friday, March 25 – General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
    Friday, April 1 – Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

    Following the announcement of the acquisition by Southwest Airlines, AirTran management approached AFA requesting an abbreviated list of the Flight Attendants’ greatest concerns in order to expedite negotiations. When presented with the union’s “short list” proposal, company management responded with a minimal counterproposal that failed to address the most basic work, duty and rest provisions. AFA rejected management’s proposal and filed for mediation services from the National Mediation Board the following day.

    “While we do not want to have to take our struggle to the street, our Flight Attendants deserve fair work rule improvements now,” said Stephen Grimaldi, AirTran Flight Attendant and AFA Chairperson of Flight Attendant Mobilization. “Management has been dragging their feet for too long – enough is enough.”
    Ready to begin focusing on the transition to Southwest Airlines, AirTran Flight Attendants may continue to work under the AFA contract for at least another two years. Under the Railway Labor Act, this future change in ownership does not negate the carrier’s obligation to negotiate now with its Flight Attendants in good faith.

  • |

    Boeing Support Teams Honored by Army Aviation Association of America

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Feb. 11, 2011 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] on Feb. 10 received two awards from the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) at the Joseph P. Cribbins Aviation Product Symposium in Huntsville: the Materiel Readiness Awards for a Major Contractor and for an Industry Team.
    “Capturing both these Materiel Readiness Awards is recognition for our efforts to support U.S. Army Aviation,” said Jim O’Neill, Boeing vice president and general manager of Integrated Logistics. “Our support programs are designed to produce readiness results for our customers, and these results have been outstanding.”

    Boeing received the Major Contractor award for the readiness provided by the company’s AH-64D Apache Performance-Based Logistics team and the Boeing Chinook Interim Contractor Support team, both parts of Boeing Rotorcraft Support.

    The AAAA’s Materiel Readiness Award for an Industry Team, Group or Special Unit went to the Boeing CH-47 Interim Contractor Support team. Over the past year, this team has supported the Army’s CH-47F Cargo Helicopter Program Management Office and Chinook Combat Aviation brigades through support at the Boeing Aircraft Modification Center in Millville, N.J., and 10th Mountain Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Drum, N.Y., via embedded field service representatives, and through logistics support representatives and asset managers providing components and materials anywhere in the world.
    The Aircraft Modification Center at Millville received a separate award from the U.S. Army Cargo Helicopter Project Office at the symposium for the team’s modification of 31 CH-47F Chinooks in 2010.

    Boeing Rotorcraft Support is a subdivision of Integrated Logistics, a division of the Boeing Global Services & Support business. It includes AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook, H-46 Sea Knight and V-22 Osprey support programs as well as United Kingdom Rotorcraft Support and Ground Forces Support Solutions. It provides tailored, innovative solutions that maximize global readiness for customers around the world.

  • |

    New Software Tool to Optimize Available Airport Pavement Information

    The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Technology Research and Development Team, based at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, has released its newest software program, FAA PAVEAIR.

    Airport managers, engineers, consultants and technicians can use FAA PAVEAIR to assess the condition of airport pavements, and make informed decisions to best allocate funds for pavement repair and maintenance. Use of this software is not required to obtain Airport Improvement Project funding assistance.

    FAA PAVEAIR is a web-based airport pavement management system that provides users with historic current information about airport pavement construction, maintenance and management. The program offers users a planning tool capable of modeling airport pavement surface degradation due to external effects such as traffic and the environment. The program can be used with other FAA pavement applications, such as BAKFAA and COMFAA, to give users input to determine repair scheduling and strategies. It has been developed for installation and use on a stand-alone personal computer, a private network, an intranet and the internet. An implementation of the internet version of FAA PAVEAIR will be hosted and supported on a server at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, near Atlantic City, N.J., and will be accessible from the FAA PAVEAIR website.

    FAA PAVEAIR will be posted for download as a beta version for about one year in the initial release. Airport technology research and development specialists will hold workshops and user group meetings to assess the software utility, during this time.

  • |

    Pilots urged to keep Port Lincoln Australia skies safe

    CASA Media Release – Friday 11 February 2011
    Pilots urged to keep Port Lincoln skies safe

    Port Lincoln pilots are being urged to attend an important air safety workshop next week.

    The workshop will give local pilots special training to improve their flying and safety skills.

    The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is holding the workshop to help make the skies over Port Lincoln even safer.

    Safety issues to be covered at the workshop include aviation weather and avoiding airspace infringements. There will also be the opportunity for pilots to ask questions and raise issues about local flying.

    CASA’s Peter Gibson says the workshop is part of a national regional air safety campaign.

    “Giving pilots from Port Lincoln extra training will lift their safety skills to even higher levels,” Mr Gibson says.

    “All pilots receive comprehensive training but this workshop means they will be even better equipped to fly safely at all times and deal with emergencies.

    “Port Lincoln has a good air safety record but accidents do happen and everyone in aviation must work hard to keep local skies safe.”

    The workshop is being held at the Port Lincoln Aero Club on Wednesday 16 February 2011, starting at 6:00pm.

  • |

    NTSB SENDING TEAM TO ASSIST IRELAND IN METROLINER INVESTIGATION

    NTSB Advisory
    National Transportation Safety Board
    Washington, DC 20594
    February 10, 2011

    NTSB SENDING TEAM TO ASSIST IRELAND IN METROLINER INVESTIGATION

    The National Transportation Safety Board is sending three investigators to assist the Government of Ireland as it investigates the crash of an airliner this morning.

    At about 9:45 a.m. local time today, a Swearingen SA-227 Metroliner (Spanish registration EC-ITP), operated by Flightline/Manx2 Air as flight 7100 from Belfast, Northern Ireland, crashed after attempting a landing at Cork Airport, Cork, Ireland. Twelve people were aboard the aircraft, and there are reports of both fatalities and survivors.

    NTSB senior air safety investigator Dan Bower has been designated the U.S. Accredited Representative and is being assisted by an NTSB systems investigator and an NTSB operations investigator. A Federal Aviation Administration investigator is also joining the team.

    Information about the progress of the investigation will be released by the Air Accident Investigation Unit of Ireland, +353 (0) 1-604-1293.

    ###

  • Global Aviation Holdings and World Airways Establish Sales Offices in Asia Pacific and Europe

    PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Global Aviation Holdings Inc. and its subsidiary, World Airways, have established sales offices in Hong Kong and in Leipzig, Germany, expanding sales and service capabilities to better serve the company’s international customers in Asia Pacific and Europe.

    Todd R. Hildreth is Director Cargo Sales for the Asia Pacific region, based in Hong Kong, and Brita Forrest-Hampson, based in Germany, is Director Cargo Sales & Service for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Steve Dix, an 11-year veteran of Global Aviation, has been named Senior Director Cargo Sales The Americas and Global Charter Sales. The team is led by Hendrik Falk, Vice President Cargo Sales, who joined the organization in 2009 after holding various global management positions at Lufthansa Cargo and Polar Air Cargo.

    “By expanding the team with these experienced professionals in the field, we will be closer to our present and future customers in key markets around the world, while fueling our opportunities for growth in the global air transport industry,” said Brian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer.

    Mr. Hildreth has more than 25 years of experience in the air transportation industry. Before joining Global Aviation, he was Director Sales & Marketing for Jade Cargo International, (a Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary), based in Shenzhen, China. He also served at Lufthansa Cargo’s headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany as Manager Global Key Accounts, and held sales, marketing and operation management positions for Lufthansa Cargo in various U.S. locations.
    Ms. Forrest-Hampson has worked in the air cargo industry for more than 13 years, serving most recently as Director of Marketing and Sales for Europe at EasternAirCargo (EAC), a subsidiary of the Leipzig/Halle Airport. Prior to joining EAC, she worked as a regional commercial manager with Cargolux Airlines.

    Global Aviation Holdings Inc., based in Peachtree City, Ga., is the parent company of North American Airlines and World Airways. North American Airlines, founded in 1989 and based in Jamaica, N.Y., operates B757-200ER and B767-300ER aircraft. World Airways, founded in 1948 and based in Peachtree City, Ga., specializes in providing ACMI solutions using B747-400 and MD-11 aircraft.

  • |

    National Airlines Authorized to Operate Passenger Charters Internationally

    YPSILANTI, Mich., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — National Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Air Cargo Holdings, is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Transportation has granted new international passenger charter authority allowing National to expand its global reach.

    “This authority represents a very significant milestone in National’s two-track strategy to augment and modernize our already substantial international cargo carrying capacity with market-leading international passenger charter operations,” Steven Harrison, president, National Airlines said. “Ours is an ambitious plan, and I’m extremely proud of our team’s world-class performance in safely bringing it closer to fruition.”

    The United States Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary, Washington, D.C. issued a foreign charter certificate of public convenience and necessity to National Air Cargo Group, Inc. d/b/a National Airlines. This order authorizes National to engage in foreign charter air transportation of persons, property and mail in addition to the domestic and international all-cargo transportation offered for twenty-five years.

    The order was issued by Susan L. Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, and approved by the White House.

    National Airlines is currently undergoing FAA certification for Boeing 757-200 passenger operations. When complete, National intends to offer worldwide passenger charter services with its B757-200 aircraft. The newly outfitted modern cabin has 152 extended comfort coach seats and 12 business class seats. This effort represents the next step of National’s ambitious business plan whereby it is augmenting its DC-8 fleet with 747-400 freighter operations, 757-200 passenger operations and 757 -200 Combi (10 pallet positions and 46 passengers) worldwide. National’s a-la-carte catering choices provide flexible business or leisure cuisine to our guests intent on personal and responsive long range, intercontinental charter service.

    The world just became a smaller place. National is ready and able to complete any mission, anytime, anywhere.

    About National Air Cargo:
    Since 1991, National Air Cargo has provided high quality and efficient freight forwarding services for many military and industrial customers. The company offers airlift operations with appropriate aircraft with payload options ranging from four tons to 250 tons to countries throughout the world. For more information please visit www.nationalaircargo.com.

    About National Airlines:
    Founded in 1985, National Airlines currently operates three long range intercontinental 45 ton capacity jet freighters. National Airlines is based in Ypsilanti, MI and operates scheduled and on demand cargo charter services.

  • |

    FAA Reauthorization Critical to Civil Challenges

    ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Next Generation Air Transportation System is at the nexus of accomplishing two significant goals facing the U.S. civil aviation industry today—expanding our national airspace system and addressing growing environmental and energy concerns, said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey in testimony today.
    “Our industry has employed the people, developed the technology and manufactured the products that have helped make the U.S. air transportation system the world’s gold standard for more than half a century,” Blakey said at a hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. “But to remain so, we need to bring our system into the 21st Century.”

    One of the challenges to realizing the benefits of NextGen is establishing a sound business case for equipping aircraft with upgraded avionics systems. AIA recommends equipage-funding legislation that encourages private-sector investment capital and government-guaranteed loan arrangements, including outcome-based performance metrics to reduce investment risk. This will allow for innovative ways to incentivize retrofitting of commercial and general aviation aircraft with NextGen compatible equipment.

    “Equipping aircraft is, as I’ve said before, the long pole in the tent,” said Blakey. “It’s an expensive undertaking, but it’s as much a part of the infrastructure as GPS satellites. Quite frankly, without equipage there is no NextGen.”

    Blakey also recommended that the existing environmental review process—the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA process—be streamlined. The certification of thousands of new terminal area procedures are required for full NextGen implementation and including procedure development and certification in the Vision 100 Aviation Streamlining process will simplify that process.

    Other areas addressed by Blakey in her testimony included establishing integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system, commercialization of sustainable fuels and foreign repair station oversight. T

  • |

    2.5 Billion Gallons of Jet Fuel Saved and Counting…

    SEATTLE, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Aviation Partners, Inc. and Aviation Partners Boeing announced today that as of February 9, 2011 at 4:47AM P.S.T. their unique Blended Winglet* Technology has saved the world’s airlines and private jet operators 2.5 Billion gallons of jet fuel, or about 5 Billion U.S. dollars. This represents a global reduction in CO2 emissions of almost 26 Million tons. Aviation Partners Winglet Technology is now flying on more than 4,000 airplanes and 21 different models.

    Joe Clark, Chairman and CEO of Aviation Partners, and John Reimers, CEO of Aviation Partners Boeing, both agreed the fuel savings are significant and this number will climb exponentially to more than 7 Billion gallons within the next five years.

    Clark said, “We are very proud of this achievement and excited that we are ahead of the curve in energy conservation.” This technology is being delivered to the world’s airlines and private jet operators at a rate of over 500 aircraft per year.

    What’s unique about Aviation Partners Blended Winglet Technology is not only available for existing airplanes but new production as well. Aviation Partners Boeing has retrofitted roughly two thousand in-service airplanes to make them more efficient in today’s environment.

    We are doing our part in a changing world.

    Seattle, Washington based Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) is the world leader in advanced Blended Winglet Technology. Aviation Partners Boeing is a joint venture between Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company. For more information go to www.aviationpartners.com or www.aviationpartnersboeing.com.

  • |

    Dassault Falcon Announces 2011 Regional M&O Seminar Series

    SAINT-CLOUD, France, February 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Dassault Falcon’s Regional Maintenance & Operations Seminar (M&O) series will continue again in 2011, with a total of 13 seminars to be held in eight countries around the globe. The M&O Seminar series gives Falcon operators an opportunity to communicate face-to-face with Dassault’s specialists and engineering teams on a variety of topics.
    “The goal of our M&O Seminar series is to provide a forum for the exchange of information,” said Jacques Chauvet, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Customer Service. “Operators not only get to hear from Dassault specialists, but we are equally as receptive to their feedback. Each year we work closely with our Operator Advisory Board (OAB) to find ways to make the M&O meetings more productive and valuable. That effort has been well received by our Falcon family as reflected in 2010’s attendance figures which were up 20% over 2009.”
    Falcon Regional M&O Seminars focus both on operational and technical issues and are designed to help aircraft operators improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of their operations. Topics range from the latest customer service and engineering support initiatives to enhancements in troubleshooting and product reliability. The one-day sessions include interaction with model and support specialists as well as Authorized Service Centers, vendors and partners. Certificates of attendance can also be issued to participants to serve as credit for recurrent maintenance training.
    “Since we launched the regional seminar format three years ago, it has become very popular among our operators not only because of the content, but because our team travels to meet with our customers, limiting their time spent away from their office. That allows more customers to attend and leads to a more successful experience,” said Frank Youngkin, Senior Vice President of Customer Service. “And, as the series continues to evolve and grow, we will work closely with our Operator Advisory Board (OAB) to find ways to make the M&O meetings even more productive and valuable into the future.”
    2011 Regional M&O Series Locations and Dates:

    Rome, Italy – March 16
    Phoenix, AZ – March 22
    Seattle, WA – March 24
    Dallas, TX – April 5
    Geneva, Switzerland – April 6
    Toluca, Mexico – April 7
    Beijing, China – April 18
    Atlanta, GA – April 19
    Mahwah, NJ – April 21
    Chicago, IL – May 3
    Mumbai, India – May 4
    Toronto, Canada – May 5
    Sao Paulo, Brazil – August 11

  • |

    OAG Reports Air Travel Growth, Over 285 Million Seats Offered Worldwide

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — OAG (www.oag.com), the global leader in aviation intelligence reports that worldwide scheduled airline capacity increased 5% in February, year-on-year, to a total of 285.7 million seats. The number of flights increased 4%, to 2.3 million departures worldwide during the month.

    In its monthly Frequency and Capacity Trend Statistics (FACTS) report, OAG finds all regional markets recorded year-on-year growth in February, with the exception of capacity to and from Central and South America. This region lost 3% of its seat capacity, when compared to the same month last year, feeling the impact again this month of the loss of Mexicana services.

    Although capacity fell in Central and South America, overall; within Lower South America, scheduled capacity increased 12% year-on-year. The Brazilian market is showing the strongest growth in the region, with a 14% increase in domestic capacity in February compared to the same time last year.
    “The current expansion in some South American markets may be at the height of a growth period. The impending rationalization of carriers in the region, and the development of larger alliances such as that proposed by the LAN Group and TAM, could lead to capacity consolidation as network rationalization occurs,” said Peter von Moltke, Chief Executive Officer, UBM Aviation.

    Year-on-year, the two fastest growing markets in the world are those to and from the Middle East, and to and from Asia Pacific, in terms of frequency of service. The total number of flights offered to and from the Middle East grew 13% to a total of 49,014; flights to and from Asia Pacific increased 13% to a total of 55,965.

    Scheduled frequency and capacity to and from Europe was the second fastest growing region among the largest markets with scheduled capacity increasing by 11%, to a total of 21.3 million seats; frequencies increased 10%, to a total of 93,558. Growth within Europe, however, increased a modest 2% in both seat capacity and the total number of flights to a total of 59.5 million seats and 493,150 flights.

    “Medium to long haul carriers continue to build their presence in European markets, with the objective of securing greater shares of the longer haul markets, which traditionally deliver higher yields,” continued von Moltke. “Carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways will continue to increase flights and open new markets as their development progresses, and increased frequencies to a number of European destinations are expected by these airlines throughout the year.”

    The number of scheduled services both within and to and from North America remained constant year-on-year, although a slight increase in average capacity per flight resulted in more seats being offered. Total capacity to and from this region increased 3%, to a total of 15.5 million.

    This data comes from the February 2011 edition of OAG FACTS (Frequency And Capacity Trend Statistics), a monthly report with interactive graphs to display performance trends of specific airports, routes, countries or regions, sourced from OAG’s consolidated database of global airline schedules. A more detailed review of this month’s OAG FACTS statistics – including information about specific regions, routes and airports – is available to download at: (http://www.oagaviation.com/OAG-FACTS-February-2011-EXECUTIVE-SUMMARY

  • |

    Pet Airways Announces Expansion of Flight Operations to Orlando

    DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Pet Airways Inc. (OTCQB: PAWS), the world’s only airline designed specifically for safe and comfortable pet travel, announced today that it is expanding to Orlando, Florida. Orlando becomes the tenth city serviced by Pet Airways.

    Dan Wiesel, Chairman and CEO of Pet Airways said, “based on unprecedented customer demand, we have decided to accelerate our expansion plans and will be opening operations in Orlando. Orlando is one of the fastest growing population areas in the U.S. and it is only natural that we provide service to such a large and growing population. In addition to size of the population, approximately 50 million visitors come to Orlando each year.”

    The Orlando facility will be the first of a new style of pet lounge and will offer enhanced services, such as grooming and ground transportation. Pet Airways will be adding the Orlando flight service for the summer vacation period and will announce specific details regarding the Orlando location shortly.

  • |

    Five Years – No Contract: US Airways Flight Attendants are Fed Up

    PHOENIX, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — After five years of protracted contract negotiations and the announcement of US Airways’ second biggest profit in the airline’s history, the members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) have had enough of management delay tactics and attempts to negotiate a concessionary merged contract.

    Yesterday, the AFA Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) broke off talks with US Airways management. Tempe-based America West Airlines merged with US Airways in September 2005 and the Flight Attendants have been in merged contract negotiations since January 2006. US Airways management’s latest proposals contained no meaningful wage increases, concessions in healthcare and sick benefits and gutted scope and merger protections for Flight Attendants.

    AFA MEC Presidents Mike Flores (East) and Lisa LeCarre (West) say US Airways CEO Doug Parker has no interest in completing the merger and resolving labor unrest. The two groups of Flight Attendants are unified in frustration and anger at the airline’s management. AFA wants to reach a merged agreement but management has failed to put into a contract the financial resources necessary to do so.

    “For five years, US Airways CEO Doug Parker has financed his merged airline off the backs of the Flight Attendants, saving millions by paying Flight Attendant salaries that differ by up to 45 percent,” said AFA US Airways-West President, Lisa LeCarre. “When you merge two companies, the goal is to combine all employee groups and pay them the same wage for the same work. That has not happened. US Airways recently announced historic profits, yet management refuses to negotiate contract improvements and wage increases after years of promised benefits from this merger.”

    AFA US Airways-East President Mike Flores said, “US Airways East Flight Attendants have been working under concessionary wages and benefits since 2005 and have provided the means for this airline to not only survive, but prosper. It is high time for all Flight Attendants to share in the company’s success through meaningful wage and benefit improvements.”

    In the first of a series of events, AFA is holding a system-wide Day of Action on February 17, in all Flight Attendant bases, to show management and the public that Flight Attendants are united in their effort to reach a fair merged contract.

    For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. Nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants at 21 airlines come together to form AFA, the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

  • |

    HAL and GE Aviation Sign Contract for Hawk Aircraft Components

    Bengaluru, INDIA– GE Aviation and India’s premium public sector Aerospace Company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have signed 30-year contract that covers license to carry out repairs and overhaul of various avionics, instruments and hydraulic products for the Hawk Mk132 aircraft, an Advanced Jet Trainer operated by the Indian Air Force.

    This license will provide in-house repair and overhaul capabilities to HAL for GE Aviation products and reduce turn-around-time for the repairs. HAL will build its maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities at its Bangalore and Korwa facilities in India. The current schedule calls for the Bangalore facility to be certified for repair and overhaul of hydraulics and instruments and the Korwa facility to be certified for avionics.

    As part of the license agreement, GE will develop, supply and commission the test equipment and supply technical data. The agreement also includes training, technical support, post design services for one year, and spares services.

    “HAL has more than 70 years of providing high quality manufacturing, research and development, and repair and overhaul services in India,” said Nalin Jain, country director for GE Aviation. “Adding overhaul for avionics, instruments and hydraulic products is the perfect expansion of HAL’s capabilities.”

    Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is a Navaratna Status Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defense. HAL has 19 Production Units and nine Research and Design Centers in seven locations in India. The Company has an impressive product track record – 15 types of aircraft manufactured with in-house R & D and 14 types produced under license. HAL’s current products with in-house R & D include Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft, Dhruv, the Advance Light Helicopter and the Light Combat Helicopter. HAL has manufactured more than 3,640 aircraft, 4,000 engines and overhauled more than 9,400 aircraft and 29,800 engines. http://www.hal-india.com

  • |

    Aircraft Industries Purchases GE’s M601 and H80 Engines for L410 Aircraft

    –EVENDALE, OHIO– Aircraft Industries, a Czech-based aircraft manufacturer, signed a five-year sales agreement with GE Aviation for the purchase of M601 and H80 engines. The engine agreement is for the L410-UVP-E20 aircraft, a twin-engine commuter aircraft, with annual production of 10+ units.

    “GE is proud to enter into this strategic partnership with Aircraft Industries, our first H80 engine agreement for the commuter segment,” said Paul Theofan, president and managing executive of GE Aviation’s Business and General Aviation Turboprops. “Currently, the majority of L410 aircraft are flying in Russia, South America, and Africa, and we’re looking forward to growing the fleet in other regions with the GE H80-powered L410.”

    The H80 engine features significantly advanced hot-day takeoff performance and high-altitude cruise speeds, which will enable the L410 to operate in additional locations.

    Aircraft Industries plans to complete GE H80-powered L410 aircraft certification by mid-2012. Once introduced, the company will also offer an H80 engine replacement on already produced aicraft powered by M601 engines. The L410 aircraft first entered service in 1969, More than 1,100 units have been produced, and there are more than 450 aircraft in service today.

    Aircraft Industries, located in Kunovice, Czech Republic, and formerly known as LET Kunovice, specializes in the production of L410 aircraft. The company’s history dates back to the 1930’s, when it was founded as an aircraft repair shop, and all types of aircraft were repaired there after World War II. LET built a new plant in Kunovice in the 1950’s and designed its first general aviation category aircraft in 1957. Since then, Aircraft Industries has had a successful history in the manufacturing of crop spraying, jet training and glider aircraft, and of course, commuter aircraft, in which they now specialize.

    GE Aviation’s Business & General Aviation Turboprops has more than 1,600 M601 engines in service that have accumulated more than 17 million flight hours on 30 applications. The H80 engine continues flight testing on the Thrush 510G aircraft. It is undergoing certification testing and will power business and general aviation, utility and agriculture aircraft. The H80 engine combines the elegant, robust design of the M601 engine with GE’s 3-D aerodynamic design techniques and advanced materials to create a more powerful, fuel-efficient, durable engine compared with the M601 engine, with no recurrent fuel nozzle inspections and no hot section inspection. The H80 engine will also feature an extended service life of 3,600 flight-hours or 6,600 cycles between overhauls. The H80 will provide the option of a single- or dual-acting governor, allowing customers flexibility in propeller selection.

  • |

    Boeing Providing Facebook Fan With the ‘Opportunity of a Lifetime’

    CHICAGO, Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — “I’m amazed that Boeing is doing this for me just because of some pictures I posted to the Boeing Store’s Facebook page.”

    This weekend, Dr. Jeremy Hampton, an aviation enthusiast and amateur photographer who is also an emergency medicine specialist at Kansas City’s Truman Medical Center and assistant professor at the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Pharmacy, will be Boeing’s (NYSE: BA) guest at the debut of the newest 747 passenger plane, the 747-8 Intercontinental.

    Dr. Hampton came to Boeing’s attention when he posted his photos on The Boeing Store’s Facebook page (http://facebook.com/boeingstore), where he was twice recognized for submitting the “Photo of the Week.”

    “We are trying to find a few unique opportunities during each year for some of the more than 73,000 fans we have on our Facebook page to engage with Boeing,” said Director of Brand Management & Advertising Jim Newcomb. “Dr. Hampton’s enthusiasm for aviation is obvious in every photo and comment he has posted. It didn’t take us long to realize we had an opportunity with the roll out that was too good to pass up.”

    Dr. Hampton’s trip will include stops at several Seattle-area locations at which he can photograph Boeing airplanes, a visit to the Future of Flight Museum in Everett, which is near the facility where Boeing builds the new 747-8, as well as the 787 Dreamliner and the 747, 767 and 777 airplanes, and access to the Feb. 13 roll-out event.

    “There aren’t too many things that really can be called the opportunity of a lifetime but this is one of them,” Hampton said. “My heart has always been with aviation. I attend as many air shows as I can and I always bring my camera. It’s amazing. I have been thinking about it and talking about it since I got the call last week.”

    Dr. Hampton’s “Photo of the Week” images can be seen at http://facebook.com/boeingstore and at http://finalapproachphotography.zenfolio.com/

    The 747-8 Intercontinental is the newest member of the world’s favorite airplane family. It offers the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large passenger airplane, while providing enhanced environmental performance. More information can be found at www.boeing.com/newairplane/747/. The 747-8 Intercontinental roll-out event will be unveiled in a live webcast on the site at 11 a.m. PST, Feb. 13.
    The Boeing Store is Boeing’s retail subsidiary. It provides top-quality Boeing and aerospace-related gifts, toys and apparel to fans and employees around the world. In addition to Facebook it can be found at www.boeingstore.com.

  • |

    Boeing Statement on El Al’s Selection of Next-Generation 737-900ER

    SEATTLE, Feb. 8, 2011 – Boeing [NYSE: BA} is delighted that El Al Airlines has selected the 737-900ER for its fleet requirements. The 737-900ER’s size and range make it ideally suited for El Al’s network requirements. We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with El Al and to finalizing the details of this transaction.

  • |

    United Ranks Highest For On-Time Performance Among Network Peers For 2010

    CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2011 – United Airlines today announced the company was — for the second consecutive year — first in on-time performance for domestic scheduled flights among America’s five largest global carriers* for 2010. United ended the year with 85.2 percent of flights arriving at their destinations within 14 minutes of the scheduled arrival time, according to data published by the U.S. Department of Transportation in the Air Travel Consumer report released today.

    United’s top performance in 2010 follows the airline’s leading position among this group for 2009.

    “We outperformed our network peers through a continued focus on delivering reliable service to every customer, every day, everywhere we fly,” said Pete McDonald, executive vice president and chief operations officer.

    For the month of December, United finished first for on-time performance and had the fewest number of cancelled flights among America’s five largest global carriers, according to data from the monthly report. United also ranked second among all 18 carriers whose arrival data is published in the report.

    In 2010, for each month that United ranked first or second in on-time performance among the nation’s five largest global carriers, frontline co-workers received a performance incentive bonus. For the year, each eligible frontline co-worker earned a total of $1,240 in performance incentive bonuses.

    About United Airlines
    United Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL), operates more than 3,300 flights a day on United and United Express to more than 230 domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. With key global air rights in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Latin America, United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which overall offers 21,000 daily flights to 1,160 airports in 181 countries.

    United Continental Holdings, Inc. became the holding company for both United and Continental upon close of the merger transaction. The two airlines will operate separately as they begin to integrate key customer services, marketing activities and airport processes. For more company information, go to united.com and follow on Twitter and Facebook.

  • |

    GPO LAUNCHES FACEBOOK PAGE

    11news09GPO LAUNCHES FACEBOOK PAGE
    WASHINGTON—The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has launched a Facebook page in an effort to continue to use social media as way of increasing transparency and engage with the public on the workings of this critically important agency of our Government. GPO’s Facebook page will feature announcements, press releases, agency job listings, photos, videos and a link to the award- winning Government Book Talk blog. GPO joins the White House, National Archives & Records Administration, Library of Congress and other Federal agencies on Facebook. GPO also utilizes other social media tools, such as Twitter and YouTube, to interact with Federal agencies, the library community and the public.
    Link to GPO’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/US?Government?Printing? Office/162592897126454?v=wall
    GPO maintains a Facebook account to share information with the public about agency activities. Please review all polices under the information section on the page. All official information can be found and verified through the agency’s official Web site: www.gpo.gov.
    With 2,300 employees, GPO is the Federal Government’s primary resource for producing, procuring, cataloging, indexing, authenticating, disseminating, and preserving the official information products of the U.S. Government in digital and tangible forms. GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government, including U.S. passports for the Department of State as well as the official publications of Congress, the White House, and other Federal agencies. In addition to publication sales, GPO provides for permanent public access to Federal Government information at no charge through GPO’s Federal Digital System (www.fdsys.gov) and through partnerships with approximately 1,220 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program.

  • |

    Goodrich Receives Contract

    Goodrich Receives US Air Force Contract for C-130 Boltless Wheels and Carbon Brakes

    New equipment offers significant performance, cost, and maintenance advantages

    CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) has received a follow-on contract from Defense Logistics Agency Aviation to supply over 1,600 carbon brakes and over 1,400 boltless wheels for the U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft fleet. Deliveries will begin in October, 2011.

    “With our successful development and qualification efforts behind us, we are pleased to have received this retrofit production order to begin delivery of our advanced wheels and carbon brakes to the U.S. Air Force. Upon installation, C-130 pilots and mechanics will see immediate performance improvements and maintenance savings over the current equipment, increasing reliability and reducing life-cycle costs for the U.S. Air Force,” said Jim Wharton, vice president of sales and program management of Goodrich’s Aircraft Wheels & Brakes business.

    Goodrich’s C-130 wheel and brake retrofit features DURACARB® carbon brakes which provide lighter weight, longer life, higher performance and lower cost of ownership compared to steel braking systems. The boltless aircraft wheels employ a lock-ring design, substantially lowering maintenance time and costs, in addition to reducing parts count, when compared to traditional bolted aircraft wheels. Goodrich aircraft wheels and brakes are in service on more than 20,000 military, commercial, regional and business aircraft produced by manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

    Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.

  • |

    NTSB INVESTIGATING OPERATIONAL ERROR NEAR NEW YORK

    The National Transportation Safety Board has been investigating an operational error that occurred near New York City in January.

    The Safety Board was notified of a Traffic Collision and Alerting System (TCAS) resolution advisory that occurred due to a near midair collision involving American Airlines flight 951 on January 20, 2011, at about 10:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The American Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 (N7CA), had taken off from John F. Kennedy International Airport en route to Sao Paulo, Brazil and was flying southeast. A flight of two U.S. Air Force C-17s was heading northwest toward McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. There were no injuries in the incident.

    The NTSB has interviewed air traffic controllers on duty at the time of the incident, and is gathering information from American Airlines and the Air Force.

    The air traffic controllers talking to each of the aircraft received conflict alerts, and immediately provided traffic advisories and turned their aircraft to resolve the conflict. In addition, the American Airlines crew responded to directions provided by TCAS. Radar data indicate that the aircraft came within a mile of each other at their closest point. The incident occurred about 80 miles southeast of New York City.

    Betty Koschig has been designated the NTSB’s Investigator-in-Charge for this incident. Further information will be released as it becomes available.

  • |

    Delta Adding New ‘Economy Comfort’ Section on Long-Haul International Flights

    Investment builds on plans to install full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite, enhanced in-flight entertainment on all international widebody aircraft

    ATLANTA, Feb. 7, 2011 / — Delta Air Lines today announced a major investment in its international fleet with plans to introduce a premium economy section – “Economy Comfort” – on all long-haul international flights in summer 2011. The new seats will feature up to four additional inches of legroom and 50 percent more recline than Delta’s standard international Economy class seats.

    The product, which is similar to upgraded Economy services currently available on flights operated by Delta’s joint venture partner Air France-KLM, will be installed in the first few rows of the Economy cabin on more than 160 Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft by this summer.

    Customers who have purchased an international Economy ticket on Delta will be able to choose Economy Comfort seats for an additional fee of $80-$160 one-way through delta.com, kiosks and Delta reservations beginning in May for travel this summer. Complimentary access to Economy Comfort seats will be available to all SkyMiles Diamond and Platinum Medallions; up to eight companions traveling in the same reservation with Diamond and Platinum Medallions; and customers purchasing full-fare Economy class tickets. Gold and Silver Medallions will enjoy 50 and 25 percent discounts on the Economy Comfort seat fees, respectively.

    “Just as Delta is investing in BusinessElite, which is among the industry’s most competitive premium products, it makes sense to offer enhancements to our Economy Class service that provide additional comfort,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s executive vice president – Network Planning, Revenue Management and Marketing. “Economy Comfort is one of many elements Delta is committed to delivering to our customers as part of a more than $2 billion investment we are making in the air and on the ground to improve the customer experience and position Delta as a leader in customer service.”

    In addition to more leg room and recline, customers seated in Economy Comfort will board early and enjoy complimentary spirits throughout the flight. These benefits are in addition to Delta’s standard international Economy class amenities, including complimentary meals, beer, wine, entertainment, blankets and pillows. In-seat power will also be available on aircraft equipped with personal entertainment systems which come with free HBO programming and other for-fee content(1). The seats will be designated with a specially designed seat cover.

    Full flat-bed seats on all international widebodies by 2013

    In addition to investing in the international Economy cabin, Delta today announced it now plans to install 34 horizontal flat-bed BusinessElite seats with direct aisle access in each of its 32 Airbus A330 aircraft by 2013. With this announcement, Delta now plans to offer full flat-bed seating in BusinessElite on all international widebody flights, or more than 150 aircraft, by 2013.

    Business Elite
    The new A330 seat, manufactured by Weber Aircraft LLC, will be 81.7 inches in length and 20.5 inches wide, similar to the flat-bed product currently offered on Delta’s 777 fleet. It also will feature a 120-volt universal power outlet, USB port, personal LED reading lamp and a 15.4 inch personal video monitor with instant access to 250 new and classic movies, premium programming from HBO and Showtime, other television programming, video games and more than 4,000 digital music tracks.

    Today’s announcements are the latest in Delta’s previously announced plan to invest more than $2 billion in enhanced global products, services and airport facilities through 2013. In addition to adding the Economy Comfort product and offering full-flat bed seats on its entire international widebody fleet, Delta is upgrading its domestic fleet with more First Class seats and in-seat entertainment; adding personal, in-seat entertainment for both BusinessElite and Economy class customers on all long-haul international flights; adding in-flight Wi-Fi service to all domestic aircraft with a First and Economy class cabin; and building new terminal facilities for international customers at its two largest global gateways – Atlanta and New York-JFK.

    Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 357 destinations in 66 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 75,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline’s service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, the world’s largest airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.

    (1) HBO programming to begin in July 2011 on select aircraft with personal video-screens; In-seat power and personal entertainment being installed through 2013

    Economy Comfort seating will be offered on Delta’s Boeing 747, 757, 767 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft flying long-haul intercontinental routes between the U.S. and Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and South America (Lima, Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago only). Economy Comfort seating is limited and may not be available on all flights. The Economy Comfort Medallion travel companion benefit is applicable for up to eight companions traveling on the same reservation as the Medallion member. Group reservations are not applicable. For companions of Gold Medallion members, fees apply per seat. All SkyMiles program rules apply to SkyMiles program membership, miles, offers, mile accrual, mile redemption and travel benefits, respectively. To review the rules, please visit Membership Guide & Program Rules.