CommercialLockheed launches civilian version of C-130JLockheed Martin has launched an updated civilian version of its C-130J Super Hercules transport, and expects to receive its first order from a customer later this year. On 4 February, the Bethesda, Maryland-based company announced that it had kicked off the certification process on 21 January 2014, when it filed a notification letter with the US Federal Aviation Administration. Lockheed says the LM-100J Super Hercules should achieve its first flight in 2017. The company expects to receive FAA certification by 2018, following a one-year flight test program, and plans to deliver the first example that same year.
LinkEU Parliament Votes To Bolster Passenger RightsThe European Parliament has called for stricter rules to make it easier for stranded air passengers to claim compensation from airlines. The vote on Wednesday takes Europe closer to tightening rules on compensation, by limiting the exemptions airlines can use to avoid payouts for a flight delay or cancellation. Under the proposed rules, a delay could trigger compensation of up to EUR€600 (USD$810), depending on the length of time involved and flight distance.
LinkSpending Plan Will See New La Guardia, Newark TerminalsThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will spend nearly USD$30 billion on upgrading transportation infrastructure in the New York metropolitan area over the next decade, the bistate agency said in a ten-year capital plan just released. The agency, which runs the major airports, bridges and other shared infrastructure in the region said its USD$27.6 billion capital plan will include USD$5.6 billion for new terminals at La Guardia and Newark airports.
LinkUnions Lobby To Halt Norwegian Long-haul LicenseAirline unions and pilot groups asked European and US authorities on Wednesday to deny Norwegian Air Shuttle's request for a new long-haul license, accusing the budget carrier of trying to avoid taxes and skirt employment laws. Norwegian this year became the only European budget airline to launch long-haul operations, flying to North America and Asia from the Nordics with Boeing 787 Dreamliners. It now plans to register the operation in Ireland and keep using Thai crew along with some American staff. Labour groups including the transportation sector of AFL-CIO and the Air Line Pilots Association International argued that the plans are intended to take advantage of regulatory loopholes and leave safety oversight in doubt.
LinkAeroflot Delay For Sochi-Bound OlympiansAbout 170 passengers bound for the Winter Olympics, including athletes from Spain and Japan, found themselves stranded in Germany when an Aeroflot flight to Sochi failed to get off the ground before Frankfurt airport closed for the night on Tuesday. Passengers boarded the plane, listened to the security briefing and sat back for takeoff as the cabin lights were dimmed. But after taxiing along the runway for about half an hour and returning to the gate, they were told they had to disembark because the airport had closed. Spanish ice dancers Sara Hurtado and Adrian Diaz, whose journey had started in Montreal, were philosophical about the delay because they do not compete until February 16, but they were keen to begin training in Sochi as soon as possible and put the marathon journey behind them.
LinkHawaiian exec explains how carrier schedules crew, pilotsBrad O'Handley, senior director of crew planning and scheduling for Hawaiian Airlines, explains the process for scheduling pilots and flight attendants. "Every month, crews bid for their preferred flight schedule for the following month," he said. "These bids are granted based on the crewmember’s qualifications and seniority within that qualification set."
LinkAlaska CEO: Performance is key for remaining independentAlaska Airlines, based in Seattle, Wash., prefers to remain independent instead of merging with another carrier. Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines, said solid performance will help the airline fly solo. "The best defense is performance," said Tilden. Alaska remains consistently profitable, delivering an operating margin of approximately 11.7% since 2009. The industry average is around 7%.
LinkDelta reports 4.2% increase in traffic for JanuaryDelta Air Lines reported a 4.2% increase in passenger traffic for January on a year-over-year basis. Passenger revenue per available seat mile also rose by 5% for the month, and the carrier boosted capacity by 1.8%.
LinkAirbus A350 XWB performs cold-weather testing in ArcticLast week, a team of Airbus specialists headed to the Canadian Arctic to test the A350 XWB in extremely cold weather. "These tests help us establish that our customers will get airplanes that work for them in all of the climates in which they operate around the globe (and in all seasons)," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
LinkTSA opens PreCheck enrollment center in Anchorage, AlaskaThe Transportation Security Administration is expanding its PreCheck program at the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska. The TSA opened an enrollment center in Anchorage this week to process applications for the program. "It is much faster for those who are seasoned travelers," said John Parrott, manager of the airport.
LinkFAA drone test sites to meet different research goalsMichael Huerta, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, said the selection of six test sites for unmanned aircraft systems will help address various research goals. "[O]ur research goals of system safety and data gathering, aircraft certification, command and control link issues, control station layout and certification, ground and airborne sense-and-avoid and environmental impacts will be met" across the six sites, Huerta said.
LinkCharlotte Douglas served record number of passengers in 2013Charlotte Douglas International Airport served 43.5 million passengers in 2013, setting a new record for the airport in Charlotte, N.C. "Our location, low costs to airlines, commitment to first-class customer service and strong tenant partnerships are key factors in our success," said Brent Cagle, interim aviation director. The airport was ranked as the eighth-busiest in the U.S. for 2013.
LinkColumn: Finding airfare bargains without loyalty programsGeorge Hobica, the founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, said travelers can find bargains without attaining frequent-flier status. "In short, airlines are managing their first- and business-class cabins more intelligently," he writes. "Gone are the days when they're willing to give away the very product that costs them the most to provide."
LinkPassenger traffic rose at Detroit airport in 2013 Managers of Detroit Metropolitan Airport say a jump in December travel helped push up passenger traffic by 0.5% for 2013. The Wayne County Airport Authority that runs that airport said Monday that 32.4 million people traveled at the airport last year. It says 2.6 million people flew in December, a 7.4% increase from the same month a year earlier. The authority says many Thanksgiving 2013 travelers made their return trips in December. The airport authority says the increase in the number of travelers for the year comes despite a 0.5% decline in the number of takeoffs and landings.
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