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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0085.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT lata "keeps fares down" GENEVA The International Air Trans port Association reports that its member airlines are suc ceeding in their crusade to hold down ticket prices while offering a broad range of market-responsive products through drastic pruning in operating costs. Their aim, says lata director general Knut Hammarskjold, is that "air transport should continue to be a best buy for consumers in 1983". Speaking recently in Geneva, Hammarskjold ex pressed his concern about the risk of protectionism in the industry's business sector. "Protectionism is a double- edged sword ultimately work ing to the disadvantage of the instigators as well as the vic tims," he said. Hammarskjold said that he had no illusions as to the magnitude of the task facing member airlines in fighting back to profitability. He recalls the airlines' resolu tion at the last lata AGM in November: this called on Gov ernments to reduce barriers to trade in international aviation services in such areas as air port and en route charges, taxation, personnel restric tions, noise constraints, for eign exchange and remittance restrictions, and other prac tices reflecting national bias. In today's low-growth envi ronment the airlines will con tinue their belt-tightening, says Hammarskjold. "The crucial elements in their con tinuing efforts to return to profitability are revenue im provement and vigorous cost control." He says the prior ities established by the air lines this year to help cut costs and boost revenue, in addition to fighting protec tionist tendencies, include the establishment of economic and market-responsive tariffs, a reduction of illegal dis counting, and improvement of airspace utilisation. World scheduled traffic increases MONTREAL Total scheduled traffic of the world's airlines in 1982 increased 3 per cent over 1981's total, according to preliminary estimates released by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao). The low increase shows no change in results recorded for the previous two years and is much lower than the growth rate experienced before 1980, reflecting the fuel price escalation in 1979 and the continuing worldwide econ omic difficulties. Total international and domestic traffic flown by airlines of Icao's 150 member States on scheduled services is estimated to be about 130,000 million tonne km. Icao reports the airlines carried 765 million passengers, 2 per cent more than in 1981. Passenger load factor remained the same as the previous year at 64 per cent. Freight traffic increased by 2 per cent during 1982, says Icao, to around 31,000 million tonne km. Air mail carried also increased by 2 per cent. Transamerica delivers oil rig by Here LAE Transamerica Airlines has just completed a cargo con tract involving the transport, of a 5,000,0001b oil rig from the coast of Papua New Guinea deep into the coun try's mountainous interior. Amoco Oil approached Transamerica with the job, which required the rig to be transported from Lae on Papua New Guinea's north coast to a location 200 miles inland, situated in mountain ous jungle. Previously Trans america had carried complete oil-drilling units into the deserts of Sudan, the jungles of Guatemala, and other sites in the Middle East and Africa. The airline used a Lock heed L. 100-30 stretched Her cules for the job, because of its ability to fly into rough strips with a 50,0001b-plus payload. Transamerica operates 12 Hercules on cargo schedules and charter services. The landing strip was situ ated at Tari, 5,250ft above sea level and surrounded by 11,000ft mountains. Ap proaches and climb-outs had to be flown between moun tains. The weather at Tari was unpredictable: according to Mike Glesener of Trans- america's sales department, "very often a cloud cover hung over the landing strip, making it invisible". Glesener adds: "We found that it might be sunny and beautiful at Lae, but. cloudy at Tari, or vice versa." The L.100-30 used for the job flew in to Lae from Oak land carrying a 32,0001b load comprising a complete engine, propeller, 16 tyres, radar and avionics gear, winches and other equipment. At the beginning of the air lift two flights a day were scheduled. But the Hercules proved so reliable that the schedule was soon upped to three flights a day, seven days a week. The job was com pleted in two months. Al together 157 return trips were flown. According to Glesener, the L.100 "never missed a single flight and was never a moment late due to any mechanical malfunction". No damage was caused to the dril ling equipment. Glesener also said: "Our four loadmasters were aided by Papua New Guineans who, until a few years ago, had never seen an automobile, let alone a modern aeroplane. Under our supervision they worked well." 757 starts earning Eastern Airlines inaugurated the world's first Boeing 757 schedules on January 1 with Atlanta-Tampa and Atlanta- Miami nonstop services, starting with 148 passengers on board. Eastern's 757 operates these schedules daily, and from January 16 will extend the aircraft's service to other US cities and to Nassau. Eastern says that "the Boeing 757 is the only aircraft in the world which, with all its 185 seats filled, can move a passenger 700 miles for the expenditure of 10-4gal (39 • 41it) of fuel. In overall fuel economy the 757 is 50 per cent better than the earlier gener ation jets being phased out with the 757's arrival". People Capt Don McAngus has been appointed flight oper ations director of Monarch Airlines. He succeeds Cap tain Jack Burridge, who has retired. Harold D. Cope has joined Mid Pacific Air as senior vice- president operations. He was formerly v-p ops for North American Airlines, Saturn Airways, and Transamerica Airlines. FLIGHT International, 15 January 1983 Eastern Airlines has decided to keep Boeing's large 757 logo on its own 757 fleet. The logo was adopted for the 757 world tour—this is the aircraft used -assaisS^S^jl "" ^ • :**§%:.; 113
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