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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 2859.PDF
UK and USA meet over bilateral WASHINGTON D.C. ~ Concerns about treble - damages associated with the Laker bankruptcy lawsuits still possible under the US anti-trust laws are holding up the sale of British Airways to the public, Michael Spicer, UK minister for civil aviation, said during a recent US visit. The prime purpose of the visit was to discuss the Bermuda 2 UK/US bilateral air transport agreement, and the fact that the two nations interpret the same words differently because of the US anti-trust laws. Spicer said that, while an out-of-court settlement has been reached with Sir Freddie Laker by British Airways and the other carriers accused of driving Laker Airways out of business, there remains a threat of anti-trust litigation in the form of class actions. The British Government is not prepared to indemnify British Airways stockholders against possible future court awards in the Laker case, Spicer says. "We are unable to issue a prospectus for the sale of BA shares until the matter is settled". Discussions over this and other matters affecting the bilateral aviation agreement with the USA were held with US Secretary of Trans portation Elizabeth Dole. Additional ideas discussed included exchange of cabotage rights, and permission for increased foreign investment in each country's airlines. Singapore works at expansion SINGAPORE ~ Talks are scheduled for this month between the Civil Aviation Authority of Sing apore and the Philippines, in hopes of improving an exist ing air services agreement. Talks have also been proposed with Zimbabwe and Tanzania, but no replies have yet been received. The CAAS, which replaced the Department of Civil Aviation about a year ago, aims to establish "at least" three new air service agree ments a year, a spokesman has said. So far it has achieved 53 agreements with a further nine at the initialling stage. In May this year 40 carriers were flying into Singapore. Kenya buys widebodies NAIROBI Kenya Airways has bought two Airbus Industrie A310- 300s, and in doing so has become the first African customer for this marque of Airbus and also has acquired its first widebodied aircraft. Until now its long-range machines have been Boeing 707s and a 720. The A310-300.is the ex tended-range A310, the longer range provided primarily by its tailplane fuel tanks (which are used also as trim tanks). Kenya Airways plans to use the aircraft on routes linking Nairobi with Europe and the Far East, as well as on intra- African services. The airline is fitting the A310s with 12 first class sleeperettes, 39 business class seats, and accommodation for 144 in the economy cabin. Engines are to be General Electric CF6- 80C2s. Delivery of the first A310-300 to Kenya will be in May next year, with the second following in September. Airbus' African sales records show 36 of its wide- body twins sold to eight airlines in the continent. U A320 production progress Airbus Industrie's first A320 150-seater twinjet has not reached the final assembly stage yet, but this wing box at Aerospatiale's St. Nazaire plant is taking recognisable shape AIR TRANSPORT NEWS SCAN Trans-Australia Airlines, the first airline to choose EFIS-equipped (electronic flight instrument system) Boeing 737-300s, has chosen an extensive array of Collins avionics. Apart from a Collins EFIS, the company is also supplier of weather radar (displayed on the EHSI), ILS, VOR, DME, ADF, marker beacon, transponder, and HF and VHF radios. Collins says that its WXR-700 digital weather radar is now in service with more than 50 airlines. In excess of 1,400 have now been sold, repre senting 55 per cent of the ARINC 708 digital radar market for commercial air transport aircraft, claims Collins. Congested airspace over Europe is a problem, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation will look specifi cally at European air traffic inefficiencies during the Regional Air Navigation Meeting in Malaga, Spain, during November 12-23. UK's Birmingham Inter national Airport handled more freight in the first six months of 1984 than in the whole of 1982. Swissair is to begin twice- weekly schedules to Malta from April 1986. Alitalia and ATI announce that August traffic figures show increases over the same month in 1984 of 12-6 per cent on domestic routes, 8 • 1 per cent on European, and 7 • 6 per cent on intercontinental. Saudia records a 2-94 per cent drop in revenue passengers boarded during the year to August 31, compared with the same period last year, and a three per cent drop in passenger load factor. Reve nue passenger kilometres increased 1 • 98 per cent. An insurance group has invested 10 • 5 million guilders ($3-44 million) in Dutch commuter Netherlines, rais ing its total assets to 25 million guilders. The airline, having recently ordered two British Aerospace Jetstream 31s, is now in the market for at least 30-40 seats additional capacity. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 19 October 1985
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