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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 1589.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT BBftet Iff fill "BBH" 'low''', •»s imiMtiitifiiiHiiMij '^H ^He -••••••. j fP^"5j|H ROYAL WELCOME FOR WINGLET TRIALS Canadian charter operator Royal Airlines has been undertaking in-ser vice trials with winglets fitted to one of its ji\e Boeing 727'-200s. The composite-constructed winglets built by the now defunct Valsan have also been flown on two 727-200s belonging to Delta Air Lines. Nations to decide on mid-Europe ATC base BY JULIAN MOXON IN PARIS Seven countries have given themselves until March 1995 to decide on a new upper- air-control (UAC) centre for central Europe. The base would provide the same service as the Maastricht UAC centre now does in western Europe. The centre is vital for the KLM defers purchase of 747-400Fs KLM is deferring indefinitely the delivery of its two ordered Boeing 747-400F freighters pending further assessment of the market. Executive vice-president for cargo, Jacques Ancher, revealed the move during a visit to Johannesburg to assess the via bility of using the city as a cargo hub. Ancher says: "We have decided to postpone the 747- 400F deliveries because [KLM partner] Northwest Airlines already has pure freighters and we first want to see how useful they are. We have to decide on the deliveries by the end of the year." South Africa provides about 3% of KLM's cargo turnover and, with further growth expected, KLM is keen to set up a hub at Johannesburg for its sub-Saharan operation. Although South Africa has traditionally been an importer, there are indications that the country is moving towards a balance of imports and exports. KLM reports that, since the end of 1992, export growth from South Africa has been stronger DESTINATIONS Israel and Thailand have signed a bilateral agreement enabling El Al and Thai Airways to fly scheduled ser vices three times a week between Tel Aviv and Bangkok. El Al began flying to Bangkok in December 1993 on a charter basis only. • Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will launch its eighth service to London on 3 December, using a Boeing 747-400 Combi. MAS will also add Kansai, Japan, and Vientiane, Laos as new destinations over the next few months. • Qantas Airways is seeking Australian Government approval to increase the frequency of its flights to Indonesia from Darwin, Perth and Sydney. From 31 October, a fourth direct Boeing 767 service will operate from Sydney to Jakarta. From 2 November, a third Boeing 737 service will be scheduled between Darwin and Bali. D Emirates is offer ing new flights from Dubai to London Gatwick, daily non- stops from Abu Dhabi to London, a fifth weekly flight to Frankfurt, and major capacity increases on four Middle East routes. • UPS is to replace the McDonnell Douglas DC-8 it uses for its USA-Hong Kong service with a Boeing 747-100, eliminating a Seoul technical stop. • United Airlines is request ing that it take up the former Delta Air Lines daily, non stop Miami-Heathrow service following Delta's withdrawal. than import growth. KLM expects South Africa and Zimbabwe together to export 14,000-18,000t of cargo annually - peaking in Septem ber/October when perishable goods business increases. • SIA and TATA eye Indian market Singapore Airlines (SIA) and TATA Industries of India are examining the feasibility of start ing a domestic Indian carrier. Bombay-based TATA is one of India's leading industrial groups and, in the 1930s, launched Tata Airlines, which was later nationalised to become Air India. SIA says that the feasibility study is expected to take up to six months, but that, "barring unforeseen circumstances", the new airline should be opera tional by the end of 1995. It already flies to four cities in India — Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and Madras — and also has a cargo route to Bangalore. More than a dozen domestic airlines have started since India's Government opened its skies to private operators three years ago. Questions have beeVi raised over the standards of safety and service at some of them, how ever, which SIA's experience could help avoid. • region, where traffic is growing rapidly, but where there is a lack of air traffic control (ATC) co-ordination. Difficulties arise because there are several small countries in the region, which would normally operate their own ATC sectors. "A suprana tional body would make the whole system more efficient," says Dr Peter Moys, deputy director of the Hungarian CAA. Transport ministers from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia agreed on the action in March. A recent meeting of the seven civil-aviation-authority direc tors in Prague took the first steps to implement the centre — but there is a difference of opinion over where and when it should be built. Austria wants to have the centre in Vienna, where it says it has existing sites which it would like to develop. Several other nations, however, with Hungary and Italy foremost, want a new centre to be built. "We really don't mind where it is," says Moys. "The important thing is that we take advantage of new technology to keep down costs, and give us the flexibility we need for the future." A question mark also hangs over the management of the centre, although most coun tries favour Eurocontrol which runs the Maastricht centre. Not all are yet members of the organisation, however. Croatia has now applied to join, and Slovakia and the Czech Republic have confirmed that they will be applying. Slovenia has just been accepted, while Italy, which has yet to ratify membership, is said to be "...making a real push" to do so. Meanwhile, Hungary will issue a request for proposals for a new national ATC centre on 1 July. This will be funded by the European Investment Bank and Hungary. It will be built at Ferihegy airport and should be ready in 1996. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 6-12 July. 1994 13
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