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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 2576.PDF
AJH fXAMSP&Iff Volga-Dnepr; bound for the USA FAA approval helps with Volga-Dnepr expansion RUSSIAN CARGO carrier Volga-Dnepr is to launch scheduled services to the USA fol lowing US Federal Aviation Ad ministration approval. An FAA team reported favourably on the airline's opera tions after inspecting mainte nance, training, flight-planning and other departments at its Ulyanovsk base. Head of the FAA's Russian avia tion-assessment group John Bara- bagallo reports that many of the airline's procedures "...mirror those used in the USA" and, "in certain respects", were better than for some US carriers. Volga-Dnepr says that its head of engineering has been invited to visit the USA to help the FAA in its work with the Russian Department of Aviation Trans port to develop and implement operating standards for all Russian carriers. The airline plans to acquire four more Antonov An-12 4s and up to six more Ilyushin Il-76s for expansion. Much of its US busi ness is for energy-exploration equipment — planned scheduled services would link Houston, Texas, and Bangor, Maine, with Ulyanovsk and Moscow, via Luxembourg and Gander. The flights are scheduled to start in February 1995. Volga-Dnepr is also expanding in China, where it is now running regular cargo charters and intends to use a leased Boeing 747-100 freighter for scheduled China- Russia cargo services. • Cathay asks Airbus for long-range A330 CATHAY PACIFIC Airways is pressing Airbus Industrie to develop a higher-gross-weight (HGW) version of the A3 3 0-3 00 to extend its range and payload. Airbus is studying a proposal to increase the twin-engine A330's standard 212t maximum take-off weight (MTOW) to around 230t. The aircraft, if approved, would be available from late 1996, shortly after the first HGW four-engine A340-300 enters service. The major design change would be the use of the A3 40- 300HGW's wing, which will be stronger and feature a thicker skin. The standard A3 30 and A3 40 already share a common wing, as well as having the same fuselage cross-section and virtual ly identical cockpits. The A330's twin four-wheel main landing-gear has the capabili ty of supporting MTOW growth up to 230t without the addition of a new centre landing-gear. Rolls-Royce says that the heavier aircraft would also fall within the capabilities of its 320kN (72,0001b)- thrust Trent 700 powerplant. "It looks like a relatively easy and straightforward solution without too many modifications to the aircraft," says Cathay Pacific Airbus-fleet manager Capt Richard Fry. Cathay has ordered nine Trent 772-powered A330s for delivery from February 1995 onwards, as replacements for its fleet of 17 Lockheed L-1011 TriStars. The final four aircraft, scheduled for delivery between late 1995 and 1997, will have a slightly higher MTOWof217t. It is understood that Cathay's interest in the even heavier, 230t, variant of the aircraft centres on a further eight A3 3 0s which the air line holds on option through to the year 2000. A 230t MTOW would extend the A330's range on regional routes by allowing the aircraft to carry its maximum 78t fuel load, together with a full complement of 320 passengers and an unspeci fied amount of extra cargo, says the airline. • Mesa to purchase Dash 8s from United M ESA AIRLINES will pur chase ten de Havilland Dash 8 turboprops from code-sharing partner United Express for $119 million and will sub-lease two additional Dash 8s. The aircraft will be returned to United by 15 April, 1995, from code-sharing partner Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA). ACA has leased the five 37-passenger and seven 50-seat aircraft from United subsidiary Air Wisconsin since April 1993. • Latvia backs SAS proposal despite Latavio's objections L ATVIA'S GOVERNMENT is supporting a plan by Scan dinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Baltic International USA's (BIUSA) to create a new flag car rier, in the face of opposition from Latvian Airlines (Latavio). Latavio is formally objecting to the plan, which would create a carrier that would take control of international services. The SAS proposal would estab lish a joint-venture airline in Riga, in which Latvia would have a 51 % stake, SAS and BIUSA would each own 18%, while another 12% would go to various Scandinavian financial institutions (Flight International, 14-20 September). An earlier offer had included Latavio, but this was withdrawn because of the carrier's mount ing debts. The Latvian Government approved that proposal and is broadly supporting the renewed scheme. Transport ministry director of aviation Amis Muiznieks says that Latavio's objection is only to be expected because the proposal excludes the airline. Latavio declares, however, that the plan "...not only is not in the interests of [Latavio], but contra dicts the common interests of all Latvian carriers and the national economy in general". Airline vice-president Andris Burtnieks says that he doubts the ability of SAS "to help Latvia" given reports circulating about its financial difficulties. He criticises the SAS proposal to contribute four "worn-out" McDonnell Douglas DC-9-21s, which he claims have "no other application". Muiznieks dismisses these allegations as "a political state ment", explaining that other Western aircraft would prove too expensive. Latavio is supported by three other private Latvian operators which together have formed an Association of Latvian Airlines and have forced the Government to form a second commission to evaluate the situation. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 October - 1 November 1994
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