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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 1045.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT Carriers form a queue to take advantage of North Korea FIR PAUL LEWIS/SINGAPORE EIGHT ASIAN, North US and Russian airlines have signalled their intent to launch up to 16 flights a day through North Korea's Pyongyang Flight Information Region (FIR), once it opens to international traffic on 23 April. Following the successful conclu sion ofweeklongflighttrialsin early March, the Pyongyang authorities have endorsed an earlier agreement with the International Air Trans port Association (IATA) to open up the FIR to scheduled traffic. Aircraft using rne new Route B467 transit ing North Korean airspace will save up to 50min flight time between die USA and Asia in winter. Accordingly, Air Canada and Singapore Airlines (SLA) have applied to operate through the FIR on a daily basis between Seoul and Vancouver, while Cathay Pacific- wants to run a similar number of frequencies from Hong Kong on Vancouver and Anchorage routes. United Airlines is seeking to operate daily through the FIR between Seoul and Chicago and San Francisco, while Delta Airlines wants to use it for its daily Portland-Seoul service. SIA stands to gain the most out of the new agreement, with onward flights of Hong Kong-San Francisco, Tai pei-Los Angeles/Anchorage and Seoul-Anchorage. Flight times between Seoul and the Russian Far East will also be shortened by up to 30min. Korean Air has asked to use the Pyongyang FIR for its twice weekly service from Seoul to Vladivostok, and competing Asiana Airlines for ser vices from Seoul to Khabarovsk. According to IATA, the recently modernised air traffic control cen tre at Pyongyang will initially be able to handle up to 100 flights a day, or 12/h, on the new route. Three flight levels will be available in each direction between 9,600m (31,500ft) and 13,600m. Meanwhile, the Japanese au- diorities do not expect to open the planned new Route B 3 3 2 extension from die Pyongyang FIR to point Miho in the Tokyo FIR until the end of the year. Japan is believed to want to widen the gap between the proposed north-south B332 and the Japan Air Self Defence Force's off limits "Area G" (Flight Inta- iiationaL 11-17 March, P8). • JAA clears 737-800 to take to the skies THE LARGEST Boeing 737 built to date, the 160-189 seat 737-800, has been cleared to enter service with its European launch customers, following certification by the Joint Aviation Authorities. The new variant gained US Federal Aviation Administration type certification on 13 March. However, service entry was depen dent on JAA approval as the model's two launch customers are both European based - Hapag- Lloyd of Germany and Transavia \of Holland. JAA approval was received on 9 April, and Hapag-Lloyd is sched uled to take delivery of its first 73 7- 800 before die end of this fnonth, while Transavia's first is due at the end of May, over a month later dian initially scheduled. Hapag-Lloyd The 737-800 will he arriving at Hapag-Lloyd soon will use the 737-800 to replace its smaller 737-400s and-500s. Flight testing of the 737-800, which began in June 1997, involved three test aircraft flying some 740h during 760 flights. To gain JAA approval for a 189 passenger .exit limit, Boeing had to develop and install a new type of overwingexit. Scandinavia's SAS will be the first airline to take delivery of the next 737 model, the 108 seat -600, during the third quarter of 1998, while Alaska Airlines will receive the first example of the stretched 737-900 in 2001. • French cargo carrier secures Brasilias to start freighter operations START-UP FRENCH cargo airline Air Open Sky is prepar ing to begin operating the first of three Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias which have been configured for quick change (QC) passenger-to- freighter operations. The airline planned to start fly ing die Brasilias late in 1997 but hit delays due to problems in securing the aircraft. The Brasilias are ex-Comair air craft modified as QCs. They have been acquired from Bombardier, which took them back as a trade-in as part of the deal with Comair for 75 Canadair Regional Jets. Air Open Sky is also talking to Bombardier about de Flavilland Dash 8-300s to replace two Fokker F2 7 freighters. • ROUTES ++ Sabena inaugurated a new ser vice between Brussels and Birm ingham on 5 April, and will fly the route four times daily with an Avro RJ85. ++ Australia and the Solo mon Islands have lifted capacity entitlements between Honiara and Australian gateways from three to five weekly services, shared between Solomon Airlines and Qantas. The new agreement also provides the opportunity for niche services from Melbourne. Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns. ++ Iberia is to fly three times a week to Johannesburg from 19 May using an Airbus A340. The Spanish flag carrier is exploring links with other African carriers serving countries such as Kenya. Zimbabwe and Mozambique. ++ AirTran is to begin operating three daily flights between Hartford, Connecticut and Atlanta from 18 May. ++ Sky- Trek Airlines has started a sched uled service to LeTouquet, France, from Lydd in the UK. using a PBN Trislander. ++ Sicily's Med Air lines has begun operating its first of two Saab 2000s alongside its ATR 42 on a network of north-south routes connecting Sicily with Rome, Parma and other Italian destinations. ++ Air Sicilia has started operating three daily return flights between Palermo and Rome using an ex-Air One Boeing 737- 200. The service is operated in competition with Alitalia. ++ China Eastern Airlines will begin two new twice-weekly international routes from Shanghai to Okayama in Japan and to Paris via Beijing from the end of June. Additional fre quencies will be added to its San Francisco, Sydney and Fukuoka routes, while domestic routes are to be expanded following its acqui sition of local carrier China General. ++ China Northern Airlines has launched a direct ser vice from its Harbin-base in Heilongjiang province to Seoul. The service will be operated four times a week jointly with a South Korean carrier. Asiana has further cut back on international services by suspending direct flights to Singapore and now operates a codesharewith Singapore Airlines. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 22 - 28 April 1998 13
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