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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 1650.PDF
AH* TRANSPORT United, Cathay gain long-range benefits T TNITED AIRLINES has V*J launched the first year-round non-stop service between Hong Kong and Chicago, benefiting from improved engine fuel effi ciency and new flexible routing. At the same time, Cathay Pacific Airways is considering Boeing 747 improvements to start the first scheduled non-stop New York ser vice in 1999. The new daily service between Chicago and Hong Kong has been made possible by United's use of Pratt & Whitney's "Phase III Kit" engine modifications on its PW4056-powered 747-400s. The combination of new parts and bet ter turbine cooling improves spe cific fuel consumption (SFC) and payload/range performance. Also, United has been given access to the more northerly G212 route, via Nome in Alaska, Anadyr, Chaybukha and Khabarovsk in eastern Russian and Harbin and Beijing in China. The 13,305km (7,192nm)-long route offers a 10- 15min shorter flight time, depend ing on seasonal winds. The US carrier had only been able to run a dirice-weekly summer service because prevailing winter headwinds affected westbound flights on existing routes. United's 747s have been equipped with Boeing's FANS-1 Phase Three navigation package, providing the flexibility to choose the most efficient route and alti tude, depending on wind. Eastbound, the flight time to Chicago is 14h 24min and west bound to Hong Kong 15h 55min, which United claims is the longest route in the world. Flying time between the two cities will be reduced even more with the planned opening of four transpolar routes in 1999 between Asia and the US East Coast (Flight Inter national, 10-16 June) Hong Kong-based Cathay wants to use the new Polar Two and Three routes to open up die first non-stop service to New York and is planning a one-off demonstra tion in earlyjuly. To operate sched uled fully loaded flights on the 13,640km-long route, it is looking at fitting an auxiliary belly fuel tank to extend the 747-400's range. Cathay already has 6,440-litre tanks, originally delivered with its Airbus A340s, which it is consider ing fitting to the 747. The alterna tive is to order new tanks from Marshall Aerospace in the UK or US manufacturer PATS. The modification will need a supple mentary type certificate and the co operation of Boeing. The need for extra tankage de pends on the SFC- performance of modified Rolls-Royce RB211- 5241 IT engines entering sendee with Cathay. R-R had hoped for an improvement of at least 2% in SFC, but testing of a British Airways 747 in Seattle is believed to have shown only a 1.5% improve ment. The focus is now on improv ing reverser seals, which could add a 0.75% margin. 3 NEWS IN BRIEF • MONGOLIAN SACKINGS Mongolia's Government has sacked the president of its civil aviation authority, Gon- goriin Gangaatar, and the president of Mongolian Air lines, Huvaahuugiin Ales- andr, following the second fatal crash of a 19-seat Harbin Y-12 inside 12 months. The latest crash, in May, killed all 28 people on board. • EUROPEAN GROWTH European passenger traffic growth in April returned to double figures after a brief slump to 6% in March, according to the Association of European Airlines (AEA). The AEA attributes the dip to "...the date of the Easter hol iday distorting the monthly growth trend". This year's figures show- a 10.7% in crease on April 1997, with above-average increases on European, North Atlantic and Latin American routes. Far Eastern/Australasian traffic slowed to 6.4%. Freight has been hit by the Asian economic slump, with a 7.6% decline in traffic to the region, and a 2.2% fall in freight traffic overall. Gill sets up Fokker 100s for Air France franchise GILL AIRWAYS is close to completing a deal to take Fokker 100s to enable it to expand its franchise operations for Air France in 1999. The airline is look ing to acquire either Fokker 100s or British Aerospace 146/Avro RJs, but says it has a clear preference for the Dutch twinjet. "There has been a perception that Fokker 100s are hard to come by," says the airline, which is why it widened its search to include the BAe types, but is now confident it will secure its preferred choice. Discussions are under way for the acquisition of "more man one aircraft", but the airline will not elaborate because it is still negotiat ing a variety of matters, including finance. It is believed, however, that the candidate aircraft are two Royal Brunei Fokker 100s which are being returned to lessor Air Finance Europe when replace ment Airbus A319s are delivered later this year. Gill's fleet of six Shorts 360s, four ATR 42s and three ATR 72s is operated from Newcastle to points in the UK and continental Europe, both in its own right and with other carriers. The airline serves Paris from Newcastle with an ATR 42 under franchise to Air France and has a wet-lease deal with KLM uk on services from London Stansted. A code-share agreement is in place with KLM's German partner, Eurowings. "We are in talks with Air France about expanding the franchise when we add the jets," says the air line, "but we will retain our links with the KLM carriers." The Fokker 100s would initially be used to upgrade the Paris service. 3 New Spanish charter airline flies A320s SPANISH tour operator Iberjet has formed a new charter airline from the assets of defunct carrier BCM Airlines. Iberworld is operating two International Aero Engines V2500-powered Airbus A3 20s on lease from UK charter airline AirworldVOrix Aircraft. They had been operated by BCM. 16 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 - 30 June 1998
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