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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 0933.PDF
United polar route launch awaits Russian go-ahead PAUL LEWIS/WASHINGTON DC UNITED AIRLINES hopes to be trie first international car rier to launch a non-stop scheduled commercial service between New Delhi and Chicago, via central Russia and the Polar region. The service will start from late October, provided that Moscow gives it the go-ahead. The North American carrier wants to use the planned new Polar One route for return flights from the Indian capital to its Chicago O'Hare Airport hub. The 13,550km (7,320nm) distance is no shorter than existing routes, but would offer northbound flights a faster, 15h 15min, block time. Flights from Chicago to New Delhi are routed over Greenland, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia, taking advantage of favourable 20-50kt (37-92km/h) year-round tailwinds.While out ward flights take 14h45min, return sectors can take as long as 16h in die summer and 17h in winter. "If we use Polar One to come back, there is, on average, zero wind," says Gene Cameron, LTnited man ager of Pacific air traffic services. A potential hurdle is Russia agreeing to open the Avery entry point to Polar One, which is believed to be the subject of an air space demarcation disagreement with neighbouring Norway. One possible solution is to deviate west and use the already agreed Polar Two route entry point at Devid, although this is a longer route. The carrier plans to operate a 3 72-seat Boeing 747-400 on the proposed new daily service. In the meantime, it has discontinued its 767-300ER flight to New Delhi from London and the 747-400 flight from Hong Kong, which was load-restricted by local authorities. The aircraft employed on the route will be fitted with the latest improved Phase 3 standard Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines, which deliver up to a 1,590kg (3,5001b) fuel saving and improved payload- range performance. United's 747- 400s are equipped with FANS-1 navigation, but do not have HF datalink. Instead, the carrier is talk ing to Iridi um about satellite cover age beyond 82 °N. United and Cathay Pacific have conducted Polar trial flights from Chicago and New York to Hong Kong, but airlines are waiting for Russia to open the four new routes to scheduled traffic. Northwest hopes to operate Detroit-Hong Kong, while Air Canada wants to fly to New D elh i from Vancouver. • The TriStar 500s will be departing Novair's fleet to make room for newer aircraft, probably Boeing 767s Sweden's Novair plans long haul fleet revamp SWEDISH CHARTER airline Novair is phasing out its fleet of Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 500s, as it prepares to update its long haul fleet with Boeing 767 twinjets. The wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo, Scandinavia's third largest tour operator, has appointed UK remarketing agent Cabot Aviation to find buyers for two of its three TriStar 500s. The tri-jets operate long haul charters to Asia and the Caribbean, for Apollo and third party tour operators like Airtours' Scandinavian Leisure division. "We have to respond to the mar ket situation in Scandinavia. Our competitors are putting in newer aircraft, so we have to do the same," says Novair managing director Thomas Rosenqvist. Two of the TriStars are available imme diately, and Rosenqvist says that, although a final decision on its new- long haul aircraft has not yet been made, they will "most likely" be second-hand 767-300ERs on operating lease. The airline hopes to begin replacing the TriStars this year, but, ultimately, the timing will be dictated by the sale of the first two aircraft. Rosenqvest envisages that the airline will initially operate a long haul fleet of 767s and the third TriStar, before moving to an all- 767 fleet of three aircraft. Stockholm-based Novair has re cently standardised on the Boeing 737-800 for its short-haul opera tions with the delivery of three air craft leased from GATX. • MARKETPLACE ++ Further to last week's report, the three Airbus A320s being acquired by Airtours International German associate Fly FTI are being leased from Japanese Lessor Orix. The Munich-based charter airline is also leasing a Boeing 737. ++ Fortis Aviation has placed two 11-year-old ex- Philippine Airlines Shorts 360- 300s on two-year leases with German regional carrier RAS Flug, to replace two similar air craft being returned to their lessors. ++ Aircraft Leasing and Management (ALM) has arranged the sale of two of 11 Fokker F28 Mk4000s it is remarketing for SAS, to Paris-based investment company Moncey Investisse- ments. One of the aircraft has been placed with TAME of Ecuador. ALM says that five other F28s have been sold, subject to contract. ++ Iberia has concluded a sale and leaseback deal with Babcock and Brown of 16 Rolls Royce Boeing 757-200s it has on order. The deal includes eight firm orders due for delivery in 1999, and eight options scheduled for 2000. Iberia operates 14 757s on lease, but has decided to stan dardise on the Airbus A320 family for its long term fleet and intends to eventually phase out its 757 fleet. ++ Thai International is disposing of its last remaining Airbus A310, and is seeking bids for sale or lease of the 13-year-old aircraft. The General Electric CF6- 80C2-powered A310-200 is one of two delivered to Thai in 1986, the other being lost in the accident last December at Surat Thani. ++ Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services has placed a new Boeing 737-700 with Sahara Airlines. The New Delhi-based carrier operates five 737s, three -200Advs and two -400s. ++ US operating lessor Pegasus Aviation is understood to have repossessed four Boeing 727- 100s and three 737-200s from Aero Peru, which recently sus pended operations. ++ Italian regional start-up Italy First has acquired two ex-Thai ATR 42-320s in a deal arranged by Cabot. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14 - 20 April 1999
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