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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 1884.PDF
Air France and Delta link to take on oneworld and Star JULIAN MOXON/PARIS AIR FRANCE and Delta Air Lines have agreed the terms of a long-anticipated alliance. They have pledged to sign up further partners by the end of die year to form a global grouping that will be bigger than the emerging KLM/Northwest Airlines-led Wings alliance and "intended to compete directly with the oneworld and Star alliances". The French flag carrier's presi dent, Jean-Cyril Spinetta, says that Air France and Delta want to keep the alliance "simple, robust and efficient". He adds: "Our first act has been to build a transatlantic axis. Then, together, we will invite others to join us as founders of a truly global alliance." Spinetta says the identity of these founders will be revealed "as soon as possible", and that sec ondary partners will be added later. Potential allies will be recruited from the ranks of the airlines' part ners, "and other carriers interested in the project". The new tie-up threatens to cut Delta adrift from Swissair, Sabena and Austrian - its allies in the Atlantic Excellence alliance. Although the US major says it aims to bring the three into the new grouping, the significant overlap between Air France and Swissair operations means this is unlikely to happen. Indeed, on the day the deal was announced, Swissair and Sabena revealed codeshare agree ments with oneworld founder American Airlines. France and the USA lack a full open skies agreement, which could pose problems. "We feel strongly that anti-trust immunity is a very powerful benefit and we will have talks with the governments to try and move the open skies process forward more swiftly," says Spinetta. "If we want to fight the other global alliances it will be an imperative." The deal is likely to add around Frl billion ($160 million) to Air France's profits within three years, Spinetta says, of which Fr700 mil lion will be from increased sales, and the rest from cost cuts resulting from joint purchasing policies. The two airlines are each the third largest in their respective continents by turnover. • See Business, P24. BAe sheds jobs and closes factory BRITISH AEROSPACE is closing a production site and laying off 2,200 workers. Duns- fold, home to Harrier final assem bly, will close with the loss of 800 jobs. The rest of the cuts will come mainly from Brough, Chadderton, Warton and Samlesbury sites. Dunsfold's closure follows the wind-down of Harrier production for the Royal Air Force and of Sea Harrier work for the Royal Navy. The site, which is leased and will not therefore bring a sale windfall, will close late next year. BAe's move follows Boeing and Lockheed Martin decisions to cut their workforces. Lockheed Martin is cutting employment at its Marietta plant by 2,000 from 9,500 to reduce overheads on the C-130J and F-2 2 programmes. Boeing, fac ing the end of its FT 5 Eagle line and the switch from F/A-18C/D to E/F production, is sheding up to 7,000 jobs at St Louis. • USAF launches C-130X and ponders new -J buy RAMON LOPEZ/WASHINGTON DC THE US AIR Force is set to initiate a multi-billion dollar Lockheed Martin C-13 OX avionics modernisation programme (AMP), following recommenda tions by an Air Mobility Command C-130 study team. USAF leaders are also considering the study group's recommendations for a powerplant upgrade and acquisi tion of 150 new C-130J-30s. The group, known as a Tiger j Team, was formed to consider i problems with the C-130 Hercules transport, including its reliability j and maintainability and lack of ! global air transportation manage ment (GATM) avionics. With 44 versions of the aircraft operating with the USAF, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, the intention is to reduce to two basic standards, the upgrad ed C-13 OX and new C-13 0J. The USAF purchased it first Hercules in the mid-1950s, and there are 233 C-13OEs, 286 C-130Hs and 12 C-130Js in ser- The USAF is diving on a C-130 fleet overhaul vice. The oldest are over 35 years old, while the average age is about 20 years. USAF leaders have bud geted for modification of 360 C-130E/Hs and 150 special mis sion C-13 0s to the C-13 OX config uration in fiscal years 2 000-13, but have yet to approve the replace ment of the oldest C-13 OEs with 150 new C-13 OJs between now and FY2 016. Despite political pressure from Lockheed Martin - which faces the prospect ofhaving to slow the production line temporarily - the USAF does not plan to buy any moreC-130Jsuntil2002/3. The USAF plans a fast-track competitive acquisition and will issue a final request for proposals for the AMP in August, with selec tion of the prime contractor next March. Between 65 and 85 aircraft will be modified a year. The AMP will provide the C-130 with a flight-management system likely to include dual mis sion computers, inertial navigation system improvements and the lat est global positioning system re ceivers. Also included are multifunction fiat panel displays, dual head-up displays and new autopilot. The APN-241, which is on some C-130Hs and all CT30Js, or a sim ilar radar will also be required, as will night vision goggle compatible lighting. A terrain awareness warning sys tem and a traffic-collision avoid ance system are also planned. GATM communications require ments are still being refined, and the schedule for its implementa tion could lag the AMP by one or more years. VHF datalink, SINCGARS, HF datalink, and satellite voice and datalink communications are envisioned. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 30 June - 6 July 1999 5
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