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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2274.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT STRATEGY Brazilian airlines plot another merger Further consolidation among Brazilian airlines seems on the cards as carriers position them selves to counter the threat posed by the TAM/Varig merger. Once merged, the country's two major airlines will hold a dominant position in the domes tic market with a share of over 60%. In response, second tier carriers Gol Transportes Aereos and Vasp are widely reported to be holding informal discussions about a similar move. Transbrasil, which suspended services two years ago but has been looking to relaunch, is also understood to be a partner in the proposed merger. Brazil's airport administration authority Infraero has also sig nalled its intention to join the merger as a fourth partner by waiving the $449 million debt against the three carriers. "We helped out in the TAMA/arig merger and we are willing to do so now, although as a partner writing off their debts with Infraero in exchange for a stake in the new airline," says Infraero president Carlos Wilson. Meanwhile, TAM is continuing to implement streamlining mea sures to improve its financial performance. After merging international services that over lapped Varig's network, the carrier has placed four Airbus A330-200s on lease. Two aircraft will be operated for South African Airways from this month, while two more are being placed with Abu Dhabi-based start-up Etihad Airways next month. Seven of TAM's fleet of over 40 Fokker 100s have been leased to other South American carri ers; four have reportedly been placed with an unnamed Uruguayan start-up airline and the remaining three are ear marked for Colombian start-up Aerolineas Universal. The latter plans to operate services from Bogota to Latin American and US destinations. AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT EMMA KELLY / PERTH Group in bid to allay fears over Australian air safety Unions raise concerns about light aircraft and large passenger aircraft sharing airspace Australia's National Airspace System Implementation Group (NAS IG) last week met with the country's pilot and air traffic controller uni ons in a bid to allay fears that threa tened to wreck its attempt at air space reform. A main concern is that airspace reclassification will allow light aircraft and leisure fliers to share airspace with commercial instrument flight rules traffic. The meeting came after the Aust ralian and International Pilots Asso ciation (AIPA) and the Australian Federation of Air Pilots and Civil Air (the Australian air traffic controllers' association) wrote to transport min ister John Anderson calling for the next stage of NAS implementation to be deferred due to "significant flaws" which will result in "an over all reduction in safety standards". The NAS programme will see a reform of the country's airspace pro cedures and charting, modelled on the US airspace system. Its support ers say it will simplify procedures, improve safety, reduce operator costs and encourage participation and compliance. Implementation began in March, with major chan ges - including airspace reclassifica tion - planned for 27 November. Pilots and controllers unions are concerned that light aircraft will be able to fly into the same airspace as large passenger aircraft without rep orting their whereabouts. "Obviou sly, if you go from full air traffic con trol separation to a situation where pilots are responsible for 'see and avoid' separation of unannounced traffic, then safety must be affect ed," says Capt Richard Woodward, AIPA's technical and safety director. But Mike Smith, executive director of NAS IG, says a meeting with the unions last week was "productive", stressing that NAS will need all air craft operating in class A, B, C and E airspace above 10,000ft (3,050m) to be fitted with a transponder. Support for NAS has come, how ever, from Australia's Aircraft Own ers and Pilots Association, which accuses pilots and controllers uni ons of conducting "an unnecessary scare campaign". • The Australian government is preparing to corporatise Airservices Australia, with the air traffic services provider hopeful that the process will be completed by mid-2004. PRODUCTION MICHAEL PHELAN /TOULOUSE Airbus studies wing transfer switch Airbus is to ship a set of A380 wings to Liverpool, UK, next year as a con tingency against possible problems at Mostyn Docks. The manufacturer has also revealed that it will increase the amount of Glare material in the aircraft's structure to save weight. The A380's wings will travel by barge down the River Dee from the Broughton, UK, assembly facility for transfer at Mostyn to the Ville de Bordeaux ship for transportation to St Nazaire and Pauillac, France. However, the Mostyn plan may be dependent on negotiations about using the P&O Ferries berth, which Airbus wants to use after abandon ing plans for its own (Flight International, 15-21 July). Charles Champion, Airbus executive vice president A380 programme, says the manufacturer is considering the use of Liverpool docks, which is the nearest to Mostyn, as an alternative barge-to- ship transfer location. "We're very confident that we can use the P&O berth, but we've got a contingency Airbus says minor distortions on A380 fuselage sections will be corrected just in case," says Champion. Using Liverpool would require some travel in open sea, says Champion. "We've made modifica tions that will allow us to use the barge on the sea in calm weather." Whatever the outcome of the talks, Airbus will ship at least one set of wings to Liverpool for a trial. Meanwhile, Robert Lafontan, Air bus senior vice president engineer ing A380 programme, says Glare will now be used for the A380's D- nose vertical tail leading edge. "Bird- strike testing in December last year showed it had the right properties," he says, but he declines to reveal weight savings. Airbus has released 73% of drawings to manufacturing. Champion says the main manu facturing problems have been min or distortions on the wing and the large fuselage (section 15/21) assem blies, due to their size, weight and material combination. "We'll cor rect that with experience," he says. 16 14-20 OCTOBER 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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