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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2569.PDF
HEADLINES AIR TRANSPORT JUSTIN WASTNAGE / BRUSSELS EC expects to get its own ICAO seat Commission reveals focus policy areas for next year The European Commission plans to apply to join the International Civil Aviation Organisation next month as part of its takeover of full aviation negotiating rights on behalf of all European Union coun tries. The Commission has also unveiled a list of policy areas it expects to focus on next year. The European Parliament adopted in March a resolution call ing for the EC to become a member of ICAO, and Michel Ayral, air transport director at the EC's direc torate general of transport and energy (DG-TREN), says he expects the formal application to be launched next month. Speaking at the European Air Law Association's annual meeting in Brussels last week, Ayral said that as the EC takes over areas of air transport pol icy it is essential that it is able to "protect Europe's interests at an international level". Ayral cites recent disputes such as data protection and the hushkit row as examples of ICAO debates in which the EC should represent all EU members. "The Community has responsibility vis-a-vis parlia ment laws over air transport, so how can we fulfil this responsibility without an ICAO seat?" asks Ayral. The EC currently only has observer status in the organisation and individual member states have to argue on its behalf. Ayral says the process could be a "hot topic" and full membership could take several years, as amendments to the Chicago Convention require ratification by a two-thirds major ity of ICAO member states, although "transition representa tion" is expected to be agreed. Ayral also said that the EC expects to launch new legislation next year covering areas such as computer reservation systems and ground handling reform. The body is also going to seek ways to apply the controversial passenger com pensation rules to railways to address imbalances between trans port modes, he adds. Disabled passenger right, legisla tion is also expected next year. DEFENCE STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC Northrop Grumman readies for market swoop with Global Hawk Northrop Grumman is planning to push the RQ-4A Global Hawk into several untapped markets in 2004, namely urban operations, border security and weather monitoring. In addition, flight tests using a BAE Systems hyperband communications intelligence (COMINT) sensor are now complete. Global Hawk air vehicles 3 and 1 are scheduled for several high-profile demonstration tests in 2004, the latter having been recently assigned to test an EADS electronic intelligence sensor developed for the EuroHawk proposal in Germany. Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems vice-president David Stafford says the Global Hawk programme is teaming with the US Department of Defense to begin developing tactics for employing the vehicle in urban operations. In early 2004, air vehicle 3 is scheduled to undergo flight tests in Alaska as a homeland security platform, performing drug interdiction and border security surveillance roles. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which owns the National Weather Service, will test the Global Hawk's ability to predict weather patterns in a demonstration scheduled for late 2004. Canada, meanwhile, is expected to stage a Global Hawk demonstration that was delayed by the 11 September terrorist attacks. SEE COVER STORY P15 Briefing Austrian goes head-to-head with SkyEurope E X PA N SIO N Austrian Airlines is to launch daily services from Bratislava, Slovakia, to Brussels, Paris and London from next May using a Boeing 737, as part of its expansion strategy into central Europe as the European Union expands. The move will place Austrian in direct competition with Slovakian low-cost airline SkyEurope at Vienna Bratislava Express airport, just 50km (30 miles) from Vienna - close enough for SkyEurope to include free bus transfers to Vienna in its fares. Austrian plans to operate up to 60 extra flights into central and eastern Europe in next year's summer schedule, but had until now not proposed an operating base other than Vienna. Operating costs from Bratislava are considerably less than from Vienna. Meanwhile, SkyEurope begins operations from its Budapest, Hungary, base this week to London and Paris and will add Milan and Zurich next month. Europe sets deadline for US reform EXPORTS The European Commission has set a deadline of 1 March 2004 for the US government to reform its tax laws or face gradually tightening sanc tions. The World Trade Organisation gave the EC the right to impose up to $4 billion in tariffs on US exports, after the USA failed to end a tax break on income earned abroad that gave US exporters an unfair advantage. Sanctions will come into force at 5% - $200 million - in March, rising by one percentage point each month to March 2005. Several bills aimed at gradually reforming the tax code are before Congress, but the EC wants the loophole closed immediately. TIPS signs Czech Republic and Hungary CONSORTIUM The Northrop Grumman-led Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) consortium bidding for the NATO alliance ground surveillance contract has signed workshare agreements with member states the Czech Republic and Hungary. The project will be managed by aerospace companies: MESIT will handle the Czech share and MOD the Hungarian share. TIPS, which includes EADS, Galileo Avionica, General Dynamics, Indra and Thales, says it will announce more workshare agreements over the next few weeks before submitting its formal proposal to NATO later this month. TIPS will compete against CTAS, which includes AMS, BAE Systems and Raytheon. Kenyan launch pad proposed S PAC E The Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Russian government are negotiating the construction of a new launch pad in Malindi, Kenya, which would allow SS-25 intercontinental ballistic missile-derivative commercial launches from a site nearer the equator than Baikonur, Kazakhstan, or Plesetsk, Russia. Some Italian politicians say that ASI should instead invest in European Space Agency projects, saying the Malindi move would create a direct competitor to the Italian-led European Vega programme. German ownership law slips again DELAY A proposed law limiting foreign ownership of German defence companies is unlikely to reach parliament before next year, making a success ful sale of engine maker MTU more likely. The law is the subject of intense discussion between various arms of the German government, and due to reach cabinet by December. Meanwhile, sources close to the MTU talks deny that parent company DaimlerChrysler has decided to give exclusive bidding rights to the US private equity group Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts, ahead of UK rival Doughty Hanson. Earlier; the company said that it was seeking "a European solution" (Flight International, 7-13 October). Berlin hub for EasyJet EXPANSION EasyJet is to establish its next European base at Berlin's Schbnefeld airport, basing six aircraft at the German capital and operating 11 routes from next May. Bristol, Liverpool, London Luton and Newcastle in the UK; Nice and Paris in France; Barcelona and Palma Majorca, Spain; Athens, Greece; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Naples, Italy will be served. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 11-17 NOVEMBER 2003 5
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