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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 1984.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT Syrian's two 747SPs are targeted for replacement in the renewal plan RENEWAL DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW / AMMAN Syrian prepares to renew ageing fleet Airbus favourite as US sanctions could foil Boeing effort Syrian Arab Airlines is preparing to replace its ageing Boeing 747 fleet with new Airbus or Boeing aircraft as well as complete the renewal of its short-haul types. The airline plans to release a tender to renew its fleet within weeks, covering the purchase of seven new aircraft. The Damascus-based flag carrier plans to introduce three widebodies and four medium-haul narrowbod- ies to replace part of its ageing fleet. Speaking to Flight International at last week's Arab Air Carriers Organ isation (AACO) conference in Jor dan, Syrian Arab Airlines chairman Nachaat Numir said: "We've almost finished the specifications for what we need. The idea is to buy seven new aircraft. We're going to place the tender on the market, probably in the next couple of weeks." Syrian Arab Airlines is planning to phase out its half-a-dozen 727- 200Advs and two 747SPs. The car rier also operates six Airbus A320s. The airline sees the widebody choice as being between the Airbus A330/A340 and Boeing 777. Its pol icy is to purchase the aircraft. Numir says the airline "wishes for competition between different companies" during the tender process and, despite US sanctions against Syria, is open to a response from Boeing. But he admits that, given the political situation, Airbus will inevitably have a strong advantage. Syrian Arab Airlines is looking at taking delivery of the new fleet towards the end of 2005, although Numir says that the phasing out of its older fleet would probably not start for a couple of years beyond that date. LAUNCH MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / LONDON Virgin Nigeria aims for early start with A320 Virgin Atlantic's Nigerian airline joint venture is expected to be up and running with an Airbus A320 fleet by January, initially operat ing short-haul routes from its Lagos hub, with long-haul ser vices planned later. Virgin Nigeria will be majority- owned by Nigerian investors, with Virgin Atlantic holding a 49% share valued at around $24.5 mllion. The remainder will be held by Nigerian institutional investors, via a private placement process to be completed before launch. The UK airline will support the carrier by providing "expertise and ser vices", enabling the launch to be undertaken rapidly. "We are now moving rapidly to secure the necessary approvals and permits and we look forward to publishing in the next few weeks further details," says Virgin group chairman Sir Richard Branson. Flights are expected to begin "early in the new year" using A320s, says the airline. Initial ser vices will be operated on the domestic Lagos-Abuja route, with Kano and Port Harcourt to follow. Planned international regional destinations include Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; and Dakar, Senegal, with longer-haul services to Europe, the Middle East and the USA also eventually envisaged. Virgin Atlantic oper ates from London to Lagos and Port Harcourt. The new airline will operate separately. • BMI will launch its first long- haul scheduled services from London Heathrow in March, after approval to serve Bangalore and Mumbai, India. BMI flies long-haul services only from Manchester. TRAINING ERA to establish academy The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is to launch its own training programme, based on research from its members showing regionals spend more on third-party training providers than do majors. The ERA Academy will devise a series of internet-based teaching modules in collaboration with software developers InfoWerk as well as academics from Innsbruck University and the IT Institute. ERA Academy director Olaf Dlugi says course content will depend on airline customers and the association is defining requirements in the next two months. The courses will focus on three areas: strategic, operational and functional air line management. The association estimates that training costs could be reduced by 65% by switching from classroom-based training to the web, although most airlines will use a combination of the two, adds Dlugi. Stan Garst & Associates, Inc. St. Louis, MO 63109 USA Aviation Training and Simulation Consulting For a searchable MS Access™ database that provides an indepth review of civil flight simulators worldwide. Contact Bob Walther at bwalther@sga-inc.com The database Flight International uses! Phone: +1 (314) 481-6300 Fax: +1 (314) 481-8686 Web: www.sga-inc.com www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 12-18 OCTOBER 2004 17
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