Feb/March13 Industry News

Feb. 28, 2013

Extended Briefs:

Boeing 787 Grounded

Dreamliners worldwide have been grounded as of press time after lithium ion batteries led to a fire in one plane and smoke in a second. Boeing is still building 787s even though deliveries have been halted, and is aiming to deliver at least 60 of the planes in 2013. That would keep it on pace for its current rate of building five per month. Boeing has said it wants to be building 10 787s per month by the end of 2013. U.S. aviation officials have asked Boeing for a full operating history of the batteries on the 787s. Japan's All Nippon Airways confirmed that it had replaced batteries on its 787 aircraft ten times because they didn't charge properly or connections with electrical systems failed; Japan Airlines also said it had replaced 787 batteries.

ACI-NA Releases 2013 Capital Needs Survey

America’s airports need to complete $71.3 billion worth of essential infrastructure projects between now and 2017, including major runway and terminal expansions that are required to keep pace with passenger growth forecasts, says the association. During a media briefing, ACI-NA president Greg Principato stressed that the existing federally-mandated funding system fails to meet U.S. airport capital needs for modernizing airport capacity which is critical for a safe, efficient, and globally competitive aviation system. The survey provides information on all airport projects over the next five years, not just those that are Airport Improvement Program (AIP) eligible, as is the case with the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) report.

Briefs:

ACC — Paula Hochstetler announces that she will retire as president of the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) on December 31, 2013. The ACC board of directors has unanimously selected ACC Executive Vice President T.J. Schulz to succeed her as president. At the time of her departure, Hochstetler will have led ACC for more than 19 years.DANE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (WI) — Passenger traffic was up 6.7 percent when compared to 2011, marking the second-best year in airport history. In 2012, the airport recorded 810,953 passengers, behind the record year of 2004 when 847,341 passengers flew out of the airport. Officials credit the boost to several service expansions that included flights to New York-LaGuardia; Cincinnati; Denver; Orlando, FL.; and Washington, D.C.

CDA —Chicago Department of Aviation has been honored by the Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) with a "Public Body of the Year" award. According to CISCO, the CDA was chosen for its management of the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP), which has provided thousands of jobs to Chicagoland area union construction workers and contractors.

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE — Holly Woodruff Lyons has been appointed Subcommittee on Aviation Staff Director. Woodruff Lyons has been a member of the Subcommittee staff since 2002, and the top Republican Aviation staffer since 2007.

DELTA AIR LINES — will add new service to Atlanta from Burlington, VT, Green Bay, WI, and Anchorage, AK, beginning summer 2013.

DFW — Jeff Fegan announces plans to retire in September as chief executive of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Fegan, 58, has held the top position at DFW since 1994.

EPIC — announces the release of the iGo EPIC app. The app offers easy search functionality and fuel pricing for FBOs within the EPIC FBO Network. For EPIC Cardholders there’s an added convenience of getting account specific pricing by FBO location.

LANDMARK AVIATION — announces Charlie Ferraro as a Regional Vice President. Ferraro will supervise the company’s Western U.S. locations, which include operations at IFP, LAX, OAK, SAN, and SDL.

MIDWAY AIRPORT —FAA approves the City of Chicago's preliminary application to its privatization pilot program, allowing the City to move forward with issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for potential interested bidders in Midway Airport, and test market interest, conditions, and revenue generation possibilities for the potential lease of Midway.

PARAGON NETWORK — Paragon Aviation Group announces the addition of two locations DuPage Flight Center (KDPA) in Chicago, and Henriksen Jet Center (KTME) in Houston. Located in West Chicago, DuPage Flight Center is an alternative to Midway. Its 14,000-sq. ft. executive terminal features an array of professional amenities, including on-site catering, a restaurant, and exercise facilities.

PINNACLE AIRLINES — Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines announces it will move its headquarters to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).

PIPER AIRCRAFT — FAA is requiring inspections on tens of thousands of older model Piper airplanes to check cables that control tail surfaces. The FAA is posting a directive prompted by reports of failures in the cable assembly which direct a plane's nose. The rule requires inspections and parts replacement as needed, to correct what the FAA calls an "unsafe condition." 

REPUBLIC  AIRLINES — Embraer and Republic Airways Holdings Inc. announce a contract for the sale of 47 EMBRAER 175 jets. The agreement also includes options for an additional 47 aircraft, providing a potential for 94 E175s, which could reach a total value of approximately $4 billion.