Two American Airlines flights make emergency landings
An American Airlines MD80 bound for Palm Springs, California, returned to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday (7/9) when the pilot declared an emergency after noticing a problem with equipment that helps keep the plane stable. None of the 123 passengers were injured. It was the second emergency landing for an American Airlines flight this week. An American Airlines flight heading to DFW from Indianapolis had to make an emergency landing in Little Rock on Tuesday (7/8) after a pilot saw smoke in the cockpit. That flight landed safely at Little Rock National Airport. Houston Chronicle
MD80s subject of new FAA advisory
The FAA is ordering U.S. airlines to conduct safety inspections to look for cracking on overwing frames on 670 MD-80 series (MD-81, 82, 83, 87 and 88) aircraft registered in the United States. American Airlines has 212 MD-82s and 86 MD-83s, while Delta Air Lines Inc. has 117 MD-88s. Inspections and all corrective actions must be completed within two years or before the accumulation of 20,000 total flight cycles. Repeat inspections will be required thereafter at regular intervals. The directive resulted from reports of cracked overwing frames, which could sever the frame, increase the loading of adjacent frames, and result in damage to adjacent structures and loss of overall structural integrity of the airplane. WSTB
Air traffic screens lose labels, paralyze Dublin Airport
Dublin airport cancelled dozens of flights today after problems with the air traffic control system. The Irish Aviation Authority said a malfunction in the radar system meant air traffic controllers were unable to identify incoming aircraft, forcing the closure of runways to all arrivals from 2 pm to 3:30 pm. Many departing planes were also grounded. Flights were being diverted to other airports in Ireland. Dublin airport handles around 600 flights every day and at peak times a plane lands or takes off every 90 seconds. Controllers could not read the individual aircraft labels on their screens. This is part of a continuing problem with a system installed in 2003. The Guardian
High-speed trains seize short-haul market as fuel cost cripples the airlines
In Europe, high-speed trains are fast eating into short-haul airline business. Traffic growth on Eurostar, which runs from London’s St. Pancras Station to Paris and Brussels, increased by 21% in the first quarter of 2008, compared with the same period in 2007, and revenues are up by 25%. The train now carries 70% of passengers between London and Paris. For trips of 600 miles or less, a train traveling at 190 mph beats an airplane for city center to city center travel, and trains such as the Eurostar, France’s TGV, and others can travel that fast. Besides time, the railroads have avoided much of the escalating fuel costs as they run on electricity, which means they are also not subject to inclusion in the European Union's Emissions Trading System.
In France, Air France has watched over the past decade as SNCF's Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) eroded its domestic business. Air services between Paris and Lyons and between Paris and Brussels have been suspended. The train is dominating traffic to Marseilles and Geneva, and the new line east to Strasbourg will quickly extinguish air links. In preparation for 2010 when all European high speed railroads will be opened to competing train operators, Air France is reportedly working on its own fleet of high-speed trains to bring passengers from France and surrounding countries to the new TGV terminal at Charles de Gaulle airport. This could give Air France a huge competitive advantage over British Airways and other airlines for attracting high profit long-haul business and pleasure travelers. Times of London
U.S.airlines balk at emissions trading
See item immediately above about one European consequence of the carbon dioxide emissions trading policy of European Union.
The Air Transport Association of America said the measure passed by the European Parliament Tuesday "is not only bad policy, it is illegal." The Parliament added aviation into the European Emissions Trading Scheme requiring payment for mileage traveled to or from Europe. Nominally, the payments would offset the carbon footprint of air traffic. However, the European plan does not mandate a definite reinvestment in any environmental improvement. The legislation violates the treaty governing international aviation, as well as other international laws, said ATA. On Tuesday, the International Air Transport Association leveled the same criticism against the new law. Six months ago, all non-EU countries that are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations body that regulates international aviation, stated their opposition to the proposal on legal and policy grounds. Traffic World
ATA points out major improvements in aircraft efficiency since 1978, but those improvements haven’t prevented the increase in total carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft and airport operations when the total number of flights today is considered.
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