Some Aviation News :)

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Cathay boss: "Young pilots don't think about pensions or medical care,
just want 777"

For the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, all major U.S.
airlines are hiring pilots or recalling those laid off during the
industry's five-year downturn.

But the airlines are discovering that many of the 10,000 pilots who
lost their jobs during those bleak years aren't interested in
returning to their old lives.

Many pilots, faced with salary cuts of 35 percent or more, moved to
overseas carriers, such as Emirates Airline and Cathay Pacific Airways
Ltd. Others took higher-paying jobs with overnight carriers such as
FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc.

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If Airlines Were Run Like Computer Operating Systems...
UNIX Airways
Everyone brings one piece of the plane along when they come to the
airport. They all go out on the runway and put the plane together
piece by piece, arguing non-stop about what kind of plane they are
supposed to be building.

Air DOS
Everybody pushes the airplane until it glides, then they jump on and
let the plane coast until it hits the ground again. Then they push
again, jump on again, and so on...

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FAA: Airports must upgrade runways
The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring two Bay Area airports
to make safety changes to their runways so planes can stop in case of
an emergency.

Some of the runway safety areas -- which are extensions at the end of
runways that provide space for planes to stop in event of an emergency
-- are not long enough at San Francisco and Oakland international
airports. The FAA is requiring the upgrades to be made by 2012.

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For details and more news FLIGHT305.com

[Jay Honeck]

> For the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, all major U.S.
> airlines are hiring pilots or recalling those laid off during the
> industry's five-year downturn.

Good news indeed.

Now, if only the airlines would start servicing more airports, again,
we'd really have an air transportation system.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Michelle P]

Jay Honeck wrote:
>>For the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, all major U.S.
>>airlines are hiring pilots or recalling those laid off during the
>>industry's five-year downturn.
>
>
> Good news indeed.
>
> Now, if only the airlines would start servicing more airports, again,
> we'd really have an air transportation system.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
Un-fortunately it will take some money. There are several airports in
rural Virginia/West Virginia that get airline service only because they
are getting paid by the Feds and state to fly in.

Michelle

[Jay Honeck]

> Un-fortunately it will take some money. There are several airports in
> rural Virginia/West Virginia that get airline service only because they
> are getting paid by the Feds and state to fly in.

Or, it will take VLJs, and their vaunted efficiency in the air taxi
role.

I'm not overly optimistic, but somehow there's just got to be a way to
make it possible for people to use their local airports again.

I find it hard to stomach that our parents and grand-parents were able
to enjoy air service that we, their children in the 21st century,
cannot. Whether VLJs are the answer remains to be seen.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jose]

> I find it hard to stomach that our parents and grand-parents were able
> to enjoy air service that we, their children in the 21st century,
> cannot.

How much did they pay for an airline ticket (in units of "day's wages")
vs. how much we pay now?

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[Jay Honeck]

> How much did they pay for an airline ticket (in units of "day's wages")
> vs. how much we pay now?

True, on the surface it appears that the cost of airline travel is
lower now than then.

However, it would be interesting to see a study that factors in
opportunity costs and lost productivity. Just 34 years ago, you could
walk into Iowa City Municipal, board a plane, and fly to Chicago,
Denver or Minneapolis. Now, you must drive to Cedar Rapids or the
Quad Cities to do so.

After factoring this in, times the hundreds of millions of air
travelers, I'll bet the costs (to most consumers and businesses) are
similar today. The only difference is that the airlines no longer get
the money.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[john smith]

Airline service outside of a hub is poor.
In 1992 I served on the Port Columbus [Ohio/KCMH] Capacity Planning
Committee.
The consultant that was hired was based in Washington DC.
When he arrived for the first meeting, one of his first comments was,
"You have some of the poorest service I have experienced."

Service is so poor, one local company charters an ERJ-145 to fly two
round trips a day on Tuesdays and Thursday to its operations in Des
Moines IA. The flight is almost alway full with employees flying each
way. Prior to the charter, airline service required a full day of travel
each way with routing through Chicago or Minneapolis.

[Jose]

> Just 34 years ago, you could
> walk into Iowa City Municipal, board a plane, and fly to Chicago,
> Denver or Minneapolis. Now, you must drive to Cedar Rapids or the
> Quad Cities to do so.

You still can. Charter one. Compare =that= cost to the "good old days"
airline ticket cost.

Also, I'd venture there is less need for business travel now, since we
have internet and cheap telephone service.

Jose
--
Humans are pack animals. Above all things, they have a deep need to
follow something, be it a leader, a creed, or a mob. Whosoever fully
understands this holds the world in his hands.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[Matt Whiting]

Jay Honeck wrote:

>>Un-fortunately it will take some money. There are several airports in
>>rural Virginia/West Virginia that get airline service only because they
>>are getting paid by the Feds and state to fly in.
>
>
> Or, it will take VLJs, and their vaunted efficiency in the air taxi
> role.
>
> I'm not overly optimistic, but somehow there's just got to be a way to
> make it possible for people to use their local airports again.
>
> I find it hard to stomach that our parents and grand-parents were able
> to enjoy air service that we, their children in the 21st century,
> cannot. Whether VLJs are the answer remains to be seen.

It is simple ... that was before deregulation. The high density routes
subsidized the low density small airport routes. Once we let the free
market run, we got what we got. I'm not saying this is right or wrong
and I'm basically a free market believer, but the reality is that a free
market will go where the money is ... and the money isn't at small
airports in small towns. That is just the simple reality.


Matt

[Jay Honeck]

> It is simple ... that was before deregulation. The high density routes
> subsidized the low density small airport routes. Once we let the free
> market run, we got what we got. I'm not saying this is right or wrong
> and I'm basically a free market believer, but the reality is that a free
> market will go where the money is ... and the money isn't at small
> airports in small towns. That is just the simple reality.

Well said.

I hope the VLJs make it financially profitable to service at least
some of the smaller markets again.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Bob Fry]

>>>>> "JH" == Jay Honeck > writes:
JH> I hope the VLJs make it financially profitable to service at
JH> least some of the smaller markets again.

How do you figure VLJs are going help? A VLJ has seats for 3 to 7 pax
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLJ)...take the capital cost of the VLJ,
amortize over its useful life, add in operating cost (pilot salary,
fuel, maintenance), divide by 3 or 7, and you've got a very expensive
per mile fee.

It's Econ 101, Jay. There are benefits to living in smallish
University towns, but air service ain't one of them.

--
If you saw two guys named Hambone and Flippy, which one would you
think liked dolphins the most? I'd say Flippy, wouldn't you?
You'd be wrong, though. It's Hambone.
- Jack Handey