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Cathay Pacific Will Launch ARINC's Iridium Voice Service on Its Freighters
Cathay Pacific Airways will be the first commercial airline customer for ARINC's Iridium service following its decision to use satellite-based telephones in its freighter cockpits.

Tyrolean Introducing Rockwell Collins HGS on Its Bombardier Dash-8-400s
Tyrolean Airways, which operates as Austrian arrows, is introducing its new Rockwell Collins' HGS (head-up guidance systems) on its Bombardier Dash-8-400s.

British Airways Extends Aeronautical Chart Contract with Navtech
British Airways extended its contract with Navtech's European Aeronautical Group UK subsidiary for three-more years of aeronautical chart services.

United Selects Additional Lockheed Martin Flight Optimization Tools
United Airlines will add an integrated flight planning and information delivery technology offered by Lockheed Martin through its partner, Flugwerkzuege Aviation Software.

WSI Launches Automated Weather Decision Support Tool
WSI Corporation is launching an automated operational decision support tool that provides detailed hour-by-hour forecasts to help air traffic agencies, airport operators and airline dispatchers to plan more accurately for weather disruptions.

FlightView Has New Product to Automatically Alert for Irregular Ops
FlightView Software has released a new product that keeps track of multiple flights and immediately notifies appropriate people of any changes.

Thales and TEDC Create ATC Joint Venture in China
Thales and China's TEDC (Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control Technology Equipment Development Co. Ltd) have agreed to create a joint venture for ATC modernization in China.

Taiwan to Install Thales ATM System
Taiwan's civil aviation administration has awarded Thales ATM in Australia a contract to supply a fully integrated ATM (air traffic management) system nationwide.

Skybus Airlines Selects AMT's EFB Software
Skybus Airlines has selected Aircraft Management Technologies' Flightman EFB (electronic flight bag) software for its planned fleet of 65 A319s.  The new low-cost airline wants to begin with a "completely paperless operation" when it commences revenue service in the early spring of 2007.

Three Chinese Airlines Getting Thales IFE for their B-787s
Air China, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have selected Thales IFE (in-flight entertainment) equipment for their forthcoming B-787s.

Six Airlines Teaming with Apple for iPod IFE Connectivity
Apple Computer is teaming up with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to deliver the first seamless integration between its iPod and the airline's in-flight entertainment systems.

Multiflight Upgrades Ascent Flight Trainer with New Mechtronix Visual Technology
Mechtronix Systems recently upgraded one of its Ascent training devices at Multiflight, a Leeds, U.K.-based flight school, with visual image generators that are normally used on level-D full-flight simulators.

TSA Orders More L-3 Communications EDS and Upgrades
L-3 Communications' Security and Detection Systems subsidiary will supply the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with new EDS (explosives detection systems) and upgrade existing systems.

TSA Certifies New Reveal Imaging Software for Faster Bag Screening
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has certified new explosives detection software that its developer, Reveal Imaging Technologies, says can significantly improve the throughput of checked bags.

Cairo Selects ARINC Managed Services for Airport IT Support
Egypt's Cairo International Airport will use ARINC Managed Services for technology support at its new Terminal 3, now under construction.

NTSB Reiterates Most-Wanted Safety Actions
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called upon the FAA again to take "effective action" to counter the danger posed by potentially catastrophic runway collisions.

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Cathay Pacific Will Launch ARINC's Iridium Voice Service on Its Freighters

Cathay Pacific Airways will be the first commercial airline customer for ARINC's Iridium service following its decision to use satellite-based telephones in its freighter cockpits.

ARINC will install Iridium satellite phones on seven Cathay Pacific B-747-200s under a STC (supplemental type certificate) developed in cooperation with the carrier. The installation uses a compact avionics package and antenna from the International Communications Group (ICG) of Newport News, Virginia.

Cathy made the decision for ARINC's Iridium voice service in order to give its flight crews more reliability, and improved clarity, when communicating with the airline's integrated operations center (IOC) from remote areas around the world.

"When our freighters are out of VHF range, flight crews will just pick up a phone and make a call to the IOC, or vice-versa," said Russell Davie, Cathy's general manager of flight operations.

Cathay Pacific Airways operates a fleet of 18 freighters to 28 global destinations, and has ordered eight new aircraft for delivery between 2007 and 2009.  The airline also recently announced plans to build and operate a third air cargo terminal at Hong Kong's international airport to support its planned cargo services expansion.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

Tyrolean Introducing Rockwell Collins HGS on Its Bombardier Dash-8-400s

Tyrolean Airways, which operates as Austrian arrows, is introducing its new Rockwell Collins' HGS (head-up guidance systems) on its Bombardier Dash-8-400s.

The Innsbruck-based carrier already has equipped five of its ten -400s with the system, with the remaining five scheduled to follow by mid-2007.  HGS is already installed on all the 13 of its Canadair Regional Jets and its 10 Dash-8-300s.  Tyrolean became the world's first airline to be authorized to operate HGS on Canadair RJs in 1996.

The airline says it justified the system on the basis of its belief that "HGS is up to six times more precise than its previous flight guidance system during approaches, and is simpler in structure and less maintenance-intensive than standard 'precision approach equipment' currently authorized for all-weather flight operations."  The system can be used for approaches in visibilities down to Cat IIIa conditions (200 meters minimum runway visual range, and 15 meters decision height), and for takeoffs with RVR (runway visual range) readings as low as 75 meters, on suitably equipped runways.  11-20-2006.  (Top)

British Airways Extends Aeronautical Chart Contract with Navtech

British Airways extended its contract with Navtech's European Aeronautical Group UK subsidiary for three-more years of aeronautical chart services.

Navtech's continuing chart update services for British Airways includes all the procedures, navigational information and diagrams for the international airports and routes where the airline operates.

Navtech says it provides charting services to over 80 airlines with both paper and electronic products.  11-19-2006.  (Top)

United Selects Additional Lockheed Martin Flight Optimization Tools

United Airlines will add an integrated flight planning and information delivery technology offered by Lockheed Martin through its partner, Flugwerkzuege Aviation Software.

Lockheed Martin will supply United with Flugwerkzuege's flight-planning and OPUS briefing and NOTAM (notice to airmen) system, which are meant to help an operator design more optimal flight paths by a better incorporation of variables such as upper air temperatures, wind speeds, aircraft performance, airway and airspace restrictions, connection rules, and cost constraints.

This latest step by United follows a previous contract in 2003 to use Lockheed Martin's FltWinds weather information and decision support system and its SPEAR (system performance evaluation and analysis reporting) product.  FltWinds is used largely to make better flight decisions by evaluating weather data in real time, while SPEAR keeps detailed information about flights, which along with its analytical evaluation capabilities, can help airline managers plan future flights more efficiently.  11-20-2006.  (Top)

WSI Launches Automated Weather Decision Support Tool

WSI Corporation is launching an automated operational decision support tool that provides detailed hour-by-hour forecasts to help air traffic agencies, airport operators and airline dispatchers to plan more accurately for weather disruptions.

WSI Hubcast utilizes WSI's proprietary forecast engine to provide precise hour-by-hour forecasts of terminal weather conditions.  The service automatically monitors and verifies the forecasts to display trends along with estimates of expected traffic flows based on specific forecast parameters.  It has customizable alert thresholds to inform operations personnel of deteriorating weather and delivers real-time, graphical weather products to provide continuous situational awareness.

Besides Hubcast's standard level of service, it is also offered at a premium level, which provides consultations with WSI's aviation meteorologists at any time, and any day of the week. 

And because it is Web-based, WSI Hubcast is accessible anywhere it's needed.  11-18-2006.  (Top)

FlightView Has New Product to Automatically Alert for Irregular Ops

FlightView Software has released a new product that keeps track of multiple flights and immediately notifies appropriate people of any changes.

FlightView says its Flight Notification is aimed at any customer-service or resource-management organization that needs to keep track of numerous flights.  A customer loads up a list of pertinent flights in advance, and Flight Notification immediately alerts appropriate recipients of changes in flight status.  Customers can also add or delete flights from their list at any given time.

The information exchange between the customer and Flight Notification uses Microsoft .NET's Web services and a FTP (file transfer protocol) server that outputs the customer's proprietary XML (extensible markup language) flight-status data to the customer's computer as needed, thus eliminating the need to query the system for individual flights.  11-17-2006.  (Top)

Thales and TEDC Create ATC Joint Venture in China

Thales and China's TEDC (Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control Technology Equipment Development Co. Ltd) have agreed to create a joint venture for ATC modernization in China.

The new enterprise, which will be based in Beijing, will be 60% owned by TEDC and 40% by the Thales Group.  It intends to develop, sell and maintain air traffic control centers, primarily in China, using technology inherited from Thales.  Thales has supplied primary and secondary radars, navigation aid systems, and associated training services to China over the past few years.

According to Thales, the joint venture ensures the continuity of the NESACC (north, east and southern area control centers for China) programs that are aimed at expanding and modernizing the air traffic control systems at Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.  The three centers, which use Thales EUROCAT equipment, control about 60% of China's air traffic, mainly its eastern regions.  11-21-2006.  (Top)

Taiwan to Install Thales ATM System

Taiwan's civil aviation administration has awarded Thales ATM in Australia a contract to supply a fully integrated ATM (air traffic management) system nationwide.

Under the contract with the Air Navigation and Weather Services of the Civil Aeronautics Administration of Taiwan, Thales will field its EUROCAT air traffic control system for Taiwan's two integrated en-route and approach control centers, and eleven towers, along with simulation capabilities and software development.  The contract also includes a provision of a fully integrated aeronautical information service system and digital voice communication switching.

The new system will include the capability for multi-sensor tracking including radar, ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) and multilateration, air traffic flow management, air-ground datalink as well as the latest in safety net alerts and warnings.  11-17-2006.  (Top)

Skybus Airlines Selects AMT's EFB Software

Skybus Airlines has selected Aircraft Management Technologies' Flightman EFB (electronic flight bag) software for its planned fleet of 65 A319s.  The new low-cost airline wants to begin with a "completely paperless operation" when it commences revenue service in the early spring of 2007.

AMT's Flightman is a family of software products that enable the synchronization of data between the aircraft and the airline's various ground systems, and the use of a common data model by various users.  At Skybus, these will include pilots, flight attendants, maintenance engineers, and third-party service providers.

AMT says it has been working with the founders of the Columbus, Ohio-based start-up for more than two years to help the airline envision its required operational processes, and configure its forms and workflow to enable it to begin service as the first truly paperless operator.

Ken Gile, Skybus Airlines' president, said this was possible, because as a start-up airline, "We had the opportunity to select the most sophisticated and powerful systems available today to aid our decision making processes, and that includes not just ground systems but also infrastructure on the aircraft to enable the real-time exchange of information and support for our people at the 'sharp end' of our business."  11-19-2006.  (Top)

Three Chinese Airlines Getting Thales IFE for their B-787s

Air China, China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have selected Thales IFE (in-flight entertainment) equipment for their forthcoming B-787s.

Air China and China Eastern Airlines will each take delivery of fifteen new 787s with Thales Top Series IFEs factory installed when they begin arriving in 2008.  Shanghai Airlines nine new 787s will have the same Thales system when they begin to be delivered in 2008 as well.

Passengers on all three airlines will have audio and video on-demand capabilities at every seat plus a moving map flight information and in-seat laptop power.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

Six Airlines Teaming with Apple for iPod IFE Connectivity

Apple Computer is teaming up with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to deliver the first seamless integration between its iPod and the airline's in-flight entertainment systems.

The six airlines will begin offering their passengers iPod seat connections which power and charge their iPods during flight and allow the video content on their iPod portable media players to be viewed on the seat back displays.

Apple said the service will be available on these airlines by the middle of 2007.

United said its Apple connectivity will enable customers to plug-in and charge their iPod, watch movies and TV shows on their iPod using United's big-screen monitors, as well as listen to their entire music library on United's noise-cancellation headsets.

Delta Air Lines said its in-flight iPod connectivity will allow customers to listen to their complete music library, view their video content and keep their iPods charged. The Atlanta-based airline confirmed it would begin offering the service in mid-2007 and expects to equip its entire domestic transcontinental fleet with the audio/video integration plus charging functionality by 2008.

Air France said in a statement that while it is partnering with Apple, it is "far too early to talk about a project such as this."

Apple says it is working with Panasonic Avionics to bring in-flight iPod connectivity to more airlines in the future.  11-20-2006.  (Top)

Multiflight Upgrades Ascent Flight Trainer with New Mechtronix Visual Technology

Mechtronix Systems recently upgraded one of its Ascent training devices at Multiflight, a Leeds, U.K.-based flight school, with visual image generators that are normally used on level-D full-flight simulators.

The Mechtronix visual system upgrade kit, installed at Multiflight, uses COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) PC-based technology with new real-time software, supplied by Redifun Simulation, which Mechtronix says provides superior light point brightness and resolution with high resolution LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) projectors.

The initial airport database installed in the unit was converted to the new visual system as well.

Multiflight's Ascent upgrade also included a full-flight-simulator-grade IOS (instructor operating station), an ADAS (audio detection and analysis) sound system and an industrial-grade computer rack located outside of the unit, to improve the IOS working area.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

TSA Orders More L-3 Communications EDS and Upgrades

L-3 Communications' Security and Detection Systems subsidiary will supply the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with new EDS (explosives detection systems) and upgrade existing systems.

The TSA order, valued at more than $40 million, is for L-3's eXaminer 3DX EDS and for software and hardware upgrades that will enable airports to bring existing eXaminer systems forward to the most current product release without requiring the purchase of new base systems.

The eXaminer uses multi-slice computer tomography (CT) imaging technology that provides full 3-D imaging of entire objects.  Its GUI (graphical user interface) and image processing tools include edge enhancement, monochrome reverse and high-resolution detailing.  In addition, its networking technology supports a mix of different eXaminer scanners and configurations on the same airport system.

Among other improvements, L-3 says its hardware upgrades include a one-meter-wide entrance tunnel, which senses bag size and automatically rotates bags for optimum presentation to the scanner; extra-long baggage capacity; and increased throughput rate up to 600 bags an hour when used as part of an integrated inline system.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

TSA Certifies New Reveal Imaging Software for Faster Bag Screening

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has certified new explosives detection software that its developer, Reveal Imaging Technologies, says can significantly improve the throughput of checked bags.

The new software will be used in Reveal's CT-80 EDS (explosive detection system), which was certified by the TSA in 2004 and is deployed at many U.S. airports.

The CT-80 uses dual-energy CT (computed tomography) technology that also shrinks the size, cost and weight of the system, according to Reveal.  11-19-2006.  (Top)

Cairo Selects ARINC Managed Services for Airport IT Support

Egypt's Cairo International Airport will use ARINC Managed Services for technology support at its new Terminal 3, now under construction.

The contract with the ARINC subsidiary was awarded by the Cairo Airport Company and its parent, the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation.  In another action, likely related to the award, ARINC announced plans to open a Cairo office in the near future to support the airport and other enterprise technology customers in the region.

The new agreement follows a separate $22 million contract already awarded to ARINC for 14 other airport technology systems at Terminal 3, including passenger check-in kiosks and information displays, to biometric-based immigration gates and advanced ramp control.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

NTSB Reiterates Most-Wanted Safety Actions

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called upon the FAA again to take "effective action" to counter the danger posed by potentially catastrophic runway collisions.

The Board's Most Wanted List of safety improvements, highlights safety issues which it believes deserve the most attention from federal agencies, such as the FAA.

In is recent list update, the Board removed its recommendation that children under two years of age be restrained on airliners for take off and landing and during periods of turbulence, after expressing "great disappointment" at the FAA's continued refusal to take "appropriate action."  But it added its desire to see crew resource management training for air taxi operators.

The following aviation issues were on the Board's Most Wanted List, along with its recommendations and how it classifies the FAA's response so far:

• Runway Incursions.  This issue has been on the Board's list since it's inception in 1990.  While the FAA has taken actions to make airport surface operations safer, these incidents continue to occur with alarming frequency. The FAA indicates that during fiscal year 2005 there were 327 incursions, and during 2006 there were 330.

The FAA has introduced ASDE (airport surface detection equipment) at some airports that warns air traffic controllers of impending incursions, but not to the flight crews, which means there is an inherent delay in getting the information to the persons who can do something about the error.

NTSB Recommendation: Implement a safety system for ground movement that will ensure the safe movement of airplanes on the ground and provide direct warning capability to the flight crews. Timeliness Classification: Unacceptable.

• Fuel/Air Vapors in Fuel Tanks.  Center-wing fuel-tank explosions have resulted in 346 fatalities in four accidents since 1989. There also have been several non-fatal fuel tank explosions, the latest of which occurred earlier this year in India. After the TWA 800 accident in 1996, the Board issued both short and long term recommendations to reduce the potential for flammable fuel/air vapors in aircraft fuel tanks. The short-term recommendation was closed in an unacceptable status because the FAA took no action. However, the FAA has committed to take action on the Board's long-term recommendation by the fall of 2007.

NTSB Recommendation: Complete rulemaking efforts to preclude the operation of transport-category airplanes with flammable fuel/air vapors in the fuel tank on all aircraft. Timeliness Classification: Acceptable (progressing slowly).

• Aircraft Icing. The FAA has not adopted a systematic and proactive approach to the certification and operational issues of airplane icing.

NTSB Recommendation: Complete research on aircraft structural icing and continue efforts to revise icing certification criteria, testing requirements, and restrictions on operations in icing conditions. Evaluate all aircraft certified for flight in icing conditions using the new criteria and standards. Timeliness Classification: Unacceptable.

• Audio, Data and Video Recorders.  Automatic information recording devices, such as CVRs (cockpit voice recorders) and FDRs (flight data recorders) have proven to be useful in gathering information that results in more timely and precise safety recommendations that are likely to reduce future similar accidents.

NTSB Recommendations: (1) Adopt a two-hour CVR history requirement. (2) Require the retrofit of existing CVR's with an independent power supply. (3) Require existing FDRs and CVRs to be on separate generator busses. (4) Require the installation of video recording systems in small and large aircraft. (5) Require the recording of additional needed FDR data for Boeing 737s. Timeliness Classification: Unacceptable.

• Crew Resource Management (CRM) Training for On-Demand Part 135 Operators.  While Part 121 and scheduled Part 135 operators are required to provide pilots with CRM training, it is not required for non-schedule, on-demand operations.

NTSB Recommendation: Require that Part 135 on-demand charter operators conduct dual-pilot operations and establish and implement an FAA-approved CRM training program for pilots in accordance with Part 121. Timeliness Classification: Unacceptable.

A complete brochure of the Board's Most Wanted List can be seen here.   11-18-2006.  (Top)

Transport Canada issued a type certificate for Diamond's DA42 Twin Star.  11-22-2006.

The FAA certified Raytheon's Hawker 4000 super-midsize business jet.  11-22-2006.

Korean Air agreed to purchase 10 B-777-300ERs, five B-737-900s/700s, five B-747-8Fs and five B- 777-200Fs in a deal worth $5.3 billion.  The airline also took options on four 777-300ERs, two 747-8Fs and two 737-900ERs. The ordered aircraft will be delivered beginning in 2009 and continue through 2019.  11-22-2006.

TAM ordered four GE90-115B-powered B-777-300ERs along with an option for an additional four.  The first delivery is scheduled for 2008. The engines are valued at more than $180 million.  11-22-2006.

TAM's 16 additional A320s it has on order will have CFM56-5B engines. The Brazilian airline also ordered spares for the aircraft in a deal with $245 million at list price.  This newest order brings TAM's total CFM-powered A320 order to 41 firm aircraft.  11-22-2006.

Kingfisher Airlines ordered ten PW4000-100s that will be installed on its forthcoming new A330s, plus one spare and an option for an additional 10.  The total transaction is valued at $300 million, plus an additional $200 million if all options are exercised. 11-22-2006.

Spirit Airlines says it will take delivery of five A319s throughout November and December 2006.  The aircraft were purchased from Spirit and leased backed to the airline by GECAS.  11-22-2006.

Boeing resumed flight testing of its A160 Hummingbird UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). The A160 has accumulated more than 1,000 ground test hours and 58.5 flight hours during 32 flights.  The autonomous UAV is 35 feet long with a 36-foot rotor diameter and will fly up to 140 knots with a ceiling of 30,000 ft. (high hover capability up to 15,000 ft.) for up to 20 hours.  This current series of test flights is being conducted using the six-cylinder gasoline engine variant.  Engineers will analyze the flight data and determine objectives for subsequent test flights at the same time that work continues in parallel toward the first flight of the turbine-powered A160T next spring.  11-22-2006.

Japan Airlines (JAL) today took delivery of its first B-737-800.  The aircraft is configured with blended winglets.  11-22-2006.

Brazil's TAM ordered 12 A319s, 16 A320s, three A321s and six A330s from Airbus along with 12 options. 11-22-2006.

World Air Holdings' subsidiary North American Airlines extended its leases for two B-757-200ERs.  One lease is from ILFC and the other from GECAS.  The carrier also extended its leases for three MD-11 passenger aircraft and three MD-11 freighters, all leased from ILFC. 11-22-2006.

India's Kingfisher Airlines has taken delivery of four A321s, the first of which arrived in late October. 11-22-2006.

Romania's national carrier, TAROM, received the first of four A318s.  11-22-2006.

El Al canceled its 10 B-787 options, according to press reports citing a filing with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

Nav Canada reported its September 2006 traffic increased by an average of 3.6% compared to the same month in 2005.  September represents the first month of the ANSPs (air navigation service providers) fiscal year which runs from September 1 to August 31. These traffic figures are also available in graph form at www.navcanada.ca.  11-22-2006.

Embraer foresees a global demand for 7,500 jet transports in the 30 to 120-seat capacity segment over the next 20 years, with an estimated total market value of $220 billion (U.S.).  The company estimates that 3,050 aircraft will be delivered between 2007 and 2016; the remaining 4,450 will be delivered between 2017 and 2026.

Embraer believes the 61-90 seat segment will continue providing natural growth to regional airlines on high demand 50-seat regional jet routes, sustaining revenue growth and market share.  In addition, it will help airlines to replace ageing aircraft and will be the right-sized aircraft capacity to meet market demand with improved service levels.

The 91-120 seat jet transport segment will expand to help airlines match aircraft capacity to market demand, through ageing aircraft replacement, right-sizing of narrowbody routes with excess capacity and low-cost-carrier expansion into mid-size markets, according to Embraer's forecast.

As for business jets, Embraer estimates their overall demand to total 11,115 business jets over the next ten years, valued at approximately US$ 169 billion. The new air taxi market may add another 2,500 to 3,000 aircraft to the VLJ (very light jet) segment.

Currently, there are 87 Legacy 600 executive jets operating in 18 countries. Embraer expects to deliver 25 to 30 Legacy 600 jets per year in 2007 and 2008, up from 20 units in 2005 and 13 in 2004.

In mid-2008, deliveries of the Phenom 100 will commence, and Embraer expects to deliver 15-20 units in the second semester.  In 2009, when deliveries of the Phenom 300 begin in the second semester, the production rate of the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 is projected to reach 120-150 units combined.

The Brazilian airframer expects to deliver up to two Lineage 1000s in the second semester of 2008, in its first production year.  In 2009, it plans to deliver three to four Lineage 1000s.

Embraer says a full version of its Embraer Market Outlook will be available online by January 2007 at www.embraer.com/outlook.   11-22-2006.

The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the following preliminary data for reporting U.S. carriers for the first eight months of 2006 and the month of August:

System-Wide Comparisons

• U.S. airlines carried 0.4% more passengers during the first eight months of 2006, than they did during the same period in 2005.
• U.S. airlines carried 0.3% fewer domestic passengers and 6.0% more international passengers during the eight-month period in 2006 than during the same period in 2005.
• U.S. airlines carried 0.5% fewer scheduled domestic and international passengers in August than in August 2005.  The number of domestic passengers declined 1.4% in August from a year earlier while international passengers increased 6.5%.
• U.S. carriers operated 3.8% fewer domestic and international flights during the first eight months of 2006 than were operated during the same period in 2005.  Domestic fights were down 4.5% from the previous year while international flights were up 2.8%.
• U.S. airlines operated domestic and international flights were down 2.3% in August 2006 compared to August 2005.  The number of domestic flights decreased 2.8 percent in August from a year earlier while international flights increased 3.8%.
• RPMs (revenue passenger miles) were up 2.1% in the first eight months.  August RPMs were up 1.0%.
• ASMs (available seat-miles) were down 0.4% in the first eight months.  August ASMs were up 0.4%.
• Passenger load factor was up 2.0 points to 80.4% in the first eight months.  August load factor was up 0.4 to 81.2%.

Domestic Comparisons

• Domestic RPMs were up 0.8% in the first eight months.  August domestic RPMs were down 0.8%.
• Domestic ASMs were down 2.3% in the first eight months.  August domestic ASMs were down 1.5%.
• Domestic passenger load factor was up 2.5 points to 80.5% in the first eight months. August domestic load factor was up 0.5 points to 80.9%.

International Comparisons

• International RPMs were up 5.9% in the first eight months.  August international RPMs were up 5.5%.
• International ASMs were up 5.1% in the first eight months.  August international ASMs were up 5.8%.
• International passenger load factor was up 0.7 points to 80.4 in the first eight months.  August international load factor was down 0.1 points to 81.8.

Additional traffic numbers are available at http://transtats.bts.gov.  11-22-2006.  (Top)

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