PEA Grads Pilot Historic United Express Flight

United Express re-initiated service to Daytona Beach International Airport this week for the first time in 25 years.  It was an exciting time for United Express, complete with a speech by airline senior management when the flight arrived at the gate.

But the really exciting part was who was in the cockpit on this historical flight. Two Phoenix East Aviation flight training graduates! The United Express/Mesa Airlines pilots were Meredith and Thanos, both graduates and former instructors at PEA.   

Another New Airline to Feed Industry's Growth

Viva Macau, another new Chinese discount carrier, has plans to commence flights to Hawaii and Russia, becoming the first Asian budget carrier to fly to these two destinations.  The carrier is also planning flights to Northeast Asia, including Japan and South Korea, aswell as Australia, the Middle East and Europe.

The airline's CEO Andrew Pyne said "we are are supremely bullish about Macau's potential as the low-cost carrier hub in the region." He also noted they were "focusing very seriously on Honolulu as a destination," since there are currently no direct flights from South China to Hawaii.

Viva Macau seeks to fly routes not now served by AirAsia Bhd. and Tiger Airways Pte., other discount carriers in Asia.  Via Macau plans to tap rising travel to and from Macau, the world's biggest gaming hub after Las Vegas.

Hong Kong to Handle 50 Million Passengers

The commercial airline industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and airports are hustling to keep pace.  Hong Kong's Airport Authority is making a US$.6 billion investment to upgrade the airport to handle more than 50 million passengers and more than 4.3 million tons of cargo by the year 2010, when work is expected to be completed.

The airport handled 40 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo last year, up 10% from 2004. 

Runways and taxiways will be modified to handle the new jumbo Airbus A380. There are aslo plans for a two-story satellite concourse, as well as enhancements to the existing passenger terminal. 

China Southern Flies Record Number of Passengers

China Southern Airlines flew a record 44 million passengers in 2005, marking the largest single year passenger total in the airline's 27 year history. In December 2005, they carried 63% more passengers than during the prior year's same month. Unofficially, 44 million passengers would rank China Southern as within the Top 10 of the world's leading airlines, according to Air Transport World magazine.  The airline also moved more freight than any other airline in China in 2005; it  boasts the largest and most technically advanced aircraft fleet in the People Republic of China.

China Southern's growth can be attributed not only to its mergers with China Northern Airlines and Urumqu-based Xinjiang Airlines and to the addition of all new Airbus and Boeing aircraft, but also to the rapidly developing domestic Chinese marketplace.  The rapid construction of the new Baiyun International Airport, China Southern's base of operations, is another factor: the airport cost more than $3 billion US and managed more than 20 million passengers during its first year of operation. 

 

Macau Gets New Discount Airline

Flight training students now have even more opportunities to fly for international airlines. Hong Kong-listed Sun Tak Holdling Ltd. has formed a new budget airline with Air Macau and China National Aviation Co (CNAC).

The initial funding for the new company, Macau Asia Express, is US$30 million.  Macau will begin flying late this year to Asian and Chinese cities.  Air Macau owns 51%. CNAC, an investment company controlled by state-owned Chinese flag carrier, Air China Ltd., owns a controlling interest in Air Macau. 

Macau Asia Express will be only the second airline to be based in Macau.  However, there is another waiting for approval now: Viva Macau, also a budget carrier.  Why Macau? Airlines operate from the Macau airport because they pay lower fees than at other airports in the region and thereby can offer lower fares. 

The new airline will operate flights to about 20 cities on the China mainland and Asia-Pacific region.

What Aircraft Will You Be Flying? Here's the Latest from Boeing and Airbus.

So you want to fly the best and latest model aircraft?  Then you might be interested in a brief analysis of two of the latest and greatest now on the drawing board -- Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A380. 

The designers of these aircraft are now able to exploit a raft of new technologies.  These are also now promising to be a tipping point in the sophistication of airline cabins, as well as design and power systems.

Besides being more fuel efficient -- and in some cases larger -- this crop of new technologies will yield new levels of comfort, especially in Boeing's 787.  Prior to the 787, engineers had always dominated airplane design at Boeing -- as it should be; however, there was seldom any direct feedback from the 'customer,' the flying public.  It appears that management is now listening to their end-user customers.

Here some comparisons: Airbus's A380 has more than twice as many SEATS as Boeing's 787, upwards on 500 on two decks or as many as 853 in an all-coach configuration.  WINDOWS on the 787 are 35% larger than Boeing's 777. And no more manual shades: Light levels can be adjusted using electo-chromatic technology.  ADAPTIVE CABIN LIGHTING can be changed to simulate daylight or night sky. BETTER CLIMATE for easier breathing in the 787. Greater humidity and a new purification system for moister, cleaner air. Plus the amount of fresh air is determined by the number of passengers, not the number of seats.  At cruising altitude in the 787, CABIN PRESSURE will be set at 6,000 feet above sea level, which is 2,000 lower than the current standard.

In the Boeing 787, AISLES in coach are 2.5 inches wider (21.6 inches), CABIN is 14.5 inches wider at eye level, to maximize perceived volume, and  SEATS are at least one inch wider (18.5 inches). Passengers don't feel hemmed in by sharply curving walls and low ceilings because of the 787's architecture.  The cross section of the fuselage is neither circular (standard on most aircraft) nor oval (as the 747 or Airbus A380), but a circle whose upper lobe has been elongated, making for less curvature and greater headroom.  Advances in power generation to allow these improvements will provide the 787 with four times more electricity than has been possible before. 

How soon will these aircraft be ready for you to fly?  The A380 is already being flight-tested and will be introduced this fall by Singapore Airlines.  The 787 won't be arriving at the gate until 2008.  There are mock-ups of both aircraft at Boeing in Seattle and Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France now.