Causes of Push-Back-Delays in the courtyards of Frankfurt Airport
On 29/02/2012, in CDM, by andre
The Lufthansa flight to Miami leaving from Frankfurt Airport’s terminal 1 – area A/B has been delayed. The flight has not received permission to get rolled onto the runway by the push back vehicles because a plane leaving for Rome just left its gate 10 minutes late and another plane arriving from Berlin needs to be brought into its proper position first. This scenario unfortunately happens remarkably often at these terminal areas for various reasons. These delays, known as Push-Back-Delays, have an immense influence on the punctuality of flights at Deutsche Lufthansa AG the head carrier at the airport of Frankfurt.
The analysis of these dependencies was the subject of Patrick Hünleins’ final paper. In cooperation with the Department of Materials Handling and Logistics Systems of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the punctuality management team of the Frankfurt Division of Lufthansa AG, Patrick Hünlein determined the causes of these frequent Push-Back delays at the terminal area A/B. Based on his conclusions it was possible to create a new way to reduce the delays.
On average, 350 Lufthansa operated flights depart daily from Frankfurt Airport. Approximately 20-25% of these departures leave from terminal area A/B. In 2008, 3.2 % of the total delayed minutes attributable to Lufthansa AG were caused by Push-Back-Delays in this area. At first this percentage seems small but if you consider that a mere 1 % reduction in delayed minutes causes a huge improvement in air traffic efficiency and prevents cost overruns it is worth studying the underlying causes for this kind of delay.
Put simply, a Push-Back-Delay happens as soon as an airplane is ready for departure but cannot leave its parking position because another plane is operating in the area needed. The accurate determination of the reasons that cause this blockade situation first requires an analysis of the “real system airport”.
Figure 1. Airbus 320 leaving the inner courtyard between Terminal A and B
Click here to read the full article
English in the Aviation Sector: Languagelab.com and Emery-Roberts tackle the problem head on
On 27/02/2012, in Just to let you know..., by steve
See special offer for Roger-Wilco readers at the end of this article.
Following several high-profile accidents, multiple incidents and near-misses as a result of inadequate language proficiency, ICAO has set a minimum level of English for all pilots and air traffic controllers providing services to international flights. In response, many online language learning tools have materialised offering ICAO level 4 training.
Most of these courses offer the traditional learning combination of writing practice and conversation practice with an English teacher. However, one company has taken a totally different approach to the learning process. Languagelab.com, in partnership with Emery-Roberts, have created a ground-breaking virtual learning product, Aviation English Live.
Aviation English Live immerses its students in real-life situations in Languagelab’s virtual English City. Learners access the platform through a computer, using a headset and microphone to interact with teachers and other students live and in real time. All teachers are qualified teachers with ELT and aviation experience and classes are held at the airport within the virtual English City. By using experienced pilots and air traffic controllers to teach the non-routine scenario situations, students have the advantage of first hand knowledge and experiences of many air traffic incidents and situations.
Click here to read the full article
Satellite-based landing system certified – GBAS debut at Bremen Airport
On 24/02/2012, in Satellite Navigation, by steve
The satellite-based precision approach system GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) has received the German type certification as a primary landing system by the Federal Supervisory Authority for Air Navigation Services (BAF) and may be used independently of the instrument landing system (ILS) which has been is use for decades for instrument flights.
Greeting the Air Berlin crew that flew the first regular Cat I approach using GBAS
At Bremen Airport, DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung will be the first air navigation service provider in the world to operate GBAS for CAT I precision approaches for regular air services. GBAS provides digital guidance for precision approaches using a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). The system boosts the accuracy and integrity of GPS by transmitting corrections to the aircraft. Currently, GBAS is being installed at airports as a supplement to ILS. In the future, GBAS will replace ILS when all aircraft are equipped with the appropriate on-board receivers.
Click here to read the full article
AOPA Shanghai International General Aviation Show – 28-30 August 2012, Shanghai, China
On 24/02/2012, in Events, by steve
AOPA China will be hosting the 2012 Shanghai International General Aviation Show which will be held at the Shanghai World Exhibition and Convention Center.
This is a great occasion to join hands in humankind’s great dream of flying and experience first-hand the world of aviation which is full of science, technology, passion and amusement.
Just like the automobile industry of the latter part of the last century, today’s Chinese general aviation industry is full of vigor and business opportunities. With substantial support from the macro-policy of the Chinese government, gradual opening and reform of low-altitude airspace and 30-year sustainable growth of China’s economy, the general aviation industry is meeting with a golden opportunity for development, producing a huge market demand of hundreds of billions of dollars in the next ten years.
Click here to read the full article
SESAR Interview – A Roger-Wilco Exclusive
On 23/02/2012, in SESAR's Palace, by steve
For the second year now, as part of the preparations for ATC Global in Amsterdam, Roger-Wilco editor Steve Zerkowitz has been granted an exclusive interview with an officer of SESAR. This time he talked with the JU’s Michael Standar, Chief Strategies and International Relations about the achievements and challenges of the SESAR Program.
Last year everyone was waiting for the details of Release 1. How far have the aims been achieved? Are there any problems? What is the impact on SESAR as a whole?
When the first list of potential Release 1 validation exercises was developed, it was fairly long.… Together with the members, we scrutinized each project as to its true potential of being ready for industrialization. These iterations resulted in a final approved Release 1 set of exercises with content deemed ready for real world validation. Even though this being a bottom-up process I believe through this process we did reach the aims set out for Release 1.
Of course one must also remember that Release 1, important as it is, primarily focusing on mature areas to prove industrialization readiness and not the whole Program; as such Release 1 was certainly a success within its limits.
In this context the “story” of IP1 is worth being mentioned. There too a number of the original IP1 OIs needed more SESAR R&D. Some people might say that a lot of the IP1 content included solutions that had been developed earlier. This is correct, but they nevertheless lacked a true validation in a real life environment with the necessary analysis and with the relevant stakeholder involvement. Another thing we had to realize was the need to approach the new features on an iterative basis. This is the best way to progress towards maturity. Take Initial 4D for instance. We will have three iterations starting in 2011 and then continuing in 2012 and 2013. These fit well with the target dates of the Master Plan also.
Another element of the Program that is an important candidate for iterative development is the remote tower concept. An excellent idea and something that is eminently feasible but in order to have a deployable product, we will have to go through a number of iterations to reach full maturity.
We have also seen that there is no such thing as “one size fits all”. The iterations do allow us to define the best fits for different environments while staying fully within the original spiral of development. This is a very cost effective approach to the development of the elements of a complex system like ATM.
In the meantime, Release 2 is on the table. What is the chief content? How is Release 2 progressing?
Click here to read the full article
Viewfinder View 8 – Things do contract in the cold
On 22/02/2012, in Viewfinder view, by steve
Flying at high altitude, this Airbus 330 wing shows clearly how material contracts and gets distorted in the extreme cold found there. Once back in the warmer air on descent, the same area was smooth as a baby’s bottom.
FAA Approves Use of ARINC’s HFDL Network for Air Traffic Control Data Link Communications
On 20/02/2012, in Just to let you know..., by steve
Following a recent trial, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prepared the way for data link Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications over the global High Frequency Data Link (HFDL) network of ARINC Incorporated. The technology is known as FOH, an acronym for “FANS (Future Air Navigation System)1/A over HFDL.”
In a January 12 letter, the FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, Margaret Gilligan, stated, “The FAA accepts FOH as a viable means of Air Traffic Service (ATS) communications,” and agrees that FOH “will provide an effective means of Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications and position reporting.”
The FAA decision means aircraft already using HFDL for long distance operational communications will eventually be capable of using the ARINC service to communicate with controllers as well.
Ron Hawkins, ARINC Vice President of Commercial Aviation Solutions, welcomes the FAA decision. “By adopting FOH for Air Traffic Control, both pilots and controllers will be able to reduce their workloads on and off the aircraft—all the while increasing safety by automating activities previously done with voice,” he states.
FOH data link provides an inexpensive global alternative to satellite-based global communications, and it is expected to be most beneficial in controlled Oceanic airspace such as the North Atlantic and Pacific flight routes. With the addition of FOH, ARINC offers the world’s broadest portfolio of aeronautical communication services.
Click here to read the full article
No Smell, No Taste, No Color – but Deadly. The dangers of CO are real.
On 19/02/2012, in Just to let you know..., by steve
Although Winter is coming to an end and with it the sad news about whole families dying of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to malfunctioning heating apparatus, the dangers of CO are anything but over.
Piston engines in cars and aircraft all produce CO and there have been cases in apartment houses and shopping centers where CO from the garage under the building seeped into the rest of the structure causing people to feel ill or even faint.
CO is an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas that attaches to hemoglobin, the red blood particles, several orders of magnitude stronger than oxygen does, effectively displacing life giving oxygen with carbon monoxide and starving the brain of oxygen. CO stays in the blood and oxygen no longer has a chance. Neither do you.
Worst of all, you do not notice the danger until it is almost too late. A headache, nausea are the first warning signs but by the time these appear, you may find it hard to find a place with more oxygen.
Some people have CO monitors installed in their house but what about your car or cockpit? A faulty exhaust system can, and did, result in CO poisoning in the confines of cars and cockpits. So what is the solution?
You do not need bulky equipment or mains power to be protected all the time, everywhere.
Click here to read the full article
Manual on Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE)
On 19/02/2012, in SWIM, by steve
It is recognized that the air transport industry plays a major role in world economic activity and to maintain a safe, secure efficient and environmentally sustainable air navigation system at global, regional and local levels, it is required the implementation of an air traffic management (ATM) system that allows maximum use to be made of enhanced capabilities provided by technical advances.
The realization of the vision for the future ATM requires an environment with significant information content and collaboration.
The purpose of this Manual is to present a concept for the Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE) to be implemented during the time frame through 2025. The document has been developed with particular attention to the objective of achieving the vision outlined in the Global Air Traffic Management Operational Concept (Doc 9854), with requirements outlined in the Manual on Air Traffic Management System Requirements (Doc 9882).
FF-ICE illustrates information for flow management, flight planning, and trajectory management associated to the ATM operational components. It will be used by the ATM community, as the basis from which ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) will be developed, in order to ensure that the FF-ICE Concept can be implemented globally in a consistent way.
Comments on this manual would be appreciated from all parties involved in the development and implementation of FF-ICE. These comments should be addressed to:
The Secretary General
International Civil Aviation Organization
999 University Street
Montréal, Quebec, Canada H3C 5H7
Get your copy here.
Read my earlier article on FF-ICE here.
GPR – What is This?
On 15/02/2012, in Life around runways, by steve
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) as Applied to Airport Runway Maintenance
IRIS-5 Vehicle
Airport maintenance and engineering groups face many challenges in maintaining their runway pavements. In addition to routine maintenance and rehabilitation, the increased use of larger aircraft and runway expansions, in combination with limited budgets, have necessitated the requirement for a cost effective means of accurately assessing pavement conditions in order to meet these new needs.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has long been an effective tool for the evaluation of highway pavement and bridge deck structures, however, it can also provide much needed information on the physical condition of airport runway pavement, both in a rapid and cost effective manner. Penetradar’s GPR systems can accurately and nondestructively “see” through solid pavement materials, such as asphalt, concrete and soil to detect subsurface anomalies and determine the condition and thickness of the material examined. GPR surveys can be done during the day or night, allowing for flexibility in scheduling.
Click here to read the full article
Replacing Malev – Easier Said than Done
On 14/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
When Malev Hungarian Airlines ceased operations two weeks ago, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and tens of thousands ticket holders uncertain about the value of their reservations, people in Hungarian aviation were stunned. Emotions ran high and the political parties, typically, were blaming each other for the demise of the 66 years old national carrier.
From the reactions one would have thought that Malev was the first airline ever to fail… But then for its people, most of whom have never worked for another airline, this was indeed a tragedy of biblical proportions.
Quite apart from the personal tragedies such a failure entails, the economic impact is also substantial. This is all the more serious because of the shaky situation Hungary is currently in.
Budapest Ferihegy Airport lost 40 % of its traffic, the loss of incoming and outgoing tourists is a serious blow to the industry and connecting passengers coming from further East and South will no longer pass via Budapest reducing the regional importance of the airport. Malev was operating several thin routes to localities in neighboring countries which attracted businesses to Budapest with a view to serving them from the Hungarian capital with its great air connections. This attraction is also gone now.
Malev’s failure was not totally unexpected. The company has been losing money for many years and it went through several owners, coming out of each status change in a poorer state. The last owner, with more than 90 % of the shares in its hands, was the Hungarian government which, in the end, let the carrier sink.
Ryanair was the first airline to react and came with well defined plans to at least partially fill the void left by the national airline. Others, among them Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines and British Airways have announced that they will have additional flights and also use bigger aircraft, to pick up the slack. At the same time, American Airlines, Delta and Hainan Airlines announced that they were cutting back service in response to Malev’s disappearance.
In other words, the aviation industry was reacting to an event the likes of which we have seen many times before when great names like Sabena, Swissair, Pan Am, Spanair and so on flew west, out of existence.
Click here to read the full article
UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) to the rescue… or not?
On 12/02/2012, in The future is now, by steve
We have been reading about UAS’s for some time. Stories abound on how they have been used successfully to catch bad guys on the battlefield or in the course of police and border patrol interdiction operations. It was fun reading about them not least because of the comfortable feeling: they are here, sure, but not in our backyard.
Well, this is changing now and the civil liberties advocates in the US are up in arms. So what gives?
Last Monday the US Senate passed a measure requiring the FAA to give UASs extended access to civil airspace by 30 September 2015. Until now the FAA was reluctant to open the floodgates for UASs, mainly because of concerns that the sense and avoid capabilities of these unmanned aircraft were not yet mature enough to operate safely in shared airspace. They will now have to figure out how to do this anyway… You can bet that the 2015 date will not be met or if it is, it will be a fluke. No radical new system, however simple, had ever been introduced into the airspace system with a three year deadline.
But it now looks like the technical hurdles may in fact be the least of the FAA’s worries and if there is a delay, it will come from the activities of the civil liberties advocates who are diametrically opposed to allowing UASs into our backyards.
Click here to read the full article
Final Destination
On 10/02/2012, in Picture stories, by steve
Shannon Airport used to be the stepping stone for trans-Atlantic flights back in the days when aircraft did not have the range to make the trip in one go. More recently, the all-business class London-New York flight of BA (an Airbus 320 family twin) also made use of Shannon to refuel. Other then this, Shannon was rarely in the news. Until Friday, a week ago.
What was probably the saddest procession in the sky in a long long time, MALEV’s fleet of Boeing 737s were winging their way from Budapest to Shannon as the failed airline’s leased aircraft were taken back by their owner. In short order, the Shannon ramp started to look like Budapest on a busy morning… except that the returned 737s were not going anywhere anytime soon.
Those aircraft left behind tearful eyes and a horrible void in the souls of those whose life was this little airline with a 66 years history.
Our contributor Peter Z. Gaal was on hand in Shannon and he recorded the sad sight of the Malev fleet idling forlornly in the Irish rain… These photos may bring additional tears to some eyes but I think they must be shared to ease the process of mourning.
66 years passed away...
Click here to read the full article
4D Flight, a SESAR First
On 10/02/2012, in SESAR's Palace, by steve
Only two and a half years into active SESAR development work, today the first initial four dimensional (I-4D) trajectory flight successfully took place. Thanks to the complementary expertise of the involved SESAR members (Airbus, Eurocontrol, Honeywell, Indra, NORACON , and Thales), the Airbus A320 test aircraft taking off from Toulouse to Copenhagen and Stockholm, successfully validated the capability of the aircraft system to comply with time constraints elaborated and negotiated with ground ATC system through air ground datalink communication. I-4D is a cornerstone of the SESAR programme as it is the first step towards more predictable flights.
“With this first I-4D trial flight under operational conditions, the SESAR members have proven that by working together in the framework of the SESAR programme real changes in the ATM domain are being brought about. Not only the aviation industry will benefit from optimised flights, but society as a whole”, says Patrick Ky, Executive Director of the SESAR Joint Undertaking.
The flight trial
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Ryanair Takes Budapest by Storm
On 09/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
With Malev gone from its home base, Ryanair was quick to try and fill the void… successfully it would appear.
With its customary aggressive stance and no-nonsense approach to flying, the Irish company is establishing a base at Budapest Ferihegy Airport with five aircraft and 42 destinations. Agreement with the company operating the airport is going to be signed on Friday.
The new, super low prices advertised by Ryanair have generated a record number of bookings. In view of the 9.99 euro price, this is understandable.
The new base and new flights will start operating on 17 February and full capacity will be reached on 26 March. Plans are to carry 2.4 million passengers in the first year.
WizzAir, the Hungarian low-cost company has reason to worry. Ryanair has stated that its aim is to be always 50 % cheaper than WizzAir’s best price.
Hungarians generally are still reeling from the blow of having lost their “national airline”. Those who have been part of the Malev family are mourning understandably, they have lost something that is unlikely to be ever rebuilt. A much uglier scene is being played out on the political level where right and left is once again engaged in a mud-slinging exercise, blaming each other for the demise of the (long loss making) carrier.
The arrival of Ryanair is not being cheered equally by everybody. Clearly, emotions are running high and the aggressive Irish company is not seen as something that brings opportunities but rather as a competitor that will make the establishment of a new Hungarian carrier more difficult.
One thing is sure, the Hungarian aviation scene will never be the same without poor Malev.
DCIS – What is this?
On 08/02/2012, in Buzzwords explained, by steve
It was a sunny and warm afternoon when American Airlines captain Russ Chew, IATA European Regional Director Phil Hogge and myself sat down in the little garden behind our house in Brussels to discuss AA’s dissatisfaction with the way the FAA was going about its air/ground digital link program and how AA may participate in EUROCONTROL’s highly successful Petal trials. This was the end of the 90s and controller/pilot digital link communications (CPDLC) were seen as one of the most essential elements in any future ATM system.
Right about that time a few European ANSPs were busy trying to kill Petal (simply because they were not yet ready for CPDLC) but Maastricht UAC was adamant and with the help of IATA, EUROCONTROL staved off the naysayers. AA became a Petal participant and the trials were concluded with success. Unfortunately, the implementation of CPDLC was slowed down to a crawl by events like the crisis following 9/11 and the other subsequent downturns in the industry. While there continued to be movement in Europe, the FAA actually shelved their CPDLC program in 2003.
Of course with NextGen in the works it could not be otherwise: the FAA had to revive digital communications work and this is now incorporated in the, not too imaginatively named, Data Comm program. What is more, bidding is open for the DCIS or Data Communications Integrated Services contract which is, of course, also part of the NextGen environment. The winner will establish and operate the Data Comm network for a period of 17 years with the service being fee based, to be paid by the FAA.
Click here to read the full article
Ferihegy Airport, with 40% of its traffic gone, dragging its feet over the Ryanair solution
On 07/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
One would think that an airport that has just lost 40 % of its traffic due to the collapse of local airline MALEV would jump at the offer of Ryanair to take up the slack. Budapest Ferihegy has been leased to Hochtief but it is not a far fetched idea to surmise that their feet-dragging is politically motivated. The current Hungarian government was left with eggs on their face after the collapse of the “national” airline and seeing a foreign company skim the market would go counter to their nationalistic impulses. To-day will be critical with a Ryanair delegation travelling to Budapest to clarify the situation and the Hungarian premier holding its “state of the Union” speech where he is unlikely to leave the matter of MALEV unmentioned. He would probably hate to see the Ryanair rescue plan being announced the same day his praise for himself is broadcast on national television. Well, we will see…
In the meantime, read the Ryanair press release on the issue.
6 Feb – Budapest Rescue – Update
Ryanair this evening confirmed that it has secured slots for all of its proposed fights from Budapest Airport from 17th Feb next.
Ryanair’s €9.99 rescue fares went on sale last Friday in order to minimise the disruption to Hungarian consumers/ visitors arising from the closure of Malev.
However, despite repeated letters and phone calls Ryanair has still not received a reply from Hochtief Budapest Airport to our commercial proposal discussed with senior airport management on Friday afternoon.
A senior Ryanair management team is travelling to Budapest on Tuesday morning to meet with Hochtief Budapest Airport to finalise acceptable commercial terms for Ryanair’s largest ever investment in Hungarian tourism. Ryanair will also be meeting with Malev pilots, cabin crew and engineers to invite job applications to help Ryanair crew its four aircraft/31 route Budapest base which is due to commence on Friday 17th Feb.
Ryanair has however warned prospective passengers that if it can not agree terms with Hochtief Budapest Airport tomorrow it may be forced to delay the launch of its Budapest base, delay the rescue of Hungarian consumers/ visitors and delay the recruitment of Hungarian pilots cabin crew and engineers.
Given the speed of Ryanair’s emergency response last friday to Malev’s closure, the delays by Budapest Airport in responding to Ryanair’s proposals is regrettable and concerning. It would be a pity if Budapest Airport’s high costs and slow response cause a delay in Ryanair’s €300m euro rescue plan for Hungarian traffic, tourism and jobs.
Ryanair management will be happy to brief the press during the course of their visit to Budapest on Tuesday/Wednesday this week.
Read the original Ryanair rescue plan for Hungary here.
The First Day in the Tower Without MALEV
On 06/02/2012, in Tower chronicles, by lajos
We woke to a sad day on 4 February 2012. We had every reason to be happy… winter had arrived and we were looking forward to some serious snowfall. Of course for those on day-shift this was also cause for a bit of apprehension, what with the memories of a day two years ago when the airport had to be closed from 8 am till the evening due to snow. But on this Saturday snow problems were far from our minds, the main theme of conversation was the tragedy of the day before, something that elicited total shock within the aeronautical community of Hungary. What will Ferihegy Airport look like without MALEV aircraft? I drove to the airport with a knot in my stomach. I was driving as if I were going to an unknown, alien place.
The parking lot was the first sign that something was terribly wrong. On other days it was almost impossible to find a lot at Gate A since MALEV’s crews were also leaving their cars there. Now? Only a few cars were waiting as if being the forebode of nothingness. Whatever… we will be busy if for nothing else, the snow will take care of that, so we hurried out to the tower in our usual minibus. Once there, we listened in awe to the night shift who related to us the story of the “black army”, the crews who took poor MALEV Boeings on their last trip back to Shannon. I was fighting back tears… It was little consolation that our management assured us that we were not in danger. There is nothing that will compensate for those damn blue-nose planes! Once again I started to feel that anger, the anger at not being able to do anything that has flooded me so many times also in past years. As soon as it was light, I looked out towards Terminal 2 and saw only one or two jet birds and a few of the turboprop Indians which were later joined by the sole Bombardier sporting the old MALEV paint scheme. She was the one who brought home the “black army” pilots. I was glad that I was not among them… or may be I wished that I could be there and cry together with them? I wasn’t sure…
Click here to read the full article
Malev failure – the Human Dimension
On 06/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
When an airline dies, it has an economic dimension that impacts a lot of other businesses. Some will suffer, others will benefit. But for those who lost “their” airline, the people who were in fact the airline, the failure is an emotional experience that leaves a deep, deep wound, something that may never heal completely.
Here are a few pictures of leave-taking taken just before the leased 737s took off for Shannon on their last MAH flight. The empty cabin is especially telling… with the flight plan showing a payload of 00000.
The Last Tow…
On 04/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
Failed MALEV’s leased aircraft were flown back to ILFC’s Shannon facility Friday afternoon. I can only imagine what the pilots must have felt as they took their “toys” back to the store…
Here we have a sad picture of one of the MALEV turboprops being towed away from the ramp where they have stood, ready for a trip, so many times. They too will have to look for new users now.
Ryanair to Open Budapest Base in Two Weeks With 31 New Routes
On 03/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
Ryanair to Open Budapest Base in Two Weeks With 31 New Routes, 2M PAX P.A., SAVING UP TO 2,000 JOBS FOLLOWING MALEV’S CLOSURE RYANAIR FARES START FROM €9.99/HUF2,000 FROM 17 FEBRUARY
RYANAIR MEETING WITH HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT AND
BUDAPEST AIRPORT TODAY TO FINALISE RESCUE PLAN
Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline today (3rd Feb) at a press conference in Budapest announced its intention to launch a rescue plan for Budapest and Hungarian tourism following the grounding of Malev airline last evening. Ryanair confirmed that it will base 4 brand new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft at Budapest Airport commencing in just two weeks time on Friday 17th February where it will open 31 new routes, offering lower fares (€9.99/HUF2,999) than any other airline, and delivering up to 2m passengers p.a., replacing most of the traffic and routes lost by Budapest following last night’s grounding of Malev.
Ryanair, which currently employs over 700 Hungarian pilots and cabin crew, will be holding an open recruitment day in Budapest on Tuesday next (7th Feb), inviting job applications from Malev pilots, cabin crew and engineers to help Ryanair gear up for this 4 aircraft, 2m passenger p.a. base at Budapest Airport. The International Airport Council figures confirm that this 2m pax p.a. will support 2,000 jobs at Budapest Airport.
This largest ever investment in Hungarian aviation and tourism is subject to reaching final agreement with Budapest Airport today on costs, facilities and handling, and Ryanair’s Deputy CEO Michael Cawley has travelled to Budapest to finalise these negotiations with Budapest Airport and the Hungarian Government. Because Ryanair has grounded up to 80 aircraft this winter, it has the capacity to respond immediately to the Malev grounding by moving aircraft, pilots and crews to Budapest within two weeks, in order to minimise the disruption to Hungarian consumers/visitors and tourism as a result of the Malev closure.
Ryanair’s new Budapest base will start on Friday 17th February at fares from €9.99/HUF2,999 and these 31 new routes go on sale at these HUF2,999/€9.99 fares on www.ryanair.com/hu today.
MALEV Ceases Operations
On 03/02/2012, in Airline corner, by steve
After 66 years of almost continuous operations, MALEV Hungarian Airlines stopped all flights as of 0600 this morning.
It is always a sad day when an airline stops operations, just like when any well known, big company closes its doors. There can be no doubt that most of us are reading the news of MALEV’s demise with tears in our eyes. We feel with those whose job has suddenly gone up in thin air. But!
It is important to ensure now that in these critical times emotions are not allowed to dominate and perhaps even more important to avoid the political mud slinging, so popular in Hungary these days. What has befallen Malev is in part indeed due to incorrect political decisions but it is much more important to recognize that MALEV, like many other European airlines, has failed to implement the necessary structural changes, that its efficiency was way below what is possible these days and that these were the reasons why they were not able to find a buyer for the company.
MALEV may have been an object of national pride, but in the meantime nobody bothered with the much more important task of implementing the changes required to make it a more efficient operation. Nobody had the courage to rationalize the number of people working there and to take honest account of what kind of airline would be able to operate profitably from Budapest. Why did they have to refuse a recent Spanish offer that would have converted Malev into a low cost carrier? Just one of the many screw-ups…
Click here to read the full article
Aviation Transformed – a Free White Paper about Data-Driven Technology
On 03/02/2012, in The future is now, by steve
Charts have evolved. Data-driven technology is changing the way pilots navigate safely to their destinations and leading to new opportunities for operational efficiency.
Download the free Jeppesen white paper, “Aviation Transformed,” to learn about:
- The evolution of aeronautical charts from paper to digital
- Challenges of paper charts solved by advanced alternatives
- Features and benefits of Mobile FliteDeck, the industry’s first interactive mobile enroute flight application
- Tips for implementing tablets equipped with the mobile app
Ease of use, reliability and a streamlined flight process come together in the paperless solution Mobile FliteDeck. Understand its possible impact on your business, and get a glimpse of what’s next for the technology.
This white paper was made available originally via the Aviation Week Knowledge Center. Click here to find other interesting stuff at Aviation Week.
Viewfinde View 7 – Desperation
On 03/02/2012, in Viewfinder view, by steve
On her knees looking after the fast receding figure of her mom… this tired little girl will probably remember Madrid airport with less than enthusiasm.
Decennium of HungaroControl – Anniversary in the spirit of development
On 01/02/2012, in Anniversaries, by steve
HungaroControl celebrated the tenth anniversary of its establishment by handing over professional awards and holding a large-scale reception. The Hungarian Air Navigation Services appreciated the work of Anne Kathrine Jensen the CEO of Entry Point North, Qatar Airways and Thales Air Systems.
Hungarian Air Navigation Services became an independent company 10 years ago. During the preceding three decades, it was the Air Traffic and Airport Authority that performed the organisation and control of Hungary’s air transport as well as the operation of Budapest International Airport. In order to divide these two functions, HungaroControl and Budapest Airport were established in January 2002, and in this way, aviation in Hungary also involved three participants. During the past ten years, HungaroControl Pte. Ltd. Co. became a top-ranking service provider of international air traffic control, and one of the most successful state-owned companies in Hungary.
Click here to read the full article
Quote of February 2012
On 01/02/2012, in Quote of the month, by steve
Take away the self-conceited, and there will be elbowroom in the world.
Benjamin Whichcote
