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Headline News!
Monthly, eNewsletter readers are presented with either an encapsulated version of key articles or pertinent industry related subjects as reported in previous periodicals.
Most articles, as one would suspect, address the continued economic downturn of the global economy and its negative effect on the transportation industry; sea, air and surface. Without dismissing the importance of these cause-effect topics, further issues are equally important to report.
Increased spot-market pricing and customer quoting, along with the decreased use in tariff rates by air carriers, have become strong points within the industry. Paying customers are placing almost any weight shipment for bid, expecting a deal-of-the-century from a carrier desperate for any amount of cargo. Industry professionals note that following this pricing philosophy will do little to improve the financial outlook of the world's airlines.
Fuel and the price of oil is another topic that remains consistent in industry media coverage. In 2008, the articles addressed the daily increase in the cost of fuel. As fuel began to decline in cost, its impact was scarcely felt. Now as "green shoots" of optimism appear, or as President Obama referred to as "glimmers of hope," fuel has begun another steady rise in price, consequently removing profitable hope from the transportation industry.
Continuing with our "Airlines Go Green" feature, efforts made by the airline industry to further protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gases are highlighted in green below. Missing, however, is the lack of articles or promotional announcements regarding the airlines' desire to maintain sustainability. A decline in press coverage overlooks these important topics: EU carbon-sharing program, the concept of airplanes powered by vegetable oil or straightforward business insight. Undoubtedly, larger initiatives monopolize airfreight forefronts, but continued green initiatives are concerning and relevant issues.
The editorial lineup presents various headlines addressing the altering landscape of air cargo communicated over the last 30 days.
Airlines International, June - August 2009
- International Air Transport Association (IATA) member airlines have been published to the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry. The association membership has become synonymous with best practices in airline safety.
- IATA has signed an agreement with the Interstate Aviation Committee to improve aviation safety throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
- TAP Air Portugal is scheduled to become the first airline to offer carbon offsets to passengers through the IATA offset program.
Cargo News Asia-Pacific, Monday, July 13, 2009
- American Airlines $390m in the red.
- Reported by the Dow Jones, the head of American Airlines said that the airline business is in worse shape than it was a year ago. American Airlines parent (AMR) beat Street expectations with a second-quarter loss of US$390 million. Shares were recently trading at $4.26, up eight cents, or 1.91 percent. AMR shares are up 6.2 percent for the month but are down nearly 60 percent year-to-date.
- The Obama administration has approved a bid by Continental Airlines to join UAL Corp's United Airlines and other carriers in the global Star Alliance, Reuters reported. The final US Transportation Department order, which provides limited immunity from antitrust law, permits carriers from sharing pricing, scheduling and other information within the alliance.
Air Cargo Asia-Pacific, July 9, 2009
- The G8 leaders' objective to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in the year 2050 is welcomed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
- US carrier Delta Air Lines and Australia's Virgin Blue Airlines plan to seek regulatory approval to form a joint venture to expand the carriers' reach between the US and Australia and the South Pacific.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tuesday, July 07, 2009
- UPS, which had a $4.1 billion fuel bill in 2008, hopes to decrease the carbon emissions of its airplanes another 20 percent by 2020. The Sandy Springs-based package carrier begins by replacing older aircrafts with more fuel efficient planes, while continuing to experiment with biofuels.
Cargo News Asia-Pacific, July 6, 2009
- As air cargo volumes climb with grounded rates, the South China Morning Post reports that cargo holds of aircraft plying the China-US route are bulging with the latest 3G iPhone from Apple. Although the air cargo pick-up demand indicates more positive times ahead, recovery is far off. This result has trade watchers questioning whether or not the industry experienced a fundamental change.
Cargo News Asia-Pacific, July 2, 2009
- Belgium-based Cargo B Airlines has ceased operations that began in 2007 with the mission to increase freight services to Africa and South America. A brief statement issued by management reported that lower yields couldn't support a viable operation in the current market without improvements, of which the likelihood was nonexistent.
IATA Carrier Survey
IATA recently surveyed member carriers regarding airline business confidence in the current market and their forecasts for the future.
Key points discovered from survey respondents include the following:
- Airlines reported that by July their confidence in business conditions had weakened from the situation in April, when oil prices were still low and 'green shoots' of recovery were being discussed;
- Reported net profitability (losses) for Q2 and expectations for the next 12 months deteriorated from the previous survey in April;
- Over 88% of respondents reported profitability had fallen in the past 3 months, and a majority expect a further decline over the year;
- Expectations for cargo volumes over the next 12 months have swung from negative in April to a net positive in this survey, reflecting expectations of a world trade recovery;
- Cargo yields have also fallen substantially but expectations have switched from expecting a further decline in April to expecting a rise in this survey;
- Overall, the survey indicates that the airline industry still faces a challenging environment with very weak passenger revenues and rising unit costs.
Douglas DC-3
 DC-3 operated by Flygande Veteraner in Sweden
Design and Development
The DC-3 was engineered by a team led by chief engineer Arthur E. Raymond and first flew on December 17, 1935. The aircraft was the result of a marathon phone call from American Airlines CEO Cyrus Smith to Donald Douglas requesting the design of an improved successor to the DC-2.
The amenities of the DC-3 - including sleeping berths and an in-flight kitchen - popularized air travel in the United States. With only three refueling stops, eastbound transcontinental flights across the U.S. taking approximately 15 hours became possible. Westbound trips took 17 hours 30 minutes due to typical prevailing headwinds. Before the arrival of the DC-3, such a trip would entail short hops in slower and shorter range aircraft during the day, coupled with train travel overnight.
A variety of engines were fitted to the DC-3 throughout the course of its development. The original civilian aircraft used Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9s, but later aircraft used the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial which offered better high-altitude and single engine performance.
Production
 C-47 of Colombian airline AeroPaz in 2003
4937 were built in Russia, under license, as the Lisunov Li-2. A total of 487 were built in Japan, as the L2D Type 0 transport. The overall total produced was 16,079. More than 400 remained in commercial service in 1998.
Operational history
Early U.S. airlines like United, American, TWA and Eastern ordered over 400 DC-3s. These fleets paved the way for the modern American air travel industry, quickly replacing trains as the favored means of long-distance travel across the United States.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines received their first DC-3 in 1936 and it replaced their earlier aircraft types on the service from Amsterdam via Batavia (now Jakarta) and continuing to Sydney - by far the longest scheduled route in the world at the time.
Piedmont Airlines operated DC-3s from 1948 to 1963. A DC-3 painted in the representative markings of Piedmont, operated by the Carolinas Aviation Museum, continues to fly to air shows today and has been used in various movies. Both Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines operate "commemorative" DC-3s wearing "period markings".
During World War II many civilian DC-3s were drafted for the war effort and just over 10,000 US military versions of the DC-3 were built, under the designations C-47, C-53, R4D, and Dakota. Peak production was reached in 1944 with 4853 being delivered. The armed forces of many countries used the DC-3 and its military variants for the transport of troops, cargo, and wounded.
 Douglas C-47B of Aigle Azur (France)
Douglas had developed an improved version, the Super DC-3, with more engine power, greater cargo capacity, and a different wing but, with all the bargain-priced surplus aircraft available, did not sell well in the civil aviation market. Only five were delivered, three of them to Capital Airlines. The U.S. Navy had 100 of their early R4Ds converted to Super DC-3 standard as the R4D-8, later C-117D.
A number of aircraft companies attempted to design a "DC-3 replacement" over the next three decades (including the very successful Fokker F27 Friendship) but no single type could match the versatility, rugged reliability, and economy of the DC-3. It remained a significant part of air transport systems well into the 1970s.
 Cockpit of DC-3
Some of the more common uses of the DC-3 have included aerial spraying, freight transport, passenger service, military transport, and sport skydiving shuttling.
The very large number of civil and military operators of the DC-3, C-47, and related types since their introductions means that a listing of all the airlines, air forces, and other operators is impractical.
Specifications
| General |
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Performance |
| Crew: |
2 |
Maximum speed: |
237 mph (381 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
21-32 passengers |
Cruise speed: |
150 mph (240 km/h) |
| Length: |
64 ft 5 in (19.7 m) |
Range: |
1,025 mi (1,650 km) |
| Wingspan: |
95 ft 0 in (29.0 m) |
Service ceiling: |
24,000 ft (7,300 m) |
| Wing area: |
987 ft² (91.7 m²) |
Rate of climb: |
1,130 ft/min (5.73 m/s) |
| Empty Wt.: |
18,300 lb (8,300 kg) |
Wing loading: |
25.5 lb/ft² (125 kg/m²) |
| Loaded Wt.: |
25,200 lb (11,400 kg) |
Power/mass: |
0.0952 hp/lb (157 W/kg) |
Powerplant: |
2× Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 series (earliest aircraft) or Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S1C3G in the C-47 and later civilian aircraft |
| Propellers: |
3-bladed Hamilton Standard 23E50 series hydraulically controlled constant speed, feathering |
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American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum
One of the best places to see a restored DC-3 is at the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum at Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport.
The American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum is much more than a museum. It's a sight-and-sound, hands-on, window-seat look at the world of flight. It's an adventure offering you a chance to hear, see, touch and be a part of the exciting aviation industry. Best of all, it's a great place for the entire family - or any group - to enjoy time and time again.
The C.R. Smith Museum, just south of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, is a one-of-a-kind adventure into the world of commercial aviation. The museum opened in July 1993, and is dedicated to past and present American Airlines employees and C.R. Smith, longtime American Airlines president and aviation pioneer.
The museum is a non-profit organization publicly funded by the generous gifts of corporate partners, AMR employees, AMR retirees and museum friends. The museum is operated by the C.R. Smith Aviation Museum Foundation and emphasizes learning through hands-on displays.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the Air eNewsletter,
please contact Joseph Hoban from the AIT Air Department. |
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