Now What?
The most recent outbreak of swine flu prompts us to reflect on the various disasters and epidemics we've experienced in this century so far. When 9/11 occurred in 2001, planes were not only grounded for several days - people were generally afraid to fly during that catastrophic event in American history. In fact, the driving force behind the United Airlines marketing campaign that was incepted several years later - "It's time to fly" - was the inherent fear of flying caused by the events that transpired on 9/11.
SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) hit in early 2003, causing a dramatic downturn in global air traffic. People simply stopped flying to Asia or flying all together, resulting in a severe decline in revenue to passenger airlines. This epidemic had longer-range repercussions on air cargo, as buyers moved their purchases to India and the Middle East rather than flying to China and other Asia destinations, affecting the trans-Pacific balance of trade.
In 2005, it was bird flu that once again caused travelers to limit their business and pleasure travels in China, impacting the revenue of international carriers.
Now in 2009, the concern is swine flu, and although not Asia-based, the global carriers, especially North American based carriers, are being forced to brace for the impact.
Airlines can't catch a break; last year it was the price of fuel that negatively impacted their bottom lines. Those that hedged the price of fuel were heroes at first, and then as the market suddenly stabilized, they became the "goats." Later in 2008, the bottom dropped out of the global economy; passengers cut vacations, less cargo was flown as air freight, consumers purchased less and global trade stalled. Companies are using existing inventories or diverting less time-sensitive freight to ocean modes of transportation.
Two recent articles follow; the first from The Atlanta Journal on how Delta and other carriers are preparing for the current swine flu pandemic. The second from The Independent is titled, "Confusion over 'don't fly' advice."
As with the 9/11, SARS and bird flu calamities, it will take months to determine the full impact this latest heath crisis will have on the airline industry.
Delta, other airlines plan for swine flu pandemic
Atlanta-based Delta Airlines and other major carriers have contingency plans for how to manage their operations in the outbreak of a pandemic, but industry observers are closely watching to see what impact swine flu could have on carriers' finances.
Before this week, Delta and other carriers had already seen a significant drop in international travel because of the recession.
Six years ago, the outbreak of SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, contributed to an 18.5 percent drop in global passenger traffic in April 2003, along with declines in later months.
"What we saw in the SARS episode is it took several weeks of flying empty before airlines started to cancel [flights] in advance," said Port Washington, N.Y.-based airline consultant Robert Mann.
It's too early to tell what impact swine flu could have on the airline industry.
Investors reacted to news of the outbreak Monday, with Delta shares falling 14.3 percent and AirTran shares falling 6.6 percent. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services in a statement said the outbreak of swine flu raises the risk that airlines could suffer a steep drop in international traffic.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Monday recommended no nonessential travel to Mexico, while Delta, AirTran and other carriers have offered to waive fees for travelers who want to change their travel plans to Mexico.
Delta flies to Mexico City and other destinations in Mexico, though it is not one of the largest carriers to the country. AirTran Airways started flying to Cancun in February, and it said at this point it is continuing the flights. "We evaluate every market on a daily basis, and we have to make decisions that are best for the airline," said AirTran spokesman Christopher White.
If the situation worsens, airlines may waive broader flight cancellation fees, Mann said, which could have a more significant impact on airlines' finances.
A European Union health commissioner's comment urging Europeans to postpone nonessential travel to the United States and Mexico could have an effect on carriers, including Delta.
The International Air Transport Association, which developed guidelines for managing communicable diseases, has recommended that airlines review their preparedness plans.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in 2006 ran through a drill on how to handle an avian flu outbreak. The airport has a special area for incoming flights that need to be handled away from the main terminal and a CDC quarantine facility on Concourse E.
"We feel that we are well-prepared at the airport, because we do have a comprehensive pandemic plan should we need it," said airport spokesman John Kennedy.
By Kelly Yamanouchi
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Confusion over 'don't fly' advice
Businesses and travel companies were facing the prospect of multimillion-pound losses yesterday following a surprise announcement by the European Union's health chief urging travelers to avoid non-essential trips to the USA and Mexico.
The news came on a turbulent day for the international stock markets which saw shares in major airline and travel companies plunge, while those in drug companies soared.
Speaking at a summit in Brussels, the European Commissioner for Health, Androulla Vassiliou, urged people "to avoid non-essential travel" to areas affected by the global flu pandemic. "They should avoid traveling to Mexico or the United States unless it's very urgent for them," she said. The advice - in stark contrast to that issued by the Foreign Commonwealth Office and World Health Organization - was particularly unnerving for the transatlantic business travel sector which, since 2007, must abide by the Corporate Manslaughter Act, legislation that was introduced in 2007 to bring companies to justice over the death of employees.
"Companies have to be mindful of any international travel because firms are all too aware that if one of its employees is taken ill during a business trip, it can be held liable," said Martin Ferguson, a journalist at Travel Trade Gazette.
Nigel Cooper, the managing director of Motivcom, an international business events group, added: "Statements like this can be cataclysmic. I am not underestimating the potential for a medical disaster, but such judgments should be left to health professionals."
The warning came on a day when shares in international airlines and travel companies tumbled. British Airways fell at one stage more than 9 percent, while Thomas Cook and TUI Travel were down 5 percent and 3 percent respectively.
North America Travel Service, one UK tour operator specializing only in travel to the US, called for things to be "kept in context."
"Although this directive refers to travel to the USA, we have to remember that the US is two-and-a-half times the size of Europe and the mild cases reported so far are in just five of the 50 states," said Karen Farrar, the firm's marketing manager.
The Independent
By Kunal Dutta
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
AIT Introduces Ocean-Air Services
In January of this year, AIT Worldwide Logistics introduced a new international product named "Ocean-Air," which combines sea freight, air freight, and surface transportation throughout the United States into one seamless service for customers. "Sea-air" has been an industry staple for many years. In these times when customers seek alternatives to "all air" or "all ocean," something less expensive than air freight and faster than ocean freight, this hybrid gives the customer a price and service alternative.
Ocean-Air was created with Swift Freight, headquartered in Dubai, UAE, the leader in Sea-Air service from Asia to Africa. The following article appeared in the April 3, 2009 issue of Air Cargo Weekly, and explains in more detail the advantages of an "Ocean-Air" product:
Sea-air has a bright future, insist
the new owners of Swift Freight and SAT
When Barloworld bought the Swift Group, owner of the Swift Freight brand, on April 1, 2008, one could have been forgiven for thinking Barlow-who?
The company has not, to date, had any pedigree in the airfreight business, but it is a famous name in its home country of South Africa. With the acquisition of the Dubai-based Swift Freight - and at the same time sea-air specialists SAT of Germany and Hong Kong forwarder Flynt International - it has now taken a major step into the air cargo arena.
Barloworld's history goes back to 1902 and for a time it was the 49th largest company in the world. That was in the apartheid era when it was prevented from investing outside South Africa and so turned instead to owning as much as possible inside it.
Warren Erfmann, chief executive officer of Barloworld Logistics, Middle East and Asia, says the company basically became a brand manager, and - much slimmed down - that is what it remains to this day. For example: it is the world's second largest Caterpillar dealer, owns the Avis franchise in South Africa, plus various car dealerships, and is the world's largest dealer in Hyster forklifts.
Logistics has been a fourth pillar of the business ever since 2001 when the company set out to diversify a trucking business it owned in South Africa away from asset-intensive work and into supply chain management. "We were a trucking company with a big dream of not owning trucks in the future," is how Erfmann puts it.
Internationally, that led it to logistics operations in Spain and a software business in the UK and US, which provides network modeling, forecasting and planning software. Swift, SAT and Flynt took that strategy to a new level, however, and have given the company a global forwarding and logistics structure.
Swift Freight in particular was attractive because of its strengths in markets such as the Middle East, India and Africa. As Erfmann puts it: "Why should we compete for peanuts on the major trade lanes, when there are better opportunities in niche markets?"
In particular, along with SAT, Swift Freight gave Barloworld a commanding position in sea-air traffic out of Dubai - some three quarters of the market to Europe, Erfmann reckons. This might seem to be an unhappy choice of niche just at present, when rock bottom sea freight and airfreight rates must surely be eroding demand for this hybrid form of transport, but Erfmann insists that such conditions cannot last.
"There has been a knee-jerk reaction from airlines because their planes are empty and they want to fill them, but they will get wise soon and bring rates back to a level that makes sense," he says.
Meanwhile, he believes that sea-air remains a highly marketable product, one that many customers are still not aware of. "A lot of customers simply don't understand what sea-air is and how it can benefit them," he says. "Once they do understand, they are attracted to the product. Even before the downturn started, we had embarked on a sales campaign to bring sea-air to the market's attention in a way that had not been done before, and that initiative is starting to bear fruit."
Traditional cargo for sea air has been garments, but Erfmann says that IT products and white goods also move well by this method. Forwarders have traditionally been reluctant to use it, he says, because they worried about what might happen during the transfer between air and sea.
"But now we can offer them a good partner in Dubai, that specializes in fast transit between ship and air. We can achieve six to seven hours from ship to plane, which is quite incredible. When customers see that they can half the transit time and half the cost, it is a very attractive option."
Connection times between sea and air should get even faster once the Al Maktoum International Airport opens next to the Jebel Ali Freezone in Dubai. Swift Freight was one of the first companies in to sign up for a facility in the adjacent Dubai Logistics City (DLC), and it also has an airside facility reserved at the airport itself.
Erfmann confirms that the idea is to control the whole process from port-to-tarmac, which he hopes will drastically speed up connection times. "Once everything is up and running, it will be 20 to 30 minutes from port-to-airport," he says. "When we control our own destiny with our own handling, there will be no stopping us."
Having said that, the vision looks set to stay on hold for the immediate future, as plans to open the new airport have recently become fluid. Erfmann sympathizes with competitors whose facilities in the DLC are already complete but cannot be used. Swift Freight has been more cautious and has not yet started construction in either location. "We still believe in it all, but it is a matter of timing," he says. "Perhaps in a downturn, a delay is not such a bad thing."
While traditional sea-air took cargo from the Far East or India, sailed it to Dubai and then flew it to Europe, Swift Freight has also been a pioneer of a whole new market for the concept since 2006 - from Asia via Dubai into Africa. The forwarder charters freighters to fly on a scheduled basis to such places as Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Lagos, Accra, Kigale, Lomé and Bujumbura. It also works in partnership with Ethiopian Airways to cover other destinations on the continent.
Traffic from China and other parts of Asia into Africa is a mainstay of this business southbound, which has so far remained robust in the downturn, according to Erfmann. "Ocean freight rates to Africa are very high, and direct airfreight from the Far East to Africa is almost non-existent," he points outs. "Meanwhile, you can get ridiculously low rates for sea freight from China into Dubai at present."
There is also the fact that sea freight can only deliver to ports, and that road and rail infrastructure to carry cargo onwards inland is a major problem in Africa. "The ideal solution is one that gets the product as close to the market as possible, and that usually means flying it into an airport," Erfmann points out.
Add in Barloworld's South African links as well and the result is a market with a lot of growth potential. "It is a sleeping giant, not just in geographical size, but in opportunities, and there are not many people taking advantage of it."
Chinese investment in the continent - for example, in areas such as mining - also seems to be continuing despite the global economic slowdown.
Northbound, Swift Freight charters are filled with perishables, and again this ties into one of its key specializations. The company has its own perishables arm - Swift Perishable Logistics - which operates out of the Dubai Flower Centre.
Erfmann says the company has also just opened a perishables operation in Ethiopia. "This business works very nicely for us - we go direct to buyers, which has brought us a lot of success," he says. "This is another thing that attracted us to Swift Freight, because it is a market leader in this area."
Key destinations for the perishables include Dubai, the Commonwealth of Independent States and also Europe, though markets further afield, such as in Australia, are also developing. Erfmann says there is no sign yet of the flower business slowing down, even though it might seem to be a luxury in times of economic woe. "Funnily enough, we had a very good Valentines Day (14 February) this year," he says.
Barloworld will be keeping the Swift Freight brand name. "There is a lot of brand equity in the Swift name. It has been around for over 20 years," says Erfmann. Swift Freight's founder and head, Issa Baluch, also remains actively involved with the firm. "You don't lose experience like that. He is very much part of our plans," comments Erfmann.
However, he says that there is already co-branding and he hints that eventually the Swift Freight name might disappear. "As we go along, we will see what brand fits the business. But we are already marketing Barloworld and ultimately, yes, it will probably be that all around the world."
As to what the Barloworld Group can add to Swift Freight's business model, Erfmann sees some openings on what he calls "the intellectual side of things" - that is the sort of planning and modeling that is offered by Barloworld's software in the UK and US.
"We can't teach Swift Freight much about forwarding and logistics, but they may not in the past have had the capacity to come up with the kind of complex supply chain solutions we market in South Africa," he says.
One definite forum for this will be the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, where reduced customs barriers have led to a growth of trucking and logistics in recent years. This is one of the plans for Swift Freight's future Dubai Logistics City facility, and it is a market where Erfmann predicts growth in the coming year or two.
"Without a doubt, companies in the region are starting to see the benefits of outsourcing their logistics business. In a downturn, customers need smart supply chain solutions more than ever, and in that side of the business we have seen something of an upside."
However, he also expects it to become very competitive. "There are a lot of forwarders who have built their business on traffic from Europe or Asia and are now going to be looking at regional markets instead," he predicts.
He is convinced that with operations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, China and India, Barloworld Logistics is well placed to be one of the winners in the downturn, however.
"It is a bloodbath out there and only the strong will survive. There will be a lot of consolidating and a lot of casualties, and companies who have not built a sustainable business will suffer. But we were strong before and we will come out of the downturn stronger."
The Peter Conway Interview
Air Cargo News
April 3, 2009
AirTran No. 2 in airline rankings; Delta No. 12
WASHINGTON - Airlines with large operations in Atlanta ranked second-best and worst, according to the 2009 Airline Quality Rating study released Monday.
AirTran Airways ranked No. 2 behind Hawaiian Airlines in the study that measures on-time performance, baggage handling, customer complaints and denied boardings. At the other end of the spectrum, Atlantic Southeast Airlines ranked last, according to the study by Wichita State University and Saint Louis University.
Delta ranked No. 12 on the list, down from No. 10 a year ago. Delta, the biggest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, fell in part because of a significant spike in customer complaints, perhaps related to its ongoing merger with Northwest Airlines.
"I'm speculating, but if (customers) don't know who's flying what, what routes are left, that could be part of the problem," said Dean Headley, a Wichita State University marketing professor and co-author of the report said in an interview here.
The nation's airlines all improved their performance records for the first time in five years in 2008 - and they might get even better in 2009, the study said.
Headley attributed the overall improvement by all airlines last year in part to the fact that airlines were beginning reduce capacity and routes and focus more on customer service because of the recession. Since most airlines also started charging for baggage, they also probably felt more compelled to improve baggage handling, he said.
As fewer people fly for both business and for leisure because of the poor economy, Headley predicted that airlines' quality could improve even more this year.
That's the good news. The bad news is airlines will likely fly fewer routes and prices will likely rise as demand for flights decreases, he said.
"You're going to see a lot of full airplanes, a little higher price and fewer flights," Headley said. But "that helps change the congestion problem, which makes the system work better."
By BOB KEEFE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, April 06, 2009
Emirates SkyCargo welcomes Boeing's new-generation freighter
Emirates SkyCargo's first Boeing 777 Freighter has arrived in Dubai after completing its inaugural commercial flight from Hong Kong.
The carrier took delivery of the new-generation freighter at Boeing's Everett, Washington facility this past weekend. From there it went directly to Hong Kong, one of the carrier's most robust routes, where it was loaded with cargo bound for Dubai and beyond.
The Boeing 777F, with its range and environmental advantages over other freighters in the market, will play an integral role in Emirates' freighter fleet. It boasts the longest-range capability of all twin-engine jets, able to fly non-stop between Dubai and major cargo centers such as Frankfurt and Hong Kong with a full 103-ton payload.
Renowned for its fuel efficiency - the Boeing 777F uses less fuel per ton of cargo than other freighters available, significantly reducing the fuel bill - it is also the quietest freighter flying today (QC2 compliant).
The new aircraft will complement Emirates existing fleet of Boeing 777 passenger aircraft. This year, the airline will become the largest Boeing 777 operator in the world, with more than 70 already in operation. Sixty five percent of all Emirates SkyCargo traffic travels in the belly of its wide-bodied passenger aircraft.
Ram Menen, Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo, said, "This freighter is part of our long-term investment for Emirates SkyCargo."
Menen acknowledged that while the air cargo industry was currently experiencing its toughest period since the beginning of the jet age, world air cargo traffic was still forecast to triple over the next 20 years, and said that Emirates needs to be prepared when these predicted growth levels return.
"In the last 15 years a tremendous amount of work has gone into developing the science of supply chain management. Inventory and logistics management are two of the most critical elements of the supply chain and with globalization of manufacturing and of the marketplace, reliability of transport plays a very important role. Just-in-time and vendor managed inventory is what creates a very cost efficient supply chain with time becoming a crucial factor.
"Emirates has opted for these brand new, super-efficient aircraft to ensure we are best placed to serve the industry's requirements in the long term. Freighters have a greater role in today's supply chain - transporting cargo directly from production to consumption."
Emirates SkyCargo will take delivery of another Boeing 777F later this year, with two additional aircraft on order.
AJOT (American Journal of Transportation) On-Line
April 14, 2009
U.S. $214 Million Fine for Price Fixing
Three international airlines have agreed to plead guilty and pay fines totaling $214 million for conspiring to fix prices on air cargo shipments, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced.
Asiana Airlines Inc., Cargolux Airlines International S.A. and Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. Ltd. have agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice's ongoing investigation into the air transportation industry, the agency said.
Under the plea agreements, which are subject to court approval, Luxembourg-based Cargolux will pay $119 million. The agency said it engaged in a conspiracy in the US and elsewhere to eliminate competition by fixing cargo rates for international air shipments from September 2001 through February of 2006.
Japan-based NCA, which will pay a $45 million fine, engaged in fixing cargo rates charged to customers in the US and elsewhere for international air shipments from April 2000 until at least early 2006.
South Korea-based Asiana will pay a $50 million fine for fixing both cargo rates and passenger fares from at least as early as January 2000 until 2006.
Last week's announcement brings to 15 the number of companies that have pleaded or agreed to plead guilty in the Justice Department's investigation, the agency said.
British Airways Plc, Korean Airlines Ltd, Qantas Airways Limited, Japan Airlines International Co. Ltd., Martinair Holland N.V., Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, SAS Cargo Group A/S, Société Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LAN Cargo S.A., Aerolinhas Brasileiras S.A., and El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. have also pleaded guilty.
Collectively, the companies have paid or agreed to pay fines totaling more than $1.6 billion.
"Fifteen airlines and three executives have been prosecuted to date for their participation in price-fixing agreements that inflicted a heavy toll on American businesses and consumers as well as the global economy," said Scott D. Hammond, acting assistant attorney general in charge of the agency's antitrust division. "The Department will continue its investigation into this criminal conduct until all co-conspirators are brought to justice," he said.
Separately, Cargolux will begin a weekly B747-400 freighter service to Toronto's Pearson airport from Luxembourg this month with a return via Prestwick, Scotland. The airline already flies to Calgary twice a week.
Air Cargo World Online
April 14, 2009
Forwarders mull more use of air freight as prices fall
Battered air freight operators are wondering if some moves back to the air may bloom into a proper trend that could alleviate the pain they are experiencing from the downturn.
Some shippers have apparently reversed the shift from air to ocean and are finding more reasons for sending goods by air, even as the economic slump reinforces the emphasis on cost savings. However, so far carriers have not seen any relief from the relentless downward pressure on yields that the downturn has sparked.
Onno Boots, regional managing director for Asia of TNT, has seen the phenomenon in recent months, most pronounced among clients from the high-tech sector. A large Asian manufacturer of laptop computers has re-emphasized its use of air freight, he pointed out.
"It is too early to call it a trend, but a number of customers in our portfolio are showing an interest in more use of air freight," he said.
Frank Allard, senior vice-president for air freight at Schenker in Canada, has observed similar developments. "We're seeing more interest in air freight," he said.
In his opinion, rate developments have played a major role in this change of strategy. The rate differential between air and ocean transportation has shrunk dramatically as fuel surcharges melted with the rapid decline in the price of oil.
"A year ago flying a ton of cargo from China cost you an arm and a leg. With fuel down so much, the picture is very different. Now, how much do you save if you put the cargo on the ocean for 30 days? It's a no-brainer. Fly it," he said.
The need to speed up cash flow is another major factor behind this, Boots reckoned. "In the market of today, cash is king," he said. "To reduce that cycle of cash to cash and reduce capital tied up in moving a couple of million kilos of laptops by sea, a lot of cash can be freed by moving the goods by air."
Another reason for the newfound interest in air freight is the ad hoc nature of much business at the moment, as forwarders and shippers find it difficult to plan for the longer term. For their part, importers have veered towards smaller orders for fear of being stuck with inventory. Smaller orders placed with relatively short lead times make air the most appropriate form of transportation, despite the higher cost compared to shipping by ocean vessel.
Martin Bittner, senior director of cargo sales for the Americas of Air Canada, has not come across any mode shifts back to air, but the nervous state of the market would favor air, he agreed. Nobody can plan any more, and that should translate into a need for air transportation," he said.
"We certainly see a lot of spot quotes. We don't see a lot of consistent business, consolidations that you could count on," he added.
"There's a lot of ad hoc business," Allard confirmed. The danger in this is that it threatens to undermine the market, as shippers are tempted to abandon long-term arrangements for the sake of ad hoc pricing. "It's creating an opportunistic market," he said.
Dave Brooks, president of cargo at American Airlines, agreed that carries have been bombarded with requests for steep rate reductions, pushing pricing to levels that are far from compensatory for the costs incurred by the airlines. This has been aggravated by some airlines going to ridiculous lengths to acquire market share, he added.
By Ian Putzger Toronto
Cargo News Asia
April 24, 2009
Featured Airplane: Lockheed Constellation
Last month, we announced a new monthly feature for our e-Newsletter inspired by the article, "When Airplanes no longer fly." We marvel today at the newest aircraft design, the Boeing 777, made completely of man-made composite metals, the double deck Airbus 380-800, and the soon-to-be-released B747-800 Freighter. Long before these aviation marvels became a reality, many generations of commercial aircraft blazed a technological trail. The first of these pioneers that we feature is the Lockheed Constellation.
 Lockheed C-121C Super Constellation
Initial design studies
Since 1937, Lockheed had been working on the L-044 Excalibur, a four-engine pressurized airliner. In 1939, Trans World Airlines, at the encouragement of major stockholder Howard Hughes, requested a 40-passenger transcontinental airliner with 3,500 mi (5,630 km) range - well beyond the capabilities of the limited Excalibur design. TWA's requirements led to the L-049 Constellation, designed by such Lockheed engineers as Kelly Johnson and Hall Hibbard. Willis Hawkins, another Lockheed engineer, maintains that the Excalibur program was purely a cover for the Constellation.
 The military's C-69 prototype Development of the Constellation
The Constellation's wing was effectively the same as that of the P-38 Lightning, differing only in scale. The distinctive triple tail kept the aircraft's overall height low enough to fit in existing hangars, while new features included hydraulically-boosted controls and a thermal de-icing system used on wing and tail leading edges. The new plane could achieve a top speed of over 340 mph (547 km/h), a cruise speed of 300 mph (483 km/h), and a service ceiling of 24,000 ft (7,315 m).
Occasionally rumors surface that Hughes himself was not at all influential in the design of the Constellation, but according to Anthony Sampson in his seminal 1985 book, Empires of the Sky, the intricate design may have been undertaken by Lockheed, but the concept, shape, capabilities, appearance and ethos of the Constellation were entirely driven by Hughes' continual intercession during the design process.
Operational history - World War II
With the onset of World War II, the TWA aircraft entering production were converted to an order for C-69 Constellation military transport aircraft, with 202 aircraft intended for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The first prototype (civil registration NX25600) flew on January 9, 1943, a simple ferry hop from Burbank to Muroc Field for testing. Eddie Allen, on loan from Boeing, flew left seat, with Lockheed's own Milo Burcham as copilot. Rudy Thoren and Kelly Johnson were also on board.
Lockheed also proposed its model L-249 which was to be a long range bomber. It received the military designation XB-30 but the aircraft was never developed or built. A plan for a very long-range troop transport, the C-69B, was cancelled. A single C-69C, a 43-seat VIP transport, was built in 1945 at the Lockheed-Burbank plant.
The C-69 was largely used as a high-speed, long-distance troop transport during the war. Only 22 C-69s were completed before the end of hostilities, and not all of those entered military service. The USAAF cancelled the remainder of the order in 1945.
Postwar Use
 TWA was one of the best-known operators
Trans World Airlines opened post-war commercial intercontinental air service on February 6, 1946, with a New York-Paris flight in a Constellation. On June 17, 1947, Pan American World Airways opened the first ever regularly-scheduled around-the-world service with their L749 Clipper America. The famous flight Pan Am 101 operated for over 40 years.
As the first pressurized airliner in widespread use, the Constellation helped to usher in affordable and comfortable air travel for the masses. Some of the more famous operators of Constellations were TWA, Eastern Air Lines, Pan American World Airways, Air France, BOAC, KLM, Qantas, Lufthansa, Iberia Airlines, Panair do Brasil, TAP Portugal, Trans-Canada Airlines (later renamed Air Canada), Aer Lingus and VARIG.
Specifications (L-1049G Super Constellation)
| General characteristics |
|
Performance |
| Length: |
116 ft 2 in |
Max speed: |
377 mph |
| Wingspan: |
126 ft 2 in |
Cruise speed: |
340 mph at 22,600 ft |
| Height: |
24 ft 9 in |
Service ceiling: |
24,000 ft |
| Wing area: |
1,654 ft² |
Range: |
5,400 mi |
| Empty weight: |
79,700 lb |
Rate of climb: |
1,620 ft/min |
| Useful load: |
65,300 lb |
Wing loading: |
87.7 lb/ft² |
| Takeoff weight: |
max 137,500 lb |
Power/mass: |
0.094 hp/lb |
| Crew: |
5 flight crew, varying cabin crew |
Powerplant: |
4× Wright R-3350-DA3 Turbo Compound 18-cylinder supercharged radial engines, 3,250 hp each |
| Capacity: |
62-95 passengers, max. 109 |
Data from Great Aircraft of the World and Quest for Performance
Book Review: Evolution of International Aviation: Phoenix Rising
Second Edition
Dawna L. Rhoades, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, USA
The purpose of this book is twofold. First, it lays out the forces that shaped the international aviation industry and that changed all the rules in the drive for liberalization. Second, it looks at the many interesting and difficult choices ahead that the airline industry in general and the international aviation industry in particular face. These choices include many dichotomies: pulling back from the trend toward liberalization or embracing the liberalization trend, merging in search of profitability or fragmenting the industry in search of economies. These possible futures are explored including the pros and cons of each future from a national, consumer, employer, and employee perspective.
Evolution of International Aviation is organized into three parts: Part One reviews the early development of the international aviation system. It examines the 1944 Chicago Conference, and the resulting structure and role of ICAO; the development of the International Air Transport Association, and its role in shaping the international aviation system; US domestic deregulation and European efforts to create a free market system of aviation; deregulation in Asia. Part Two examines the alliance movement among international air carriers, the growth, opportunities, and challenges of alliances. Part Three considers the future of international aviation in light of changes to the landscape, reviewing relevant events from an aviation system perspective. It explores the challenges facing the industry in the current era and discusses some of the brave new possibilities for international aviation.
This second edition of the book is thoroughly revised and updated from the 2003 original, in light of many significant developments in (and affecting) the industry, such as the mixed ability of sectors to recover from 9/11, the establishment of the low cost carrier, the consequences of rising fuel costs (now the single greatest expense to airlines) and growing concern with the environmental impacts of air transport. The book also features all-new chapters on the key topics of manufacturing, the environment and air cargo. Overall the second edition's perspective has expanded from a focus on airlines to consider the broader aviation industry.
Ashgate Publishing Company
www.ashgate.com
Korean Air helps L.A. mayor's trees to blossom downtown
Downtown Los Angeles is much greener thanks to Korean Air.
Korean Air, the largest airline to Asia out of LAX, recently had dozens of employees lead hundreds of children in planting 50 ten-foot trees at and near John H. Liechty Middle School, 650 S. Union Ave, as part of the Korean flag carrier's worldwide 40th birthday celebration and partnership with Million Trees Los Angeles (MTLA). Through the partnership, more trees will be planted and nurtured in different areas around Los Angeles.
In honor of its fourth decade, the airline is donating $40,000 a year for four years to MTLA, Los Angeles' urban tree planting program. The school was chosen because of need for greenery and shade, and its proximity to Korean Air's Americas headquarters on Wilshire. Approximately 400 students took part in today's event.
Korean Air is LAX's first international airline to participate in the Mayor's tree planting program and in remarks today, Korean Air's Chairman Y.H. Cho called for other LAX airlines to help "green up" Los Angeles.
"All of LAX's international airlines are involved with the community in one way or another. But greening up Los Angeles is critical to the success of this market. And since so much of all our livelihoods are based upon this region, I'm calling for all LAX airlines to help out with this program," Chairman Cho challenged.
"For MTLA to be successful, we need to engage public/private partnerships," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "We are honored that Korean Air has joined our environmental family. Korean Air's ongoing commitment and support of MTLA will help us to ensure a thriving urban forest in Los Angeles."
MTLA was established by the Mayor in 2006 and actively engages the community, educating and nurturing young environmental leaders to ensure healthy and sustainable urban forests.
Korean Air has planted thousands of trees on the planet, primarily in Asia. It started its tree-planting program five years ago in Mongolia, where the desertification of the forests is causing polluting yellow dust to spread across Asia. The airline takes new employees to plant trees there as part of its orientation and has planted literally thousands of trees in what is now called the Korean Air Forest. Los Angeles is the second step of the airline's international environmental outreach and the first outside Asia.
"Los Angeles always has been a vital market for Korean Air," Chairman Cho said. "The Korean community here is the largest in the world outside of Seoul, and Korean Air has enjoyed a significant place in that growth. We feel it's our civic duty to help sustain Los Angeles' environment."
AJOT (American Journal of Transportation) On-Line
April 14, 2009
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