Air Cargo News

AirGuide Business, Sept 8, 2008

Sep 8, 2008

IATA's Bisignani said, air cargo declined 1.9 percent over July 2007 in a second straight monthly decline. And the Asia-Pacific region, which comprises more than half of the world air cargo market, saw freight traffic drop 6.5 percent year-on-year in the month. "The cargo is a bit of a thermometer of the economy... If cargo goes down, it means that economies are slowing," Bisignani said, stressing that all signs pointed to a turbulent 2009. "Fasten your seatbelts for at least another two years." Sep 3, 2008

Air Tahoma, Convair

Crew killed as Air Tahoma Convair 580 crashes in Ohio. None of the three crew members on board a US Convair 580 freighter has survived after the aircraft crashed shortly after departing its base at Columbus' Rickenbacker Airport. Initial indications suggest the aircraft, operated by Columbus-based cargo carrier Air Tahoma, was on a training flight before yesterday's accident. Ohio-based fire service support sources have identified the aircraft as being registered N587X, which Flight's ACAS database lists as a 52-year old example owned by the carrier. The aircraft, fitted with twin Allison 501-D13 engines, had logged over 71,900 hours and 115,700 cycles. Preliminary information states that the Convair came down in a corn field about 3km southwest of Rickenbacker Airport.

The fire support source states that none of the three crew members on the aircraft - two pilots and an instructor - survived the crash. "Fire crews were hampered by access issues due to the aircraft coming to rest several hundred yards from a road, in the middle of a local farm's corn field," it adds. Meteorological data shows weather conditions at Rickenbacker Airport at the time of the accident, about 12:00, were good.

The airport is sited 16km southeast of Columbus city centre, and specialises in freight operations. It has two parallel runways, 5L/23R and 5R/23L. The crash site is close to the approach and departure paths to the southwest of the airport, but the aircraft's phase of flight at the time is unclear. Air Tahoma suffered a fatal Convair 580 accident on approach to Cincinnati four years ago, which investigators attributed to fuel starvation following incorrect fuel-crossfeed procedures reported Flight. Sep 2, 2008

Alitalia

Investors Drop Cargo, Maintenance From Alitalia Deal. The Italian investor group leading a rescue of state-controlled Alitalia does not plan to buy the bankrupt carrier's cargo and heavy maintenance units, one of the businessmen leading the group told unions. Rocco Sabelli, who is expected to become the airline's next CEO, said the investor group had yet to decide the fate of the carrier's informatics, call center and administrative service units, according to a union official present at the meeting. The group, composed of 16 Italian business figures, plans to buy Alitalia's best assets in a bid to relaunch the carrier, while leaving the rest to be liquidated or sold off. Sep 4, 2008

Cargolux

Luxembourg-based cargo operator Cargolux is threatening legal action over accusations by its pilots union that the airline's crew duty hours are putting it at risk of fatigue-related incidents. Pilots' union Association Luxembourgeoise des Pilotes de Ligne (ALPL) claims that, since the introduction of the new EU-OPS flight and duty time legislation in July, Cargolux has dramatically changed the way its flights are operated. It alleges that crew members are being forced to work up to 18-hour days, including multiple landings, adding that it is "deeply concerned" that this could lead to fatigue-related incidents and even the potential loss of Cargolux's air operator's certificate. ALPL claims Cargolux is operating such flights despite having been told by the country's regulator, Direction de l'Aviation Civile (DAC-L), that they would not conform to applicable legislation. Sep 4, 2008

Ilyushin, Aeroflot

The first Ilyushin Il-96-400T freighter for Aeroflot's cargo arm has broken cover. The Russian flag carrier started the acceptance procedure of the first two Il-96-400Ts on 2 September. The airline, which is launch customer for the widebody freighter, is due to take three this year and three in 2010. The stretched all-cargo version of the PS-90-powered Il-96-300 was originally to be launched into service by Atlant-Soyuz, but the Russian carrier recently postponed its deliveries into 2009. Sep 4, 2008

Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines' cargo unit said Monday recent declines in the price of jet fuel will allow a cut in fuel surcharges on many routes. Surcharges on domestic shipments will drop from 50 cents a pound to 46 cents, while fees on U.S. cargo bound for Europe, Africa and the Middle East will drop by 10 cents per kilogram. Sep 8, 2008

Washington Dulles International Airport

Homeland Security plans to install radiation scanners at 30 of the nation's largest airports. All cargo arriving at the airports will be required to pass through the Radiation Portal Monitors, which cost about $450,000 each. Scanners will begin working this week at Washington Dulles International Airport, with four more airports expected to use them by the end of the year. Sep 8, 2008