The Week in Brief 17 November 2011

An Air New Zealand aeronautical engineering apprentice has been recognised as ATTTO’s top aviation trainee for 2010/2011, at the inaugural ATTTO A+ Trainee and Modern Apprentice Awards. Cameron Greene (pictured) was selected for the award by the AIA from a total of 20 aviation nominees. Other finalists in the aviation category were Nathan Bascand from Helicopters New Zealand (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer), Rina Raj from Air New Zealand (Flight Attendant), and AC Simon Wickett from the Royal New Zealand Air Force (Aircraft Mechanic).

A BITRE report reveals that international pax numbers to and from Australia increased by 7.5 per cent last FY to reach 27 million. Qantas retained the largest share of that traffic with 18.7 per cent, followed by SIA, ANZ, Jetstar and Emirates. New Zealand, Singapore, the US, Hong Kong and Malaysia were the top five countries for to and from traffic. LCCs accounted for 19 per cent of the total.

Alan Joyce told this week's AAA convention in Brisbane that Qantas will operate its first commercial flight using an alternative fuel early next year. Details to follow...

CASA's John McCormick told the same convention that the Australian aircraft fleet has grown from 12,718 to 14,470 in just five years. And that doesn't include all those recreational category aircraft, hot air ballons and the like.

Brisbane Airport's second runway project will be the first built by a private sector company anywhere in the world. CEO Julieanna Alroe described the project as "a complex construction challenge needing... a seven-year build when we take into account the stabilisation of the site. And then we still face the challenges of both the airspace design and issues with noise and environment..."  

Qantas has applied to the IASC for capacity  renewals for international routes including Germany, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines, but has asked for approvals based on using the QF brand "or any wholly owned subsidiary". That has the AIPA, the long-haul pilots union, worried, to the extent that it has submitted a strong objection to the IASC.

The New Zealand aviation safety regulator, CAA, has launched new licensing and safety standards requirements for what it calls "the adventure aviation" sector. That means that operators of pax-carry hang gliders, hot-air balloons, tandem parachutes and paragliders have six months to meet the regs; while operators of microlights, warbirds and aerobatic and gliding flights have a longer deadline. The regulation of adventure aviation like this is a first in the world, but it is likely to encourage other countries to emulate the move. 

An EADS nine-month report includes an update on the A350 XWB program, which it says "is advancing". Manufacturing and pre-assembly of the A350-900 are progressing across all pre-final-assembly sites. The start of the FAL is now scheduled for the first quarter of 2012 and entry in service is down for the first half of 2014.