f=*i£^am am rotp page two Industry notes New are mailing national headlines The Civil Aeronautics Board has approved 109 helicopters. The helicopter shuttle flights percent below standard fares charged by major the proposed merger of Republic Airlines and will be offered by a company called commercial airlines. Hughes Air West. Republic, a recent product of Air which has no connection with the New York Loftliedr bypassed air traffic treaties by the Board’s generally favorable policy toward Air that will start jetliner shuttle flights between staying out of the International Air Traffic mergers, was created by the union of North LaGuardia and Washington National on Decem­ Association (lATA) and by using Luxembourg Central Airlines and Southern Airways. ber 14. as its European base. The Republic merger with Air West will The latter New York Air is a subsidiary of American students made it their carrier for create the country’s 11th largest carrier in terms Texas Air Corp., the recently formed parent summers abroad, and in Europe Greeks, Italians, of revenue passenger miles. Presidential approval holding company of Texas International Airlines. Germans, Frenchmen and Dutchmen flocked to was not required because there won’t be a formal The CAB has tentatively granted a certificate to Luxembourg to use the , which once ran transfer of route certificates. Hughes Air West the Texas Air subsidiary which was founded to as many as 25 flights a week each way. will become a subsidiary airline, named Republic compete in the New York-Washington shuttle The airline made a stopover at Keflavik Air­ Airlines West. market. The New York Daily News reported port resulting in a tourist boom in Iceland. that New York Air would hold auditions for Travelers who would never have thought of going New shuttles to start soon jobs with the new carrier. They expected 5000 to Iceland stopped over for a day or a week to Hourly helicopter shuttle service between the try-outs for the 100 openings for agents and see the geysers and volcanoes or to fish for Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports in flight attendants. The company requested the­ salmon. Hotels and restaurants sprang up. New York may start soon. The flights will be atrical type hopefuls who were to be given only The government will increase ownership in operated with twin-engine, six-passenger Agusta one minute each to “sell” their personalities and the airline from 6 percent to 20 percent which reasons for wanting a career aloft. Hook of the carrier hopes will allow it to fly the Atlantic Backstage restaurant and the Onstage cabaret for at least another three years. was to be one of the judges. Virginia’s Aviation The CAB also decided it should issue a cer­ There’s less water In the air tificate to People Express Inc., for operation of The airlines are going to great lengths to i-iaii of Fame inducts a new Newark-based airline. People Express save fuel. As an example, Japan Air Lines was founded this past spring by a group of reduced the weight of each of its wide-bodied former Texas International executives. Donald 747s by 90 pounds by switching to a lower- Piedmont’s T. H. Davis Burr, former president of TXI, is chairman; density exterior paint. With lesser reductions on Piedmont President and Founder Thomas H. and is president and chief oper­ smaller planes, the step was expected to save Davis was inducted into the Virginia Aviation ating officer. He was senior vice president of the airline 800,000 gallons of fuel yearly. Hall of Fame in August. TXI. People Express said it plans to offer high Aboard its 747s, Lufthansa German Airlines Davis is the first out-of-state winner of the frequency, lower priced service between Newark has begun rationing water. The line has re­ award. The Hall of Fame was established in and several eastern cities with either DC-9s or moved one of three water tanks and has 1978 and is administered by the Virginia Aero­ 737s. installed a system that automatically adjusts nautical Historical Society. In late September Western and Continental the water volume according to the number of According to Ray Tyson, secretary of the Soci­ airlines filed with the CAB asking approval of passengers, reducing the water volume by as ety, the group tries to honor people in two categor­ their merger plans. It marked the second time much as a metric ton a flight. ies. He said, “We look for those Virginians who in as many years that the Los Angeles-based Company officials say they saved $1 million have made significant contributions to aviation companies sought to consolidate their opera­ in fuel costs by carrying less water last year in general, and those persons who have made tions. Citing possible antitrust problems the and expect additional savings of $1.5 million in significant contributions to aviation in Virginia.” Board rejected their first application 14 months 1980 as they fine-tune the system. Other inductees at this year’s ceremonies in ago. The companies say they expect approval FVedericksburg included Ivor Massey of Rich­ this time because of the increased competition 747 to have bigger bulge mond, Dr. Richard Whitcomb of Hampton and in the industry in the past year resulting from A version of the Boeing 747 jetliner, which State Senator Charles Colgan of Manassas. deregulation. The companies announced their allows about 44 additional passengers and extends In accepting his award Davis said, “Virginia intent to merge into a new company to be called by 23 feet the aircraft’s signature bulge atop its has always been very important to Piedmont. the Western and Continental Transportation forward section, has been unveiled by the Boeing Our airline serves more cities and passengers Corporation. Commercial Airplane Co. Current versions of per year in Virginia than any other carrier. It’s a napping traveller’s dream the plane carry about 462 passengers. Piedmont began service in Virginia in 1948. We The 747 SUD (for “Stretched Upper Deck”) also have more general aviation operations in According to the Journal of Commerce there is a new product coming out that will turn long will have 37 of the additional passenger seats in Virginia than any other company. In addition, its upper deck, and seven downstairs by replace­ Virginia is home to more Piedmont stockholders airport layovers from nightmares into sweet dreams. ment of the jet’s circular stairway with a than any state except North Carolina, which is straight one, Boeing said. our headquarters. We’re not only glad to have A Salt Lake City firm, Sleep-a-Matic, is busily producing a new device to accompany the tele­ The increased passenger payload was designed contributed to aviation in Virginia but most to help offset increased fuel prices and other costs. grateful for this honor you’ve accorded us.” vision chairs familiar to most air travellers. The sleepers resemble a lounge chair with a formica The stretched upper deck will be an optional Massey is credited with being a major factor feature and won’t be standard with the 747. in the creation of the Virginia Air National hood that offers weary air travelers privacy and Guard in 1947 and a continuing dominant force quiet in chaotic terminals. Half of name jettisoned in Virginia aviation. The response to the invention has been over­ British Airways has dropped the word Dr. Whitcomb, recently retired as head of whelming. The firm is installing 10 sleepers at “Airways” from its logotype to give its planes “a the Transonic Aerodynamics Branch at NASA’s New York’s JFK airport, and is working to fill bold new look.” Langley Research Center, developed two revolu­ orders from about 50 airports across the nation. From now on, only the word “British” will tionary principles which have changed the course When not in use, the bottom of the chair is appear on the state-owned carrier’s planes, of aviation history. The first was an aeronauti­ folded up, giving the contraption the look of a airport transport and tickets. cal concept known as Area Rule which made slightly-square egg. The customer inserts a “In this one word, we express our own con­ supersonic flight possible just after the sound quarter for each 15 minutes of desired sleeping fidence that in this field, British is best — and barrier first was broken. The inventor scientist time. The chair automatically uncurls and the that we are the best of British,” Roy Watts, the also came up with the supercritical wing for drowsy traveller crawls onto a 6-foot-long pad. airline’s chief executive officer, said. planes that fly at subsonic speeds. At the end of the allotted time, a high-pitched Nonetheless, a spokesman emphasized that Senator Colgan, owner and operator of Colgan tone sounds in the head booth. Once the bed is the company isn’t changing its name — just its Airways, was selected for the Hall of Fame vacated, the pad returns to its upright position. image. “We are still British Airways,” he said, because of his outstanding support for aviation Another advantage in addition to comfort adding that the full name would still be used in legislation and for championing the cause of and privacy is safety. Belongings such as brief advertising and billboards. aviation in Virginia. cases and handbags can be placed in the head rest area of the “egg”, out of reach of all but the occupant. New general aviation officers named (continued from page one) Icelandic government offers help 1977 Culler received Beechcraft’s Frank E. The air fare war over the North Atlantic has Piedmont Aviation, Inc. Hedrick Award for Excellence in service opera­ dealt a severe blow to Iceland’s national pride tion management. Mrs. Culler is the former and economy. Until the government offered to Betsy Allen, Editor Elizabeth Hayes. They have five children and buy a bigger share of Icelandair the company Smith Reynolds Airport five grandchildren. was faced with dropping its transatlantic route. Winston-Salem, North Carolina Gardner joined Piedmont in 1974 as general The airline once carried 300,000 passengers a manager of Piedmont Piper Sales. Previously year or 5 percent of the business between BIRUOE EDITOR/ J he was manager of dealer development for the Luxembourg and New York and Chicago. Piper Aircraft Corporation. The fare wars go back to the mid-1970s and A graduate of Washington and Jefferson the introduction of the Skytrain service by College in Washington, Pennsylvania, Gardner Britain’s Sir Freddie Laker. Since then the major also attended Duquesne University Law School. airlines have also cut rates to get business. He is a licensed commercial pilot, who also Before Laker, Icelandair, founded as Loftliedr holds multi-engine and instrument ratings. He after World War II by young pilots flying war­ SS - d is married to the former Mary Ann Lamberson. time Skymasters and later cast-off Cloudmasters They have a son and a daughter. from Pan American and SAS, offered fares 30