Travels And Aviation NEWS: More may be at fault over grounded airline

1. More may be at fault over grounded airline - CAA

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says more organisations may be at fault over the grounding of a charter airline that flew for Air New Zealand.
Air National has been grounded at its own request just days before the results of an official safety investigation are due.
The airline had been flying corporate jets, and the twice-daily return route from Christchurch to Hokitika for Air New Zealand.
It was suspended from flying on 28 January for six weeks after a routine audit showed that training records may have been faked and that one pilot was flying in breach of aviation rules.
The CAA launched an investigation and the flying ban stayed in place despite Air National's efforts to overturn it in court.
It sent the results to Air National on 4 March and on Thursday the airline ceased air operations voluntarily and asked for its operating certificate to be revoked, which has now been done.
The authority says the investigation uncovered numerous additional safety issues.
CAA director Steve Douglas says the failures are serious safety matters.
He says individual pilots and other organisations may be covered in his rulings, due next week.
The airline says it handed back its flying licence to stop going broke.
It says the errors were minor and officials with personal vendettas disregarded evidence contrary to their views.
Chief executive Jason Gray says the authority hasn't been objective and refused
offers of cooperation despite Air National's record of 20 years without an accident.
He says Air National acted to protect its viability but there will be job losses.
Mr Gray says Air National may get other companies to fly its jet fleet
Air New Zealand has put other planes on the route.

2. We're not trying to sidestep IR laws on training: Jetstar
JETSTAR has rejected accusations that its cadet training scheme is a sham designed to evade the Australian industrial relations system and pay trainees in New Zealand dollars.

The Australian and International Pilots Association has written to the federal ministers for finance and workplace relations asking for investigation into whether Jetstar's cadet scheme flouts Australian workplace and tax laws.

The move comes after three cadets from a New Zealand-based training scheme were stood down operationally after they completed their line training. The association says the advanced cadets were asked to go to New Zealand for three days of observational flying, during which time they received Kiwi bank accounts and tax file numbers.

They then did their endorsement training in Britain and their line training in Australia while being paid in New Zealand dollars.

"They've always been resident in Australia, always been flying in Australia, they've never been resident in New Zealand," AIPA vice-president Richard Woodward said, noting that New Zealand legislation prevented the cadets from flying a jet in that country.

Captain Woodward said one of the cadets was sitting in a Sydney hotel room on allowances and no pay, and another was at home with his girlfriend while they waited for operational clearance.

"It's a total sham," he said. "One of the cadets was bright enough to ring the tax office and say: 'If I'm flying an Australian-registered aircraft and I'm an Australian citizen, should I be paid Australian wages and be paying Australian tax?' The answer was yes, so he was a bit concerned."

Jetstar denied it was not paying the cadets and said it was always the intention to switch the pilots to Australian contracts when their training was completed.

Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said cadets were trained by CTC in Hamilton and were on New Zealand individual employment agreements during training. He said cadets were being paid in full while unable to fly in Australia.

He said a delay in the paperwork was because the system was new but future transitions would be "much more seamless". "We hadn't to this time finalised an Australian contract for our cadet program," he said.

Mr Westaway said the cadets had been flying in Australia because the airline's check and training organisation was predominantly positioned here.

3. Air New Zealand again increases fares
WELLINGTON, March 11, 2011 (AFP) - Air New Zealand said Friday it was increasing domestic and international fares for the second time in a month to offset the rising price of aviation fuel.

The airline said domestic and long-haul fares would rise seven percent from March 18, while ticket prices to Australia and the Pacific islands would increase eight percent.

"Over the past month, jet fuel has increased from US$114 per barrel to US$130 per barrel, adding almost US$10 million per month to the airline's operating costs," it said in a statement to the New Zealand Stock Exchange.

Air New Zealand, which does not have a separate fuel surcharge like some of its international competitors, increased fares by three percent on February 21.

4. Airline Growth in China on Display at AA2011

Comac announced at Asian Aerospace that it has completed the preliminary design phase on its C919 narrowbody.

The third edition of Asian Aerospace since its move from Singapore to Hong Kong got off to a flying start on Tuesday, when Hainan Airlines Group (HNA) subsidiary Hong Kong Airlines ordered 38 Boeing airliners. The deal involved thirty 787-9 Dreamliners, six 777 freighters and two VIP-configured 787-8s.
In keeping with the spirit of the day, Air China signed an MOU covering five Boeing 747-8 Intercontinentals, delivery of which it says it expects to start “within the next three years,” following Chinese government approval.
Then, on Wednesday, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific placed firm orders for 15 Airbus A330-300s and 10 Boeing 777-300ERs.
All the early commercial activity seemed to validate the upbeat tone of outgoing Cathay Pacific CEO Tony Tyler’s show-opening speech, during which he said that the number of airline passengers in China would reach 500 million by 2015 and 1.5 billion by 2030, up from 267 million in 2010. He also said that usable airports in China would number 220 by 2015, compared with 175 today.
Chinese state manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) had a huge display at the show. The company has completed the preliminary design phase on its C919 narrowbody and aims to finish detailed design next year. The aircraft will seat up to 168 passengers in an all-economy configuration and 156 in mixed. The firm says it plans up to six different variants, including stretched, business, freighter and military platforms.
A team of Civil Aviation Authority of China officials in Shanghai will evaluate the aircraft for its type certification, to which Comac intends to add EASA and FAA tickets afterwards. Scheduled for first flight in 2014 and entry into service in 2016, the airliner has attracted orders and options for 100 units so far. All of China’s major carriers have ordered the C919, namely Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines, as have lessors CDB Leasing and GECAS.
However, Brazilian manufacturer Embraer remains uncertain about the fate of its Harbin manufacturing plant–Harbin Embraer. Although the plant remains in operation, its backlog consists of just two more ERJ 145s, expected to go to Tianjin Airlines some time this spring. Once it delivers the final airplane, the factory will close unless the Chinese government intervenes. Embraer wants to retrofit the plant to build E190s, but can’t until the Chinese authorities issue their approval.
On a happier note, the first Aviation Awards Asia took place at the show, where Air New Zealand took top honors for full service airlines and New Zealand Airways took the prize for technology and achievement. SIA Engineering accepted the honors for best MRO company and Air Asia won the award for best low-cost carrier.