Repainted
1 day ago
22 March 2009
Graphics on the state of the global airline industry
The November/December 2008 issue of Foreign Policy included two pages of graphics partially illustrating the state of the global airline industry entitled Prime Numbers: Change Is in the Air from William Swelbar at MIT.
"Binge flying"
A 27 February 2009 article Aviation - The need for green sky thinking in Ethical Corporation contains a reference to an expression that I have only heard used recently - "binge flying". It quotes this expression being used by Greenpeace UK.
In a 10 May 2007 post, Wordage attributes the phrase to Rough Guides founder, Mark Ellingham, and links to a 6 May 2007 Guardian article Travel: the new tobacco.
Given that some attribute the origins of Ryanair's success to transporting Londoners to visit the pubs of Dublin, Ireland for the weekend, perhaps the expression is appropriate to that kind of flying.
In a 10 May 2007 post, Wordage attributes the phrase to Rough Guides founder, Mark Ellingham, and links to a 6 May 2007 Guardian article Travel: the new tobacco.
Given that some attribute the origins of Ryanair's success to transporting Londoners to visit the pubs of Dublin, Ireland for the weekend, perhaps the expression is appropriate to that kind of flying.
Where is the world's economic centre of gravity?
An interesting paper from Jean-Marie Grether and Nicole Mathys in Switzerland entitled Is the World’s Economic Center of Gravity Already in Asia? and dated August 2008 locates the world's current economic centre of gravity off the north coasts of Norway and Russia.
The bad news for New Zealand is that Auckland is the most distant major city (with more than one million inhabitants) in the world from the economic centre. The vaguely promising news for New Zealand is that the economic centre is slowly moving closer.
As for Iceland, even without its recent economic collapse, the centre has been moving away to its north east since the mid 1970s.
The bad news for New Zealand is that Auckland is the most distant major city (with more than one million inhabitants) in the world from the economic centre. The vaguely promising news for New Zealand is that the economic centre is slowly moving closer.
As for Iceland, even without its recent economic collapse, the centre has been moving away to its north east since the mid 1970s.
Progress at ICAO on addressing climate change?
On 18 March 2009 GreenAir reported on and linked to papers from the most recent meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Group on International Aviation and Climate Change (GIACC) held in February 2009.
One further GIACC meeting is to be held on 25-27 May 2009 before the UNFCCC Copenhagen Summit in December 2009.
One further GIACC meeting is to be held on 25-27 May 2009 before the UNFCCC Copenhagen Summit in December 2009.
08 March 2009
The start of the Iditarod dog race in Alaska - Standard Poodles banned!
The 2009 Iditarod dog race is just starting in Alaska with Reuters reporting competitor numbers down because of the recession. The Anchorage Daily News provides comprehensive coverage.
The race commemorates the transport of urgent medical supplies to Nome in 1925 following an outbreak of diphtheria in the days before bush flying. A web site, Balto's True Story, has more details.
One interesting fact about the race is that in 1989, 1990 and 1991 a competitor, John Suter, raced a team of Standard Poodles and achieved credible results. The breed was subsequently banned perhaps more for image reasons than anything else? Blatant discrimination?!? Okay, I have to concede that their fur coats are probably not as well suited as the "northern" breeds and dogs have died out in the cold on this very testing race.
The race commemorates the transport of urgent medical supplies to Nome in 1925 following an outbreak of diphtheria in the days before bush flying. A web site, Balto's True Story, has more details.
One interesting fact about the race is that in 1989, 1990 and 1991 a competitor, John Suter, raced a team of Standard Poodles and achieved credible results. The breed was subsequently banned perhaps more for image reasons than anything else? Blatant discrimination?!? Okay, I have to concede that their fur coats are probably not as well suited as the "northern" breeds and dogs have died out in the cold on this very testing race.
ICAO safety audit results
In recent years the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been conducting audits of the aviation safety administrations of its member states under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP).
As part of ICAO's Flight Safety Information Exchange some of the ICAO audit results are now being made available on the web (works best with MS Internet Explorer) and there are also Audit Result Charts that allow you to see at a glance how the various safety administrations around the world measure up with respect to the level of implementation of the critical elements of a safety oversight system.
This follows a similar program of International Aviation Safety Assessments UPDATED (IASA) conducted by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The European Commission publishes a list of airlines banned within the EU NEW.
As part of ICAO's Flight Safety Information Exchange some of the ICAO audit results are now being made available on the web (works best with MS Internet Explorer) and there are also Audit Result Charts that allow you to see at a glance how the various safety administrations around the world measure up with respect to the level of implementation of the critical elements of a safety oversight system.
This follows a similar program of International Aviation Safety Assessments UPDATED (IASA) conducted by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The European Commission publishes a list of airlines banned within the EU NEW.
Australia grants Qatar access to SYD
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on 7 March 2009 that Qatar has managed to negotiate with Australia immediate access to Sydney (SYD) for Qatar Airways. Further details were announced UPDATED by the Australian Minister for Infrastructure on 12 March 2009.
Qatar had originally be granted access to a number of other Australian cities, including Melbourne, but Qatar Airways had not used these rights (see previous post).
Meanwhile Singapore Airlines is reportedly continuing to feel frustrated by Australia's international air transport policy.
Qatar had originally be granted access to a number of other Australian cities, including Melbourne, but Qatar Airways had not used these rights (see previous post).
Meanwhile Singapore Airlines is reportedly continuing to feel frustrated by Australia's international air transport policy.
25 February 2009
Interim Report from BEA into Air New Zealand-owned A320 crash
On 24 February 2009 the French Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA) released an Interim Report (English version) into the 27 November 2008 A320 crash (see previous post).
On 25 February 2009 Air New Zealand released a media statement NEW commenting on the interim report.
On the same day the New Zealand Herald has an article NEW that includes a report of comments from the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission NEW (TAIC) and another article NEW that includes comments from the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association NEW (NZALPA).
On 25 February 2009 Air New Zealand released a media statement NEW commenting on the interim report.
On the same day the New Zealand Herald has an article NEW that includes a report of comments from the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission NEW (TAIC) and another article NEW that includes comments from the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association NEW (NZALPA).
24 February 2009
Great circle distances data from CEPII
I have been using great circle distances for some work on both the environmental impact of aviation and to illustrate the growth in and pattern of international air transport to and from New Zealand.
My usual source for this data is Great Circle Mapper. However, recently I came across some data files of geodesic distances produced by the CEPII (a research center in international economics based in Paris, France), primarily for use in trade gravity modelling.
My usual source for this data is Great Circle Mapper. However, recently I came across some data files of geodesic distances produced by the CEPII (a research center in international economics based in Paris, France), primarily for use in trade gravity modelling.
The European Commission's Observatory of the Air Transport Market
A very useful source of information on civil aviation developments is the annual and topical reports produced on aviation for the European Commission. These are described as an Observatory of the Air Transport Market. They give a write up of aviation developments with a focus on developments within Europe but also with the wider global context well covered.
This is one of those cases where there is a trade off between detail and timeliness, with the former winning out in this case. The 222 page Annual Report 2007 was finalised in December 2008.
They were originally produced by the Department of Air Transport at Cranfield University but this is now done by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
The two 2008 topical reports are on Fuel and Air Transport (completed before the collapse of the oil price "super spike"), and Airline Business Models.
This is one of those cases where there is a trade off between detail and timeliness, with the former winning out in this case. The 222 page Annual Report 2007 was finalised in December 2008.
They were originally produced by the Department of Air Transport at Cranfield University but this is now done by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
The two 2008 topical reports are on Fuel and Air Transport (completed before the collapse of the oil price "super spike"), and Airline Business Models.
Canada-European Union Air Transport Agreement text
As a consequence of the need to gain Council of the European Union approval, the full texts of the Air Transport Agreement between Canada and the European Community and its Member States, and the related Memorandum of Consultation are now available (see previous post).
The new arrangements are relatively complex, providing for a phase in of "hard" rights dependent on Canada's policy progress on permitting foreign investment in its airlines.
The Agreement is also unusual in that it contains articles on Environment (Article 18) and Labour Matters (Article 19).
The new arrangements are relatively complex, providing for a phase in of "hard" rights dependent on Canada's policy progress on permitting foreign investment in its airlines.
The Agreement is also unusual in that it contains articles on Environment (Article 18) and Labour Matters (Article 19).
22 February 2009
Cost-benefit analysis of aviation security
On 19 February 2009 the Dominion Post reported on a review of domestic aviation security in New Zealand dating from July 2008 that had recently been released to it under the Official Information Act. This review followed the attempted hijacking of a commuter aircraft in which the two pilots were seriously injured.
Commenting on this report and the review, Liberty Scott has posted that what is needed is a full benefit-cost assessment.
What this might involve was the subject of a Round Table on Security, Risk Perception and Cost-Benefit Analysis held by the Paris-based International Transport Forum (ITF) on 11-12 December 2008 at which the following discussion papers were presented:
I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the flight decks of a number of airliners while on long-haul journeys before increased security sadly made this impossible.
Commenting on this report and the review, Liberty Scott has posted that what is needed is a full benefit-cost assessment.
What this might involve was the subject of a Round Table on Security, Risk Perception and Cost-Benefit Analysis held by the Paris-based International Transport Forum (ITF) on 11-12 December 2008 at which the following discussion papers were presented:
- Toward Risk-Based Aviation Security Policy by Robert Poole from the Reason Foundation
- Economic Impact Analysis of Terrorism Events: Recent Findings and Methodological Advances by Gordon, Moore and Richardson from CREATE, University of Southern California
- Rational Behaviour, Risk Aversion - High Stakes for Society by Palma from France
I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the flight decks of a number of airliners while on long-haul journeys before increased security sadly made this impossible.
A critical look at rail transport in New Zealand
A 19 February 2009 presentation by Dave Heatley, a research fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation takes a critical look at rail transport in New Zealand. It is certainly thought provoking and has generated considerable debate on the frogblog weblog run by the Green Party.
Liberty Scott has highlighted this presentation in a 19 February 2009 post and summarises what he describes as "some simple myths about rail."
Liberty Scott has highlighted this presentation in a 19 February 2009 post and summarises what he describes as "some simple myths about rail."
16 February 2009
Singapore reaches "open skies" agreement with Oman
In a media statement on 11 February 2009 the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced that Singapore has negotiated an "open skies" type air services agreement with Oman (Straits Times report).
15 February 2009
A thesis covering regional "open skies" arrangements - SAM, MALIAT and PIASA
A collection of theses from students of the internationally renowned Institute of Air and Space Law at McGill University in Montreal, Canada is available online.
One that has just attracted my attention is that completed in 2003 by Sean McGonigle for his LLM entitled Comparative regulation of air transport in the Asia-Pacific region.
This thesis focuses on the Australia-New Zealand Single Aviation Market (SAM) Arrangements, the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation (MALIAT) and the Pacific Islands Air Transport Agreement (PIASA).
Having participated in the negotiation of all three air services arrangements as a member of the New Zealand delegation, I will be interested to read what Sean has to say.
One that has just attracted my attention is that completed in 2003 by Sean McGonigle for his LLM entitled Comparative regulation of air transport in the Asia-Pacific region.
This thesis focuses on the Australia-New Zealand Single Aviation Market (SAM) Arrangements, the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation (MALIAT) and the Pacific Islands Air Transport Agreement (PIASA).
Having participated in the negotiation of all three air services arrangements as a member of the New Zealand delegation, I will be interested to read what Sean has to say.
06 February 2009
Air New Zealand ceasing round-the-world freighter service
Air Cargo World has reported that Air New Zealand is to cease its round-the-world B747-400F service (the aircraft has been wet leased from Atlas) from the end of March 2009. The routing of the current service, which started in 2005, is Auckland-Melbourne-Shanghai-Frankfurt-Chicago-Auckland (see previous post).
On 22 January 2009 Qantas announced that it would be routing a once-weekly B747F service from New York and Chicago to Melbourne via Auckland (AKL).
On 22 January 2009 Qantas announced that it would be routing a once-weekly B747F service from New York and Chicago to Melbourne via Auckland (AKL).
The economic importance of aviation
There have been a number of reports published with the aim of convincing decision makers, opinion leaders and the general public of how significant aviation is now to our economic and social well being. These include:
- The Economic Impact of Civil Aviation on the U.S. Economy (October 2008) from the US FAA
- The economic and social benefits of air transport 2008 by Oxford Economics for ATAG
- Aviation Economic Benefits (July 2007) from IATA working with InterVISTAS
- Economic benefits of aviation (November 2004) from BAA
Oberstar's Airline Anti-Trust Bill
On 3 February 2009 Chairman of the US House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee James Oberstar introduced an Airline Anti Trust Bill H.R. 831 UPDATED (HT to Aviation Law Prof Blog). See GovTrack to follow the progress of this bill which has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
The Bill has already attracted some comment:
One has to wonder what impact this move will have on the already commenced second phase of the EU-US air services negotiations.
The relevant current legislation that give the US Department of Transportation the power to grant anti-trust immunity is contained in sections 41308 and 41309, Title 49, United States Code. New Zealand has similar legislation in Part 9 of the Civil Aviation Act.
The Bill has already attracted some comment:
- The Wall Street Journal's The Middle Seat Terminal blog
- Trans World Blog
- Aviation Law Prof Blog NEW
One has to wonder what impact this move will have on the already commenced second phase of the EU-US air services negotiations.
The relevant current legislation that give the US Department of Transportation the power to grant anti-trust immunity is contained in sections 41308 and 41309, Title 49, United States Code. New Zealand has similar legislation in Part 9 of the Civil Aviation Act.
Dunedin international air services cut to one per week for winter
On 2 February 2009 Air New Zealand announced that it was also reducing its international flights from Dunedin Airport (DUD) to one per week in June and July (see recent post).
Prime Minister John Key, who is also New Zealand's Tourism Minister, was reported in the Otago Daily Times on 5 February 2009 as saying that he would: "continue to try to work with Air New Zealand on maintaining and re-establishing services."
Note that while Air New Zealand is currently majority government owned it is not a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE). Its shares are traded on the stock exchanges in New Zealand and Australia. As well as majority ownership, the government retains a limited degree of control through the Kiwi Share (see the company's Constitution for details).
For those interested in studying the recent declines in trans-Tasman passenger traffic out of some of New Zealand's provincial airports a good source for trans-Tasman city-pair data is the Australian Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.
Prime Minister John Key, who is also New Zealand's Tourism Minister, was reported in the Otago Daily Times on 5 February 2009 as saying that he would: "continue to try to work with Air New Zealand on maintaining and re-establishing services."
Note that while Air New Zealand is currently majority government owned it is not a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE). Its shares are traded on the stock exchanges in New Zealand and Australia. As well as majority ownership, the government retains a limited degree of control through the Kiwi Share (see the company's Constitution for details).
For those interested in studying the recent declines in trans-Tasman passenger traffic out of some of New Zealand's provincial airports a good source for trans-Tasman city-pair data is the Australian Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.
01 February 2009
"Alarming" decline in international air cargo movement
On 29 January 2009 the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that December 2008 saw a massive 22.6% drop in air cargo movement compared with the same period in 2007.
The regional numbers indicate that the sharp drop is global. Although the drop in the Middle East and Africa was smaller, the hardest hit region was Asia/Pacific with a 26% drop.
The Economics team at IATA produces some very good data and commentary on what is currently impacting the global aviation industry. It makes for sobering reading. See, for example:
Note that IATA estimates that 35% of international trade by value moves by air. The percentage for New Zealand is significantly lower, partly a consequence of our geographic isolation and export product mix.
The regional numbers indicate that the sharp drop is global. Although the drop in the Middle East and Africa was smaller, the hardest hit region was Asia/Pacific with a 26% drop.
The Economics team at IATA produces some very good data and commentary on what is currently impacting the global aviation industry. It makes for sobering reading. See, for example:
Note that IATA estimates that 35% of international trade by value moves by air. The percentage for New Zealand is significantly lower, partly a consequence of our geographic isolation and export product mix.
Hamilton to lose Air New Zealand international services
On 30 January 2009 Air New Zealand announced that it is to cease its remaining international air services from Hamilton Airport (HLZ) on 25 April 2009.
In commenting on the decision to the NZ Herald Glen Sowry from Air New Zealand noted that a factor for the declining business has been the improved road link to Auckland. A new interchange at Manukau City that will make road travel to Auckland International Airport from the south even quicker is currently under construction. The new government is committed to further extending the Waikato Expressway.
International air services from Hamilton were inaugurated in 1994 by Kiwi Travel Air Charters (it subsequently became Kiwi Travel International Airlines before ceasing services in 1996).
Air New Zealand withdrew international services from Palmerston North Airport (PMR) in 2008.
In commenting on the decision to the NZ Herald Glen Sowry from Air New Zealand noted that a factor for the declining business has been the improved road link to Auckland. A new interchange at Manukau City that will make road travel to Auckland International Airport from the south even quicker is currently under construction. The new government is committed to further extending the Waikato Expressway.
International air services from Hamilton were inaugurated in 1994 by Kiwi Travel Air Charters (it subsequently became Kiwi Travel International Airlines before ceasing services in 1996).
Air New Zealand withdrew international services from Palmerston North Airport (PMR) in 2008.
27 January 2009
ACCC final decision rejects Air Canada/Air New Zealand commercial alliance
On 27 January 2009 the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued its final decision and a statement announcing that it was rejecting the application from Air Canada and Air New Zealand to enter into a close commercial alliance (see previous post).
Air New Zealand has released a statement NEW reacting to the decision.
Reports on the decision have appeared in:
Air New Zealand has released a statement NEW reacting to the decision.
Reports on the decision have appeared in:
- the NZ Herald
- the Sydney Morning Herald NEW
25 January 2009
Container rates for Asia to Europe hit zero
Latest Air New Zealand fuel hedging position released
On 23 January 2009 Air New Zealand released its fuel hedge position as at 22 January to the stock exchanges in Australia and New Zealand (HT to the revived Anti-Dismal weblog). Platts reported on the announcement. (See previous post.)
24 January 2009
A third runway for London Heathrow?
In all the coverage of the UK Government's decision announced on 15 January 2009 to allow the go ahead of a process to construct a short third runway for Heathrow airport (LHR)(the Guardian, for example, has extensive coverage and GreenAir has a comprehensive report NEW with links), there has been some interesting analysis that goes beyond the expected reporting of NIMBYism and the kind of band-wagon environmentalism that saw the doors of the Department for Transport in London broken (the planned Heathrow expansion is certainly a lightning rod for wider concerns about climate change).
For example, anna.aero has analysis dated 23 January 2009 showing amongst other things the decline in the share of domestic air travel through Heathrow.
In a 27 May 2008 article The Economist took a critical look at the proposal.
The Liberty Scott weblog argues that transit traffic would simply fly from other airports if Heathrow is not expanded. On 16 January 2009 Aviation Week reported NEW that Frankfurt Airport NEW has just gained court approval for a fourth runway (for landings only)(see Information on Airport Expansion NEW for more details).
One of the more interesting plans is to also directly link Heathrow airport into the high-speed rail services network as is already the case with some other major airports around the world. This idea of creating a rail "hub" at Heathrow was the subject of a proposal by Arup, an engineering consultancy, announced on 16 May 2008.
Even here though there are questions with a 23 January 2009 posting on The Economist's Gulliver weblog looking at emissions from high-speed rail compared with aviation and pointing to a 22 January 2009 article in the Guardian by Fred Pearce.
For example, anna.aero has analysis dated 23 January 2009 showing amongst other things the decline in the share of domestic air travel through Heathrow.
In a 27 May 2008 article The Economist took a critical look at the proposal.
The Liberty Scott weblog argues that transit traffic would simply fly from other airports if Heathrow is not expanded. On 16 January 2009 Aviation Week reported NEW that Frankfurt Airport NEW has just gained court approval for a fourth runway (for landings only)(see Information on Airport Expansion NEW for more details).
One of the more interesting plans is to also directly link Heathrow airport into the high-speed rail services network as is already the case with some other major airports around the world. This idea of creating a rail "hub" at Heathrow was the subject of a proposal by Arup, an engineering consultancy, announced on 16 May 2008.
Even here though there are questions with a 23 January 2009 posting on The Economist's Gulliver weblog looking at emissions from high-speed rail compared with aviation and pointing to a 22 January 2009 article in the Guardian by Fred Pearce.
Singapore concludes "open skies" agreements with the Czech Republic and Iceland
In separate media statements the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced on 19 and 23 January 2009 that Singapore has negotiated "open skies" type air services agreements with the Czech Republic (Straits Times report) and separately with Iceland (Straits Times report). The latter includes an exchange of seventh freedom rights.
This brings the number of "open skies" partners Singapore has to more than 30, 16 of which are with European Union member states.
This brings the number of "open skies" partners Singapore has to more than 30, 16 of which are with European Union member states.
11 January 2009
Primary history sources on Aeropolitics in the 1940s
Those with an interest in international aeropolitics will know that some of the most critical decisions were made in the 1940s, during and in the aftermath of the Second World War.
This was the period that saw in 1944 the drafting of the Chicago Convention, that lead to the founding of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Three of the key players in Chicago were the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. In total 54 countries participated with the Soviet Union and Saudi Arabia deciding not to attend, Argentina not being invited, and Germany and Japan excluded.
It also saw the negotiation of bilateral air services arrangements UPDATED (note in particular the "resolution" at the end of the document) between the United Kingdom and the United States in Bermuda from 15 January to 11 February 1946. Bermuda 1, as it is now called, become a model for thousands of subsequent bilateral air services arrangements as attempts to establish a widely-accepted multilateral agreement covering all then five "freedoms of the air" failed.
With a particular interest in what happened about the "fifth freedom", a major subject of contention in Chicago, and limits on foreign ownership and control of international airlines (El Salvador was very far sighted on this at Chicago but gained no support), I have recently been hunting on the web for some of the primary history sources for this period and have found some interesting "nuggets", examples of which follow.
ICAO has now made available some of the original documents UPDATED from the Chicago Conference (1 November - 7 December 1944) relating to its founding.
From the United States:
I have come across a reference to an article by Dutch aviation historian Marc Dierikx, "Shaping world aviation. Anglo-American civil aviation relations, 1944-1946", in: Journal of Air Law and Commerce 57(1992) nr. 4, p. 795-840 and suspect that he has made use of many of these sources.
I will look to add some more to this posting when I find more sources.
This was the period that saw in 1944 the drafting of the Chicago Convention, that lead to the founding of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Three of the key players in Chicago were the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. In total 54 countries participated with the Soviet Union and Saudi Arabia deciding not to attend, Argentina not being invited, and Germany and Japan excluded.
It also saw the negotiation of bilateral air services arrangements UPDATED (note in particular the "resolution" at the end of the document) between the United Kingdom and the United States in Bermuda from 15 January to 11 February 1946. Bermuda 1, as it is now called, become a model for thousands of subsequent bilateral air services arrangements as attempts to establish a widely-accepted multilateral agreement covering all then five "freedoms of the air" failed.
With a particular interest in what happened about the "fifth freedom", a major subject of contention in Chicago, and limits on foreign ownership and control of international airlines (El Salvador was very far sighted on this at Chicago but gained no support), I have recently been hunting on the web for some of the primary history sources for this period and have found some interesting "nuggets", examples of which follow.
ICAO has now made available some of the original documents UPDATED from the Chicago Conference (1 November - 7 December 1944) relating to its founding.
From the United States:
- A large 259-page collection of papers relating to the Chicago Conference, including the lead up to it
- A 27 June 1949 secret bulletin reporting on post-Bermuda British Commonwealth developments that were of concern to the United States
- An oral history interview with George P. Baker
- A 12 February 1946 oral question and answer in the House of Lords about the outcome of the Bermuda negotiations
- A 21 February 1946 report from Flight magazine on the outcome of the Bermuda negotiations
- The Hansard transcript of the 19 December 1946 House of Lords debate of the Air Navigation Bill that was among other things to implement to Chicago Convention
- A memorandum dated 13 February 1946 assessing the implications of the Bermuda agreement for Canada
- A secret cable from London on 2 January 1944 reporting on the UK government's assessment of the likely United States position
- A cable from Hodgson (Secretary, Department of External Affairs and member of the Australian delegation) on 28 November 1946 reporting on progress at the Chicago Convention
- A secret cable from Drakeford (Minister for Civil Aviation and head of the Australian delegation) on 5 December 1944 asking whether to sign the Chicago Convention
I have come across a reference to an article by Dutch aviation historian Marc Dierikx, "Shaping world aviation. Anglo-American civil aviation relations, 1944-1946", in: Journal of Air Law and Commerce 57(1992) nr. 4, p. 795-840 and suspect that he has made use of many of these sources.
I will look to add some more to this posting when I find more sources.
10 January 2009
Using Twitter
I have been playing around now with the increasingly popular social networking site Twitter for a year having set up a Profile and linked it through to my Facebook page. Twitter asks "What are you doing?" and limits postings to 140 characters. Among other things, it can be used with TinyURL to give short pointers to other web sites. Mashable has a posting dated 24 May 2008 with information about additional Twitter tools.
I recently came across a good posting on Shane Richmond's blog at the Telegraph dated 6 January 2009 about how to use Twitter better.
As well as being useful for quick pointers from some aviation writers (for example, Jon Ostrower) I am following for the latest happenings, postings that have grabbed my attention have included:
I recently came across a good posting on Shane Richmond's blog at the Telegraph dated 6 January 2009 about how to use Twitter better.
As well as being useful for quick pointers from some aviation writers (for example, Jon Ostrower) I am following for the latest happenings, postings that have grabbed my attention have included:
- From English comedy actor Stephen Fry currently visiting New Zealand while making a wildlife documentary: "A kakapo tried to shag the back of my leg. Mark was roughly shagged on the back of his neck. It's mating time for kakapo: anyone'll do x" and "Leaving Codfish Island this morning and heading for Queenstown. Kakapo made 1 last alarming attempt to ravish me on way to loo last night x"
- From the software programmer Mike Wilson a.k.a. 2drinksbehind who attracted media attention after sending out a message on Twitter having just survived his second air crash, this one on the Continental B737 that burnt at Denver in late 2008: "Holy [Two expletives deleted] I wasbjust in a plane crash!" He has subsequently advised that although his laptop was destroyed he was able to extract data off its hard drive.
Mauritius air services arrangements summary
The Government of Mauritius has a seven-page summary of its bilateral air services arrangements (ASAs and MoUs) dated 18 February 2008 available on its web site. Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean, had arrangements with 25 other countries. At the time it was planning to hold air services negotiations in 2008 with Argentina, Mozambique, Seychelles and Comoros.
British Airways sold its 10.5% shareholding in Air Mauritius, the country's flag carrier, in 2008.
British Airways sold its 10.5% shareholding in Air Mauritius, the country's flag carrier, in 2008.
08 January 2009
Bilateralism versus Multilateralism in Air Transport
I have been having a look at The Air Transport Review at the WTO: Bilateralism versus Multilateralism written by Cecilia Genevieve Decurtins as her thesis for a doctorate in international relations. She completed it at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva in 2007.
She uses negotiation theory to examine aspects of the first review carried out under the GATS Air Transport Services Annex held at the World Trade Organization in Geneva (see previous post). (The second review is currently underway.)
Decurtins highlights the positions taken by Australia, Chile, the European Union, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, Japan and the United States, and examines the probable reasons why each country adopted the positions that it did.
As an active participant in the very small New Zealand delegation at the meetings concerned in Geneva, it is fascinating to see what an outsider made of them and the related papers. It is also an excellent example of how open the formal part of the WTO processes can be.
Decurtins has worked at IATA and knows her subject well.
She uses negotiation theory to examine aspects of the first review carried out under the GATS Air Transport Services Annex held at the World Trade Organization in Geneva (see previous post). (The second review is currently underway.)
Decurtins highlights the positions taken by Australia, Chile, the European Union, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, Japan and the United States, and examines the probable reasons why each country adopted the positions that it did.
As an active participant in the very small New Zealand delegation at the meetings concerned in Geneva, it is fascinating to see what an outsider made of them and the related papers. It is also an excellent example of how open the formal part of the WTO processes can be.
Decurtins has worked at IATA and knows her subject well.
New research into benefits of liberalising air services arrangements
New econometric research is starting to be published on the web that uses the World Trade Organization's QUASAR database which scores bilateral air services arrangements based on their key features. QUASAR is being developed by the WTO Secretariat and uses information from the thousands of air services agreements (treaties) deposited with ICAO (see previous post).
The abstract of a WTO staff working paper Liberalization of Air Transport Services and Passenger Traffic UPDATED by Roberta Piermartini from the WTO and Linda Rousova from the Munich Graduate School of Economics dated December 2008 states:
"Using a gravity-type model to explain bilateral passenger traffic, this paper estimates the impact of liberalizing air transport services on air passenger flows for a sample of 184 countries. We find robust evidence of a positive and significant relationship between the volumes of traffic and the degree of liberalization of the aviation market. An increase in the degree of liberalization from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile increases traffic volumes between countries linked by a direct air service by approximately 30 per cent. In particular, the removal of restrictions on the determination of prices and capacity, cabotage rights and the possibility for airlines other than the flag carrier of the foreign country to operate a service are found to be the most traffic-enhancing provisions of air service agreements. The results are robust to the use of different measures of the degree of liberalization as well as the use of different estimation techniques."
Two working papers from an OECD economist focus on the results for APEC economies:
The abstract of a WTO staff working paper Liberalization of Air Transport Services and Passenger Traffic UPDATED by Roberta Piermartini from the WTO and Linda Rousova from the Munich Graduate School of Economics dated December 2008 states:
"Using a gravity-type model to explain bilateral passenger traffic, this paper estimates the impact of liberalizing air transport services on air passenger flows for a sample of 184 countries. We find robust evidence of a positive and significant relationship between the volumes of traffic and the degree of liberalization of the aviation market. An increase in the degree of liberalization from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile increases traffic volumes between countries linked by a direct air service by approximately 30 per cent. In particular, the removal of restrictions on the determination of prices and capacity, cabotage rights and the possibility for airlines other than the flag carrier of the foreign country to operate a service are found to be the most traffic-enhancing provisions of air service agreements. The results are robust to the use of different measures of the degree of liberalization as well as the use of different estimation techniques."
Two working papers from an OECD economist focus on the results for APEC economies:
- Geloso Grosso, Massimo, Liberalising Air Cargo Services In Apec, GEM Working Paper, December 2008.
- Geloso Grosso, Massimo, Liberalising Air Passenger Services In Apec, GEM Working Paper, November 2008.
The future stars of the economics profession?
I still remember reading twenty years ago in the UK weekly magazine The Economist, to which I have subscribed for many years, an article about who it considered the most promising young academic economists listing: Larry Summers, Jeffrey Sachs, Andrei Shleifer, Paul Krugman, Gregory Mankiw, Sanford Grossman, Alberto Alesina and Jean Tirole. They were very good picks, although I suspect that being selected for the list would have done no harm to their future careers.
The Economist repeated the exercise a decade later (17 December 1998) picking out: Michael Kremer, Edward Glaeser, Casey Mulligan, Steve Levitt, Caroline Hoxby, Glenn Ellison, Judith Chevalier, Wolfgang Pesendorfer, Timothy Feddersen, Matthew Rabin and David Laibson.
It has just done so for the third time (HT to Greg Mankiw). The latest article lists: Jesse Shapiro (Chicago), Roland Fryer, Esther Duflo, Amy Finkelstein, Raj Chetty, Iván Werning, Xavier Gabaix and Marc Melitz.
The Economist repeated the exercise a decade later (17 December 1998) picking out: Michael Kremer, Edward Glaeser, Casey Mulligan, Steve Levitt, Caroline Hoxby, Glenn Ellison, Judith Chevalier, Wolfgang Pesendorfer, Timothy Feddersen, Matthew Rabin and David Laibson.
It has just done so for the third time (HT to Greg Mankiw). The latest article lists: Jesse Shapiro (Chicago), Roland Fryer, Esther Duflo, Amy Finkelstein, Raj Chetty, Iván Werning, Xavier Gabaix and Marc Melitz.
05 January 2009
Air New Zealand conducts biofuels experimental flight with B747
On 30 December 2008 an Air New Zealand B747-400 conducted a flight from Auckland using a 50:50 fuel mix of Jet A1 and biofuel to power one of its four engines (see a media release and here for details). The biofuel concerned came from the jatropha plant (see previous post). Boeing, Rolls Royce, Terasol Energy and Honeywell's UOP were involved in the test.
The test flight, which was said to be successful, received international media coverage including:
The test flight, which was said to be successful, received international media coverage including:
- New York Times blog
- the International Herald Tribune
- the Guardian
- the Daily Express
- Greentech Media
Enviro.aero (from ATAG) carried a number of blog postings (see here, Update, Update 2, Update 3 and Update 4).
04 January 2009
Boeing B787 deliveries delayed again as range drops
Just prior to Christmas Day 2008 Air New Zealand released a statement that it had been advised by Boeing that delivery of the B787-9 aircraft the airline has on order will not now commence until Q1 2013. The aircraft were initially expected to start to be delivered in late 2010.
One of the more revealing weblog scoops of 2008 was the publication by FlightGlobal's Jon Ostrower on 3 December 2008 of a presentation by Airbus on the B787. This raises a question mark over the final range of the B787, something that could significantly limit Air New Zealand's future route options (see previous post).
One of the more revealing weblog scoops of 2008 was the publication by FlightGlobal's Jon Ostrower on 3 December 2008 of a presentation by Airbus on the B787. This raises a question mark over the final range of the B787, something that could significantly limit Air New Zealand's future route options (see previous post).
03 January 2009
New Zealand Commerce Commission taking action on international air cargo
On 15 December 2008 the New Zealand Commerce Commission issued a media release on legal action it is taking against 13 airlines:
This follows similar action by competition authorities in other jurisdictions.
Air New Zealand almost immediately issued a media release in response to the announcement.
- Air New Zealand Limited
- British Airways plc
- Cargolux International Airlines S.A
- Cathay Pacific Airways Limited
- Emirates
- PT Garuda
- Japan Airlines International Co Limited
- Korean Airlines Co Limited
- Malaysian Airline System Berhad Limited
- Qantas Airways Limited
- Singapore Airlines Cargo Pte Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited
- Thai Airways International Public Company Limited
- United Airlines Incorporated
This follows similar action by competition authorities in other jurisdictions.
Air New Zealand almost immediately issued a media release in response to the announcement.
"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
I have recently finished the book "Outliers - the Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell. It was a quick and enjoyable read.
I was not so fast to read his first book "The Tipping Point" after its publication suspecting that other books I had read covered the point he was making better but in the end did not regret doing so either.
What first attracted me to buy Outliers was Chapter Seven "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes". This focuses on cases where copilots sometimes have shown too much deference to the captains of the airliners leading to disastrous outcomes. Gladwell focuses on the terrible run of crashes that Korean Air had. He looks at something called the Power Distance Index (PDI) developed by Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede as a partial explanation of why pilots from some cultures are safer than others, with a suggestion that those from New Zealand might be the safest (see page 209).
This led me to hunt on the web for some more serious reading on this subject and I came across a paper Culture, Error, and Crew Resource Management by Robert L. Helmreich, John A. Wilhelm, James R. Klinect, and Ashleigh C. Merritt from the University of Texas at Austin.
Other chapters also contained interesting ideas, some of which I could personally relate to. There are lessons for those interested in educational performance, particularly about the pay off from putting in hours of hard work to master mathematics, computer programming or music for example.
Reviews of Outliers have appeared in:
I was not so fast to read his first book "The Tipping Point" after its publication suspecting that other books I had read covered the point he was making better but in the end did not regret doing so either.
What first attracted me to buy Outliers was Chapter Seven "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes". This focuses on cases where copilots sometimes have shown too much deference to the captains of the airliners leading to disastrous outcomes. Gladwell focuses on the terrible run of crashes that Korean Air had. He looks at something called the Power Distance Index (PDI) developed by Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede as a partial explanation of why pilots from some cultures are safer than others, with a suggestion that those from New Zealand might be the safest (see page 209).
This led me to hunt on the web for some more serious reading on this subject and I came across a paper Culture, Error, and Crew Resource Management by Robert L. Helmreich, John A. Wilhelm, James R. Klinect, and Ashleigh C. Merritt from the University of Texas at Austin.
Other chapters also contained interesting ideas, some of which I could personally relate to. There are lessons for those interested in educational performance, particularly about the pay off from putting in hours of hard work to master mathematics, computer programming or music for example.
Reviews of Outliers have appeared in:
- the Independent
- the Telegraph
- the Times
- the Guardian
- the New York Times
- The New Republic NEW
"Fire & Steam" by Christian Wolmer
I have recently finished reading "Fire & Steam - How the Railways Transformed Britain" by transport journalist Christian Wolmar.
It is a very good history of the development of rail transport in the United Kingdom. It is particularly interesting on the relationship between the rail industry and successive governments over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is a real lesson in the need to clarify objectives and not be surprised if an industry struggles when required to meet conflicting ones imposed by government. It is also a lesson in the complexities of the transport system.
One comment in the book in particular struck me as worth thinking about:
"... expenditure on roads has always been deemed to be investment, while rail spending has been classified as subsidy." (page 284)
Reviews of Fire & Steam have appeared in:
It is a very good history of the development of rail transport in the United Kingdom. It is particularly interesting on the relationship between the rail industry and successive governments over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is a real lesson in the need to clarify objectives and not be surprised if an industry struggles when required to meet conflicting ones imposed by government. It is also a lesson in the complexities of the transport system.
One comment in the book in particular struck me as worth thinking about:
"... expenditure on roads has always been deemed to be investment, while rail spending has been classified as subsidy." (page 284)
Reviews of Fire & Steam have appeared in:
- the Independent
- the Guardian
- the Times
"Traffic" by Tom Vanderbilt
I recently finished reading the book Traffic - Why we drive the way we do (and what it says about us) written by Tom Vanderbilt.
It was solid going but gave me an excellent insight into many of the issues my road transport colleagues at the New Zealand Ministry of Transport are grappling with, both on the safety and infrastructure sides of research and policy development, as we try to reduce the road toll and congestion.
The book is very good on the psychology of driving. The author also examines in some depth what we might regard as counter intuitive behaviour, like how removing traffic signs can make a road safer. His insights on cultural factors were also very interesting. Personally one of the key lessons I took out of the book is how unsafe it is to drive while talking on a cell phone, even a hands free one.
Reviews of Traffic have appeared in:
It was solid going but gave me an excellent insight into many of the issues my road transport colleagues at the New Zealand Ministry of Transport are grappling with, both on the safety and infrastructure sides of research and policy development, as we try to reduce the road toll and congestion.
The book is very good on the psychology of driving. The author also examines in some depth what we might regard as counter intuitive behaviour, like how removing traffic signs can make a road safer. His insights on cultural factors were also very interesting. Personally one of the key lessons I took out of the book is how unsafe it is to drive while talking on a cell phone, even a hands free one.
Reviews of Traffic have appeared in:
- the Financial Times NEW
- the New York Times
- the Daily Telegraph
- the Sunday Times
- Wired
Otago University research on New Zealand-related international aviation emissions being published
Exactly a year ago I posted on research by Otago University Physics Department academics Inga Smith and Craig Rodger. That research has now been accepted as a peer-reviewed paper, Carbon Emission Offsets for Aviation-Generated Emissions due to International Travel to and from New Zealand, to be published in the journal Energy Policy.
Last year we made contact and hosted them at the Ministry of Transport. It is proving to be a good example of how officials can cooperate with academia to address pressing public policy issues. Students from Otago are now working with us in research on emissions from international transport to and from New Zealand.
Last year we made contact and hosted them at the Ministry of Transport. It is proving to be a good example of how officials can cooperate with academia to address pressing public policy issues. Students from Otago are now working with us in research on emissions from international transport to and from New Zealand.
Another name for Jatropha is Black Vomit Nut
I have recently started following the Plane Talking weblog written by experienced Australian aviation journalist, Ben Sandilands.
In a 1 December 2008 post Ben notes that alternative names for the plant jatropha, a very promising source of biofuels for use in aircraft jet engines, are Black Vomit Nut and Bellyache Bush. Some how I can't see these plain English names catching on with airline industry public relations departments!
The post reports on comments made by Sebastian Remy, the head of alternative fuel research for Airbus, about the potential to grow jatropha, which is drought resistant, in Australia.
In a 1 December 2008 post Ben notes that alternative names for the plant jatropha, a very promising source of biofuels for use in aircraft jet engines, are Black Vomit Nut and Bellyache Bush. Some how I can't see these plain English names catching on with airline industry public relations departments!
The post reports on comments made by Sebastian Remy, the head of alternative fuel research for Airbus, about the potential to grow jatropha, which is drought resistant, in Australia.
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