Boeing recently published its latest forecast of how many airliners will have to be built to satisfy the demand of the flying public for the next 2o years. More interesting is the number of Airline Pilots that will have to be trained to fly those new Aircraft and the fact that Airbus, the FAA and the entire Airline Industry agrees with Boeing.
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Like many of the factors that have affected the Airline Industry in the past, the recent global economic slowdown has proved to have a very limited effect on demand for airline travel, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Tuesday. It is expected that the continued high levels of passenger traffic will earn higher-than-expected profits for the industry.
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12:30 pm, November 22, 1963 three shots rang out in Dealey Plaza that would forever change the world. In an instant the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy was gone and in many ways the spirit of youth and optimism that had filled the post-war United States went with him.
Half a world away in Addis Ababa my grandfather, Jack Asire, had just completed an exhausting week of work. Jack was the General Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, a position that in today’s vernacular would be known as president. Jack was actually a TWA management pilot who had accepted a temporary assignment to Ethiopia as part of a program implemented by TWA to help developing nations begin their own airlines. The big event of the week had been the opening of the new airport terminal in Addis Ababa. This was an important day for a nation that in just two decades had seen it rise from the wreckage of an Italian occupation to become one of the leading nations of Africa and the site of the headquarters of both the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union. While the previous terminal had been little more than run-down buildings and grass huts, this terminal was a new shining icon for a country who was taking its place on the world stage. The highlight of opening day was an official visit by His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor Haile Selassie. As General Manager of the airline it was Jack’s responsibility to conduct the Emperor’s tour. The tour lasted several hours and the Emperor was well pleased with the new facilities. Upon the completion of the opening day ceremonies the Emperor headed down to Dira Dawa to attend the military academy’s graduation while my grandparents planned on taking the weekend off to relax.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that international passenger traffic increased 7.3% in July compared to the same period last year. The IATA also said that domestic air travel increased by 3.5%. Total system traffic increased by 5.9%.
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