I have not checked this out for a while. Click here. Sorry to bring this up but Allegiant. As we all know Las Vegas was their first destination and then they added Sanford. Since Allegiant departed ORH, St Pete's has been added as a third destination and now flies to 14 cities.
Should I say it again?? We missed a big opportunity with Allegiant to re-establish ORH as a viable option.
Same Time Next Year
-
It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
5 months ago
2 comments:
May 2007 Airport Commission Minutes are posted on the flyworcester.com website.
On an unrelated note...
Bombardier, Embraer on divergent courses
Regional jet makers refocus as traditional market hit dead airspace
By Aude Lagorce, MarketWatch
Last Update: 3:58 AM ET Jun 18, 2007
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/aircraft-makers-embraer-bombardier-diverging/story.aspx?guid=%7B8BA8387D%2D1AD1%2D4481%2DBC89%2D4C1D4D8008E0%7D
Harry Tembenis
Worcester, MA
PARIS (MarketWatch) -- After a long fight for dominance of the regional jet market, Bombardier of Canada and Brazil's Embraer are finally charting their own courses.
That's partly because the market they were competing for is now in a tailspin.
"Where the two companies were fighting before was between the CRJ and the ERJ series, but that market is dead," said Mike Boyd, of U.S.-based aviation consultancy the Boyd Group, on the eve of the Paris Air Show, where both makers hope to drum up business. See air show preview.
Regional jets, designed to fly short-haul and medium-haul routes, are often used as shuttles by the big carriers and have little space for carry-on luggage. Bombardier's CRJ series and Embraer's ERJ family of jets fall in this category. See the Paris slideshow.
But high operating costs and poor in-cabin comfort mean the market for regional jets has stalled, and the planes are being phased out.
Statistics from Boeing show the market share for regional jets dropped from 17% of all commercial aviation orders in 2004 to 13% in 2006. Number-wise, that's a decline from 4,290 planes to 3,450 planes. And Boyd sees about 700 aircraft with fewer than 50 seats being phased out over the next decade.
So Bombardier and Embraer, who can read the numbers too, are refocusing.
Although Bombardier (CA:BBD.PRD: news, chart, profile) is still selling its CRJ aircraft, which it has stretched several times to meet the need for more seats, it has repeatedly delayed the launch of a larger family of planes called the C-Series, which would seat 110 to 130 passengers.
Instead, Bombardier is looking to cement its lead in the business-jet market.
Tapping the bottom end
Sao Paulo-based Embraer (ERJembraer-empresa brasileira d sp adr com shs
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ERJ ) , meanwhile, has scaled down production of its ERJ series. It's concentrating on small mainland aircraft, competing with the lower end of the Boeing (BABoeing Co.
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BA ) and Airbus portfolios.
In the years since its privatization in 1994, the Brazilian manufacturer has come from nowhere, and is now a potential rival to the two aerospace heavyweights for small mainland aircraft, which carry between 70 and 110 passengers.
"Boeing and Airbus didn't want to spend the time and money to meet demand in that size category," said Boyd.
Embraer, however, did.
Its E-Jets family, specifically designed to blur the line between regional and mainland aircraft, has done well. The E-170, the first jet in this grouping, is operated in the U.S. by regional airlines such as U.S. Airways Express and Delta Connection.
The E-190 and E-195, with about 100 seats, have won orders from Air Canada (CA:AC.A: news, chart, profile) and JetBlue Airways (JBLUjetblue awys corp com
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JBLU ) , among others.
"What everyone wants is bigger regional jets, which is blurring the lines with the smaller jets of the likes of Boeing and Airbus," said Gareth Evans, head of the European aerospace practice of AT Kearney in London.
It's crucial for Embraer to make headway in that segment because Boeing and Airbus will launch replacements for their narrow-body B737 and A320 aircraft by the end of the decade.
So Embraer has just a few years to win the favor of major carriers and establish itself as a serious alternative to the Western makers. "The big issue for Embraer remains how it will potentially compete in the single-aisle markets next decade," Prudential said.
'What everyone wants is bigger regional jets, which is blurring the lines with the smaller jets of the likes of Boeing and Airbus.'
— Gareth Evans, AT Kearney
Flaunting the E-Jet series on its sleek Web site, under the slogan 'Designed for People,' Embraer stresses the roominess of its lavatories, absence of the much-hated middle seat and a lighter workload for pilots thanks to state-of-the-art flight control systems.
It's embracing the chance to secure a niche as EADS-owned (FR:005730: news, chart, profile) Airbus and rival Boeing, busy with other programs, have delayed the launch of their single-aisle replacement aircraft.
"Boeing and Airbus don't want to cannibalize sales of the B737 and A320. So there seems to be a tacit agreement to sweep the issue (of single-aisle replacement aircraft) under the carpet for now," said AT Kearney's Evans.
Still, the type of narrow-body jet Boeing and Airbus eventually adopt will have a significant impact on Embraer. Some in the industry believe the Western makers could design more than one jet to replace their respective single-aisle bestsellers and address the rising competition in the 100-seat segment.
Fuel efficiency also remains an issue.
"There are no major breakthroughs in technology that would drive a 20% increase in fuel efficiency," Boyd said. That's what airlines now want as environmental issues come to the fore and crude costs keep rising.
Boeing has indicated engine efficiency must increase at least 15% to make the next-generation of narrow-body aircraft feasible.
Pratt & Whitney, the engine maker and United Technology (UTXUnited Technologies Corporation
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UTX ) unit, is now working on a geared turbo-fan design it says could deliver such an improvement. But it probably won't be available until 2012.
Bombardier
For Bombardier, competing with Boeing and Airbus seems to be nowhere near the top of the to-do list. Experts say the Montreal-based aircraft maker has been especially hard hit by an inability to renew its portfolio.
"As far as small mainland airplanes go, there isn't a battle between Embraer and Bombardier. We have three commercial aircraft manufacturers today. Bombardier keeps stretching the same models," said Boyd.
Its failure so far to launch the C-series, which would seat 110 to 130 passengers, means it could soon be out of the business for commercial planes, experts caution.
"The fact that the C-Series has never been launched is enough said. It hasn't really captured the market's attention.... As a new product launch, they haven't done it because they don't think they can kick off with a bang," said AT Kearney's Evans.
Richard Aboulafia, of U.S.-based aviation consultancy the Teal Group, agrees.
"Bombardier's C-Series was their effort to get into a different market but it was doomed from the start and beyond their reach," he said.
The series has been delayed several times. Bombardier is not expected to make a decision on the launch until later this year.
The Canadian maker, though, argues that its CRJ family of jets remains competitive, reflected by a recent surge in orders including from U.S. legacy carrier Delta Air Lines. It also just launched revamped versions of the CRJ700, CRJ900 and CRJ1000 that use lighter composite materials, burn less fuel and feature an all-new cabin.
It's in the business-jet segment, however, that Bombardier remains top dog. It reported forecast-beating results last month, helped by continued strong demand for its "flying boardrooms." Bombardier's aircraft range from light-weight Learjets to the long-range Global family. See more global markets coverage.
"Bombardier is top of the business jet, where Embraer has a lot of catching up to do," said Teal Group's Aboulafia.
Brian Morrison, an analyst at TD Securities, said he believes the strength of the business-jet market is allowing Bombardier to take more risks at its regional division. He cautioned, however, that the long-term viability of the regional business could prove challenging.
"We believe that Embraer has a superior product and will continue to win the majority of forthcoming order campaigns, assuming that they can successfully increase their production rate over the next 12 months," he said.
Russian, Chinese newcomers
Lower barriers to entry mean Chinese and Russian manufacturers are also trying to penetrate the market for aircraft that seat between 70 and 100 passengers.
The Russians are working on a project called the Sukhoi Superjet 100. The jets, which will feature "plush designer seats," are to be produced by Sukhoi's civil division. Boeing will help on marketing, engineering and manufacturing. Earlier this month Boeing signed an agreement that'll see it step up involvement in the Superjet, particularly in after-sale services.
Aboulafia said the Russians turned to long-time fighter maker Sukhoi after a decade of failed attempts to create a Yakovlev or Tupolev regional jet. He remains skeptical about funding for this program, saying that Russia has so far committed only about $120 million to a project that will easily cost $1 billion.
"Given Sukhoi's background in the military market, with its higher margins and government-reimbursed funding, the company might well balk at providing its own cash on such a risky venture," he cautioned.
The Chinese, meanwhile, have a joint venture with Embraer to build their ARJ21 aircraft. General Electric (GEGeneral Electric Company
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GE ) is providing the engines and Rockwell Collins (COLrockwell collins inc com
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COL ) the avionics for what China calls its first "self-designed" passenger jet.
The project, led by government-controlled ACAC, began in 2002 and the first flight is scheduled for March 2008. ACAC aims to manufacture 11 ARJ21s a year by 2010 and 50 per year by 2015.
China also recently announced its intention to build a large passenger jet to rival Boeing and Airbus. Read more about China's aerospace ambitions.
Both Russia and China have strong delegations at the show.
Evans said the newcomers may not pose a threat to the established players anytime soon, though they could become keen competitors in the medium term, particularly as their domestic markets drive the bulk of global demand. Read about Israel's offerings at the show.
"And where else can Embraer and Bombardier go with their products? Maybe it doesn't affect their existing markets but it certainly affects their potential ones," he said.
Aude Lagorce is a reporter for MarketWatch in London.
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