As reported here first, Air Cargo Germany, for all intents and purposes, is kaputt.
     Here is what we know as we go to press Monday, April 22.
     The German Civil Aviation Authority, the LBA, has in the meantime confirmed the revocation of ACG’s operating permit, citing apparent non-compliance of ACG with European Community Directive 1008/2008, applicable to operators licensed within any EC member state:
     “The competent licensing authority may at any time assess the financial performance of a Community air carrier which it has licensed. Based upon its assessment, the authority shall suspend or revoke the operating license if it is no longer satisfied that this Community air carrier can meet its actual and potential obligations for a 12-month period. Nevertheless, the competent licensing authority may grant a temporary license, not exceeding 12 months pending financial reorganization of a Community air carrier provided that safety is not at risk, that this temporary license reflects, when appropriate, any changes to the AOC, and that there is a realistic prospect of a satisfactory financial reconstruction within that time period.”
     It is understood from the provisions made within EC Directive 1008/2008 that the LBA does not believe that a “realistic prospect of satisfactory financial reconstruction” is possible at the moment. The 49 percent shareholder Volga Dnepr Group will not be able to increase its stake without ACG losing rights to be registered as a carrier within the EC.
     An increase in capital would subsequently require all shareholders to contribute, since otherwise shares would be diluted.
     ACG in the meantime refers to their press consultant, Ms. Hamann of “Medienbuero am Reichstag,” for further inquiries.
     When asked to verify the aforementioned facts, they were not denied, but no further information was made available by ACG because of the pending nature of the ACG Operating permit revocation, although “ACG will inform interested parties accordingly as soon as further information becomes available to us.”
     While ACG's CEO, Michael Schaecher, is apparently looking to find a "sustainable solution" to improve the financial situation of ACG, it is highly doubtful that such a solution will materialize "in the next few days" as proposed in the statement made available on ACG's website last Friday:
     "Our Shareholders are supporting in any way possible and you can be assured that we work around the clock to find sustainable solutions to recommence our services to you. Despite the surprise of this measure, we remain very confident that the operations can be resumed in the next few days."
     Regulators do not resort to the measure of revoking an AOC lightly, so it will require considerable efforts and clear financial commitments from the side of shareholders to get ACG’s AOC reinstated, at least on a temporary basis.
     The operational interruption also means that current commitments will not be fulfilled, which may result in penalty payments and the rerouting of existing business to competitors, further adding to ACG's financial woes.
Jens

“You Are There”
     The Third Annual Lufthansa Cargo Climate Care Conference is taking place this Wednesday in Frankfurt, and we have decided to approach the subject a bit differently, creating a scenario we call “You Are There.”
     “You are There” is a minute-to-minute narrative that tells the story before it happens—our goal is to inspire anyone within driving or short flying distance of this very worthwhile event to attend.
     Lufthansa Cargo holds these great forward-thinking environmental conferences every year and invites shippers and the media to share their good ideas, which are delivered by some of the smartest climate thinkers and others looking for a less “carbonated” future.
     Here are some ideas about the environment from some smart, serious people.
     “You Are There” are actual words from last year’s gathering or by panel people at other events that closely link to subjects outlined for The Third Lufthansa Environmental Conference.
     Under the circumstances, everything is as close to reality as it can be, ensuring that “You Are There” even if you can’t physically attend.
Geoffrey/Sabiha

he words could not be more prophetic.
“Our impact on the planet is substantial and continues to grow.
“Climate change, disappearing biodiversity, and the overexploitation of natural resources are just a few of the problematic developments.
     “The global challenge is to provide the knowledge of systems and applications needed to secure the foundations of life for the growing world population in a sustainable fashion over the long term,” said Professor Dr. Volker Mosbrugger, senator of the Helmholtz Association Germany's largest scientific research organization for the Research Field “Earth and Environment.”
     Professor Dr. Volker Mosbrugger also serves as director general of the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung in Frankfurt am Main.
     Just how seriously Lufthansa and the rest of Germany takes these issues can be seen in the effort and commitment of The Helmholtz Association, where more than 33,634 people are at work in 18 scientific-technical and biological-medical research centers with an annual budget of more than €3.8 billion.
     It stands to reason that Lufthansa Cargo, while not alone amongst airlines in terms of bringing these issues forward, is certainly out front and pulling ahead in their effort to bring greater environmental awareness to both the air cargo industry and the rest of the world.


     Dr. Karl-Rudolf Rupprecht, Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board Member underscores the import of the conference to the carrier by delivering an overview that offeres attendees a glimpse of the true state of the Lufthansa Cargo “green vision.”
     “We take concerns about our environmental impact seriously and are therefore committed to open information and constructive dialogue with our employees, customers, authorities, and the public,” says Bettina Jansen, Head of Environmental Management at Lufthansa Cargo.



     Looking back a bit, the last time this gathering met, a line captain of the cargo service defined exquisitely how best Lufthansa Cargo could address its environmental responsibility.
     “We are in a loud, dirty business,” said Tim Holderer, Senior First Officer MD-11 Lufthansa Cargo AG.
     “But at Lufthansa we are all committed and striving for a sustainable way of flying.
     “We want to conduct our business as clean as we can and with as little negative environmental impact as possible.”


     And what would any climate conference be without a weatherman?
     To their credit, Lufthansa included someone that is unafraid to go out on a limb and predict hazards of global warming, despite Europe just concluding its fifth cold winter in a row.
     Professor Mojib Latif, meteorologist and climate researcher, Head of the Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics Research Division of the Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research, has previously predicted harsh winters are a thing of the past in Europe, saying:
     "Winter with strong frosts and lots of snow like 20 years ago will cease to exist at our latitudes.”
     Although that prediction, like some other weather forecasts, might seem a crapshoot today, Prof. Latif is sticking to his guns, saying:
     “People have simply forgotten what a winter really looks like, and that in times of global warming there can be real winters.
     “The warming so far, with 0.7 to 0.8 on a global average, is still small,” said Latif of the past few European winters.
     “Indeed there won’t be anymore cold winters in 2050 or 2100,” he insisted.

     "Up to 50 percent of the carbon footprint of a product comes from the supply chain,” says Kathrin Brost, Vice President DHL Global Forwarding, and Freight Green Strategy.
     “Since 2011, DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, has offered its customers a tool to gain transparency on the carbon efficiency within their supply chain.
     “Increasingly, carbon has become a global currency and DHL makes it easy for companies to integrate it in their balance sheet.
     “Our Go Green program helps our customer identify their impact in detail, so that together we can find 'greener' solutions wherever possible,” Ms. Brost said.


     Professor Volker Gollnick, Director of the Institute of Air Transportation Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Hamburg, added his voice to the proceedings, addressing the future including technologies and methodologies.
     In that regard, DLR has been a vocal proponent of “Flying Wing” technologies (which DLR calls “Blended Wing Body,” or BLB) favored by the U.S. aerospace giant Northrup and, of course, the U.S. military with their flying wing stealth aircraft.
     DLR Enhanced Technology Assessment For Future Aircraft is a project that partners with Airbus Operations GmbH and EADS Innovation Works.
     “The DLR project aims to develop and implement methods to enable a broad assessment and optimization of the Air Transportation System (ATS).
     “At present, assessment is primarily accomplished by means of technical and economic indicators based on the operator’s and manufacturer’s view.
     “But we are utilizing an approach to assess the ATS expansively and regarding the pillars of sustainability: economy, ecology, and society.
     “A framework is under development to conduct sustainability studies of ATS and its sub elements separately.”
     Jack Northrup in terms of the flying wings, dreamed of combining the hull for payload and the wings for lift. DLR is thinking of a thick wing to accommodate the entire cargo and passenger load.
     Will 'blended wing bodies’ be the aircraft of the future?
     “As reducing carbon footprint and noise are top priorities, new studies are underway at the German Aerospace Center and Raumfahft (DLR),” Prof. Gollnik said.


     Climate Care Conference 2013 and its wide range of inspiring presentations is being held in Frankfurt at the Senckenberg, the largest natural history museum in Germany, on April 24 from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
     Moviegoers may recall the film “Night At The Museum,” which held its premier party there in 2006.
     In addition to sessions, Cargo Climate Care participants can visit the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, and after the conference reception can attend a luncheon surrounded with an inspired exhibition entitled "Planet 3.0 – Climate. Life. Future." The display at the Senckenberg represents the search for the origins of climate change, which is now taking place faster than ever before.
     What will our future be like on this planet? What can the past tell us about it?
     How does the earth's system function?
     And what answers can current climate and biodiversity research provide?
     The exhibition covers an area of 700 square meters and takes visitors on a journey through the planet's climate archive, which dates back many millions of years to the moment when everything began.


     Another highlight of the day is the presentation of the Cargo Climate Care Award on the theme of "More ideas for less emissions."
     Harald Zielinski, Lufthansa Cargo Director of Security & Environmental Management, told FlyingTypers that the carrier’s pioneering effort to bring focus to climate issues can be compared to “where we were dealing with security demands a few years ago.”
     “Security started small but look at the attention it gets these days,” Harald said.
     “We know that our environmental efforts are still under development.
     “In fact, we are at the beginning of making some good progress improving our carbon footprint, but we all need to harmonize our efforts toward better environmental practices just as we did for security.
     “We must as an industry be dedicated to lowering carbon impact so that together we can advance our procedures toward that goal.
     “Nobody gets a pass either.
     “As we challenge ourselves we must also encourage our customers and business partners up and down the line to join this effort.
     “Air cargo must not wait until governments get involved and begin handing down politically driven edicts that can hamper air cargo.
     “If we don’t move, others will move us,” Harald Zielinski said.
Geoffrey/Sabiha

Get On Board Air Cargo News FlyingTypers
For A Free Subscription
Click Here To Subscribe

Dear Geoffrey,

      Congratulations as you celebrate 38 years publishing Air Cargo News, now FlyingTypers.
      A job well done for all these years.
      I remember having been interviewed by you a few times, (I still keep those papers), that always made me feel a part of that big and great cargo family at JFK.
      Keep up the good work, Senior!
      Greetings from Florida from all your transplanted JFK friends, including The Rinkin Lunch Wagon where we used to meet for a colada!
      The best to you always,

Tony
Tony Munoz
Key Account Manager
Solar Cargo

If You Missed Any Of The Previous 3 Issues Of FlyingTypers
Click On Image Below To Access

FT041213