Vol. 11 No. 8                                                                                                                Monday January 30, 2012

      Ted Braun has been named Air Cargo News FlyingTypers Associate Publisher and European Bureau Chief, replacing Heiner Siegmund.
     “Ted has been part of the FT team for the past two years and brings a wealth of knowledge to Air Cargo News FlyingTypers with 35 years experience in the air cargo business, including as part of the pioneering Flying Tiger Line,” says Geoffrey Arend, FT Editor/Publisher.
     “Mr. Braun is fluent in English, German, Hungarian and Romanian and has been involved in the development of and reporting about the emerging IT revolution in air cargo. He has acted as consultant to several major transportation organizations, including IATA.
     “We say farewell to Heiner, we felt it was time to make a change,” Geoffrey adds.
     “We look forward to expanding coverage and reaching exciting new frontiers, as Ted Braun brings to Air Cargo News FlyingTypers absolutely impeccable air cargo credentials gained over a lifetime in this business.”
     As Ted himself says, "'Talking the talk’ only works if they respect the man doing the talking.”
     Contact Ted Braun tedb@aircargonews.com


                    “Remember, remember the fifth of November
                    The Gunpowder Treason and Plot
                    I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason
                    Should ever be forgot.”
      That is a snippet from a poem written about Guy Fawkes, member of the Gunpowder Plot, infamous in British history for having planned to blow up the House of Lords. Mr. Fawkes was caught guarding the gunpowder and sentenced to death, and forever after November 5th was known as Guy Fawkes Day and children were taught the rhyme so as to never forget that fateful day, and the price of treason.
      Well, we Americans have a different Guy Fox who we choose to remember for different reasons—notably more positive, we believe.
      Los Angeles International Airport & U.S. Customs is set to recall an historic first in air cargo by recognizing and honoring Mr. Fox.
      Turning back the clock to 50 years ago, on March 12, 1962, Mr. Fox waited on line at U.S. Customs at 0500 to file the very first free and dutiable customs entry at LAX.
      Today, W. Guy Fox is President & CEO of Guy Fox & Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm specializing in supply chain management, contract negotiations, structuring strategic alliances, and infrastructure analysis.
      An event to honor and reveal the historic documents will be held at the LAX Flight Path Museum on March 12, 2012 at 1000 hrs.
      “I have the only copies of the first entries, as Customs destroyed theirs years ago, and I have the only photo of this event taking place with the Customs officials and me,” Mr. Fox told FlyingTypers.
      At that time, it was common practice for formal entries to be filed on all merchandise exceeding $250.00.
      “They had a separate entry series for dutiable and for free entries at that time, and I have copies of both.
      “These goods came in on a United Airlines prop-driven piston engine aircraft, as jet aircraft did not start carrying cargo here until March 2, 1964.
      “I recall it was a Monday morning when U.S. Customs at LAX opened up their new ‘Entry Division’ in Cargo Building 1 at the airport.
      “I was working for International Customs Service (ICS) at that time as a clerk.
      “Prior to Customs opening here, I came to the airport on a Saturday to gather documents.
      “Later inside ICS offices, I prepared the first entries for U.S. Customs at LAX.
      “For the record the dutiable entry came into New York on Air France.
      “At that time, most shipments from Europe had to be transshipped, as all of the aircraft were prop driven and could not make the long trip without refueling.
      “The shipment was textiles from France for Albertt A. Ekker Textiles, Los Angeles, who is no longer in business.
      “Value of the goods: $286.00.
      “The Free Entry was aircraft windshields, made in America and en route to being returned for repair from Canada.
      “Air cargo arrived in Chicago via Canadian Air Lines and then transferred to United Air Lines Cargo to Los Angeles.
      “Shipment was consigned to The Sierracin Corp., in Burbank.
      “Value of the shipment was $2,448.00
      “I took the files home with me so that I could be the first in line when they opened the new entry division.”
      Mr. Fox recalls arriving at the airport at 0500 hours on Monday, March 12, 1962, three hours before U.S. Customs opened for business at 0800 hours.
      “At 0800 hours I was still the only one in line.
      “It was evident that I was the only one who thought that this was an historical moment. There was no fan fare, and no excitement; it was just business as usual.
      “At that time, we did not have computers, and I had to prepare an 8-page form in a mechanical typewriter, and we had to use a Friedan calculator to figure all of the duty compilation.
      “I had to classify the goods in accordance with the Tariff Act of 1930, and summarize the invoice for Customs.
      “We then had to breakdown the entry form, and put it together in a file jacket for Customs.
      “Needless to say, then as now everything had to be in order or it would be rejected.
      “Thank God, my entries were in order!” Guy Fox said.
      When you think about it, 50 years later air cargo is, despite all the advances and declarations, virtually buried under a paperwork jungle, so it is good that somebody saved these first documents and that there are people in Los Angeles who are ready, willing and able to preserve and celebrate some important air cargo history.
                    Hark! Hark! The 12th of March,
                    The first customs order went through.
                    For all in air cargo,
                    Do pay close attention,
                    This day should mean something to you!
      We can thank Guy Fox for preserving that memory for us.
      More Info: Flight Path Learning Center Museum, LAX Imperial Terminal, located at 6661 W. Imperial Highway, Los Angeles, Ca. Cost: Free. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking is Free. Telephone: (424) 646-7284. www.flightpath.us
Geoffrey/Flossie

 
Heide Enfield


     Our regular readers will no doubt recall our exclusive story about the growing group of carriers utilizing GPS technology, and how we felt that migration will revolutionize air cargo.
     Well, last week Delta Air Lines kicked onboard IT up a notch by negotiating an agreement for its forwarders and shippers using the DASH domestic and Equation international flight-specific small package express services to equip their shipments with M2M (machine-to-machine) GPS tracking devices at a reduced rate.
     At the same time, according to Neel Shah, Delta’s senior vice president and chief cargo officer, “DL is the first and only carrier currently accepting shipments featuring the OnAsset SENTRY 400 tracking devices across its entire worldwide network”.
     But the larger implication here is that the device or similar units have the potential to dramatically change the industry, subject to the cost of this technology to shippers.
     Tracking and other electronics could be used for all air cargo in the foreseeable future.
     What that means is that soon shippers can have the information they want without depending on the airlines and forwarders.
     American Airlines Cargo, United, Delta and Southwest Cargo as 2012 dawns, all employ Sentry 400 and are talking about their future with a virtual monitoring system.
     This vision and direction for this approach aims at combining the device identification number with a corresponding air waybill number that can provide user friendly, single source and complete shipment information for the customer.
     The alternative method for customers is to access the OnAsset Vision Platform web site for tracking results, minus air waybill information, which is what shippers on all other airlines carrying shipments with these devices provide.
     Delta Air Lines for its part has obtained FAA approval for their use on its fleet, including Delta Connection flights. Shipments such as pharmaceuticals, perishables and other temperature sensitive, high value cargo that have the tracking unit must declare it upon tendering it to Delta Air Lines.
     The forwarders and the shippers are responsible for acquiring and paying for the GPS device.
     As we reported earlier, Roger Samways, (right) Managing Director Global Accounts and Sales Strategy American Airlines Cargo, notes that the Texas-based carrier is no new kid on the block as AA begins its fourth year of involvement with OnAsset.
     “We were actually the first carrier to get involved with OnAsset in 2008 working with their R&D division.
     “OnAsset was good enough to give us visibility of the devices as they evolved.
     “The big challenge and reason it has taken so long to get the device to market is because it carries a radio transmitter and the collateral FAA concern with having a device such as this in operation whilst an aircraft is in transit.”


Robbie Anderson


Wally Devereaux

     “It’s a potent combination for our customers,” said Robbie Anderson, President United Cargo, “delivering peace of mind, and enhanced visibility over several of our key products: UASecure high value, QuickPak and EXP express offerings as well as TempControl,” he added.
     “We have worked with OnAsset for more than a year to evaluate their technology and are happy to accept the GPS device within our customer’s shipments,” says Wally Devereaux, Director of Cargo Sales & Marketing for Southwest Airlines.
Geoffrey/Ted

 

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We never forget that finding out where the bones are buried is the mission of the fourth estate!

     Lately, a lot of people have been closing their conversations or emails to us with:
     “See you in Mumbai!”
     We haven’t made much of the sentiment, especially since we doubt we will be seeing anybody in Mumbai.      We are not attending the trade show occurring later this week: Air Cargo India.
     We have nothing against going to Mumbai, but we are being selective of our travel this year because we believe that there are just too many trade shows, and this constant circling of the globe is making us dizzy.
     In 2012 alone there seems to be something going on almost every month.
     From World Cargo Symposium in March to Intermodal South America in April to CNS in May to TIACA in October and dozens of association and customer-driven airline and forwarder events, it is possible right now to pack your sack and not return home until Christmas 2012, although for all we know there may be an office party that day as well.
     But the desire to go to another show is real, fanned into a frenzy by non-stop campaigns from every publication serving air cargo (except this one) who see giant ad revenue in “show issues” and “special reports the day of the show” and, of course, ominipresent at every event, the “official journal”
     FlyingTypers will attend many of the aforementioned events as disinterested reporters.
     Sure, like all other publications we depend on advertising, but we think a trade show that requires gobs of money in exchange for your participation needs to deliver and stand on its own, and if we are taking money to flog the show, how can we be trusted to be objective in our reporting of the event?
     Often the media days or press conference gatherings at our air cargo industry trade events are reminiscent of the title of a Pirandello play, Six Characters in Search of An Author; if everyone is sponsoring something, who can afford to objectively report about anything?
     Another aspect of the modern air cargo trade show that really sticks in our craw (where is your craw, anyway?) is the Annual Air Cargo Award Dinners.
     From Mumbai to Timbuktu and back, if there is an event, depend on there being a table full of awards.
     Believe this: air cargo industry awards are more about filling up a dining room with tables full of people and how much you spend and campaign to get the recognition more than anything else.
     It never ceases to amaze us that once these awards are bestowed, no one can remember (or really care for much more than a few hours) who won what, let alone, why.
     That is not to say that air cargo should not have awards, but think about it: which awards do you think are legit?
     Everybody appreciates recognition for a job well done and there are plenty of deserving efforts put forth that should be recognized.
     But we believe that, like trade shows, there are too many awards.
     One definitively off-putting result of the race to awards is winners running full-blown advertising programs of their awards with the publications that gave them the honor in the first place. That’s a form of regurgitation that makes us want to regurgitate.
     Forgetting everything else, isn’t there something a tad less believable going on here?
     Advertising programs, event sponsorships and tables to attend a gala that are sold as part of an awards package are a set up, period.
     The guys on the street here in New York City would call it kickback, pure and simple.
     If we are to believe awards are legit, we think a great deal more openness and transparency is needed in the award process.
     And to repeat our basic premise here, air cargo might be better off with a few less trade shows.
     Right now, the template for a great trade show is held every other year in Munich: Air Cargo Europe, which is part of Transport Logistik.
     Yes Virginia, there are dopey air cargo awards at that show as well, but at least this event promotes the feeling of a real gathering, where like-minded people can exchange ideas and grow cohesive around common causes. The event is outstanding, and growing better all the time.
     If you’re reading this and felt the sudden, indescribable urge to get to the nearest trade show (we, fortunately, have not yet relapsed to the addiction), Air Cargo India IV is being held in the Bombay Exhibition Center from Wednesday, February 1 through Friday, February 3.
http://www.stattimes.com/aci2012/
Geoffrey/Flossie

 

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