Plane giants are preparing to squeeze the last drop out of a once raging torrent of airplane orders without the razzmatazz of recent years, as the aerospace industry heads to a belt-tightening Paris Airshow looking for new sources of revenue. The June 19-25 gathering takes place against the backdrop of surprisingly strong airline traffic driven by economic growth, but a steep drop in the appetite for new planes following robust demand for the latest fuel-efficient models in recent years. Instead, many firms will talk up efforts to extract new revenues out of powerful data-crunching services. The meeting also comes amid tensions in the Gulf over a transport and economic boycott of Qatar that is fuelling questions over the resilience of a major source of demand. <br/>
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House lawmakers who decide how much to spend on the FAA blasted president Trump’s proposal to privatise air-traffic control Thursday, saying that the plan lacks govt oversight. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said he is opposed because congressional oversight is the best way to protect against higher fees or noise complaints from new flight routes. Rep. David Price said he has “grave concerns” about reduced govt oversight and the “unprecedented giveaway” of FAA facilities. But transportation secretary Elaine Chao told the House Appropriations subcommittee on transportation that moving controllers from the govt to a non-profit corporation is crucial to modernising equipment and training. <br/>