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UPDATE
Week ending January 26, 1997
+++ Boeing shelves new 747 version +++ Eurocopter has good year, speeds up integration +++ New structure for Daimler Benz affects Dasa +++ EU and British Government in clash over British Airways-American Airlines alliance +++ First Merlin for Royal Navy flies +++ Eurowings announces record passenger numbers +++News in Brief +++

Boeing shelves new 747 version
Vorerst kein Super Jumbo von Boeing

On January 21, Boeing has announced it will shelve development of a larger version of its 747 because of a lack of sufficient market demand. "Many customers are telling us that they plan to serve fast-growing travel markets with more long-range, medium-sized airplanes like the Boeing 777 and 767," said Ron Woodard, president of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group. "That's why we'll focus our near-term resources on further enhancements to
these product lines".
Boeing will continue studying airplanes capable of carrying more passengers than today's 747. "This remains one of the priorities of our product-development efforts," Woodard said. "When the market develops for such an airplane, we will be ready".
Earlier this month, Boeing began offering for sale a new version of the 767. The proposed 767-400ERX, which could enter commercial service as early as the year 2000, will be capable of carrying 303 passengers in a two-class configuration. Other new products under consideration include larger and longer-range versions of the 777. Potential versions of the 777 being studied are capable of non-stop flights approaching 16,000 km or carrying
more than 400 passengers in a three-class configuration.

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Eurocopter has good year, speeds up integration
Gutes Jahr für Eurocopter - Integration wird vorangetrieben

Eurocopter has sold 228 new-built helicopters in 1996, including 109 Ecureuils, 23 Bo 105s, five BK 117s, 18 EC 135 and 21 Dauphin/Panther. The sale of 29 Puma/Cougars contributed heavily to boost sales 75 percent to 12 billion Francs. On the other hand, turnover remained flat at around 9,3 billion Francs (2,7 billion DM). This includes delivery of 165 new helicopters. According to Eurocopter, the company was able to hold its own in the civil market, while on the military side it did claw back some lost terrain with important sales in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, corporate restructuring took another step with the integration of all French-based parts of Eurocopter (Eurocopter SA, Eurocopter International, Eurocopter Participations and Eurocopter France) into a single entity. Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH is now "operating as a fully integrated part of Eurocopter S.A., while keeping its national identitiy", according to a Eurocopter statement. Business is handled under the headings of military helicopters, civil helicopters and service, with central support from sales, finance and controlling. Each of these "centers" is headed by one person, thus achieving a much needed streamlining and better efficiencies.

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New structure for Daimler Benz affects Dasa
Dasa gliedert Geschäftsbereiche neu

As expected, Daimler Benz has adopted a new management structure for the company, slashing divisions from 35 to 23. Under the new scheme, Dasa will continue as a separate company with Dr. Manfred Bischoff as chairman of a so called Executive Board. Business units have been rearranged a bit and now include airliners/helicopters under Dietrich Russel, military aircraft, headed by Aloysius Rauen, space infrastructure (Kind), satellites (Enßlin), defence systems (Werner Heinzmann) and propulsion systems (Hertrich). Wolfgang Piller, until now financial officer, will be responsible for external affairs, while personell director Hartwig Knitter will continue in his position.

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EU and British Government in clash over British Airways-American Airlines alliance
Streit zwischen EU und der britischen Regierung wegen BA-AA-Allianz

The European Commission and the British Government are in heavy dispute over the planned BA-AA alliance. Whereas the British Government claims to be responsible for giving go-ahead, EU-Commissioner Karel van Miert warned not to wave through the alliance without seeking clearance from Brussels. Van Miert also expressed BA should not be allowed to sell slots at London Heatrow airport.

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First Merlin for Royal Navy flies
Erster EH101 für britische Marine im Flugversuch

On January 14, the first fully mission-equipped EH101 Merlin destined for the Royal Navy made its maiden flight at GKN Westlands Yeovil airfield. Three more flights followed during the week, with chief test pilot Colin Hague at the controls. Hague was accompanied by co-pilot Nigel Maggs and flight test engineeers Dave McCallum and Pete James. He was pleased with the performance.
This first helicopter for the Royal Navy will complet an initial programme at Yeovil before being handed over to Merlin prime contractor Lockheed Martin in May. By the end of the year a further three Merlin will be delivered, ready for intensive trials with the very sophisticated anti-submarine warfare and anti-ship systems. Deliveries to the Navy will start in 1998. 44 Merlins worth 1,5 billion Pounds are on order. The three-engined EH101 helicopter is a design of EH Industries (GKN Westland and Agusta).

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Eurowings announces record passenger numbers
Neuer Passagierrekord bei Eurowings

Eurowings, the largest independent airline offering scheduled and charter services in Germany, recently announced record passenger numbers for 1996. The Dortmund and Nuremberg based carrier counted 1,9 million passengers - a 4.6 percent increase compared to 1995. Charter services that now account for 264000 passengers had a heavy 21 percent decrease, but international scheduled traffic grew to 870000, now representing 54 percent of total passengers. Eurowings, which has cooperation and code sharing agreements with Air France and KLM, operates 240 daily flights to 41 destinations in 11 European countries.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

On January 21, Bombardiers Board of Directors authorized the Aerospace Group to proceed with the launch of the Canadair airliner CRJ-X, the 70-seat extension of the current 50-passenger Canadair Regional Jet. The Aerospace Group will make a formal announcement with full details of the program in the third week of February.
+++
Air Exel Commuter, based at Maastricht airport, has become a new customer for Aero International (Regional). It will take three ATR 42-300 turboprops from March for use on the routes to Amsterdam, between Eindhoven, London-Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Air Excel if cooperating with KLM on feeder services.
+++
The first Ariane 4 launch of the year has been delayed another two days to January 30. According to Arianespace, a helium leak in a ground installation has been deiscovered and needs to be repaired. On its 93rd flight, the Ariane will carry GE 2 and Nahuelsat 1A into orbit.
+++
For the first time ever, a live Patriot anti-aircraft missile was fired in Europe: The Luftwaffe conducted the launch during exercises on the NATO Missile Firing Installation near Chania, Crete. Hawk and Roland missiles were also used in a unique scenario with three target drones in the air simultaneously. The Mirach 100 and IRIS RPVs were fielded by Dornier-Meteor, a joint German/Italian company.
+++
Last year the SAR helicopters of the German Navy flew 235 missions, saving 127 civilians and 19 military personnel. According to recently unveiled statistics, 45 missions were in connection with emergencies in the air, 146 dealt with injured or critically ill people, 43 were called to assist ships in danger and 24 were conducted for training purposes. The Marineflieger have Sea Kings at Kiel, Parow and Heligoland, plus Westerland and Borkum at weekends.
+++
Saab and the Hungarian government have signed an extension to the 1995 offset protocol, facilitating the possible purchase of the Gripen. The industrial cooperation programme ist backed by a large industrial base consisting of companies associated with Sweden's Wallenberg group of companies.
+++
Pinnacle, a leasing company based at Washington D.C., has ordered an A300B4 freighter conversion from Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus. The aircraft, which flew with Egyptair, will be deliverd in July. Four other A300B4s could follow. In its freighter Guise, the Airbus twinjet can carry 43 tons of cargo a distance of 4100 km.
+++
Fairchild Dornier sold 39 Dornier 328s, nine Metro 23s and three Dornier 228s in 1996. 16 options on the 328 were also signed. Concerning delivieries, 22 Dornier 328, seven Metros and six Dornier 228 were handed over. Largest order was from Mountain Air Express at Colorado Springs, which will take a dozen 328s. It is also the launch customer for the 328-120 version with better hot and high performance. +++

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Previous updates are still available:

LRI Fakten - News from the BDLI

The German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI, Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie e.V.) is publishing a monthly newsletter, which we are pleased to offer to our international readership online. Just klick here for the November/December issue of LRI Fakten.

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Last updated January 24, 1997