U P D A T E
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Week ending April 20, 1997
+++ Tiger tests Stinger air-to-air missiles +++ Dasa achieves financial turnaround in 1996 +++ Austrian pilots fly the Gripen +++ Upgraded Tornado flies at BAe +++ SAirGroup dragged into the red in 1996 +++ The German DLR tests Mars-Rover +++ Jean-Marie Luton to be board member of Arianespace +++ NASA reschedules Space Station Alpha +++ News in brief +++
Tiger tests Stinger air-to-air missiles
Stinger-Lenkwaffen von Tiger verschossen
At the beginning of April, Eurocopter Tiger prototype PT5 conducted the first five test firings with Stinger air-to-air missiles. The inert ETVs (Eject Test Vehicles) were launched from their tubes at the wingtips of the attack helicopter at various conditions, like hover, sidewards flight and in the descent, at speeds of up to 50 kts. According to Eurocopter, the recorded trajectories met predictions, and debris did not damage the helicopter. The tests were performed with support form Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61 at Manching (Bavaria). Stingers will be fitted to German Tigers while the French intend to use their own Matra Bae Dynamics Mistral. Both are fire-and-forget missiles with infrared seekers.
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Dasa achieves financial turnaround in 1996
Dasa: Wendepunkt im Geschäftsjahr 1996
The overall results of Daimler-Benz AG in 1996 were characterized by chairman Jürgen E. Schrempp as the first big step to success. The aerospace subsidiary of Daimler, Munich based Daimler-Benz Aerospace, contributed with a loss of only DM 196 million to the overall plus of DM 2.4 billion. Dasa's turnover in 1995 (still with Fokker) was then DM 15.093 billion, in 1996 turnover was reduced by 17 per cent to DM 13.053 billion. The difference in operating profit (DM 196 million against DM 7.2 billion) though was a clear signal for better times. Fokker and Dornier Luftfahrt losses of DM 1.2 billion as well as cost for the Fokker pullout with DM 5.7 billion had led to the record low in 1995. Backlog had increased in 1996 by 56 per cent from DM 10.9 billion to DM 17.1 billion, due to the upswing in the civil airliner industry with record orders for Airbus aircraft.
First quarter 1997 for Dasa were even better and sound very promising, a plus of 23 per cent in turnover for the Airbus subsidiary in Hamburg alone and positive marks in all other Dasa business areas. Dr. Manfred Bischoff still is optimistic about the pending German's governments decision on the Eurofighter 2000. Dasa, he told the international press in Stuttgart, has already spent almost DM 100 million for production investment without a proper contract. Though he said, this initiative will find its limits in time and money.
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Austrian pilots fly the Gripen
Gripen wird von Österreich getestet
A pre-evaluation team from the Austrian Air Defence has visited Saab in Linköping to fly the Gripen, one of the contenders for the replacement of the Draken fighters currently in use. Two pilots and one flight engineer made nine sorties in the two-seat Gripen, with the pilots in the front seat. The team also logged about 50 hours in different technical and tactical simulators at Saab, before taking off in the real aircraft. The visit also included a series of briefings on the operational effectiveness and maintaniability of the JAS 39 Gripen.Meanwhile, Saab and its partner British Aerospace continue their marketing efforts in Hungary and Poland. They have now opened an office in Budapest, just a short distance from the Danube and teh Hungarian Parliament. Also, a new security agreement between Sweden and Poland, signed on April 15, now paves the way for a flight evaluation of the Gripen by Polish pilots. It also allows Saab/BAe to demonstrate features that are classified. Previously, it was announced that if Poland chooses the Gripen, it woudl be assembled at PZL Mielec, with RM12 engine assembly at Rzeszow.
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Upgraded Tornado flies at BAe
British Aerospace fliegt modernisierten Tornado
The first of 142 Royal Air Force Tornado aircraft to be upgraded to the new GR4 mid-life-update standard by British Aerospace made its maiden flight form the Warton airfield on April 4. The aircraft was flown by Project Pilot Graham Wardell with Phil Compton in the back seat. The GR4 standard includes a FLIR system and night vision goggles capability. Other improvements include changes to the on-board defence systems, the avionic computer systems and significant improvements to the computer architecture. Delivery of the new standard of Tornado to RAF front line squadrons will begin in the first quarter of 1998, with all 142 aircraft due te be upgraded by 2002.
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SAirGroup dragged into the red in 1996
Außerordentliche Verluste für die Swissair-Gruppe
Due to extraordinary items like the complete write-down of the investment in Sabena (267 million Swiss francs) and provisions for further restructuring (300 million Sfr), the Swissair group loss ballooned to 497 million Sfr for 1996 (after 161 million Sfr in 1995). Revealing the official figures on April 18, company chairman Philippe Bruggisser pointed out that 1996 was a year of transformation, with many measures to strengthen the Swissair group (shortly to be renamed as SAirGroup) in the future. He mentioned the "internationalisation of costs", the reduction of the workforce by 2000 people and new labour agreements that partly lower wages.On the operational front, Swissair group could push revenues, cashflow and results substantially. The various sectors contributed as follows:
- SAirLines (Swissair, Crossair) 4361 / 79
- SAirServices (ground services, maintenance) 1841 / 99
- SAirLogistics (cargo ops) 1043 / 11
- SAirRelations (hotels, catering, duty free) 2623/175
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The German DLR tests Mars-Rover
Die DLR testet von ihr entwickelten Mars-Rover
The German Aerospace Research Instutet DLR has developed a Mars-Rover, the Mobile Instrument Deployment Device MIDD, under contract of the European Space Agency ESA. The vehicle is only 40 cm long, 25 cm wide and 20 cm high. Its speed of 1 mm per second is sufficient to perform 20 measuring campaigns over a period of 200 days. The total driving distance is an estimated 50 m. Guidance signals, electrical power and data transmission is being handled by a 60 m long cable that the MIDD is carrying internally and which connects it with the lander vehicle. A major problem is the 20 minutes "time distance" between Earth and Mars. In order to equal out this lengthy data transmission DLR has developed a virtual time model The operator on Earth is actually steering a computer model using imagery of the actual landing area. The MIDD then follows his orders after 20 minutes, but it is also able to detect and avoid obstacles on its own. With its four individually driven wheels stones or other material with a diameter up to 10 cm are no problems.
ESA wants to put the MIDD on a NASA robotic mission in 2001. Because of its light weight, only around 7 kg, launch cost are low. Development of the MIDD including six instruments are between DM 1.5 to 2 million, financed by ESA.
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Jean-Marie Luton to be board member of Arianespace
Jean-Marie Luton soll Vorstandsmitglied bei Arianespace werden
The decision of the Board of Directors of Arianespace S.A. and Arianespace Participation holding company was taken unanimously: Jean-Marie Luton, Directeur Generale of ESA, the European Space Agency, is to be chairman of Arianespace Participation with the responisibilty for defining and applying Euroepan space transportation systems. Whereas the decision on the future chairman of Arianespace SA, the industrial and commercial operating company for Ariane launch systems was postponed until late May. Francis Avanzi still is the candidate of Arianespace to succeed Charles Bigot, who retires. It is more than obvious that Avanzi is not prefered by the French classe politique. While working for Snecma in the USA he adapted an American management stile, that is not well liked for some Parisiens.
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NASA reschedules Space Station Alpha
Neuer NASA-Zeitplan für Raumstation Alpha
With rescheduling work for the International Space Station Alpha, NASA reacts toward Russian inability to provide funding for space station segments. Under the new plan NASA will begin no later than 1998 with its in-orbit assembly of the station. The agency is now actively looking for options that will make up time for the Russian caused delay.These options are:
- Modify the Functional Blocxk (FGB) to allow for on-orbit refueling and upgrade of its avionics capability.
- Develop an Interim Control Module (ICM) in conjunction with the US Naval Research Laboratory.
- Consider the installation of life support systems in the US lab.
- Define options involving the ICM to provide the functions of a permanent propulsion module in order to complement Russian logistics capability and to provide roll control to replace or complement the Russian Science Power Plattform.
Meanwhile opposition against the way Russian officials handled the almost $ 200 million, already paid by NASA, rises. Also a NASA high level manager expressed serious concern about safety onboard Russian's space station MIR. Before any other American will be sent to MIR a safety review is rendered to be necessary.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Aero International (Regional) has sold twelve new ATR 72-210A to American Eagle, the regional carrier of American Airlines, in a deal worth over 200 million US-Dollars. The first aircraft will be delivered in July, with the rest following through May 1998. This will bring the total number of ATRs ordered by American Eagle to 45 ATR 72s and 46 ATR 42s.+++
Dasa has for the first time tested its Hima avionic subsystem on board a trials Tornado aircraft. Hima (Helmet Mounted Display Integrierte Modulare Avionik) is a modular building block for future avionics, controlling the display of information right on the pilots visor. Hima is based on a commercially available operating system and was especially written so as to be able to be reused in other environments, thus bringing down software development costs.
+++
Arianespace successfully launched Thaicom 3, built by Aérospatiale, and BSAT-1a for Japan on April 16th, 8:08 pm local time at Kourou, French Guayana. Flight 95 was carried out by an Ariane 44LP with two solid-propellant and two liquid-propellant bosters.
+++
Arianespace has received on order for the launch of Eutelsat's W3 in the spring of 1999. Another four launches for Eutelsat are already in Arianespace's order book. Eutelsat's new order was the 168th launch order since the founding of Arianespace. The backlog now stands at over 40 satellites to be launched by an Ariane.
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The European Space Agency ESA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) agreed on cooperation for launch and operation of the European telecommunication satellite ARTEMIS. NASDA will launch the satellite in 2000 with a H-IIA, while ESA provides data relais capacity onboard ARTEMIS. ARTEMIS will ensure communication between fixed ground facilities and mobile users (cars, trucks, trains) all over Europe and adjacent areas. At the same time ARTEMIS can receive signals from low orbit spacecraft and transmit them to other users.
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Lufthansa Technik and Bombardier Aerospace have co-founded an aviation service center for servicing Bombardier business jets in Europe. The contract formally establishing the joint venture called Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services GmbH, was signed on April 18. Maintenance, repair and overhaul of Learjet 31, 35, 36, 45, 55 and 60, as well as of the Canadair Challenger 600, 601, 604 and Global Express will occur at Schönefeld Airport, Berlin. A total of 185 Learjet and Challenger aircraft are currently based in Europe.
+++
Prof. Dr. Hans Michael Kappler, leading technology programmes at STN ATLAS Elektonik at Bremen, has been choosen to take over the newly established directorate for industrial affairs at ESA (European Space Agency).
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Previous updates are still available:
April 13, 1997
March 23, 1997
March 16, 1997
March 9, 1997
March 2, 1997
February 23, 1997
February 16, 1997
January 26, 1997
January 19, 1997
January 12, 1997
January 5, 1997
December 22, 1996
December 15, 1996
December 8, 1996
December 1, 1996
November 24, 1996
November 17, 1996
November 10, 1996
November 3, 1996
October 27, 1996
October 20, 1996
October 13, 1996
October 6, 1996
September 29, 1996
September 22, 1996
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Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved.
Last updated April 18, 1997