U P D A T E
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Week ending May 18, 1997
+++ "Star Alliance": United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, SAS and Thai create global network +++ Aérospatiale attacks Dasa switch to Lagardere +++ Airbus sells 30 A320s to China +++ Heeresflieger chose EC 135 for training +++ Airbus/China: 100seater makes progress +++ MTU offers T700 for NH90 +++ Better images than ever from Hubble +++ Ron Allen retires from Delta Air Lines +++ Delta II launches resume +++ Eurocopter signs cooperation accord with China +++ ESA's new X-Ray telescope XMM on schedule +++ News in brief +++
"Star Alliance": United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, SAS and Thai create global network
United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, SAS und Thai Airways formieren "Star Alliance"
On May 14, United Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, SAS - Scandinavian Airlines System, Air Canada and Thai Airways International announced the formation of "Star Alliance", an integrated worldwide air transport network which provides customers with global recognition and a wide range of other benefits. Frequent flyers on Star Alliance flights will be able to accumulate and 
redeem mileage points through each airline partner's program. For the first time, mileage credit earned on any of the Star Alliance airlines on any route will contribute to a member's program elite-level status, providing customers with greater reward and recognition. Qualified passengers will also enjoy reciprocal privileges at 179 Star Alliance airport lounges around the world. The five Star Alliance airlines each have extensive domestic and international route networks. Together they create "The airline network for Earth", with more than 210,000 employees and flights to 578 cities in 106 countries. The brand name will complement - but not replace - each airline's individual identity and product offerings in their home markets and around the world. Star Alliance was announced at a launch event in Frankfurt attended by R.Lamar Durrett, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada; Gerald Greenwald, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines; Jan Stenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of SAS; Thamnoon Wanglee, President of THAI; and Jurgen Weber, Chairman of Lufthansa. At the event the five executives said that other airlines would join Star Alliance in the near future. They confirmed that Varig Brazilian Airlines, whose President and Chief Executive Officer Fernando Pinto signed an agreement at the launch ceremony today, will become a member of the alliance by October, 1997. Varig already has links with a number of Star Alliance carriers.
In a joint statement, Durrett, Greenwald, Stenberg, Wanglee and Weber said: "It is not our intention to merge our airlines nor to develop identical product offerings. Our research tells us categorically that our customers enjoy and appreciate our varied cultures. Our strength is in our diversity."
The launch in Frankfurt involved employees from all the airlines, and included a special flyby of United, Lufthansa, SAS, Air Canada and THAI aircraft at Frankfurt airport. The Star Alliance logo will appear as an additional feature on the fuselage of all aircraft in each airline's fleet and on a wide range of information materials. It will also become a familiar sight at airports, ticket offices and other locations around the world.
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Aérospatiale attacks Dasa switch to Lagardere
Michot von Dasa-Entscheidung für Lagardere enttäuscht
In an interview with the daily "Les Echos", Aérospatiale chairman Ives Michot voiced "regret" that Dasa has decided to merge its satellite and missile business with Lagardere's Matra unit instead of with Aérospatiale. Previous talks between Dasa and Aérospatiale were put on ice last autumn. Michot added that the move put an end to a 30 year period inwhich Dasa and Aerospatiale "shared a common and global" outlook and could compromise on the future of Airbus Industrie, leaving Aerospatiale to face a Dasa/BAe coalition within the consortium. "To take sides against Aerospatiale is to sign the death warrant for Airbus", Michot is quoted as saying.
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Airbus sells 30 A320s to China
CASC orders 30 Airbus A320
On May 15, China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Corporation (CASC) signed a contract with Airbus Industrie in Beijing for a firm order of 30 aircraft (ten A32Os and 20 A321s), valued at $1.5 billion. The contract was signed by Airbus Industrie Managing Director Jean Pierson and CASC Minister Chen Guangyi in the presence of visiting French President Jacques Chirac and Chinese President Jiang Zemin, during a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. This order marks the entry of the A321 into the Chinese market and builds on an order for 30 A320s placed in April 1996. It also takes the total number of A320 family aircraft ordered by China to 60. Delivery of the aircraft is scheduled from 1998 through 2000. Operators of the aircraft as well as the choice of engines are yet to be announced by CASC.
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Heeresflieger choose EC 135 for training
EC 135 als Trainingshubschrauber für die Herresflieger
The German defence ministry has decided to procure 15 Eurocopter EC 135 helicopters for pilot training duties at the army aviation school at Bückeburg. The contract will be discussed in parliament in mid-May and can be signed soon thereafter, it was revealed during a visit of defence state secretary Gunnar Simon at the Eurocopter assembly plant at Donauwörth on May 6. Deliveries are scheduled from June 1998.During his visit, Simon confirmed that the production investment contract for Tiger is due to be signed at the Paris air show in June. Also, the production investment contract for NH90 is now under negotiation. Both helicopters will be assembled in Germany and France, contrary to recent speculation favouring concentration on single assembly lines to cut costs.
According to Eurocopter Co-President Dr. Siegfried Sobotta, Donauwörth will rely on military work in the future, with the new programmes taking the share from 30 per cent now up to over 50 per cent. 1500 jobs are secured at the Eurocopter plant alone, according to Dr. Sobotta, which sees Donauwörth evolve from a pure manufacturing site to a technology centre.
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Airbus/China: 100seater makes progress
Fortschritte beim europäisch/chinesischen 100-Sitzer
On May 15, a framework agreement stating the cooperation principles on a new 100 seat commercial jet aircraft family program, initiated by Aviation Industries of China (AVIC), was signed in Beijing by AVIC, Singapore Technologies Ltd. (STPL) and, on the European side, Airbus Industrie and Finmeccanica S.p.A. of Italy. The agreement was signed in the presence of the President of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Jian Zemin, French President Jacques Chirac, Italian Minister of Transports Mr. Claudio Burlando, and ambassadors of Britain, Germany, Singaporo, and Spain to China.The final assembly line of this new family of aircraft will be established in China. The new aircraft family, which is scheduled to enter service by the year 2003, will initially comprise two versions of 105 to 125 seats, and will benefit from the commonality with Airbus aircraft family in order to capture a significant share of the world market. The program will be managed through a joint venture company to be set up in China. The planned shareholding is 46 percent for AVIC, 39 percent for Airbus Industrie and 15 percent for STPL. The European partner will bring to the program its expertise and technology in the areas of engineering, production, quality assurance, international program management and product support services.
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MTU offers T700 for NH90
T700 offered as NH90 engine choice by MTU
After its MoU with Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca concerning the RTM322 engine has expired, MTU has switched sides and is now offering the General Electric T700 as a possible powerplant for the German NH90 transport and marine helicopters. According to the Dasa subsidiary, it will manufacture a broad selection of parts, assemble the engines and be responsible for logistics support and overhaul if the T700 is selected. Workshare for the 500 or so engines for the German NH90s would be 21 per cent, plus 15 per cent of any other T700s fitted to NH90s sold worldwide. In Italy, FiatAvio and Alfa Romeo have already agreements with GE, and Italian NH90 will definitely be delivered with T700. Commenting on the MTU move, Rolls-Royce said that of course it now has to think again how to sell the RTM 322 in Germany. With its 49 per cent stake in BMW Rolls-Royce, the search for a new in-country partner should not be too difficult.Meanwhile, NH Industries hopes to begin negotiations concerning the NH90 industrialisation and a first batch of series aircraft in June. It is hoped that a MoU can be signed by France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands by mid next year so as to start production in 1999 for first deliveries to Germany and the Netherlands in 2003. Total requirements of the four nations for army and navy NH90s is now put at 647.
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Better images than ever from Hubble
Hubble überträgt bessere Bilder als zuvor
After initial problems following the repair and modification mission STS-81 by the US shuttle Discovery, the space telescope premiers with an outstanding quality and performance. Though one of the three newly installed cameras is still out of focus, though constantly improving, scientists are now able to witness the birth and death of stars in infrared light. And although not all new systems have been calibrated Hubble detected a black hole 300 million times the mass of our sun. It is located in the center of Galaxy M84, about 50 million light-years from Earth. As an example of Hubble's unprecedented performance, the telescope discovered this black hole in only 20 minutes time of searching. It would have took Earth based astronomers weeks and months to achieve compareable results.
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Ron Allen retires from Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines-Chef Ron Allen tritt zurück
In a surprise announcement on May 12, Delta Air Lines has said that Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald W. Allen will resign form the board of directors effective July 31, when his current contract expires. The board has formed a search committee and will begin immediately to identify an recruit a successor. The board has named Maurice W. Worth, currently executive vice president, customer service, as acting chief operating officer, responsible for the day-to-day operation of the airline. Allen has been with Delta all his career and moved to the top in 1987. After troubles following expansion and the acquisition of Pan Ams transatlantic operations, he instituted a severe cost cutting programme in recent years and led Delta back to profitability.
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Delta II launches resume
Delta II startet wieder
With the launch of the first five IRIDIUM system satellites the McDonnell Douglas built Delta II launch system is back in operation. The Delta II lifted off from Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 2 at 7.55 am PDT on May 5th. An Air Force report had earlier stated that sabotage by gun fire or potential mishandling of the No. 2 Alliant Techsystem built booster are probable causes for the explosion of a Delta II on January 17th. The investigation board was unable to isolate a definitive cause for the disaster. The recent launch the first five of a total of 66 telecommunication satellites for the IRIDIUM system built by Motorola and operated on behalf of Iridium LLC for low earth orbits will be followed by 12 other Delta launches with IRIDIUM satellites until 2001. The lifetime of each satellite is five to eight years. The recent launch also marks the first commercial launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
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Eurocopter signs cooperation accord with China
Zusammenarbeit zwischen Eurocopter und China vereinbart
An accord covering the joint development of rotor systems for helicopteres in the 5/6-metric-ton class was signed between Eurocopter and the China National Helicopter Corp. And CATIC on May 15 in Beijing, as Eurocopter President Jean-Fancois Bigay accompanied Jacques Chirac on its trip to China. The rotor systems will be applicable to new helicopters being developed by AVIC. Eurocopter is cooperating with China for a long time, including CATIC participation in the EC 120.
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ESA's new X-Ray telescope XMM on schedule
Röntgenteleskop XMM ist auf Kurs
ESA's new satellite XMM, the X-ray Multi-Mirror, is on track. 58 mirrors make XMM the most sensitive x-ray satellite ever built. Three identical telescopes aree combining their performance in the XMM satellite that is to be launched in 1999. Its gold-coated reflecting surfaces total 300 square meters. Observations of x-rays from cosmic sources that previously took hours to accomplish will be done by XMM in a matter of seconds. ESA presents XMM to the press on May 22, at the Belgium Centre Spatial de Liège.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Dr. Klaus Nittinger, who recently left the Lufthansa board after 23 years with the airline, will take on a new challenge as chairman of engine manufacturer BMW Rolls-Royce. On August 1, he will succeed Albert Schneider, who is retiring. Nittingers reputation and good links to aircraft manufacturers are expected to help BMW R-R to gain further footholds for its BR700 turbofan family.+++
After securing a bank loan, Russian helicopter design bureau Mil has resumed flight test of its Mi-28N attack helicopter. The prototype is fitted with FLIR sensor and a radar atop of the rotor to make night mission possible. The Russian army is still undecided whether to order the Mi-28N or the rival Kamov Ka-52.
+++
Aero International (Regional) has signed the first contracts for its ATR turboprop regional airliner in China. Five ART 72-210A were ordered by China Xinjiang Airlines and the authorities form CASC (China Aerospace Supply Corporation). With five options, the deal is worth 80 million US-Dollars. The first aircraft will be delivered in July. At the same time, AI(R) shareholder Alenia has contracted with the Xian Aircraft factory for the manufacture of ATR 72 rear fuselages, strenghening the ties between China and Europe. Both agreements were formally signed on the occasion of the official visit of French President Jacques Chirac in Peking.
+++
As the first aircraft in the CIS, Antonovs An-38-100 has received its type certificate according to Aviation Rules 25. This clears the way for deliveries of the passenger and cargo turboprop to start in the second half of the year from the Chkalov Novosibirsk Aviation Production Amalgamation. The An-38-100 is powered by AlliedSignal TPE331-14 engines.
+++
Flughafen Dresden GmbH has announced that it will invest 193 million DMs to build a new terminal at the Saxonia airport and also improve access to downtown. This will prepare the facilities for a projected four million passengers a year by 2010. In 1996, Dresden had 1,7 million passengers, three times more than in 1991. With scheduled traffic stagnating, growth will mainly come from charter flights, it is said.
+++
The Czech government has selected a joint venture of Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace and CSA Czech Airlines as the new "strategic partner" of Aero Vodochody. Details of the deal were not announced. Boeing says that the arrangement with McDD is valid irrespective of the proposed merger.
+++
Antonov has restarted flight tests with its An-70 military transport. The second prototype took to the air on April 24 at Kiev under the control af A. V. Galunenko, leading test pilot. Co-pilot was A. V. Andronov from the Russian air force. The aircraft reached an altitude of 3500 m and conducted engine operations tests, system function estimations and controllability checks.
+++
On May 13, Executive Jet, Inc. has ordered 20 new Raytheon Aircraft Hawker 800XPs, valued at approximately $210 million. This represents the single largest business jet order for Hawkers in the aircraft's history. In addition to the initial order, Executive Jet has options for 10 more Hawker 800XPs and also purchased a Hawker 1000 model. Executive Jet will use the mid-sized Hawker aircraft for its NetJets fractional aircraft ownership operation.
+++
Rolls-Royce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing to bring forward the service-entry date for a 102000 pound version of the Trent 800 for its latest long-haul Boeing 777 airliner, the 200X/300X. The Trent 8102 will be certified in April 2000 and ready to enter service in January 2001. This accelerated development program is possible because of the high level of commonality with existing Trent 800 variants. The inherent growth potential of the Trent was displayed during recent tests in Derby when a Trent 800 engine generated over 114500-pounds-thrust. The engine, certified at 92,000-pounds-thrust, regularly ran at powers in excess of 100,000-pounds-thrust during its development program.
+++
The Super Hornet Integrated Test Team (ITT) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., has passed the 1,000 flight- hour mark. U.S. Navy test pilot Cdr. Tom Gurney was at the controls of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F1 as the aircraft soared through the 1,000 flight-hour barrier at 13:30 on May 13. Gurney's flight lasted 2.3 hours. The ITT achieved another breakthrough in the flight test program on May 5 when McDonnell Douglas test pilot Phil Pirozzi fired an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) from F/A-18F2. The Super Hornet team has also fired AIM-7, AIM-120 and ALE-47 (flares), and has released a SLAM missile; a Harpoon missile; a ripple of 10 Mk-82 bombs; MK-83 bombs; 480-gallon tanks, from both the aircraft's centerline position and wing stations; and dual loads of CBU-100s (Rockeyes). The Super Hornet has also successfully deployed the ALE-50 towed decoy.
+++
The Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK) has delivered the last DWS 39 submunition dispenser to the Swedish air force. Production, in cooperation with FFV Aerotoech, began in 1994. The DWS 39 is used by the AJ 37 Viggen and the new JAS 39 Gripen combat aircraft of Flygvapnet.
+++
Lufthansa Cargo has published the results for 1996, showing a loss of 59,8 million DM against a profit of 20,4 million DM for 1995. Turnover increased from 6,23 to 6,44 billion DM, but sharply declining yields due to heavy competition impacted the bottom line. Freight volume advanced to 1690 thousend tons, with very different results in the various traffic areas.
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Previous updates are still available:
May 11, 1997
May 4, 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
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Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved.
Last updated May 16, 1997