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Week ending July 13, 1997
+++ German 1998 budget includes EF2000 money +++ 2000th Squirrel delivered +++ Britannia Airways establishes subsidiary in Germany +++ Lufthansa continues flight training for Luftwaffe +++ Air UK taken over by KLM +++ Russia to use RS-20s for commercial satellite launches +++ France stops Thomson-CSF privatisation +++ British Airways deeply hit by strikes +++ News in brief +++
German 1998 budget includes EF2000 money
Eurofighter im Haushaltsentwurf 1998 berücksichtigt
On Friday, the German cabinet unanimously approved the draft budget for 1998, which after months of debate also includes 850 million DM to start production investment in the Eurofighter EF2000. In the comong years, this will rise to over one billion DM, putting a severe squeeze on other procurement plans of the Ministry of Defence. The inclusion of EF2000 came despite the fact that negotiations over additional financing through early repaiment of Dasa Airbus launch aid are not concluded yet. Aerospace industry officials were pleased with the decision, stating that millions of self-financing from the companies is now put on a firm footing. Dasa had threatened to stop all work on pre-production if there was no positive sign from the Government. Nethertheless, this budget draft is just a first step towards parliamentary debate and decision making after the summer recess. A positive vote in full Bundestag session is not a foregone conclusion.
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2000th Squirrel delivered
Eurocopter liefert 2000. Hubschrauber der Squirrel-Familie
Thirteen years after the first flight, Eurocopter has delivered the 2000th helicopter of the single-engined Squirrel/Fennec/AStar family. The AS 350BA was handed over on July 7 at Marignane to the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DFHS), which is responsible for training military pilots in the UK. The AS 350 is the most successful Eurocopter type. When it was designed in the early 70s by Aérospatiale, it introduced ground-breaking technology like the Starflex main-rotor hub with its very few parts and the extensive use of composite parts for the airframe (cabin, engine fairings). It now has achieved a very good maturity, but as recent new version show still can be further developed. There are now some 800 customers in 50 countries. Apart from the AS 350, the twin-engined AS 355 family also sells well, with orders for 621 helicopters in the books from 272 customers.
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Britannia Airways establishes subsidiary in Germany
Britischer Ferienflieger Britannia gründet deutschen Ableger
London-based Britannia Airways Ltd., which itself claims to be the "largest leisure carrier in the world", on June 25th has established a German subsidiary. In a statement the airline says new "Britannia Airways GmbH" will start operations in November with a Boeing 767-300ER widebody aircraft and a 200 people workforce. Another aircraft of this type is going to be added to the fleet until May next year. Britannia Commercial Director Richard Manley told journalists the subsidiary will either be based in Berlin or Munich. The airline launched a cooperation with German tourism company Frosch Touristik International (FTI). For FTI as well as for other tourism companies Britannia will fly leisure travellers from an undisclosed number of German airports to destination in the Caribbeans. Sources say the fleet might be expanded up to eight aircraft, carrying a 700 people workforce. According to Roger Burnell, Britannia's Managing Director, the subsidiary's goal is to "become the most-efficient and most cost-orientated airline in Germany". In 1996, Britannia operated a fleet of 29 Boeing widebody aircraft. The airline transported 7,5 million passengers, creating revenues of DM 1,6 billion.
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Lufthansa continues flight training for Luftwaffe
Transportpiloten der Luftwaffe werden bei Lufthansa geschult
Lufthansa Flight Training has won a new ten year contract for the training of transport pilots of the German air force (Luftwaffe) and navy. This extends the relationship begun in 1960, and which gained more than 1000 pilots their wings. To reduce training time from two years to 15 months and thus cut costs, much of the flying is now done in Phoenix, Arizona, where the pupils are posted after a 4,5 month long theoretical education at Bremen. Final theoretical and flying exercises are also at Bremen. Before coming to Lufthansa Flight Training, the future pilots must pass screening tests at Fürstenfeldbruck and Phoenix. After gaining their wings, they go on flying C160 Transalls or Breguet Br1150 Atlantics.
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Air UK taken over by KLM
KLM übernimmt Air UK
Dutch flag carrier KLM has taken over 100 percent of shares of British regional airline Air UK, reports say. With that move KLM, which used to control 45 percent of Air UK, is trying to strengthen its position in the European market. Financial details of the deal were not revealed. Both carriers have been cooperating since 1980. Air UK flies from 14 British airports to KLM hub Amsterdam Schiphol. 1996 the airline transported 3,6 million passengers. According to a press report, KLM is preparing the sell of its stake in US-Carrier Northwest Airlines. This might give the Dutch carrier the opportunity to come closer to the proposed BA-American Airlines alliance, a source close to Virgin Atlantic Airways said.
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Russia to use RS-20s for commercial satellite launches
Rokot-Raketen werden in Plesetsk gestartet
Russia's decommissioned ballistic missiles RS-20, with the NATO reporting name of SS-18, will be used to bring in orbit commercial satellites. The missiles will be used at the Russian launch centre Plesetsk, Arkhangelsk egion, as Rokot boosters. The Russian government has ordered to adapt Plesetsk's launch-pad of Kosmos rockets for the Rokot. The Svobodny launch centre in the Amur region, Russian Far East, was an initial site for Rokot launches, and Plesetsk was recruited in the project more recently. Several hundreds of the RS-20s were manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s. The missiles were converted to the Rokot boosters at the Khrunichev research and development space centre. Russia will charge launches of Rokot-carried satellites five to ten million dollars.A Russian-German venture, Daimler-Benz-Aerospace, has been set up for commercial uses of the Rokot boosters. The German partner is going to invest some 30 million dollars in ground facilities for the Rokots. The first launch is planned in early 1998. After the Plesetsk launch-pads are remade, some six Rokot boosters will lift off yearly with commercial satellites.
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France cancels Thomson-CSF privatisation
Keine Privatisierung von Thomson-CSF
On July 11, the French government has officially declared that it has ended the privatisation procedure of Thomson-CSF, because "it did not preserve the interests of the state, the company or its employees." It indicated that "in the coming weeks" it would work out another "industrial solution" to make the company part of "a French professional and defence electronics grouping" with a "decisive public shareholding". The decision is no surprise, as the Jospin government has indicated its reluctance to relinquish state control during its election campaign. It does, however, put a hold on wider European defence restructuring and casts doubts over Dasa/BAe/Lagardere cooperation agreement, which were at least in part dependent on Lagardere winning the bidding for Thomson-CSF against Alcatel.
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British Airways deeply hit by strikes
Streiks legen Teile von British Airways lahm
Cabin crew members striking for a new wage structure on Wednesday, July 8th, deeply hit the flight operations of British Airways in the UK. In London-Heathrow, 135 of 196 BA flights were cancelled, leaving 26000 of 40000 travellers on the ground. In London-Gatwick, only seven percent of all flights were affected. As union says, strikes will end on early Saturday, July 11th.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Kamov is now testing its two-seat Ka-52 attack helicopter at the companies Lyubertsy airfield near Moscow. The new machine is based on the Ka-50, but has much upgraded sighting systems, says Kamov president Sergei Mikheyev. If orders for the Ka-52 are received, it would be built in Arsenyev. As hopes for Russian money is slim, Mikheyev said that export efforts are intensified.+++
Jean-Marie Luton has been confirmed as new president of Arianespace in succession to Charles Bigot. The news came after the annual general meeting of the company, which was delayed for two weeks from mid-July at the request of the new French government, which wanted to check the circumstances of the appointment. At first, Francis Avanci was supposed to follow Bigot before the previous French government pushed through Bigot on the strength of its majority shareholding.
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At the beginning of July, Sukhoi has started test flights with the new Su-30MKI variant, destined for India. It differs from the normal "Flanker" two-seater by the installation of small canards on the wing leading edge extensions, like on the Su-35. India is already receiving eight Su-30Ks which will be upgrades to MKI standard later.
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After Bavaria, the police forces of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have also choosen the Eurocopter EC 135 to form a helicopter unit. A contract for the delivery of two examples was signed on July 7. Deliveries will start in the spring of 1998 to Rostock-Laage base.
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Lufthansa Technik is not only repairing and overhauling aircraft, but simulators as well. In Germany alone the company has contracts for spare parts support of 25 simulators. As many of the cockpit parts of the simulators are identical to the real aircraft equipment, Lufthansa Technik can rely on its large parts pool and guarantee speedy delivery.
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On July 7, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman announced that their respective boards of directors unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine the companies to further enhance efficiencies and increase global competitiveness. Following shareholder approvals and U.S. government regulatory reviews, the transaction will create a leading, broad-based technology company with estimated 1997 revenues of approximately $37 billion and nearly 230,000 employees. Under terms of the agreement, Northrop Grumman shareholders will receive 1.1923 shares of Lockheed Martin common stock for each share of Northrop Grumman stock. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 1997.
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The Boeing Company has announced that it delivered 92 commercial jet transports in the quarter ended June 30. The deliveries in the second quarter consisted of 35 737s, 12 747s, 12 757s, 12 767s and 21 777s. Total commercial jet transport deliveries for the first six months of 1997 were 160, consisting of 60 737s, 22 747s, 24 757s, 23 767s and 31 777s. The company continues to project total 1997 deliveries to be in the
340-airplane range.
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On July 10, a McDonnell Douglas Delta II launch vehicle today placed another five IRIDIUM communications satellites into orbit. Today's successful launch brings the total of orbiting IRIDIUM satellites to 17. The two-stage Delta II lifted off from Space Launch Complex 2 at 6:04 a.m. PDT within a five-second window on a flight path that followed an azimuth of 196 degrees from south to north. On May 5 a Delta II launched the first five of a 66 satellite network. After separation from the rocket, the satellites were subsequently placed in a high inclination, circular operational orbit 420 nautical miles above the Earth.
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On July 10, GEC of the UK and the Italian state holding Finmeccanica announced that they will pool elements of their defence businesses in three joint ventures, with sales exceeding two billion pounds. Central to the plan will be a 50/50 company between GEC-Marconi and Alenia Difesa covering missile and naval systems, radars and comand and control systems. Also, GEC-Marconi will acquire a minority stake in Alenia Difesa avionics activities. In reverse Alenia Difesa will acquire a minority stake in GEC-Marconi guns and armoured vehicle business.
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ZF Luftfahrttechnik has revealed the results for 1996, showing turnover of 81,1 million DM, a remarkable 17 per cent increase on 1995. Nethertheless there was an unspecified loss. But the company hopes to get into the profit zone this year. ZFL has 438 employees and specialieses on helicopter gears and aircraft equipment. Main facilities are at Kassel.
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Arianespace has launched ten Ariane rockets in 1996, corresponding to a turnover of 6,28 billion Francs. This is lower than in 1995, when 11 Arianes were launched and 7,022 billion Francs were turned over. Profits were 135 million Francs, and with 19 new launch contracts it was a record year, says the company.
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July 6, 1997
June 29, 1997
June 22, 1997
June 15, 1997
June 8, 1997
June 1, 1997
May 25, 1997
May 18, 1997
May 11, 1997
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Last updated July 12, 1997
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