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UPDATE 
Week ending April 30, 2000
+++ Northrop Grumman and Dasa to evaluate joint projects +++ SAirGroup to take majority holding in Sabena +++ Dasa can extend Hamburg +++ Strategic alliance between Lufthansa Cargo and Deutsche Post +++ Hubble celebrates 10 years in Space +++ Eurocopter delivers 100th EC 120B Colibri +++ Progress supplies Mir +++ News in brief +++

Northrop Grumman and Dasa to evaluate joint projects
Transatlantische Projekte werden geprüft

On April 25, Northrop Grumman Corporation and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (Dasa) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly evaluate business alliances across several key advanced technology areas. "We are focusing on a new quality in the transatlantic cooperation in our industry," said Rainer Hertrich, chairman of Dasa and designated co-chief executive officer of EADS. "We don't want solely European-American competition on the market but also competition between European-American groups. We must not always view the world in our industry as only a contrast between Europe and the U.S. The political security alliance which has been working for five decades also needs an industrial foundation." Dasa and Northrop Grumman will explore a variety of surveillance and reconnaissance opportunities to identify capabilities and technologies that offer mutual, long-range benefit to both corporations. In particular, the two companies will evaluate: ground surveillance systems; high altitude, long- endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) technology; maritime UAV technology, including real-time signal processing; airborne radar for military transport; naval radars and wide bandwidth data link technology for reconnaissance. Northrop Grumman and Dasa will analyze these potential opportunities and others as mutually agreed upon, with the intent of reaching initial decisions by June 2000.

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SAirGroup to take majority holding in Sabena
Swissair-Gruppe übernimmt Sabena-Mehrheit

Subject to EU and other statutory approvals, the SAirGroup will increase its holding in Sabena from 49.5% to 85%. Belgium will become the single largest shareholder in SairGroup with a holding of 3.3%, whilst retaining a 15% stake in Sabena. An application for a listing of the SAirGroup share on the Euronext stock exchange will be made and all Sabena personnel will be given shares in SAirGroup at closing. In addition, the Belgian State has the option to increase its holding in SAirGroup to 5.5% should it decide to sell its remaining 15% interest in Sabena at a later date.
An application for a listing of the SAirGroup share on the Euronext stock exchange will be made and all Sabena personnel will be given shares in SAirGroup at closing. In addition, the Belgian State has the option to increase its holding in SAirGroup to 5.5% should it decide to sell its remaining 15% interest in Sabena at a later date. On the basis of yesterday's closing share price for SAirGroup, the value of the financial package is equivalent to 375 mio for 100% of Sabena. Belgium will have the right to nominate one director on SAirGroup's Board subject to SAirGroup's shareholder approval, who will become a vice-chairman of SAirGroup. The Belgian State will also have the right to nominate the Chairman of Sabena and have at least 2 seats on the board of directors. The Brussels Airport and the Zurich Airport will become the two key activity poles (hubs) for Sabena and Swissair and will be further developed in order to guarantee Sabena's home carrier status and the identity and integrity of the two brands (including specific guarantees to maintain the current levels of direct flights to and from Brussels and for the future of related businesses, such as Sabena Technics).

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Dasa can extend Hamburg
Büssel gibt OK für Ausbau des Airbus-Werks

The European Commission has cleared the possible expansion of Dasas Airbus factory at HamburgFinkenwerden, despite the environmental damage this will cause. The EU acknowledged that plans to extend the factory over some 170 hectares of the so-called Muehlenberger Loch would destroy much of the site, designated as being of great importance for nature conservation. But the Commission ruled that the adverse environmental effects "can be justified on grounds of overriding public interest." The extension of the factory would be necessary to get hold of A3XX work, and the German government said there were no other sites in the country for carrying out the project, and that the factory could create up to 8,000 jobs and was of EU-wide importance as part of a cooperation agreement between a number of EU states.

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Strategic alliance between Lufthansa Cargo and Deutsche Post
Post und Lufthansa kooperieren

Lufthansa Cargo and Deutsche Post are to form a close strategic alliance. This alliance is underpinned by their collaborative start-up of Aerologic GmbH. In this enterprise, the two companies will pool their interests in the global express service provider DHL International. Lufthansa Cargo and Deutsche Post are transferring the exercise of their shareholders rights in DHL to Aerologic GmbH to be managed by Deutsche Post. Dr. Klaus Zumwinkel, Chairman of Deutsche Post?s Board of Management: "With thisstrategic alliance between Lufthansa Cargo and Deutsche Post the idea is to strengthen even further the position of DHL International as the world market leader in the international express delivery business. I see this as another important step towards a successful IPO for DHL." The participating companies Deutsche Post World Net, Lufthansa Cargo and DHL International will continue to operate independently in their respective markets and will be able to expand and consolidate their respective lead positions. Furthermore, Lufthansa Cargo and Deutsche Post will develop new business potential working closely together on e-commerce and supply chain management. To that end, a joint holding will be set up for e-commerce activities in b-to-b markets, each partner holding 50%. The new company, e-logic GmbH will aim to realise a concerted approach to logistics-related e-commerce activities and decide on and hold investments in this area.

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Hubble celebrates 10 years in Space
10. Geburtstag des Hubble-Teleskops

Launched on 24 April 1990, the Hubble space telescope is now midway through its operating life and it is considered one of the most successful space science missions ever. So far more than 10,000 scientific papers based on Hubble results have been published and European scientists have contributed to more than 25% of these.Not only has Hubble produced a rich harvest of scientific results, it has impressed the man in the street with its beautiful images of the sky. Thousands of headlines all over the world have given direct proof of the public`s great interest in the mission - `The deepest images ever`, `The sharpest view of the Universe`, `Measurements of the earliest galaxies` and many others, all reflecting Hubble`s performance as a top-class observatory. The Servicing Missions that keep the observatory and its instruments in prime condition are one of the innovative ideas behind Hubble. Astronauts have serviced Hubble three times, and ESA astronauts have taken part in two of these missions. Claude Nicollier (CH) worked with American colleagues on the First Servicing Mission, when Hubble`s initial optical problems were repaired. On the latest, Servicing Mission 3A, both Claude Nicollier and Jean-Fran ois Clervoy (F) were members of the crew. Over the next 10 years European scientists still plan to use Hubble as one of their prime research tools, but they also expect to benefit from synergy between Hubble and the ground-based 8-metre class telescopes that are becoming available to scientists in Europe.

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Eurocopter delivers 100th EC 120B Colibri
100. EC 120 an deutschen Kunden geliefert

Eurocopter Chairman Patrick Gavin and Co-chairman Dr. Siegfried Sobotta handed German businessman Heiner Tamsen the keys to his EC 120B Colibri, in a ceremony at Marignane marking the 100th model of this single-engine light helicopter to leave the Eurocopter production lines. This event - a little more than 2 years after the very first Colibri rolled out - is yet further proof of the successful worldwide career of this best-selling helicopter. Current orders stand at 170 helicopters from more than 100 customers in 25 countries. Thanks to its multi-purpose capability, the EC 120B Colibri can be used for different types of missions such as passenger and corporate transport, EMS but also for pilot training. For instance, last year on December 22 in Madrid the Spanish Air Force signed a procurement contract for 15 EC 120B Colibri.

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Progress supplies Mir
Versorgungsschiff dockt an der Mir an

A new milestone in space commercialization was scheduled to occur on April 27 as the world's first privately funded resupply cargo mission arrives at an active orbital station. The unmanned Progress M1-2 spaceship docked with Mir at abouit 21h30 GMT, bringing two tons of fuel, oxygen, experiment hardware and supplies to the space station and its two-man cosmonaut crew. Mir has been given a new life as a commercial orbital facility by MirCorp -- the private company that holds an exclusive lease for the Russian-built and owned station. Russia would have been forced to allow the massive space station to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere this year had MirCorp not provided private financing to maintain it. "Today's Progress resupply mission to Mir is a truly commercial effort," MirCorp President Jeffrey Manber said. "The flight was fully backed by MirCorp and its majority shareholder -- RSC Energia. No governmental funds were used."
Negotiations have begun with several potential customers for commercial activity on Mir, with international interest growing significantly since the cosmonauts' arrival on the station earlier this month. Manber said MirCorp's short-term revenue will be generated from non-traditional uses of a space station, including media/entertainment packages and corporate sponsorships. MirCorp will place an Internet portal on Mir later this year, which will be linked to the company's Web site, www.mirstation.com .

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

On April 24 Boeing announced the surprise move of Chief Financial Officer Debby Hopkins to Lucent Technologies as executive vice president and CFO. CEO Phil Condit said that "While I am disappointed at her decision, we wish her well in her new endeavor. Debby joined us at the time we were building a stronger leadership team to steer the company forward. She made important contributions and was an integral part of the team. Lucent is getting a great team member." Walt Skowronski, vice president of finance and treasurer, will be acting CFO until a replacement decision is made.
+++
The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) has confirmed that the Olympic torch will travel into space on board the United States Space Shuttle Atlantis. The Sydney 2000 Olympic flag has also been folded and stored on the shuttle for the journey into space. Australian-born NASA astronaut, Dr Andy Thomas, said a protective packaging strategy was used to store the Olympic torch on the shuttle. "The torch has been carefully packed in foam and protective covering to shield it against damage from the dynamic nature of the launch," Dr Thomas said. The torch's journey into space heralds the start of the Olympic Torch Relay in Greece following the lighting of the Mother Flame in Olympia on 10 May.
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Raytheon Aircraft recently delivered the first four Harvard II primary training aircraft to the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program.Larry Riegert, manager of Fleet Engineering for Bombardier Aerospace - Defense Services, accepted the trainer at Raytheon Aircraft's Trainer Systems Division facility at the company's Wichita headquarters. Deliveries of all 24 aircraft will continue through 2000. The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy plan to purchase more than 700 aircraft, named the T-6A Texan II. "This first international delivery is an important milestone for the Trainer Systems Division," said David Riemer, vice president - Government Business at Raytheon Aircraft.
+++
Scaled Technology Works (STW) of Montrose, Colorado has been selected by Raytheon to provide the composite aperture for NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The contract value is approximately $1M. STW successfully competed for and won a contract to produce tooling, composite components fabrication and assembly of the SOFIA aperture. The aperture is a critical structural component of the telescope mounting system inside the observatory of the 747SP, which will be the flying platform for SOFIA. STW's customer, Raytheon, is under contract to the Universities Space Research Association for design, integration, and certification of the SOFIA aircraft. Work is being done at Raytheon's Aircraft Integration Systems Waco (Texas) facility.
+++
Hughes Space and Communications Company (HSC) announced it has received its tenth order for its high-power Hughes 702 model spacecraft. Called Anik F2, it will be the 11th satellite to be built by Hughes for Telesat Canada. Anik F2 will offer fixed satellite services, including Internet access and multimedia services, across North America using 108 active transponders, 52 of them in Ka-band. HSC and Telesat Canada did not disclose financial terms. Anik F2 is scheduled to join its sister satellite, called Anik F1, sometime in late 2002. Anik F1, Telesat's first 702 model, is scheduled for launch this summer.
+++
British Aerospace plc (BAE SYSTEMS) has agreed to acquire the Lockheed Martin Control Systems business for $510m. The acquisition, which will be funded from existing cash resources, will complement BAE SYSTEMS established electronic systems and flight controls systems businesses. Control Systems has particular strengths in full-authority digital engine controls (FADEC) and digital fly-by-wire flight controls with a broad range of programme applications.The acquisition will enhance BAE SYSTEMS existing capability in aircraft flight controls and will deliver greater value to its customers. The addition of the Control Systems business will also broaden BAE SYSTEMS backbone controls technology into the commercial full-authority digital engine control product arena and improve BAE SYSTEMSengineering base, heightening its core competencies in the design and production of leading-edge control systems. The Control Systems business had net assets of $64m as at 31 December 1999. In the year ended 31 December 1999 the business produced profit before interest and tax of $42m on sales of $359m. The acquisition is expected to be slightly earnings enhancing in the current year before amortisation of goodwill. Completion is conditional on receiving the necessary regulatory clearances and is expected to take place in the next few months. Control Systems designs, develops and produces full-authority digital engine controls (FADEC) for aircraft gas turbine engines as well as digital fly-by-wire flight control systems, vehicle management systems and other related airborne electronic systems. Major platforms served are the F-18, C-17, V-22 and the A-10. It also designs and manufactures space launch vehicle control systems and vehicle power drives.
+++
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, celebrated the 100th Gulfstream V and 400th Gulfstream IV aircraft to roll off the production line in Savannah, Georgia. With 79 Gulfstream V's already in customer service and a combined backlog of $3.5 billion for the GV and GIV-SP, Gulfstream aircraft continue to be the world's best-selling large-cabin, long- and ultra-long-range business aircraft.
+++
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has said that Boeing and BAE Systems have applied jointly to participate in taking over part of its stakes. The two aerospace firms have formed a consortium for joint investment when it closed its international bidding. KAI said competition to take up its stake is now a two-way battle with Lockheed Martin, Aerospatiale and Dassault forming a consortium named KAI Global Alliance. The company would not confirm if KAI Global submitted a bidding letter. KAI will be notified of a successful bidder from lead manager Deutsche Bank and seek approval for the final bidder from the ministries of defense and commerce, industry and energy. KAI is a joint venture set up by Daewoo Heavy Industries, Samsung Aerospace and Hyundai Space and Aircraft last October with a capital of 289.2 billion won and total assets of 1.05 trillion won.It hopes to attract around 200 billion won in foreign investment.
+++
Arianespace logged the 54th consecutive successful launch of its workhorse Ariane 4 family with the April 18 mission that carried the PanAmSat Galaxy IVR satellite. Flight 129 lifted off from the Spaceport in French Guiana at 9:29 p.m. local Kourou time, and released Galaxy IVR into a 199.6 km. X 32,231 km. orbit some 20 minutes later. Arianespace used an Ariane 42L version for this launch, with a pair of liquid strap-on boosters adding additional thrust to the first stage's four engines during liftoff and initial ascent. Record rains that swept French Guiana in recent days had stopped before the final checkout and countdown. During the launch the skies were clear enough for most of the Ariane 4's climb-out to be viewed. Separation of the launcher's two liquid boosters was clearly visible at 2 min. 20 sec. into the flight as they were jettisoned as planned from the first stage. Galaxy IVR was the 16th PanAmSat boosted into orbit by an Ariane, continuing the company's long relationship with Arianespace that dates back more than 12 years. PanAmSat's first spacecraft was carried on the maiden Ariane 4 mission, which occurred in June 1988 on Flight 22.
+++
JSAT has selected Arianespace to orbit its JCSAT-8 telecommunications satellite in late 2001. NASDA has chosen Arianespace to launch its LDREX experimental deployable antenna in the coming months. The two new contracts were announced by Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Marie Luton at a press conference in Tokyo. JCSAT-8 is the 4th satellite entrusted by JSAT to Arianespace, and the 17th from Japan. The spacecraft will be an HS 601 platform manufactured by Hughes Space & Communications. Its launch is planned for the end of 2001 on an Ariane 4 or an Ariane 5 from Kourou, French Guiana, South America.
+++
Air New Zealand and Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) have agreed on the acquisition of one additional new-generation 66-seat ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. Air New Zealand previously ordered seven ATR 72-500s on November 13, 1998. This new order will bring the number of ATR 72-500s in the Air New Zealand fleet to eight. The aircraft are operated by Mount Cook Airline.
+++
Boeing has begun flight testing an updated F-22 avionics software package, Block 3S, on its 757 Flying Test Bed, keeping the program on track for a November delivery. Block 3S is an early version of Block 3.0 software, which the Defense Acquisition Board requires must fly on an F-22 before the end of the year for the program to receive production funds. "This is an important milestone for the program and allows us to remain on schedule to deliver Block 3.0 software to F-22 team partner Lockheed Martin in early November," said Mike Harris, Boeing F-22 Avionics manager. "By testing Block 3S on the FTB before we test Block 3.0, we will significantly reduce technical risks prior to delivery."
+++
In a major boost to spare parts support for European airlines, the Boeing Company has opened its new Amsterdam Service Center near Schiphol Airport. It is the eighth such facility in the company's worldwide spare parts network. This network includes the main distribution facilities in Seattle and Los Angeles, and the regional centers in Atlanta, London, Dubai,Beijing and Singapore. The new Amsterdam center ensures that European airlines and maintenance providers can get spare parts in the shortest possible time. This improves the overall supply-chain management process by reducing the customers' need to hold costly "just in case" inventory, and also supports high levels of schedule reliability. Initially, the new center will maintain inventory for about 50,000 different types of parts. This inventory supports the entire family of Boeing jetliners. The center is a leased facility with 68,000 square feet (6317 m2) of warehouse space plus office areas. Designed for growth, it provides space for future expansion of the parts inventory and for a variety of potential service functions including customer accounts administration and other support services.
+++
Boeing delivered its 500th Next-Generation 737 jetliner to Royal Air Maroc (RAM) in April. Boeing produced the 737-800 for the Morocco flag carrier at its factory in Renton, Wash. The Next-Generation 737, first delivered in December 1997, reached this milestone in a shorter time than any other jetliner in history. RAM is based in Casablanca, and has been a Boeing customer since 1970. The airline currently operates a fleet of 31 Boeing airplanes.
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Five months ahead of schedule, BAE SYSTEMS has handed over to the Royal Air Force the first Hawk aircraft to undergo a major airframe replacement as part of the #100 million plus Hawk Fuselage Replacement Programme (FRP). Hawk FRP is the culmination of a complex and ambitious programme to extend the life of the RAF's fleet of Hawk aircraft. To meet a revised Hawk Out of Service Date (OSD) of 2010, a joint plan to replace the centre and rear fuselage of 80 of the fleet of 140 aircraft with a new-build item. The plan allows the fleet to meet its flying training commitments up to the OSD. The contract for the four year programme was let in December 1998 with BAE SYSTEMS as prime contractor and the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) facility at RAF St Athan as the main sub-contractor.
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In a ceremony hosted by Cessna President and COO Charlie Johnson, the Cessna Citation Excel team celebrated the roll-out of the 100th Citation Excel from Cessna's Wichita Mid-Continent production facility. The Citation Excel was introduced at the 1994 NBAA Convention and granted FAA type certification in April 1998. The Excel features Citation X cabin comfort, trailing link landing gear for smoother touchdown and taxi, single point refueling, and is powered by Pratt & Whitney's efficient PW 545A engines. One of the best selling business jets in history, the Excel was designed with simple systems that make flight management and routine maintenance easier. That translates into dispatch reliability and sensible direct operating costs.
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After three months of negotiations, Dasa's defence and systems group has announces a social plan easing the reduction of up to 1180 jobs. 880 cuts are necessary for Dasa permanent employees, while the others will be for temporary employees. A first step will reduce employement by 650 this year. The cuts are neccessary because of reduced Germand defence budgets.
+++
British Airways has found a new chief executive to replace Bob Ayling: Rod Eddington, chairman of Australian airline Ansett, will move to London to try to boost BA fortunes. Its first job wil be to restore morale among the 63000 staff, despite impending losses.
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On April 26, Lufthansa, SAS and Singapore Airlines have signed an air freight alliance deal codenamed "New Global Cargo". The aim of the close collaboration on all aspects of operations is to decrease costs substanitally. The integration will be phased over a long period, with sales activities being harmonised until April 2001. Further steps have still to be worked out.
+++
Pfalz-Flugzeugwerke, the former Dasa factory at Speyer, is pleased with teh 1999 results of 238 million DM turnover. This year, a rise of ten per cent is expected, and also 2001 and 2002 look good. Pfalz is mainly producing parts for Airbus, like freight handling systems. Employment is now 764.
+++
SESAT, a new EUTELSAT satellite, was successfully launched into geostationary orbit in the night of April 17 by a Proton/Block DM launcher out of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Lift-off took place at 03.06 Baikonur time (April 18), 21.06 GMT (April 17). Separation of the satellite from the rocket occurred six hours and 35 minutes after launch and was followed by the successful deployment of the solar array and antenna deployment. SESAT is scheduled to go into service in June at the 36 degrees East orbital position. Its 18 Ku-band transponders will be used for a full range of services including data and videobroadcasting, Internet backbone connections, high-speed Internet access, distance-learning, transfer of software, and the EUTELTRACS messaging and positioning service for mobiles. Following confirmation of separation of the launcher from the satellite EUTELSAT Director General Giuliano Berretta declared: "As the "father" of the geostationary orbit, that is home to all our satellites, we are very proud to dedicate this satellite to Sir Arthur C. Clarke. His visionary theories on use of the geostationary arc (also called the Clarke Belt), presented in Wireless World as far back as 1945, opened the door to radically enhanced communications.
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Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company has reached a new labor agreement with District 776 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the largest union at its Fort Worth, Tex., fighter aircraft facility. The new contract will allow union members to report as usual and resume their work on the F-16 Fighting Falcon, major portions of the F-22 Raptor, and components for Japan's F-2 fighter, among other projects under way at the world's most active producer of tactical military aircraft.
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Space Shuttle managers scrubbed Atlantis' third launch attempt on the afternoon ofApril 26 due to unacceptable weather conditions at the Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) sites. Flight weather officers reported to flight controllers in Houston, TX that all three TAL sites would not be able to support an unlikely emergency landing. The TAL sites were marginal throughout the day, but managers were hopeful that the site at Ben Guerir, Morocco would improve by launch time. When the decision was made, crosswinds were above acceptable limits and low cloud ceilings were being monitored. Space Shuttle ground controllers have begun an extended scrub turnaround at Launch Pad 39A, and mission managers are assessing the next available launch opportunity for STS-101. The flight crew will remain overnight at KSC and depart for Houston, TX on April 27.
+++
The employees of ailing German charter carrier/tourist group LTU is urged to forego ten pe cent of wages over perhaps 18 months to help restore profitability for the company. SAir Group, which holds 49,9 per cent of LTU will also invest 140 million DM in the recovery of LTU.
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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*April 16, 2000 *April 9, 2000 *April 2, 2000

*March 26, 2000 *March 19, 2000 *March 12, 2000 *March 5, 2000

*February 27, 2000 *February 20, 2000 *February 13, 2000 *February 6, 2000

*January 30, 2000 *January 23, 2000 *January 16, 2000 *January 9, 2000

*January to December 1999 *January to December 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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