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UPDATE 
Week ending May 7, 2000
+++ Emirates first to commit to the A3XX +++ Fairchild sells more 328JETs in USA +++ KLM kills Alitalia link +++ Lockheed Martin delivers 4,000th F-16 +++ Air Dolomiti Takes Delivery of the 600th ATR +++ Boeing plans internet in the Sky +++ American pushes Boeing 757 orders over 1,000 +++ News in brief +++

Emirates first to commit to the A3XX
Airbus A3XX: Erster offizieller Interessent

On 30 April, Emirates has announced its decision to be a launch customer for the A3XX. This decision comes after a thorough evaluation of the aircraft's performance and economics. During a joint press conference in Dubai, His Highness, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates, confirmed that he has officially notified the consortium's Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard that Emirates would acquire up to ten A3XXs, of which five would be firm, for deliveries starting in 2006, as soon as the final launch decision is made. The ten aircraft could include two freighters. Emirates is thus the first airline to officially commit to the project.
The A3XX is currently under development at Airbus Industrie. When announcing Emirates' decision, Sheikh Ahmed highlighted the benefits Emirates would draw from the A3XX. "Emirates has built its success on the quality of its service, offering its passengers the best that is available. The A3XX will provide a host of innovations which will make the journey even more pleasant to the passenger, while offering substantially lower operating costs", said Sheikh Ahmed. Based on an entirely new design which will integrate the most advanced technologies, the A3XX-100 will offer 17 per cent lower seat operating costs compared to the 747-400, while providing up to 35 per cent more seats and 350 nm/ 650 km more range. Over the past four years, Airbus Industrie has performed extensive development work, involving concerned parties to a so far unmatched level, with up to 20 major airlines - including Emirates - some 50 airports, as well as numerous suppliers assisting in the definition of the project.
Philippe Camus, Chairman of the Aerospatiale Matra Management Board, said on the A3XX project: "As far as we are concerned, it is quite clear that we will build the A3XX. The plans we will present as part of the EADS floatation include the launch of this aircraft... In overall terms, this programme will cost between 10 and 12 billion euro, depending on the options chosen. Our partners will invest around 40% of that total. Additional partnerships will be announced in the weeks ahead. Of the remaining 6 billion euro required, one third will be financed by the governments concerned under repayable aid mechanisms that comply with the Europe/USA agreements of 1992. That leaves 4 billion euro spread over 5 years. We are therefore talking about 800 million euro a year, split between investment and research and development costs. It is perfectly feasible for a company such as EADS to finance this amount, even if it does represent a bump in our investment plans"

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Fairchild sells more 328JETs in USA
Weitere Regionaljet-Verkäufe in den USA

On May 1, Fairchild Aerospace announced at the Regional Airline Association Annual Meeting that it has received additional firm orders and options for 15 328JETs and five 428JETs, valued in excess of $255 million. Skyway Airlines, the Midwest Express Connection, ordered five additional 328JETs and five 428JETs, and took options for three additional 328JETs. Delivery of the 328JETs will take place in 2001. The 428JETs will be delivered beginning in 2003. Skyway, which was the first customer for the 328JET, now operates five as part of its fleet. Italy's Gandalf Airlines has signed an agreement with Fairchild Aerospace for five additional 328JETs for its operations based in Bergamo/Milano. They will join four 328JETs and four Dornier 328 turboprops already in operation for Gandalf. The five 328JETs are being converted from existing options, with deliveries set to begin in June. Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. has ordered two additional Fairchild Aerospace 328JETs to transport company employees to work locations throughout Nigeria. Shell was an early 328JET operator, taking its first aircraft in August 1999. The jet immediately began shuttle operations in Nigeria as part of the Shell Petroleum fleet. The two additional 328JETs are scheduled for delivery later this year.
A few days earlier, on April 27, Fairchild delivered the first 328JET jet to Dulles, Va.-based Atlantic Coast Jet (ACJet) in a ceremony at Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich. The aircraft will be used to support Delta Air Lines' Delta Connection. Last September, ACJet parent company Atlantic Coast Airlines Holdings Inc. (ACAI) placed an order for 25 firm and 30 optional Fairchild Aerospace regional jets to support ACJet and the Delta Connection. The firm order is for 328JETs, with the options for 328JETs or 44-passenger 428JETs. This contract has a potential value of $730 million if all options are exercised.

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KLM kills Alitalia link
Allianz zwischen KLM und Alitalia gescheitert

After careful deliberation, KLM has reached the conclusion that the alliance with Alitalia is not viable, considering the continuing uncertainty, mainly with regard to the future of Malpensa and the proposed privatization of Alitalia. The absence of a clear decision with regard to both aspects also result in limitations in the further development of the alliance of KLM and Northwest Airlines. KLM is therefore of the opinion that continuation of the alliance with Alitalia under the present circumstances constitutes an unacceptable business risk, which could jeopardize its financial position, the development and profitability of its own company, and its attractiveness as an alliance partner. After careful deliberation, KLM has therefore decided, in the interests of all its stakeholders, to terminate the agreement.
For KLM, the alliance with Alitalia hinged on the attractiveness of the Northern Italian market and the potential for synergy in the development of Malpensa in conjunction with Alitalia. At the time of the commencement of the alliance, the development of Malpensa to full hub status was, in the opinion of KLM, essential for the full realization of the anticipated potential. However, the introduction of Malpensa as a hub has been severely delayed. Moreover, it has become apparent during the past months that the necessary guarantees for the future growth and development of Malpensa were insufficient, aggravated by factors including unexpected new environmental limitations. The terms of the agreement stipulate that a right of termination would exist, should the implementation of Malpensa as a full hub not occur; an option which KLM is now exercising. In addition, an agreement was made with Alitalia on November 27, 1998, that Alitalia would be privatized by June 30, 2000 at the latest. The Italian government has indicated that this scenario is not attainable.
The Joint Ventures will cease to exist with immediate effect. In this context Alitalia is obliged to repay Euro 100 million invested by KLM in the development of Malpensa. The fully integrated organizations will be de-merged in an orderly fashion. Schedules will remain intact for the time being. The termination should have no immediate effect on passengers or cargo shippers.

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Lockheed Martin delivers 4,000th F-16
4000. Fighting Falcon ausgeliefert

On April 28, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company delivered the 4,000th F-16. "Production of 4,000 fighters is a major milestone that has been rare since World War II," said Dain M. Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. "The F-16 has reigned as the most sought-after fighter in the world for more than two decades, and continues to gather momentum with new sales to international customers and with the new technology that is being developed for new F-16 versions." The F-16's popularity is on the rise. F-16s have won 66 percent of worldwide fighter procurement competitions in the lifetime of the aircraft, 73 percent during the last decade and a perfect 100 percent in the last five years. "Simply put, the F-16 has always been a great value to its customers, allowing them to satisfy both modernization and force structure needs, while staying within constrained military budgets," said Brig. General (sel) Jeffery Riemer, Director of the F-16 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.
The 4,000th aircraft, an F-16C for the Egyptian Air Force, is part of the country's fifth order of Fighting Falcons. Upon completion of deliveries in its sixth order, which deliver in 2001-2002, the Egyptian Air Force will have the fourth largest fleet of F-16s in the world. Air Marshal Ahmed Shafik, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Air Force, said, "We have been operating F-16s since 1982. We are very satisfied with it and hope to continue modernizing our air force with more F-16s." Lockheed Martin has firm orders for F-16s through 2006, and options will extend production through 2009. Over the past year, orders for 244 new Fighting Falcons have been announced for Egypt, Israel, Greece, the United Arab Emirates and the U.S. Air Force. Major upgrades are in work, for both production and retrofit, to ensure the F-16 remains the premier multirole fighter for many years to come.

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Air Dolomiti Takes Delivery of the 600th ATR
600. ATR-Turboprop-Airliner ausgeliefert

French-Italian ATR delivered the 600th ATR to Air Dolomiti, the Italian private airline based in Trieste. This is 15 years after the first delivery of the ATR 42 to the French airline Air Littoral, that took place on December 3, 1985. In the beginning of the programme, in November 1981, ATR had estimated a market of 350 units. Today 600 aircraft (355 ATR 42s and 245 ATR 72s) have been delivered to 100 operators.
In terms of orders, ATR holds 67 % of the turboprop market in the 40-70 seat segment. The breakdown of the orders is as follows: Europe (43%), North America (31%), Australasia and the Far East (15%), Africa and the Middle East (6%), Latin America (5%). Today the ATR is operated by most of the major airlines that are part of strategic alliances in order to develop their global networks e.g. Star Alliance (Air New Zealand, Thai International, Lufthansa) ; Oneworld (British Airways, American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia) ; SAir Group (Air Littoral, Sabena) ; KLM - Northwest (Continental Express, Alitalia Express, KLM, Eurowings) ; Air France/Delta.

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Boeing plans internet in the Sky
Internet für Passagiere in der Planung

Boeing has announced plans to develop a global communications network and other services that will revolutionize the way people travel. Called Connexion by Boeing, the system will provide air travelers with an unparalleled array of high-speed data communication services via a space-based network - all for about the same price as cellular phone service. Using Connexion by Boeing, commercial airline passengers soon will be able to access the Internet, e-mail, television, news and information - essentially any form of high data-rate communication today's business or leisure travelers require - in real-time at 40,000 feet. Intended to extend home- and office-like connectivity into the skies, Boeing's mobile broadband services will help keep people in touch, even when moving 500 mph. Other applications for Connexion by Boeing include corporate and private business jets, U.S. government platforms, and aircraft health monitoring. "Boeing intends to be a leader in the new mobile economy -- and that means helping our airline customers and their passengers stay globally connected at all times," said Phil Condit, Boeing chairman and chief executive officer. "In commercial air travel today, you have a few choices -- you can read a book or a magazine or watch one of several movies. But soon, when you can watch a live soccer match or e-mail family or shop online or keep an eye on your stocks -- the airplane will begin to look like your home or office and the experience of travel will change." Boeing has signed memoranda of agreement with: CNN Inflight Services, Atlanta, Ga.; Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Tokyo, Japan; Alenia Spazio, a Finmeccanica Company, Rome, Italy; Loral Skynet of Bedminster, N.J.; Matsushita Avionics Systems Corp., Bothell, Wash.; and CNBC, Fort Lee, N.J. The company currently is negotiating with prospective airline partners, and additional content and service suppliers.

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American pushes Boeing 757 orders over 1,000
Über 1000 Boeing 757 verkauft

On May 2, American Airlines announced an order for 20 Boeing 757-200s, pushing the 757 program beyond the 1,000 mark to 1,009 orders from operators around the world. Deliveries of the airplanes are scheduled to begin in 2001 and continue through 2002. "We're pleased to mark this milestone with American Airlines," said Seddik Belyamani, executive vice president of Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group. "With this airplane's capability, there has been a sustained interest in the 757 since its introduction. Our customers are telling us this is the right airplane for the times and this order is another endorsement of its success in the market." The 757 family includes the 757-200, which can carry up to 229 passengers, the 757-200 freighter and the 757-300, capable of transporting up to 289 passengers.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) have opened the Galileo Programme Office. "This marks a step forward in one of Europe's most promising new space programmes" said Antonio Rodotà, ESA Director General, and Loyola de Palacio, Commission Vice-President responsible for Energy and Transport, added "the office is the first permanent physical link between the two main European institutions which are pressing ahead with work on our new satellite-based navigation, positioning and precision timing system, Galileo." Less than a year ago, the EU and ESA decided to enter the race to develop the next-generation satellite-based navigation and precision timing system with a European-developed, state-of-the-art design that would set the industry standard for the 21st century. Galileo's new technology will revolutionise our transport systems, increasing safety and improving efficiency; this will make for better quality of life and less pollution in our cities. Galileo will also bring benefits in other aspects of everyday life, with precision farming raising yields, improved information for emergency services speeding up response times, and more reliable and accurate time signals underpinning our most vital computer and communications networks. It could also contribute largely to the improvement of maritime safety issues.
+++
GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) has signed a contract for 26 firm Airbus Industrie aircraft, including a first-time order for the European consortium's latest widebody twin-engine A330-200 and a repeat order for the A320 and A321 single-aisles. The deal, which covers 16 A330-200s and 10 A320/A321s, boosts the total number of existing and future Airbus aircraft in GECAS' portfolio to over 200 aircraft. The A330-200s will be powered by the increased thrust variant (72,000 lb) of the General Electric CF6-80E1 powerplant, while the A320 Family aircraft will be powered by the CFM International 56-5B/P powerplant series. The U.S.-based leasing company will take delivery of its first A330-200 in Spring 2002, and deliveries will continue thereafter through 2005. The incremental A320s will be integrated into GECAS' existing firmly ordered single-aisle backlog, which ensures deliveries of about 15 aircraft per year through 2006.
+++
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa)/TDW of Germany and the Norwegian Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS have signed an agreement to cooperate in developing Kongsberg's next generation anti-ship missile NSM. The new missile is reportedly one of the candidates for Germany's new corvettes. Dasa/TDW is also negotiating the development of a new warhead for the missile.
+++
GOES-L, the latest in a line of advanced U.S. weather satellites built for NOAA and NASA by Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, was successfully launched by NASA at 3:07 a.m. EDT on May 3. The satellite was sent into space from Pad A at Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on an Atlas IIA rocket. In the next several days, GOES-L will be moved to final on-orbit storage when it will be re-named GOES-11, waiting to operate when needed as a replacement for GOES-8 or -10. GOES-L will be ready to take up the GOES mission of monitoring hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods and other severe weather. GOES-L is the fourth of five similar satellites built for NOAA/NASA by SS/L. GOES-M has been built and is now entering space simulation testing at SS/L's facility in Palo Alto, California.
+++
Saab Ericsson Space, Goteborg, Sweden, has been awarded an order for additionally forty Ariane 5 onboard computers. The contract signed with Matra Marconi Space of Toulouse, covers development and manufacture work for twenty launchers and deliveries will be in progress until 2003. The task of Saab Ericsson Space's onboard computers, there are two in the Ariane 5 version, is to monitor and guide the vehicle during the twenty minutes' long launch into the targeted altitude for satellite separation. The computers are robustly constructed for highest stability with a built-in fault tolerance increasing the reliability in the event of disturbances.
+++
The Belgian cabinet has started to discuss the country's participation in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Critics have said that government officials were reluctant to join the costly United States-led development program of a new generation of fighter jets. Belgium estimated that it would have to pay 5 billion Belgian francs (110 million U.S. dollars) to participate in the program.
+++
Amtran, Inc. parent company of American Trans Air, Inc. (ATA) placed an order this morning for 37 firm Boeing 737-800 "Enhanced Performance" aircraft and 10 firm Boeing 757-300 aircraft. ATA will be the North American launch customer for both the winglet-configured Boeing 737-800, as well as the Boeing 757-300. In addition to the 47 firm aircraft, ATA also received purchase rights for an additional 50 aircraft. The Boeing Company ("Boeing"), General Electric Company ("GE"), International Lease Finance Corporation ("ILFC"), and Rolls-Royce have provided ATA an unprecedented package of equipment, services and financing. The "Enhanced Performance" B737-800 aircraft ordered by ATA will be equipped with Boeing's newest technology winglets, and the latest avionics and safety improvements including a full "glass cockpit" and pilots "Heads-Up Displays". The aircraft will also be certified for the maximum take-off weight and performance capabilities available. The aircraft will be powered by the highest thrust version of the CFM56-7B engine, the -7B27. These engines are supplied by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Snecma of France.
+++
Cathay Pacific Airways is to expand further its A330/A340 widebody fleet, with an order for the purchase of four more A330-300s from Airbus Industrie, for delivery in the second half of 2001. The airline also announced that it will acquire three additional A330s and one A340-300 under separate lease agreements. Together with three A330s ordered at the end of last year, the latest acquisitions will increase the carrier's in-service A330/A340 fleet to 37 by the end of 2001, comprising 22 A330s and 15 A340s. Cathay Pacific operates the twin engine A330 across its extensive Asia-Pacific route network, while the four engine A340 flies on ultra-long haul routes to Europe and North America. Sharing the same cockpit layout, operating procedures and handling characteristics, the aircraft are operated by Cathay Pacific as a single fleet, with pilots qualified to fly both types on a regular basis. The latest order from Cathay Pacific Airways extends further the market lead of the A330/A340 family in the 250-380 seat category, with over 590 firm orders from 56 customers worldwide, compared with 460 for competing products. The family has been especially successful in Asia, where it has been selected by 16 airlines, including almost every major international carrier
+++
Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd. saw 32 orders for its PC-12 worldwide in the first quarter of 2000, with 25 coming from Pilatus Business Aircraft, Broomfield, CO. Last year at this time 18 orders had been taken in the same period. This represents almost twice the activity as last year. Deliveries for the first quarter were 9 worldwide, with 8 of them in the North and South American areas. This compares to 6 total deliveries for the same period last year. The landmark delivery in March of SN300 (the 200th PC-12 ) to Canadian customer Bryan Jones, signals the overwhelming acceptance of the Swiss-engineered single-engine turbo-prop.
+++
May 18 was named the new launch date for Space Shuttle Atlantis after a thorough evaluation of launch options by NASA managers. The managers decided that the Atlas GOES-L mission was more important to launch on May 3 in order to maintain full weather satellite capability. Meanwhile, Atlantis remains in excellent health as workers continue standard operations following a postponement. The STS-101 flight crew is scheduled to leave quarantine in Houston, Texas, on Friday.
+++
The 74th annual Shareholders' Meeting of the SAirGroup approved the Group's 1999 results as well as the distribution of a CHF 4.- dividend per share, unchanged from last year. The 2,914 shareholders present, representing 43.6 percent of the company's voting stock, acknowledged retiring Chairman Dr. Hannes Goetz with substantial applause. Goetz's successor, Dr. Eric Honegger, the former Finance Minister for Canton Zurich, has been a member of the Board since 1993.
+++
NASA astronomers have collected the first-ever radar images of a "main belt" asteroid, a metallic, dog bone-shaped rock the size of New Jersey, an apparent leftover from an ancient, violent cosmic collision. The asteroid, named 216 Kleopatra, is a large object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter; it measures about 135 miles (217 kilometers) long and about 58 miles (94 kilometers) wide. Kleopatra was discovered in 1880, but until now, its shape was unknown. "With its dog bone shape, Kleopatra is one of the most unusual asteroids we've seen in the Solar System," said Dr. Steven Ostro of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, who led a team of astronomers observing Kleopatra with the 1,000-foot (305-meter) telescope of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
+++
Lufthansa has reported that operating profits have risen 22 per cent inthe first three months of 2000, to 99 million Euro. For the full year, a 10 per cent rise is predicted, Lufthansa said at its annual results press conference. The airline sees growth of five to six per cent over the next two years and sees yields stabilising after sharp declines recently.
+++
Ulrich Schwierczinski has been named as the new director of the German LBA (certification authority), effective May 1. He comes from the ministry of transport and infrastructure, where he was leading the LS17 department, responsible for airospace affairs.
+++
The Pars 3LR anti-tank missile has completed another successful test at the Meppen range in Germany. Launched from a ground vehicle, it hit a stationary target 4300 metres away, flying a very flat, direct trajectory. A decoy was ignored. According to industry, the Pars 3LR is now ready for production to equip the Tiger helicopter.
+++
Eurocopter has handed over the first AS 532AL Cougar to the Turkish Armed Forces. In total, 30 Cougars will be delivered, following a 4,45 billion Francs contract signed in 1997. 20 of these will be for CSAR and SAR assignments of the air force and then for the army. 29 will be assembled at EUROTAI, a joint ventrure between Eurocopter and Tusas Aerospace.
+++

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Previous updates are still available:
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*April 30, 2000 *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

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