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UPDATE 
Week ending November 19, 2000
+++ Germany approves loan for A3XX +++ ESA and the European Union adopt a common strategy for space +++ Ariane 5 lifts heaviest payload +++ Boeing jetliner orders climb over 15000 +++ Mir to be ditched in February 2001 +++ Lockheed Martin X-35A completes CTOL flight-test objectives +++ Pratt & Whitney Canada delivers 50000 engine +++ News in brief +++

Germany approves loan for A3XX
Deutsche Kredite für A3XX-Entwicklung genehmigt

The EADS Company welcomed the German government's decision announced in Berlin on November 15 to grant a repayable loan amounting to roughly two billion DM for the development of the A3XX. "With today's decision to support Airbus, the German government has taken an important step in setting the future course for the flagship of European integration," stressed EADS Chairman Dr. Manfred Bischoff. "The Schröder government has thus provided further confirmation that France and Germany will remain the motor of European integration in the aerospace branch." As EADS Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rainer Hertrich stated in Munich: "The German government's support for the development of the A3XX represents a fundamental contribution to expanding the German aeronautics industry and securing its future. This clear vote by the German government also demonstrates the great confidence it has in the A3XX and the entire Airbus programme. This means that the Airbus success story is set to continue."
By granting this loan, the Federal government is setting the German locations on the same footing as the other Airbus production sites in France, Spain and Great Britain. In those countries the governments have already agreed to give similar financial support. Hertrich pointed out that the A3XX programme will be receiving support in the form of a repayable loan and not subsidies. "For Europe's governments, supporting Airbus has always paid off. Because, thanks to our great economic success, in the past we have always been able to repay such loans ahead of time - as in the case of the A320 family, for example. And the economic yield lies not only in increased technological know-how and greater ability to compete in the global markets. It can also be clearly measured in terms of jobs."
The A3XX will thus generate and secure valuable capacities in development and production in Germany. According to statistics that have already been gathered and analysed by experts, an estimated 47,000 jobs will be secured and newly generated in Germany. The expected direct effects on employment are for over 15,000 jobs at EADS and its approximately 600 suppliers. In Hamburg alone, roughly 4,000 new employees will be taken on, 2,000 of which will work for suppliers. Because aircraft programmes such as the A3XX have long life cycles the employment effect is likely to last for about 20 years.

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ESA and the European Union adopt a common strategy for space
Gemeinsame Raumfahrtstrategie für Europa

Ministers representing the 15 Member States of the European Space Agency, gathered in Brussels at an extraordinary meeting of the ESA Council, have adopted a resolution that accompanies a joint ESA/EC document on a European Strategy for Space. A parallel resolution, based on the same document, has been endorsed by the European Research Council, also meeting today in Brussels. This is the very first time that the Councils of ESA and the EU have met on the same date and in the same place to adopt resolutions that will constitute a common framework within which all European players involved in space activities will develop their respective plans of action. "Through these resolutions, European space policy takes a first step into a new phase in which space systems become an integral part of the overall political and economic efforts of European states - whether members of ESA or the EU - to promote the interests of European citizens", said ESA's Director General, Antonio Rodotà. The European Strategy for Space identifies three lines of action: a.strengthening the foundations for space activities, enhancing scientific knowledge an reaping the benefits for society and markets.
The first line encompasses broadening space technology and guaranteeing access to space through a family of launch vehicles. The second sees Europe continuing to pursue cutting-edge themes of space science and space contributions to the understanding of our planet's climate. It includes human spaceflight and optimisation of the use of the International Space Station as an infrastructure for European research in all disciplines of space science. The third line of action has the objectives of seizing market opportunities and meeting the new demands of our society. It bears on satellite communications and the information technology sector, satellite navigation and positioning (Galileo), and systems monitoring the Earth for environment and security. This is where close cooperation between ESA and the EC will be most instrumental in putting space systems at the service of European policies responding to citizen's expectations.
The European Space Strategy also covers industrial aspects and pays specific attention to small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). In the document, public/private partnerships are seen as a model for committing the public sector along with the complete industrial chain to an operational project.
The two resolutions adopted today endorse the setting up of a cooperative structure that will bring together the ESA Executive and the European Commission. An interim high-level joint Task Force is being set up to make proposals for the continuing development of the European Space Strategy and its implementation.

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Ariane 5 lifts heaviest payload
Rekornutzlast für Ariane 5

On November 15, Arianespace set an industry record when Flight 135's Ariane 5 successfully delivered the largest payload to geostationary transfer orbit ever carried by a commercial launch vehicle. Lifting off at the opening of the 10:07 p.m. launch window, the Ariane 5 rapidly climbed out from the ELA-3 complex into a partially cloudy French Guiana sky. The separation of Ariane 5's two solid boosters occurred just over 2 minutes later. This mission was a particularly long one, taking into account the deployment of Ariane 5's four-satellite payload. The primary satellite for this mission, PanAmSat's PAS-1R, was deployed first, with its separation occurring about 29 minutes into the flight. The 4,790-kg. PAS-1R was built by Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. and will provide telecommunications services over Africa, the Americas and Europe. It is the replacement for PanAmSat's first satellite, PAS-1, which was launched by Arianespace in June 1988 on Ariane 4's maiden flight. The British STRV-1c and 1d satellites were separated next, released about one second apart from the ring-shaped ASAP 5 platform. Deployment of these two spacecraft, weighing 100 kg. each, took place approximately 34 minutes into the mission. The ASAP 5 platform on which they were installed was used for the first time on Flight 135. ASAP 5 enables Arianespace to accommodate small auxiliary satellites in addition to the Ariane 5's primary payload. Flight 135 completed its successful deployment sequence at about 41 minutes into the mission when the 630-kg. AMSAT P3-D satellite was released.
The mission had been delayed one day because of an anomaly in the telemetry link between the ground control network and PAS-1R. The anomaly was quickly resolved,resulting in the successful liftoff 24 hours later. Flight 135 marked the first use of the new no. 2 mobile launch table for Ariane 5. Introduction of this new table allows two Ariane 5 missions to be prepared in parallel - providing Arianespace the same flexibility that has existed for years with the Ariane 4 launch system, which also uses two mobile tables.

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Boeing jetliner orders climb over 15000
Mehr als 15000 Boeings verkauft

A surge in orders this fall has pushed net total orders for Boeing commercial jetliners above the 15,000 mark, a milestone matched by no other commercial jetliner manufacturer in history. Pan American World Airways was the first airline to place an order for Boeing jetliners, with a split order for 20 Boeing 707s and 25 Douglas DC-8s on Oct. 15,1955. Boeing and Douglas were competing manufacturers then, but were joined through the 1997 Boeing / McDonnell Douglas merger. The company's airplane products range from the short-haul, 106-passenger Boeing 717 to the long-range, 416-passenger Boeing 747 jumbo jet - and every market in between. A new generation of advanced, more capable and larger Boeing 747s is being developed, as are ultra-long-range versions of the popular Boeing 777 models.

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Mir to be ditched in February 2001
Raumstation Mir vor dem Aus

Russia has now officially said that it wants to ditch the Mir space station into the Pacific Ocean in February. The decision to abandon the ailing space station was taken at a meeting of the Russian Cabinet. The announcement came from the director general of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos), Yuri Koptev. The station, launched in 1986, had already outlasted its projected five-year life by nearly a decade. On February 27 or 28, the station will be sent into a controlled descent that will bring it down in an unpopulated region of the Pacific,1,500 to 2,000 km east of Australia. NASA had long urged Russia to abandon Mir and focus on the ISS.
There have been plans to use the Mir for commercial projects including as a destination for "space tourism." however, the commercial endeavor, a collaboration between the Russian government and the Netherlands-based company MirCorp, has been struggling. MirCorp has been leasing the space station since last February, and has invested about $30 million in its operation so far this year.

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Lockheed Martin X-35A completes CTOL flight-test objectives
X-35A erfüllt Flugtestvorgaben

Less than a month after it began flight testing, the Lockheed Martin X-35A has completed all of its conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) flight-test objectives, the company claims. The accomplishment puts X-35A testing ahead of schedule, and leaves room for further flight-envelope expansion and continued reduction of technical risk. The X-32A flew on Nov. 14 loggeing a two-hour flight that included airborne refueling. On Nov. 12, USAF pilot Lt. Col Paul Smith flew flying-quality test blocks with a wide variety of maneuvers, as well as formation flying at different altitudes. Total flight time was 1.8 hours. On Nov. 11 X-35 Chief Test Pilot Tom Morgenfeld flew the X-35A for 0.9 hours, checking acceleration and deceleration rates, and flying qualities. Morgenfeld accomplished one in-flight refueling with no anomalies, stating that it was the most relaxed he's ever been during a refueling event. "Far and away the easiest tanking I've done," Morgenfeld said. On Nov. 10 United States Marine Corps pilot Maj. Art Tomassetti became the first Marine to fly the Lockheed Martin JSF X-35 on Friday, Nov. 10 - the 225th anniversary of the Marine Corps' founding. Tomassetti's introduction flight lasted 0.8 hours and included formation flying and handling evaluations. He described the aircraft as "very controllable in all axes" and, as other pilots before him, noted the plane's impressive throttle response. Lockheed Martin's Marine Corps JSF demonstrator, the X-35B, is externally identical to the X-35A that Tomassetti flew. Because both planes share the same up-and-away performance characteristics, much of the flight-test data for the X-35A also applies to the X-35B.

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Pratt & Whitney Canada delivers 50000 engine
50000 Triebwerke von P&W Canada

On November 16, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) marked an important milestone in its 72-year history with the delivery of its 50,000th engine to a customer. The engine, a PT6A-67D, was delivered to Raytheon Aircraft for installation on its Beech 1900D Airliner at a special ceremony attended by senior P&WC and Raytheon Aircraft executives and P&WC employees at the company's head office in Longueuil. Raytheon Aircraft became the first customer for P&WC's legendary PT6 turboprop engine in 1963 when it selected the engine to power the now famous Beech King Air. The King Air/PT6 combination went on to become one of aviation's greatest success stories and P&WC has since delivered more than 13,000 PT6 engines to Raytheon Aircraft. The PT6 turboprop opened the gate for P&WC's current engine families, which include the PW100, PW200, PW300, PW500, PW901 and the JT15D for business and regional aircraft, helicopters, military trainers, utility aircraft and industrial applications. The company currently produces an average 2,000 engines a year to serve market needs in 180 countries around the world.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

The Hellenic Air Force - supported by a team of LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK GmbH) - successfully performed a third in-flight separation of its new Autonomous Free-flight Dispenser System AFDS by launching it from an A-7 aircraft at Andravida Air Force Base (Air Tactics Center) on 21 October 2000. The separation, which was conducted at an altitude of 1,500 m and a speed of 0.7 Mach, completed the flight test programme requirements for AFDS A-7 weapon system certification. A free-flight trial to demonstrate full system functionality of AFDS is scheduled for the beginning of December 2000. AFDS, developed and manufactured by LFK GmbH, is an unpowered, gliding, intelligent submunition dispenser system. Its flight is controlled by a computer, digital guidance equipment, an inertial navigation system with integrated GPS, and aerodynamic rudders. Flying at low level, pilots can "fire-and-forget" the AFDS up to ten kilometres from target. Over 20 kilometres stand-off can be achieved from higher altitudes. The dispenser, carrying a variety of submunitions, navigates to the target autonomously. The AFDS stand-off capability provides optimum safety for both pilot and aircraft. With the designation DWS 39, AFDS has been adapted for deployment on the Gripen and Viggen aircraft and is now in service with the Swedish Air Force.
+++
Diamond Aircraft Industries at Wiener Neustadt has received JAA certification for its new four seat DA40 light single engined aircraft. The composite low-wing monoplane had a lenghty development and test period. It will sell at 280000 DM. For Diamond the DA40 will penetrate new markets, as up to now only the two-seat DA20 Katana was on offer.
+++
To ensure that Swissair passengers see an improvement in what has become a chronic delay situation at Zurich Airport, Swissport Zurich, the SAirGroup's local ground handling company, is set to employ 70 additional passenger service staff at Zurich Airport's Terminal A. The staff should be in place by the time the summer 2001 schedules go into effect. Swissair is doing everything it can to improve the punctuality of its flights at Zurich Airport. An internal work group has been studying the problem for six months. The group has now begun to implement more than 80 individual measures aimed at improving the punctuality of Swissair flights. One of these measures is the hiring of 70 additional passenger service staff who will be active in assisting customers and ensuring correct and timely process management in all customer-related service aspects. Responsibility for passenger service at Zurich's Terminal A remains the responsibility of Swissport Zurich, a subsidiary of the SAirGroup's SAirServices division.
+++
Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT) is the first company in the world to equip an aircraft for live TV reception round the globe and on-board access to the Internet and e-mail. "With this unique innovation we have created all the conditions for offering our customers full solutions from the end of 2001. We hope that the first providers will then make more Internet data available via new broadband satellites," said Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik. The system, which is capable of receiving more than 400 TV programmes worldwide and was first installed on an Airbus A340 for a private customer, was certificated by Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The package contains all the technical solutions currently available to enable passengers tosurf online and also receive and send e-mails. The new on-board communications service is made possible by high-speed satellites with a transmission speed of more than five megabits per second. Increasingly these are replacing older-generation, low-speed satellites and provide greater ease of access to the Internet.
+++
With a nine-month operating result of EUR 794 million the Lufthansa Group impressively reaffirmed its leading position in the industry. This is 50.7 per cent higher than last year and almost matches the record three-quarter result achieved in 1998. Lufthansa's outstanding performance is also reflected in its net profit for the first three quarters, which already surpasses the corresponding full-year figure for 1999. "The year 2000 will be one of the best ever in the Company's history," commented Lufthansa Chairman Jürgen Weber today as he presented the results. All the Group's business segments did well in the third quarter. This trend is set to continue and will have a positive impact on revenue and earnings. Lufthansa has therefore revised its profit forecast for 2000 as a whole sharply upwards. In place of the projected year-on-year rise of 15 per cent, Lufthansa now expects to increase its operating result by around 40 per cent compared with 1999. Lufthansa's successful business performance was helped by the robust worldwide demand for air traffic services. The Group's airlines (passenger and freight) managed to increase their capacity utilisation to the record level of 71.9 per cent. The number of passengers carried grew by 7.5 per cent to 35.5 million. The passenger load factor was pushed up to a new all-time high of 75.2 per cent. The freight load factor also increased - to a very creditable 67.4 per cent.
+++
Bombardier Aerospace has announced an agreement with Qantas Airlines of Australia under which the airline has acquired two 50-seat Q300 turboprop airliners for its regional subsidiary Eastern Australia Airlines. Value of the contract is approximately $29 million U.S. ($40.6 million Cdn.). Deliveries of the first and second aircraft occurred in September and October respectively. Eastern Australia Airlines, based at Sydney, operates 17 daily round trips between Sydney and Canberra, the national capital, utilizing 36-seat Dash 8 Series 100 and Series 200 aircraft on the 50-minute flights.
+++
Eurocopter has said that the worldwide success achieved by its EC 120 light helicopter is confirmed by the 200 aircraft sold since its commercialisation less than four years ago. Close to 80 customers from 30 countries have already placed their confidence in this helicopter. The maximum takeoff weight of the EC 120B Colibri has been increased to 1715 kg which means that the payload is now more than 750 kg over a distance of 730 km at a speed of 230 km/h and that an underslung load of up to 700 kg can be carried. In addition to these new installations, several other optional equipment items are available for the EC 120B Colibri. The most popular with operators are the dual flight controls and the comfortable interior trim. The other main installations include the air conditioning system, the emergency flotation gear, radio-navigation equipment, the sand filter, the electrically operated multi-directional mirror and the sling.
+++
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has recently concluded a contract with China's Feima Airline to sell 70 of its SB427 helicopters, in which it is partnered with Bell. Under the contract, which was signed during the recent "Airshow China 2000," KAI will initially deliver five of SB427, worth $15 million to Feima Airline, a helicopter tour company. KAI has also signed a seperate memorandum of understanding with China's largest helicopter operator China Ocean Helicopter Corporation, to lease or sell SB427 in the future. This will openg the way for the KAI to make inroads into the biggest Asian market. KAI plans to produce 1,200 SB427 over the next 15 years worth $3.6 billion and sell 300 of them to the Chinese and East Asian market, officials said.
+++
On November 17, Greece rejected bids from two consortia to buy a 49 percent stake in Hellenic Aerospace Industries as too low. Finance Minister Yannos Papandoniou said the tender had been made void and that a new one would be held next year. "The offers were deemed not satisfactory," he said after meeting Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Defence Minister Aksi Tsohatzopoulos. Two consortia had bid for the EAB stake -- Eurofighter, combining Germany's Dasa, Spain's Casa, Italy's Alenia and Britain's BAE Systems, and a French-Greek alliance combining France's Dassault and Thompson-CSF with Greece's Intracom and Axon.
+++
Russia successfully launched a Progress M1-4 cargo spaceship to the International Space Station ( ISS) on November 16 to provide the Russian-U.S. crew aboard with life necessities. The booster rocket Soyuz-U carrying the cargo ship blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4:32 a.m. Moscow time (0132 GMT). The ship smoothly separated from the Soyuz booster 10 minutes later, and then it was put into a designed orbit with an apogee of 237 kilometers, a perigee of 194 kilometers, a revolution period of 88.5 minutes and an inclination of 51.6 degrees, the spokesman said. The supply ship will execute the so-called rendezvous maneuvers for closing in with the ISS and it will automatically dock with the station at 06:06 a.m. Moscow time (0306 GMT) on Saturday. If it fails, the crew will dock the cargo craft "manually."The Progress M1-4 will deliver to the ISS fuel, equipment, accessories for the life-support systems and the TV network, as well as water and food for the first long-expedition crew on board the station, consisting of Russian astronauts Yuri Gidzenko, Sergei Krikalyov and U.S. astronaut William Shepherd. According to the Mission Control Center outside Moscow, onboard systems of the 2.5-ton cargo ferry are operating smoothly.
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Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industry (KAI) have signed a joint marketing agreement for the T-50 advanced jet trainer being developed by the two companies. "This agreement strengthens the strong relationship between our two companies that has been growing for almost two decades," Ted Samples, the vice president for strategic alliance programs with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said in a statement. "It takes advantage of the expertise of the two companies and sets the stage for more cooperation in the future." Lockheed Martin and KAI have been working on the T-50, formerly known as the KTX-2, for several years. The program derived from the South Korean air force's need for a new advanced trainer aircraft and was given formal approval by South Korea in 1997.
+++
The F-22 program met a major milestone with the first flight of Raptor 4004, the first F-22 to fly with advanced avionics hardware and integrated software aboard. "Today's flight of the initial avionics software package helps keep the F-22 program on track for delivery of an even more advanced software package, Block 3.0, prior to the end of the year," said Tom McDermott, manager of the F-22 program's Avionics team. Lockheed Martin test pilot Bret Luedke was at the controls during the 37-minute flight, which accomplished a critical Defense Acquisition Board criterion. Raptor 4004 will undergo additional flight testing at Marietta before joining the F-22 program's flight test fleet at Edwards AFB, Calif., later this year. Prior to first flight, ground testing of Raptor 4004's avionics was completed at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company's facilities in Marietta, Ga. LM Aero is responsible for overall leadership of the program's avionics team, which includes engineers from LM Aero in Fort Worth, Texas, the Boeing Company in Seattle, Wash., and 11 major subsystem suppliers from across the country.
+++
On November 17, Vietnam Airlines, the national airline of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, signed a Letter of Intent to purchase up to three long-range Boeing 777-200ER (extended range) jetliners. The value of the order, when finalized, is estimated to be $480 million at list prices. Vietnam Minister of Finance, Nguyen Sinh Hung, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Norman Mineta, witnessed the signing of the agreement between Vietnam Airlines and The Boeing Company during a ceremony held in Hanoi as part of President Clinton's visit to Vietnam.
+++
On November 14, Boeing announced that Royal Air Maroc has chosen Boeing airplanes for its fleet expansion. The intention to acquire up to 20 medium-range Boeing Next-Generation 737s and two long-range 767s airplanes was announced by the airline in Casablanca, Morocco. The value of the airplanes is approximately $1.4 billion at list prices. The airline's board of directors stated today that after spending several months conducting in-depth analyses of the competing manufacturers' proposals, Royal Air Maroc decided to accept the Boeing proposal, based on technical, operational, and economic considerations.
+++
The Boeing 777, powered by the new General Electric GE90-94B engine, has earned certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The certification comes after a successful 20-month test program that consisted of more than 1,500 hours of ground tests and about 275 hours of flight tests. Rated at 94,000 pounds of thrust, the GE90-94B will power the 777-200ER (extended range) airplane. The 777-200ER, capable of flying 7,700 nautical miles (8,860 statute miles), has the greatest range of any commercial jetliner in service. The first GE90-94B-powered 777 will be delivered to Air France this week. The GE90-94B engine builds on the proven success of the GE90 family, adding key performance-enhancing technologies such as the three-dimensional aerodynamic (3-D Aero) high-pressure compressor. The high-pressure compressor is a key component of the performance improvements to be incorporated into the GE90-115B engine that will power the 777-200 and 777-300 longer-range airplane models. 3-D Aero is a computer design and analysis program. In addition to improved takeoff performance, the -94B engine will improve fuel burn and exhaust gas temperature margins relative to the current GE90 engines in production.
+++
A Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., was successfully launched on November 10 from Cape Canaveral. This was the fifth successful launch of the new-generation spacecraft, designated GPS IIR. The company will supply 15 more of these satellites to the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. for future launches. The satellite, designated GPS IIR-6, will join 27 other operational GPS satellites now on orbit. This satellite will improve global coverage and increase the overall performance of the GPS constellation. The GPS IIR satellites are compatible with the current system and provide improved navigation accuracy, achieved by using an ITT Industries payload system. Additionally, increased autonomy, on orbit reprogrammability and longer spacecraft life are inherent in the Lockheed Martin satellite design.
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On November 15, the Boeing Joint Strike Fighter X-32A concept demonstrator aircraft successfully began field carrier landing practice (FCLP) tests to demonstrate flying and handling qualities during low-speed aircraft carrier approach. U.S. Navy Cmdr. Phillip "Rowdy" Yates, the U.S. government's lead test pilot for the Boeing JSF program, and Boeing lead test pilot Fred Knox are demonstrating simulated carrier landings using a Fresnel lens on the ground to provide pilot cues during their approaches to a simulated carrier deck outlined on a runway at Edwards Air Force Base. "The X-32A demonstrated excellent low-speed flying qualities in the carrier mode configuration," Yates said. "Flight path control was precise all the way to touch down -- this aircraft continues to fly as simulations predicted it would."
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Boeing, Miramax Films, AMC Theatres, and a multi-industry team today unveiled a fiber- and satellite-based system designed to revolutionize motion picture film distribution. The unveiling was at the AMC Empire Theatre in New York, where for the first time a major motion picture was delivered via satellite direct to the silver screen, using a Boeing-developed service called Cinema Connexion by Boeing. Like its namesake -- the Internet-to-airplanes initiative Connexion by Boeing -- Cinema Connexion by Boeing represents another step by the Company in its vision of opening new frontiers. By leveraging expertise in satellite-based information and communications, Boeing is providing innovative services that reduce transaction costs, improve individual and business productivity and keep people in touch with their world.
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During the first three months of operations as a combined entity, EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company achieved revenues of EUR 5,285 million. Year-to-date revenues as of September 30 amounted to EUR 15,870 million, of which the first half year was reported on a pro-forma basis. These revenue figures confirm the growth expectations of EADS for the full year 2000, which exceed its original estimates made at the time of the Initial Public Offering in July 2000. The strength of the US Dollar relative to the Euro has contributed to the satisfactory revenues figures, offsetting revenues below expectations in the field of defence. Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich, Co-CEOs of EADS, stated: "Revenues for the third quarter have confirmed our expectations of growth for the full year of 2000. We are pleased to see that our commercial environment remains strong, especially in the commercial aircraft business where Airbus is receiving more orders than expected and continues to increase its production rate. Our backlog of orders stands at an exceptional level of EUR 120.7 billion at the end of September giving us excellent prospects for our future growth."
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The Members of the Provisional Council of Eurocontrol noted that the air traffic and delay figures for the period from May to October 2000 clearly represented an improvement. In spite of a 3.9% increase in traffic compared with the same period in 1999, the average delay per flight attributable to Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) regulations stood at 4.6 minutes (as against 6.7 minutes in 1999 and 5.2 minutes in 1998). These figures are the outcome of a number of measures initiated by the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU) in the summer of 2000. One of these was the establishment of a management process to monitor the provision of air traffic services by means of monthly performance reports from the various European ACCs (Area Control Centres). It was also noted that airport-related delays had become a greater contributory factor to the overall ATFM delay figures in the course of the summer. In this connection, it was recognised that ATFM measures could not address airport-related delays, which were often caused by infrastructure and environmental problems. As a result, it was agreed that for summer 2001, a specific target of 2.8 minutes average en-route delay per flight would be introduced in addition to the target of 3.5 minutes average delay per flight for the overall ATFM delay.
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Fairchild Dornier has signed a letter of intent with Chinese industry to explore options for industrial cooperation based on the new family of Fairchild Dornier low-wing aircraft. Under the new agreement, Fairchild Dornier will work with China Aviation Industry Corporation companies (AVIC I and AVIC II) in conjunction with Hainan Airlines to look at possible areas of industrial participation by Chinese industry on the 728JET family of airliners. "China represents a large potential market for our aircraft as well as a large talent base, and we're excited about the possibilities for both," said Fairchild Chairman of the Board Chuck Pieper. "There is a wealth of talent here that could play an important role in the global aviation industry." At a press conference this week at Air Show China 2000 in Zhuhai, Pieper said the scarcest resource in aerospace over the coming years will be manpower. The Chinese aerospace industry already has achieved a level of success as a supplier to companies such as Boeing and Airbus. Pieper said Fairchild Dornier is seeking to find the same level of success with its family of low-wing aircraft through its industrial partnerships in China.
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The Polish Aviation Factory Company Limited (PZL) in Mielec has exported its first set of Gripen tailcone components to Linkoping, Sweden, under a contract for manufacture signed at the Góraszka Air Picnic in June of this year. The machined parts for Gripen, the first fourth-generation multi-role / swing-role fighter in operational service worldwide will be used in the manufacture of Swedish Air Force aircraft. Future deliveries will also be used for the manufacture of South African Air Force Gripen fighters and those for other customers. Workers at PZL Mielec also manufacture centre fuselage assemblies for the BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer and parts for the wing and tail of the BAE Systems Regional Jet series of airliners. The nearby Mielec Tooling Company has successfully manufactured tooling to be used in the production of Nimrod, Eurofighter and Airbus aircraft, in the United Kingdom.
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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*November 12, 2000 *November 5, 2000

*October 29, 2000 *October 15, 2000 *October 8, 2000 *October 1, 2000

*September 24, 2000 *September 17, 2000 *September 10, 2000 *September 3, 2000

*August 27, 2000 *August 20, 2000 *August 13, 2000 *August 6, 2000

*January to July 2000 *January to December 1999 *January to December 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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