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Week ending July 21, 2002
+++ Alenia declines Fairchild Dornier investment +++ Venus Express work approved +++ FedEx signs for A380-800F +++ STAR 21 report unveiled +++ Eclipse 500 jet revealed +++ BA offers low fares to Europe +++ News in brief +++
Alenia declines Fairchild Dornier investment
Fairchild Dornier: Alenia nicht mehr interessiert
According to the technical evaluation of Fairchild Dornier, Alenia Aeronautica has decided not to consider opening any formal negotiations to purchase one or more businesses of the German company. In fact, the first evaluations carried out by an expert team at the Fairchild Dornier headquarters have revealed that submitting offers would be unfeasible for Alenia Aeronautica, due to significant factors of uncertainty concerning the economic and industrial profitability of the businesses under review. However, the Finmeccanica company reserves to monitor any future development and change that may affect the aerostructures and regional aircraft businesses which have been the main subjects of the preliminary understandings. Meanwhile Lufthansa has confirmed that is has cancelled its orders for the Fairchild Dornier 728. It said that it was no longer tenable to stick to the programme and that it is now exploring alternatives to fill its need for large regional jet.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Venus Express work approved
ESA startet Venus-Express-Programm
On 11 July 2002, the ESA Science Programme Committee agreed unanimously to start work on Venus Express. Venus Express will reuse the Mars Express spacecraft design and needs to be ready for launch in 2005. The mission's fate is not yet final because one nation, Italy, has still to confirm its participation in the payload. Italy has been given until 15 October 2002 to provide its final commitment. The idea behind Venus Express began in 2001 when ESA issued a call for ideas to reuse the Mars Express spacecraft design for a quick, low-cost mission. Among the constraints were that the new mission had to use the industrial teams already in place for Mars Express and that meant double-quick development. Despite the constraints, a large number of good ideas came in from scientists around Europe. Venus Express was eventually selected because of its great scientific value. Venus is not well explored and an excellent group of instruments were easily available in Europe. These instruments had been developed as back-ups for either ESA's Mars Express spacecraft or ESA's comet-chaser mission, Rosetta. The instrument suite will be able to look at the planetary environment from surface to outermost atmosphere. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
FedEx signs for A380-800F
A380-Frachter für FedEx
Officials from Federal Express Corp., a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., and Airbus Industrie have signed a definitive purchase agreement for FedEx Express to acquire the A380-800F, the new high-capacity, long-range aircraft. FedEx Express will take delivery of ten of the aircraft, three each in 2008-2010 and one aircraft in 2011. FedEx Express also holds options from Airbus for ten additional A380 aircraft. Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The companies will discuss the agreement in further detail at a ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France.Meanwhile, the site of Airbus' new final assembly facility for the A380 in Toulouse, France has been inaugurated by the President of France, Jacques Chirac. The ceremony, hosted by Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard, will be attended by French Transport Minister Gilles de Robien, eminent local and government officials as well as distinguished guests from Airbus' airline customers, shareholders and key suppliers. Jacques Chirac will unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the historic occasion. The new 50 hectare (120 acre) facility will house the giant final assembly hall and static test hall for the all-new A380 superjumbo. The site is part of the 220 hectare (540 acre) Aeroconstellation industrial complex, which will be linked to Blagnac airport by two new taxiways. Located next to Airbus' headquarters and its Toulouse final assembly lines, the site provides a tailor-made solution for the A380 and is ideally located to take full advantage of Toulouse's competence and expertise in assembling and putting a new aircraft into the sky. Work began in January 2002 and will be completed by the end of 2003.
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STAR 21 report unveiled
Neuer Bericht über europäischeLuftfahrt-Strategie
The European Advisory Group on Aerospace today presented its report, Strategic Aerospace Review for the 21st Century (STAR 21) to the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. The Group's report concludes that a competitive aerospace industry is essential to provide the means and capabilities needed to match Europe's economic ambitions and its policy aims. The report makes a series of recommendations for policy decisions at European level that would facilitate this objective. The Group was set up in 2001 to analyze the state of the industry and assess its longer-term policy needs. From the EU Institutions, the Group comprises the Commissioners Loyola de Palacio, Erkki Liikanen, Philippe Busquin, Christopher Patten, Pascal Lamy, Javier Solana (the EU High Representative), the Members of the European Parliament Carlos Westendorp y Cabeza and Karl von Wogau. From the industry, the Group comprises Jean-Paul Béchat (SNECMA and President of the European Association of Aerospace Industries AECMA), Manfred Bischoff (EADS), Sir Richard Evans (BAE Systems), Jean-Luc Lagardère (EADS), Alberto Lina (Finmeccanica), Denis Ranque (THALES) and Sir Ralph Robins (Rolls-Royce). Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission said: "The establishment of the Advisory Group on Aerospace has proved a valuable initiative which I very much welcome. STAR 21 brought together aerospace industry leaders and European policy-makers to identify the risks and opportunities faced by this vital European industry and to set out policy recommendations for the future. My colleagues in the European Commission and I will be considering the policy implications in the coming months." Erkki Liikanen, European Commissioner responsible for Enterprise and the Information Society said: "The sustained competitiveness of Europe's aerospace industry is an essential component of a successful European economy. As Chairman of the Advisory Group I am inviting a wide response to the analysis and recommendations. The reaction of the Member States and the EU institutions will of course be especially important in determining the way ahead for the industry." EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin welcomed the adoption of the STAR 21 report and underlined the role of EU research in the field of aeronautics and space. "Medium- and long-term industrial strategies depend to a large extent on scientific progress. The aerospace sector represents a case in point, where Europe can build a strong industrial platform based on world-class technological applications, products and processes, by pooling resources at EU level to achieve a competitive critical mass. Through its successive research framework programs, the Commission has funded cutting-edge research projects in this area, and at the same time it has shaped a consistent aerospace policy relying on a sound research effort.
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Eclipse 500 jet revealed
Neuer Billig-Geschäftsreisejet vorgestellt
Eclipse Aviation Corporation has rolled out the Eclipse 500 jet, allowing an audience of more than 1,500 customers, partners, investors, employees, local and aviation industry executives to witness the first public viewing of this groundbreaking new aircraft. “After years of hard work and innovation, the first Eclipse 500 test-flight aircraft is out of the hangar and close to taking flight,” said Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn. “Today we're celebrating a significant milestone in our quest to change the way the people travel, one that could not have been made possible without the support and dedication of many of those who are here today.” The Eclipse 500 is a six-person twin-engine jet aircraft enabling the creation of new forms of air travel that will provide much-needed alternatives to commercial airlines. Through the Eclipse 500, these emerging air-travel services will be able to offer passengers access to 10,000 airports in the U.S. alone, ushering in an age where point-to-point private jet travel will be available to everyone at affordable prices. This will be a dramatic departure from today's commercial airline system, which forces 70 percent of all air travelers to pass through 29 increasingly crowded “hub” airports. Selling for $837,500 (in June 2000 dollars), the Eclipse 500 costs approximately a quarter of today's small jet aircraft and will be significantly safer, easier and less expensive to fly. The Eclipse 500 flies 355 knots (408 mph) and can travel 1,300 nautical miles (1,495 statute miles, about the distance between Boston and Miami) at a cost of approximately 56 cents a mile to operate. The new jet features revolutionary manufacturing and electronics systems and is powered by the EJ22, a turbofan engine that weighs approximately 85 pounds and delivers over 770 pounds of thrust, a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than any commercial turbofan ever produced.
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BA offers low fares to Europe
Preisoffensive von British Airways
British Airways is to cut air fares by over 80 per cent on 37 more European routes, as it launches its latest major competitive response to the no frills carriers. New lower year round fares are to be introduced on flights from the UK to Germany, Switzerland and Austria. These include 20 regional departures operated by British Airways' wholly owned subsidiary British Airways CitiExpress. Prices will start from £99 return including taxes from London to Geneva, Frankfurt, Cologne and Dusseldorf and £109 for a return ticket from London to Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. The lowest air fare previously on offer by the airline required a Saturday night stay and advance purchase. The scrapping of these restrictions means that there is a saving of £410 on a midweek return flight to Frankfurt, which now starts from £99 instead of £509 and a saving of £475 on a midweek flight to Berlin, which now starts from £109 instead of £584. Tiffany Hall, British Airways Head of UK Sales said: “We are now offering full service at no frills prices on 108 routes. For too long some carriers have created the myth that they are the only way to get a low fare. Now air travellers can visit ba.com and find low fares on British Airways flights plus the benefits of convenient airports, frequent flights, excellent customer service and free food and drinks on board.”Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
NEWS IN BRIEF – KURZMELDUNGEN
The H410A helicopter, an upgraded model of the Zhi-9 helicopter manufactured by the Hafei Aviation Industry Co Ltd, obtained a model certificate from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) in Beijing. The International Far Eastern Leasing Co Ltd, the State Oceanic Administration and the Zhoushan Civil Aviation Development Co Ltd signed purchasing agreements with the Hafei Aviation Industry Co Ltd to buy eight H410A helicopters.+++
Ireland will not three Sikorsky S-92 helicopters for search and rescue operations due to drastic defense budget cuts, according to a statement by the country's Department of Defence. "Having consulted the military authorities, the Minister [Michael Smith] decided that the current process to purchase medium lift helicopters cannot proceed," Ireland's Department of Defence said. "This has been a painful decision for the Minister as he regarded the acquisition of medium-lift helicopters as a highest priority." Ireland had planned to spend nearly $12.3 million on the purchase this year, but was forced to contend with a $13.9 million cut to its defense budget.
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The 46th edition of IATA's World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) is now available. It remains the most comprehensive and timely source of airline statistical information available. Overall, IATA member airlines carried 1.35 billion scheduled passengers during 2001, a decline of 3.3 percent on 2000 and the first year-on-year decline since 1991. International scheduled passengers declined 2.2 percent. The average passenger load factor on those services fell by 2.2 percentage points to 70.3 %. The decline in the freight market was more severe; freight tonnes carried by IATA Members on international scheduled services fell by nearly 7 percent. The combination of reduced traffic, falling yields and rising unit costs, with capacity only marginally reduced, produced a net loss of USD 12 billion on international scheduled services.
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MD Helicopters has confirmed sales of two MD 500 Series helicopters to two police departments in the Western United States. The Mesa, Ariz., Police Department (one MD 500E) and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (one MD 530F) are repeat customers, and both helicopters will be delivered this fall.
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Satellites can help the EU monitor climate change, address international crises and contain natural disasters. In Brussels EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and Mr An-tonio Rodotà, the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), officially opened a large stakeholder consultation forum aiming at the definition of European needs to enhance global monitoring for environment and security (GMES). 250 participants, representing users, suppliers and researchers, addressed policy options to upgrade Europe's capability for global monitoring by 2008. Combining spaceborne, land-based and airborne technologies, GMES will pool Europe's activi-ties in satellite observation and remote sensing. GMES seeks to make better use of Europe's existing and planned capabilities and infrastructures and to develop mechanisms for improved collection and distribution of information. Data from Envisat and other spaceborne and terrestrial observation systems will improve the ability of European researchers, private companies and public authorities to track environmental pollution, react to emergencies, improve cross-border response to catastrophic events, follow movements of refugees, facilitate the distribution of aid, and support peace-keeping troops out-side Europe.
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The CV-22, the U.S. Air Force variant of the V-22 Osprey, began testing its electronic countermeasures in the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards AFB recently. The aircraft will spend about three months suspended from the ceiling of the facility while the CV-22 Integrated Test Team checks out the electronic countermeasures package, called the suite of integrated radio frequency countermeasures, or SIRFC. "This is kind of the heart and soul of the aircraft's defensive countermeasures," said Lt. Col. Tom Kennedy, the CV-22 program manager at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The suite includes state-of-the-art integrated threat location and jamming technology, according to Kennedy. The emphasis of the testing is to characterize the performance of the SIRFC countermeasures. Prior testing showed some of the antennas on the aircraft were not in optimal locations, Kennedy said, so the Edwards CV-22 ITT people relocated the antennas. Testing in the BAF will determine how well they are placed.
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NASA has extended its contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. to August 2003 to provide science and operational support for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of the world's most powerful tools to better understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The contract is an 11-month period of performance extension to the Chandra X-ray Center contract, with an estimated value of $50.75 million. Total contract value is now $298.2 million. The contract extension resulted from the delay of the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory from August 1998 to July 1999. The revised period of performance will continue the contract through Aug. 31, 2003, which is 48 months beyond operational checkout of the observatory. The contract type is cost reimbursement with no fee. The contract covers mission operations and data analysis, which includes both the observatory operations and the science data processing and general observer (astronomer) support.
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Boeing reported second quarter net earnings of $751 million, or $0.92 per share, on $13.9 billion of revenues, excluding a non-recurring item. During the same period last year, the company reported net earnings of $804 million before a non-recurring item, or $0.95 per share, on $15.5 billion of revenue. Boeing's results reflect strong operating performance across the company's core aerospace and finance businesses. "I am pleased with our results for the quarter," said Phil Condit, Boeing chairman and chief executive officer. "We won several key programs and our core businesses performed well, delivering strong earnings, margins and cash flow." The company recognized one non-recurring item during the quarter. The sale of Military Aircraft and Missile Systems' ordnance business resulted in $45 million of non-recurring operating profit and reported earnings per share of $0.04. This compares with $57 million of non-recurring operating profit and a $0.04 per share benefit recognized in the second quarter of 2001 related to the F-15E program. A summary of non-recurring items recognized during the first half of 2002 and 2001 is at the end of this release.
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Saab Ericsson Space, Göteborg, is by order of OHB-System, Bremen, responsible for development and manufacture of the satellites' complete SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) antennas, consisting of a reflector and a deployable boom with feed horns for each of the five satellites. With Saab Ericsson Space OHB chooses a strategic partner for the satellite-based reconnaissance system SAR-Lupe. Saab Ericsson has previously delivered high accuracy reflector antennas to scientific satellites like Rosetta and Odin, and to telecommunication satellites like Eutelsat W4 and Sirius. The more than three meter large reflector is based on Saab Ericsson Space's generic technology for reflector antennas, which provides for extremely good thermal stability and low mass. The reflectors will be manufactured at Saab's facilities in Linköping, Sweden, and the deployable boom assemblies will be supplied by Saab Ericsson Space's subsidiary Austrian Aerospace of Vienna, Austria. SAR-Lupe is a satellite-based high-resolution reconnaissance system, with a resolution better than 1 meter. The space segment consists of five satellites and the satellites will be placed in three different orbits at approx. 500 km altitude. The first satellite launch is planned for 2005 with a Russian launcher.
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Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Expedia, Inc., the world's leading online travel service, have signed a cooperation agreement today. To Lufthansa, this agreement represents a substantial increase in its online presence in the US, Canada, the UK, France and Germany. Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President Sales of Lufthansa German Airlines, remarks on the successful conclusion of the agreement: "The partnership with Expedia will strengthen our position in the online market and shows the importance of the online channel to Lufthansa. By cooperating with Expedia, Lufthansa can actively participate in the future of online travel development" Through this agreement, travellers that visit the various international Expedia sites will have access to the savings and value that Lufthansa provides as well as special promotional offers. Lufthansa will also use the local Expedia websites to communicate detailed information on services and marketing offers to the millions of Expedia users.
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With a total of 4.087 million passengers carried on scheduled and charter services, the Austrian Airlines Group has for the first time been able to transport over 4 million people in the first six months of a year, thereby achieving a record result. For the first time, due to extensive product and marketing measures, the transportation figure for the six-month period was above the comparable period the previous year. While seat kilometres were reduced significantly by - 6.9 %, revenue passenger kilometres decreased by only 5.1 %. As a result, the passenger load factor has once again been increased, this time by 1.3 percentage points to a total figure of 70.7 %.
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Swiss International Air Lines Ltd. increased its share capital by CHF 5 508 050 to CHF 2 624 509 000 on July 16. The increase raised the total number of SWISS registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 50.- from 52 380 019 to 52 490 180. The 110 161 new shares will be tradeable on the SWX Swiss Exchange from Friday, July 19. The substantial capital increase currently under way was resolved by the Annual General Meeting of Crossair shareholders on December 6, 2001 to enable the development of the new SWISS airline. The company's share capital has since been increased in a number of increments. The latest tranche reflects the acquisition of equity holdings in SWISS by cantons Aargau, Grisons, Ticino and Uri. A total of CHF 6.2 million in new funds has accrued to the company through these transactions – CHF 5.5 million through the shares' nominal value and CHF 0.7 million in share premiums. A total of CHF 2.56 billion has now accrued to SWISS in the form of new shareholders' equity since December 2001.
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Royal Jordanian Airlines took delivery of the first of two leased Airbus A340-200s, marking an important new step in its fleet growth and modernisation. Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan attended the ceremony in Toulouse at which the A340-200 was handed over to Royal Jordanian President and CEO Samer Majali by Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard. Royal Jordanian will use its A340s, after receipt of the second aircraft, which will be handed over later this month, to inaugurate nonstop services to North America, as well as on flights to Asia.
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The Fairchild Corporation announced that it signed a definitive agreement to sell its Fairchild Fasteners business for approximately $657 million in cash to Alcoa Inc.. The actual cash to be received from Alcoa is dependent upon a post-closing adjustment based on net working capital at the closing date. Fairchild may also receive additional cash proceeds up to $50 million, in an earnout formula based on the number of Boeing and Airbus commercial aircraft deliveries during 2003-2006. The sale, which is expected to close before November 30, 2002, is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals and the approval of Fairchild's shareholders. Jeffrey Steiner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Fairchild Corporation, stated: "In these uncertain times, this sale will allow Fairchild to lessen our dependency on a single industry, significantly reduce our debt and provide funds for new acquisitions."
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The launch of Europe's first network of space incubators (ESINET) today was welcomed by the European Commission. The ESINET initiative was outlined in the EU-ESA (European Space Agency) agreement and results from a pilot project funded by the Commission within its 4th Research Framework Programme (1994-1998). Within the EU 6th Research Framework Programme, the Commission will allocate ¤1,075 billion to aerospace research and policy, and to encourage similar initiatives. Representatives of incubators from Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK and Ukraine participated in the Commission-sponsored launch event in Brussels.
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Management and employees of the company operating Frankfurt Airport intend to contribute to a sustainable increase of the value of the company. The name of the new Group-wide project is "WM (Value Management) 2005 - Creating Future Values" which was initiated by Fraport AG in autumn 2001 and will continue to 2005. The measures being currently implemented should effect an improvement of the results by at least euro 150 million in 2005. Johannes Endler, Member of the Fraport Executive Board in charge of Finance: "The objective is to achieve an EBITDA margin between 35 and 40 percent by 2005". For the years 2002 to 2004 Fraport expects a total of EBITDA improvements in the range of additional euro 150 million, of which at least euro 10 million are to be already accomplished by the end of this year. Dr. Wilhelm Bender, Chairman of the Executive Board of Fraport AG: "This underlines our confidence to generate an EBITDA of at least euro 500 million for 2002". During the past months all divisions of the Group were carefully examined to find possibilities to cut costs, optimize work procedures and to improve profit. This project, which consists of 21 partial projects, also focussed on strategic topics such as the review of the associated companies portfolio and a sharp look at all central functions. The result of this preliminary work was a package of 100 specific measures which are now being implemented step by step over the entire project period.
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Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin Corp., was recently awarded a $27 million contract to upgrade U.S. Customs Service (USCS) P-3B Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft numbers 1 through 4. Once upgraded, these AEW aircraft will have extensive commonality with the USCS P-3 "Slick" Interceptor aircraft, enhancing the ability of USCS aircrews to safely and effectively fly both aircraft interchangeably.
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As part of its commitment to the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, BAE Systems has today announced a planned £40 million investment into key JSF manufacturing and assembly facilities in the United Kingdom. The £40 million investment program will involve three BAE Systems sites in the North West and North East of the country - Samlesbury, Warton in Lancashire and Brough near Hull. The core investment, of more than £36 million will go into manufacturing floorspace and facilities at the Advanced Manufacturing site, and will include machine tools, enhanced composites capability as well as a new 5,000 square meter production assembly facility.
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Rockwell Collins is introducing its latest generation of liquid crystal displays. The new Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCDs), developed for the Boeing 747-400 Extended Range airplane, are currently undergoing flight tests with certification expected in September. Delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled for October. The 8 x 8-inch DU-7001 is based on Rockwell Collins' proven LCD technology. The new AMLCD features advanced graphics capabilities to support future options including Vertical Situation Display, airport surface maps and electronic checklists. With the addition of a video card the display can support advanced video capabilities such as synthetic vision or video surveillance systems. In addition to improved functionality, Rockwell Collins AMLCD offers evolutionary improvements in life cycle costs over traditional cathode ray tube displays.
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In response to the 48% rise in U.S. runway incursions recorded between 1997 and 2000, Amphitech International is currently developing a new aircraft-mounted millimeter wave radar. The new system - Runway Incursion Detection Radar (RIDR) - will be introduced at the Farnborough International Airshow. Use of this light, affordable, and effective radar will reduce the risk of runway incursion incidents.
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