FLUG REVUE update: Week ending 16 January 2005

UPDATE - Week ending 16 January 2005

+++ Huygens success on Titan +++ Negotiations on EU/US airliner subsidies dispute +++ New record: more than 50 million passengers fly Lufthansa +++ UPS orders 10 Airbus A380 freighters +++ Dreamliner fuselage section completed +++ DFS lowers air traffic control fees +++ Boeing drops 717 +++ News in brief +++

Huygens success on Titan
Triumph für den Huygens-Lander

On 14 January, after its seven-year journey through the Solar System on board the Cassini spacecraft, ESA's Huygens probe has successfully descended through the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, and safely landed on its surface. The first scientific data arrived at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, at 17:19 CET. Huygens is mankind's first successful attempt to land a probe on another world in the outer Solar System. "This is a great achievement for Europe and its US partners in this ambitious international endeavour to explore the Saturnian system," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's Director General.
Following its release from the Cassini mothership on 25 December, Huygens reached Titan's outer atmosphere after 20 days and a 4 million km cruise. The probe started its descent through Titan's hazy cloud layers from an altitude of about 1270 km at 11:13 CET. During the following three minutes Huygens had to decelerate from 18 000 to 1400 km per hour. A sequence of parachutes then slowed it down to less than 300 km per hour. At a height of about 160 km the probe's scientific instruments were exposed to Titan's atmosphere. At about 120 km, the main parachute was replaced by a smaller one to complete the descent, with an expected touchdown at 13:34 CET. Preliminary data indicate that the probe landed safely, likely on a solid surface.
The probe began transmitting data to Cassini four minutes into its descent and continued to transmit data after landing at least as long as Cassini was above Titan's horizon. The certainty that Huygens was alive came already at 11:25 CET today, when the Green Bank radio telescope in West Virginia, USA, picked up a faint but unmistakable radio signal from the probe. Radio telescopes on Earth continued to receive this signal well past the expected lifetime of Huygens. Huygens data, relayed by Cassini, were picked up by NASA's Deep Space Network and delivered immediately to ESA's European Space Operation Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, where the scientific analysis is currently taking place.

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Negotiations on EU/US airliner subsidies dispute
Subventionsstreit entschärft

The European Union and the United States have agreed on the terms for launching negotiations on subsidies affecting the civil aircraft sector. The objective of these negotiations, which will last three months, is to eliminate different types of subsidies and to establish fair market-based competition between Boeing and Airbus. With this agreement the EU and US have confirmed their willingness to resolve the dispute which has arisen between them over trade in large civil aircraft, and to devote time and resources to doing so by negotiation rather than pursuing the dispute through WTO panels. The negotiations are intended to cover the different types of support affecting the sector in a balanced manner, elaborating upon the scope of subisidies as defined by the WTO. The EU and the US have also agreed to seek early extension of the agreement between them to third countries, notably those involved in significant risk-sharing production for either Airbus or Boeing.
Peter Mandelson said: "I am glad that Bob Zoellick and I have been able to agree a way forward. I hope our negotiations in the next three months will lead to an agreement ending subsidies to development and production of large civil aircraft. When disputes arise in transatlantic trade relations we should try to solve them by dialogue and co-operation. The agreement creates a positive atmosphere for more work to strengthen the economic partnership between the EU and the US, which is vital for both of us. Airbus can justifiably be proud of the excellent range of aircraft it is producing, and is clearly capable of competing in the global market place."
AIA President and CEO John Douglass commented: "AIA is pleased to see the U.S. and EU trade representatives make efforts to resolve the large civil aircraft dispute at the negotiating table rather than turning to a more contentious WTO action. The specter of a trade war has considerably diminished with this decision, avoiding an outcome that would have damaged the industry on both sides of the Atlantic. We hope the negotiations are successful and will result in a level playing field with a meaningful end to subsidies."
In Europe, EADS CEOs Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich and BAE Systems CEO Mike Turner welcomed the announcement by European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to have agreed with the US to proceed with negotiations on a new agreement for government funding for aviation programmes. "We are delighted at this apparent breakthrough in the transatlantic discussions. It has always been preferable that any differences between the US and Europe on this matter be overcome through constructive discussion rather than through legal recourse. Today's decision is a very positive step forward but much work remains to be done in order to ensure a level playing field in the commercial aircraft market. It is a substantial endorsement of the European Union's negotiating team led by Mr. Mandelson. It is clearly in all parties' interests to find a robust and workable agreement for the long-term future of this crucial industry. EADS and BAE Systems are firm advocates of free and open competition in the aerospace and defence markets around the world, and we will do everything that we can to support the full resolution of outstanding issues on this matter over the coming months."

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New record: more than 50 million passengers fly Lufthansa
Lufthansa mit Passagierrekord

Lufthansa carried more than 50 million passengers in 2004. This is the highest annual figure ever achieved by the airline, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Targeted and demand-driven capacity management led to double-digit growth in all traffic regions and a marked improvement in capacity utilisation. From January to December 2004, 50.9 million passengers flew Lufthansa - twelve per cent more than in the prior year. Capacity was increased by 13.4 per cent. Revenue passenger kilometres rose by 14.7 per cent, for the first time exceeding the 100-billion-mark. Accordingly, the passenger load factor increased by 0.9 percentage points to 74.0 per cent. The economic recovery had a positive effect on the Group's cargo business. In 2004 Lufthansa Cargo transported 1.8 million tonnes of freight and mail, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.9 per cent. The cargo load factor also improved by 1.4 percentage points to 67.0 per cent. The Group's overall load factor (passenger and cargo business) climbed 1.3 percentage points to 71.1 per cent.

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UPS orders 10 Airbus A380 freighters
Neuer Kunde für A380-Frachter

Moving to expand the capacity of its air network to accommodate strong international growth, UPS announced a firm order for 10 A380 super-jumbo freighter aircraft made by Airbus. In a related decision, UPS and Airbus have agreed to amend a previous order for A300 aircraft. "The A380 will allow UPS to effectively meet the fast-growing demands of our customers across a variety of global trade lanes," said John Beystehner, UPS chief operating officer and president of UPS Airlines. "This plane offers an exciting combination of payload and range that will help improve both the capability and efficiency of our international network." Deliveries of UPS's A380s are scheduled to begin in 2009 and run through 2012. The order also gives UPS the option to purchase 10 more of the planes. The purchase price of the aircraft was not disclosed. UPS has not yet made an engine selection for the A380. Under the agreement regarding A300 aircraft, UPS is reducing its previous order for 90 planes to 53. To date, 40 A300s have been delivered and the remaining 13 will be delivered by July 2006.

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Dreamliner fuselage section completed
Erstes 7E7-Testteil gefertigt

Boeing has completed the first full-scale composite one-piece fuselage section for its new 7E7 Dreamliner program, demonstrating concepts for 7E7 production that begins next year. The structure, 22-feet (7-meters) long and nearly 19-feet (6-meters) wide, is the 7E7's first major development piece. "This is a piece of aviation history," said Walt Gillette, Boeing vice president of Engineering, Manufacturing and Partner Alignment. "Nothing like this is already in production. Hundreds of aerospace experts from Boeing and our partners developed everything, including the design, tools that served as the mold, programming for the composite lay-down, and tools that moved the structure into the autoclave. " He added that using composites "allowed us to create optimized structural designs and develop an efficient production process. We now see how all advanced airplanes will be built from this time forward."
The barrel section was built last month, after several months of development work. Building the piece, which includes stringers, started with computerized lay-down of composite tape on a huge mold. That mold was mounted on a tool that rotated the barrel as the tape was applied. The structure was then wrapped and placed in Boeing's autoclave for curing. The final step was unwrapping, inspection and tool removal. The team subsequently cut out windows and doors, and tested a painting process. It also ran numerous tests to verify structural integrity.

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DFS lowers air traffic control fees
Flugsicherungsgebühren gesenkt

On 1 January 2005 DFS (German air traffic control GmbH) lowered the fees for their air traffic control services by 20,2 per cent for en-route services and by 28,3 per cent for landing and takeoff. For the flight of a Boeing 737 from Hamburg to Munich for example an airline pays only 581 euro instead of so far 750 euro to the air traffic control. The flight of an airbus A340 from Frankfurt to New York shows 630 euro instead of 830 euro for the German portion of the distance. The DFS considers the weight and the distance flown of the respective machine for the computation of the fees. In 2004 the flight movements increased. The traffic volume rose by 6,7 per cent from 2.55 million to 2.72 million flight movements and grew thereby clearly over the European average (plus 4,8 per cent) and for the first time again over the year 2000.

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Boeing drops 717
717-Produktion wird eingestellt

On 14 January, Boeing announced it plans to recognize pre-tax charges totalling approximately $615 million, or $0.48 per share, related to the U.S. Air Force 767 Tanker program and expenses incurred to end production of the 717. The charges will be incorporated in the company's fourth-quarter and full-year 2004 results, scheduled to be released on Feb. 2, 2005. The charge related to the initial production of aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force is approximately $275 million pre-tax, or $0.21 per share, including expected supplier obligations. The charge, which is a result of the Company's regular quarter- and year-end reviews, reflects Boeing's updated assessment of securing the specific USAF 767 Tanker contract that was being negotiated, given the continued delay and now likely re-competition of the contract.
Another charge of approximately $340 million pre-tax, or $0.27 per share, is attributable to a decision to conclude production of the 717 commercial airplane in 2006 and includes expected supplier termination charges. Most of the cash expenditures related to the charge and an additional $45 million of period expenses associated with the shutdown are expected to occur in 2005 through 2007. "The 717 brings tremendous value to the airlines that operate it. Unfortunately, the overall market for the airplane does not support continuing 717 production beyond delivering on our current commitments," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

EADS North America will select a site for a Military Modification and Assembly Line (MMAL) for the production of aerial refuelling aircraft in the United States. This site would be the center of industrial activity for the KC-330 advanced tanker aircraft, which the company plans to offer the U.S. Air Force. It also will be the location of a new Airbus Long-Range Aircraft Engineering Center in the United States, with operation beginning in early 2006. A request for information (RFI) on potential center locations was issued to all 50 states by EADS North America. The RFI release initiates a site search process that will result in a selection in the fourth quarter of 2005. The company has chosen The Staubach Company, a national real estate firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas, to manage the site selection process.
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that Qantas Airways has placed a firm order for seven Bombardier Q400 high-speed turboprops on behalf of its QantasLink regional airline. The contract includes options and purchase rights on an additional ten Q400 aircraft. Qantas Airways is Australia's premier airline and with this order becomes the newest operator of the Bombardier Q400. The firm order contract is valued at approximately $168 million U.S. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2006. QantasLink currently operates 34 Bombardier aircraft with a route network that reaches from Tasmania in the south to Horn Island in the north, spanning about 3,400 kilometres - the longest regional airline route network in the world. The airline operates approximately 2,000 flights a week to 49 domestic destinations. The contract increases firm orders for the Bombardier Q400 to 121 aircraft.
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Boeing and Bavaria International Aircraft Leasing have reached an agreement for six more Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 airplanes, valued at $330 million at list prices. In addition, Bavaria International has taken options on six airplanes. Delivery of the airplanes begins in 2005 and extends through 2007. All six airplanes were previously accounted for in 2004 Boeing order tallies, although not announced. Bavaria currently has leased to operators a variety of other Boeing aircraft, including 10 737-300s, four 737-700s and five 717-200s. Based in Munich, Germany, Bavaria is a wholly owned subsidiary of the privately owned Schörghuber Group. China Southern Group Xinjiang Airlines, based in Urumqi, China, will operate two of the new 737s. It already operates four 737-700s, two of which are leased from Bavaria.
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Germany's largest passenger and cargo airport, enjoyed unprecedented traffic demand in 2004 - a year of records. In December 2004, Frankfurt Airport welcomed its 50 millionth passenger. Closing the year with some 51.1 million passengers, FRA recorded a 5.7 percent jump in traffic compared to 2003 - a new annual passenger record and milestone in the airport's history. Intercontinental flights served as the growth engine for FRA's passenger traffic, particularly connections to North America, the Middle East, and the Far East. In the Asian market, destinations in India and China experienced the strongest growth. FRA achieved double-digit growth in airfreight tonnage in 2004. The record figure of 1.75 million metric tons represents a 13.1 percent increase compared to 2003. Dynamic demand in traffic to and from Asian growth markets, in particular, played a major role in driving this growth, as well as the cargo volume to destinations in South America and North Africa. Frankfurt Airport had a new daily cargo record on December 12, 2004, when some 7,897 metric tons were handled. FRA's airmail tonnage dropped further to about 117,800 metric tons in 2004, down 7.0 percent compared to 2003. Aircraft movements increased 4.1 percent last year to nearly 477,500 take-offs and landings. Maximum Take-off Weights (MTOWs) rose by 7.2 percent to more than 27.2 million metric tons in 2004. This means that large aircraft were deployed overproportionately.
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2004 was another landmark year for Airbus, a year in which the manufacturer once more maintained its position as Number one, both in terms of orders and deliveries. With 320 aircraft delivered, Airbus exceeded expectations at the beginning of the year when it had indicated that the 2004 deliveries would be "at best" as high as in 2003, when it delivered 305 aircraft. The 320 deliveries also make up some 53 per cent of all deliveries of aircraft above 100 seats, and lead to a turnover of slightly over Euros 20 billion. Deliveries included 233 A320 Family aircraft, 37 A300-600 Freighters and A330-200s, and 50 A330-300s and A340s. In terms of orders, Airbus also maintained its lead, with 370 new firm orders valued at USD 34 billion, and representing 57 percent of the market in terms of units. Over the year Airbus registered only four cancellations, which do not impact the market share. These results compare to 284 new firm gross orders in 2003. With 279 orders and a 64 percent share of the market, the Airbus Single Aisle Family is definitely the reference, whether with full service or low cost carriers. In this latter category, Airbus won seven new customers and a number of repeat orders. In the widebody long range category, the A330/A340 Family also continued in the lead with 56 firm orders representing 57 percent of all orders placed in the 330-375 seat category. In particular, the A340-500 entered service with Singapore Airlines, enabling for the first time ever non stop connections between Los Angeles and New York to Singapore. Finally, Airbus also outperformed its predictions of getting one additional customer per year for the A380 in the period prior to its delivery, by actually gaining two new customers for the A380: Etihad Airways and Thai Airways International ordered four and six of the new double decker respectively, bringing the total firm orders to 139 from 13 customers.
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Founded last autumn, Fraport Ground Services USA, Inc. commenced operations at Jacksonville Airport (JAX) at the beginning of January 2005. This wholly owned subsidiary of Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide is responsible for baggage handling within the terminal at JAX. Discussions with various airlines are in progress for the eventual take over of complete ground handling services for passengers and aircraft - on the ramp as well as in the terminal. Currently, Fraport Ground Services USA, Inc. has about 30 employees and is headed by a three-person management team, including two specialists assigned from Fraport's home base at Frankfurt Airport. Jacksonville Airport handles about five million passengers per year, mainly business travelers visiting this thriving port city on the northeast Atlantic coast of Florida. Numerous major U.S. carriers serve the Jacksonville market, with Southwest and Delta Air Lines being especially active. Jacksonville will be welcoming additional visitors when the city hosts Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, the championship game of American professional football. As many as 100,000 air passengers are expected for the
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In 2004, the total number of passengers in Copenhagen Airport reached 19 million corresponding to an increase of 7.5% compared with 2003. For December 2004, the total number of passengers in Copenhagen Airport shows an increase of 6.3% compared with December 2003.
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CHC Helicopter Corporation has completed the sale of Schreiner Canada Ltd, for net proceeds of CDN$6.8 million in cash, to Meggitt Trading Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Meggitt PLC. Schreiner Canada, a non-core component of the Schreiner business segment, assembles, services and operates unmanned air, ground and sea vehicles and targets for training military forces and the defence industry from its base in Medicine Hat, AB, Canada.
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Rowan Companies, Inc. has completed the sale of 100% of the common stock of Era Aviation, a wholly-owned subsidiary, to SEACOR Holdings Inc., effective on December 31, 2004. The purchase price is approximately $118.1 million in cash, subject to post-closing working capital adjustments. Era is a leading provider of helicopter services for oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska and also conducts firefighting, flightseeing and utility activities in the Western U.S. and Alaska. Era also operates a fixed wing commuter airline and charter business in Alaska. Era employs approximately 900 personnel and owns a fleet of 81 helicopters and 16 fixed wing aircraft.
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Arianespace is committed to remaining the commercial space launch services leader with its focus on finding solutions that meet the ever-evolving needs of a highly competitive marketplace. This was one of the main themes expressed by CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall during remarks to international reporters at the company's annual New Year's press conference today in Paris. In announcing contracts for five additional payloads booked by Arianespace at the close of last year, Le Gall said the company enters 2005 in a strong position, which is supported by a solid backlog of satellites to be orbited, a family of competitive launch vehicles, and a reinforced financial position. "The market has changed, and we have adapted," Le Gall told reporters. "When customers sign a launch services contract today, they want to work with a company that is flexible enough to meet situations that may change or evolve. We have understood this, which is why we effectively re-invented Arianespace." Arianespace's response to an increasingly challenging marketplace includes the development of a highly competitive launcher family composed of the Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega - all to be operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana. The five payloads booked late last year - and announced today at the Paris press conference - brings to 12 the total of additional spacecraft signed during 2004 for future Arianespace launches. As a result, Arianespace's backlog now stands at 40 satellites to be orbited. Of this total, 35 are Ariane 5 missions to be performed from the Spaceport - of which nine are with the ATV resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station. Of the remaining Arianespace backlog payloads, three are assigned to Soyuz missions performed from the Spaceport, with the other two to be carried on Soyuz flights from Baikonur Cosmodrome. In addition, Arianespace affiliate company Starsem has a backlog of five other satellites to be launched on commercial Soyuz vehicles under its responsibility.
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With 12.037.790 guests in 2004, Air Berlin continued to develop its position as second largest German airline behind Lufthansa. Compared to 2003 (9.6 million passengers) this is an increase of around 25,4 per cent. Among the European Low Fare airlines Air Berlin ranks at place three. The turnover increased by 18,9 per cent to 1.051 billion Euro. Regarding profits, enterprise, which is in the possession of five private individuals, gives no data. The acting partner Joachim Hunold explained in Berlin: "We obtained a positive result. If the kerosene price had not so astronomically risen, we would have made even a far higher profit for 2004." 57 per cent (2003: 46,8 %) of the Air Berlin ticket were single place sales. The remaining places were bought by tour operators. The increase of the passenger numbers is due particularly to the success of the air Berlin city shuttle, which connects ten German airports with metropolises such as London, Vienna, Zurich, Milan, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona and Budapest. Second pillar of the business is the Mallorca shuttle. One of Europe most important holiday airports, Air Berlin is the market leader. The number of passengers carried to and from Palma de Mallorca was increased again in 2004 by 21,15 per cent from 2,84 to 3.45 million. From Palma air offers Berlin shuttle connections to ten Spanish and three Portuguese destinations as well as to London, Zurich and Vienna. In Spain air Berlin is the largest foreign airline. Air Berlin could obtain particularly high growth rates in the past year at the airports Duesseldorf (around 81 per cent to 1,4 million passengers), Vienna (around 57 % to 690.000), Zurich (around 65 % to 524.000), Hurghada (around 63 % to 347.000), Munich (around 33,5 % to 306.000) and Barcelona (around 58 % to 300.000). The average age of the fleet is at three years. In the current year seven machines are to come, among them starting from autumn first two of altogether 60 firmly ordered the Airbus A320-Jets. The number of the workers rose 2004 by around 150 to 2.300. For 2005 the addition of 350 workers is intended.
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Eclipse Aviation announced that its first Eclipse 500 certification flight test aircraft has successfully completed two flights in the aircraft's first day of flight testing on 31 December. At 10:16 a.m. (MST), aircraft N503EA, powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PW610F turbofan engines, took off from the Albuquerque International Sunport for its maiden flight, which lasted one hour and 29 minutes. After a thorough inspection by flight test engineers, N503EA was cleared and departed again at 3:59 p.m. for its second flight of the day. The second flight lasted 54 minutes. The aircraft successfully completed all maneuvers in the test area during the flights. The Eclipse 500 is the first very light jet (VLJ) to fly with an FAA conforming configuration. N503EA was piloted by tests pilots Bill Bubb and Brian Mathy. The pilots climbed the aircraft to 16,800 feet and reached 200 knots during the first day of flight tests, while completing all scheduled test points to test basic maneuverability and various aircraft systems. N503EA is fully equipped with mechanical systems including pressurization, climate control and ice protection as well as with the Avio Total Aircraft Integration system. The flights were conducted in a designated test zone located south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that Field Aviation Company inc. of Toronto has contracted to acquire three Bombardier Q300 aircraft for conversion to the maritime surveillance mission for the Swedish Coast Guard. Field Aviation is the prime contractor to the Swedish Coast Guard for its next-generation fisheries and environmental surveillance system. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems of Greenville, Texas will provide sensors and sensor integration. Deliveries to the Coast Guard are scheduled for 2007. The sensor package includes surveillance radar, forward looking infra-red (FLIR), side looking radar (SLAR), infra-red ultraviolet line scanning, radio wave micromometer and other systems for environmental monitoring.
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Boeing and Emirates said the Dubai-based airline is ordering 30 Boeing Electronic Flight Bags for its 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes, making the airline the largest customer for that Boeing-supplied system Emirates also is becoming the largest customer for Boeing's Terminal Wireless technology, which allows it to send broadband data to and from airplanes from touchdown to takeoff. The EFB and Terminal Wireless make Emirates a leader in moving toward an e-Enabled air transport system.
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"Air-to-air missiles may have played only a minor role in the recent fighting in Iraq, but they remain crucial to any wartime effort for achieving air superiority," says Larry Dickerson, Missile Analyst for Forecast International. According to Dickerson, "The lack of headline-grabbing aerial engagements in the skies over Iraq does not mean air-to-air missiles have lost their appeal." Air-to-air missiles will generate $13.8 billion in revenues over the next 10 years for the world's top defense firms. More than 51,000 missiles will be produced through 2014. "The leading air-to-air missile firms will be Raytheon and MBDA," said Dickerson. "Sales of the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM will generate $3.4 billion for Raytheon. MBDA is not far behind with about $2.89 billion in projected revenue from air-to-air missiles," he said. MBDA's product line includes the MICA and ASRAAM. In the future, MBDA will begin offering the next-generation Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The firm hopes to break Raytheon's grip on the medium-range segment of this market. Raytheon's AMRAAM has out sold all its competitors.
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The U.S. Army has executed a letter of agreement with Taiwan, setting the stage for the sale of more than 400 AGM-114M blast-fragmentation Hellfire rounds under a foreign military sales contract. The value of the Taiwan order is in the range of $50 million. The Taiwanese Hellfire purchase comprises the largest part of the U.S. government's Hellfire missile Buy 10 contract award to Lockheed Martin The new contract equates to approximately six months of activity on the Hellfire production line at Lockheed Martin's manufacturing plant in Troy, AL.
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NASA will continue to operate the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft through spring 2005. TRMM has yielded significant scientific research data over the past seven years to users around the globe, four years beyond its original design life. TRMM data has aided the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other users in their scientific research, understanding of rainfall and storm prediction, and by demonstrating its benefits in operational forecasts. The extension followed release of interim report recommendations from the National Academy of Science's (NAS) Committee on the Future of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. The Committee "strongly recommended continued operation of TRMM, at least until such time as a decision on controlled reentry becomes unavoidable."
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NASA lit a birthday candle for its twin Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity. The Spirit rover begins its second year on Mars investigating puzzling rocks unlike any found earlier. The rovers successfully completed their three-month primary missions in April. They astound even their designers with how well they continue operating. The unanticipated longevity is allowing both rovers to reach additional destinations and to keep making discoveries. Spirit landed on Jan. 3 and Opportunity Jan. 24, 2004, respectively. "You could have cut the tension here with a knife the night Spirit landed," said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe. "Just remembering the uncertainty involved with the landing emphasizes how exciting it is for all of us, since the rovers are still actively exploring. The rovers created an amazing amount of public interest and have certainly helped advance the Vision for Space Exploration," he said. The twin Mars explorers have drawn the most hits to NASA Web sites -- more than 9 billion in 2004. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Director Dr. Charles Elachi said, "Little did we know a year ago that we'd be celebrating a year of roving on Mars. The success of both rovers is tribute to hundreds of talented men and women who have put their knowledge and labor into this team effort."
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Lockheed Martin received a $10.7 million contract from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) to provide the Gunship Multispectral Sensor System (GMS2) for the U.S. Air Force's AC-130U aircraft. The initial contract is for the system's development phase with production options that could result in a total program value of $35 million. GMS2 will serve as the multi-spectral sensor for the four new AC-130U Gunships being procured by the Air Force, and replaces the All Light Level TV (ALLTV) sensor currently on the AC-130U. GMS2 integrates third-generation infrared sensing technology with image intensified low-light TV cameras and a suite of lasers to enable the AC-130U to perform its Gunship missions with far greater effectiveness. Boeing IDS is the prime contractor for the AC-130U upgrade program. The Lockheed Martin GMS2 is a variant of the Hawkeye Target Sight System, which is now in flight testing on the U.S. Marine Corps' AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter.
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Bell Helicopter's Customer Training Academy began classes on January 10 at its newly opened facilities at Alliance Airport, Fort Worth, Texas. Bell's Customer Training Academy, in operation for nearly 60 years is the world's foremost civilian training school for helicopter pilots and maintenance personnel. Since 1947 when the company began instructing pilots to fly the Bell 47 helicopter the CTA has trained over 90,000 students from more than 100 nations. While the Bell CTA is a civilian school, the company has also trained tens of thousands of military personnel over the years. "The Bell Customer Training Academy, with its state-of-the-art facilities and world-class instructors is an enormously important part of our goal to be the world's premier aircraft manufacturer," noted Bell Helicopter CEO Mike Redenbaugh.
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After a career featuring six space missions, five as commander, and multiple senior agency management positions, astronaut James D. Wetherbee (Capt., USN, Ret.) retired from NASA to pursue other interests.Wetherbee flew six times aboard the Space Shuttle. He is the only U.S. astronaut to command five space flights. Most recently, Wetherbee served as the Space Shuttle Lead in the Independent Technical Authority at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC). Earlier positions included service as Technical Assistant to the Director of JSC's Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, two years as Director of Flight Crew Operations at JSC and five years as the Deputy Director of JSC.
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John Howarth, Merlin Programme Manager and Deputy Team Leader, at the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), officially switched on the EH101 Helicopter Electro-Mechanical Actuation Technology (HEAT) Integration Rig at AgustaWestland's Yeovil facility in the UK. The event marked a major milestone in the development of this technology, which will lead to a flying demonstration programme on a Royal Navy EH101 Merlin helicopter. The HEAT system provides, for the first time on a helicopter, an all-electric primary flight control system including electro-mechanical actuators. It also enables the primary and secondary hydraulic systems, accessory gearbox and much of the mechanical flight control system to be deleted from the helicopter, thereby simplifying the aircraft configuration. The benefits of the system include reduced weight and cost of ownership while increasing reliability, survivability and safety. HEAT will also facilitate embodiment of Advanced Control Technology capabilities, including use of active side-stick controllers, and represents a major step towards an "all-electric" rotorcraft. At the rig switch-on, John Howarth said "This is a good example of industrial partners and the MoD working together to develop and demonstrate a world-leading technology to advance the capability of existing and future rotorcraft".
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EADS will again deliver on its performance promises when it announces its 2004 results on March 9th. EADS CEO Philippe Camus hosted a New Year's press conference in Paris on Thursday. He reported that EADS' set of estimated figures for 2004 financial performance exceeds the latest targets released by the company on 4 November 2004. "Preliminary estimates show that the company has exceeded financial targets for the fifth closing in a row", a statement by EADS CEOs Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich said. 2004 EBIT is estimated to be in excess of 2.3 billion euros, compared to the earlier target of 2.2 billion euros, putting the 2004 EBIT margin at over 7 percent, well above the 5.1 percent achieved in 2003 and on the right path to the 10 percent operating margin goal. (EADS uses EBIT pre goodwill amortization and exceptionals as a key indicator to measure the economic performance of the Group.) The difference from earlier forecasts mainly reflects the higher number of Airbus deliveries (320 units, previous target based on 315 units) and the good performance of the Defence and Security Systems Division. EADS' 2004 estimated revenues are around 32 billion euros, based on an average currency exchange market rate 1 euro = US$ 1.24.
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A Boeing Delta II rocket launched a NASA spacecraft on 12 January that will collide with a comet, causing a crater that will enable scientists to learn more about comets and their role in the formation of the Universe. The "Deep Impact" spacecraft was launched by a Delta II 7925-9.5 launch vehicle. Lift-off occurred at 1:47:08 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 17B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The flight lasted approximately 34-minutes, placing Deep Impact into a trajectory path with the comet "Tempel 1." Deep Impact will release a projectile or "impactor" that will collide with Tempel 1 in July 2005. The impactor has an autonomous guidance system, propulsion system and onboard cameras to keep it on course after its release from the mother ship, that will fly by Tempel 1 to take images of the comet after impact. "What a great way to start our year off with a bang," said Dan Collins, vice president, Boeing Expendable Launch Systems. "This exciting mission will reveal more information about how the Universe was formed."
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Boeing and the U.S. Army signed a $549 million contract for 17 new-build CH-47F Chinook helicopters. "The contract underscores the importance of the Chinook to U.S. Army aviation and validates the steps we've taken to improve the aircraft's cost, quality and performance," said Jack Dougherty, Chinook program manager. "Our ability to respond rapidly to customer needs has made the Chinook more attractive in domestic and international markets." The contract, the largest Chinook order by any domestic or international customer since the mid-1980s. It includes seven aircraft authorized in December 2003 as part of the FY '03 supplemental defense appropriation bill and 10 aircraft approved in the current fiscal year defense budget. Manufacturing preparations have continued since the FY '03 authorization under an undefinitized contract agreement. Deliveries of the 17 new-build Chinooks will begin in September 2006 and continue through the end of 2008.
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Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract by Nordic Satellite AB (NSAB) to build their next geostationary direct broadcast satellite, designated SIRIUS 4. NSAB is 75%-owned by SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG). From its final orbital location at 5 degrees East, SIRIUS 4 will provide distribution of direct-to-home broadcast and interactive services across Scandinavia, Europe and Africa following its scheduled launch in the first half of 2007. Contract terms were not disclosed. Based on Lockheed Martin's award-winning A2100AX platform, SIRIUS 4 features 52 active Ku-band high-power and two active Ka-band transponders. SIRIUS 4 is expected to provide more than 15 years of service life. Lockheed Martin is currently also building two satellites for SES ASTRA: ASTRA-1KR and ASTRA-1L, which are planned for launch in September 2005 and the fourth quarter of 2006, respectively.
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Increased internationalization is the focus of change in Saab management. As part of this process, Gripen International's current Managing Director Ian McNamee has been appointed to Saab's Group management. Johan Lehander will be the new MD for Gripen International. Senior VP Communication Iréne Svensson will be responsible for Saab's new establishment in Brussels. Gripen International has been a business unit within Saab since January 1 this year. The new head of the unit will be Johan Lehander, who is acting head of Saab Aerosystems. Johan will focus on continuing Gripen export and the coordination potential that exists between the Swedish Gripen program and export activities.
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Over the next 10 years, defense departments are expected to spend some $28.5 billion on key electronic warfare (EW) systems, according to "The Market for Electronic Warfare Systems," a new analysis produced by Forecast International. "With a renewed interest in the U.S. on upgrading critical jamming systems and developing the aircraft self-protection systems of tomorrow, this analysis is illustrative of a vital and dynamic segment of the defense industry," says the report's author, Andrew Dardine, Senior Aerospace & Defense Electronics Analyst with Forecast International. "Much needed systems are currently being made at a steady pace for active military forces. Besides the jammer systems, these systems include various radar warning receivers (RWRs) and electronic support measures (ESM) systems." he added. The U.S. Navy's EA-6B, its interim replacement the EA-18G, and its eventual, permanent replacement, a variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), are expected to receive a large share of funding for EW development. Over the next 10 years some 81 Northrop Grumman ALQ-218 RWRs will be produced for the EA-6B application, having an estimated value of $409.9 million. Concurrently, 84 systems are expected to be produced for the EA-18G over the same time period, having a value of $546 million.
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Mr. Willie O'Dea TD, Irish Minister for Defence, signed the contract for four Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company AB139 helicopters for the Irish Air Corps today at Casement Airbase, Baldonnel. The Irish Department of Defence has selected the AB139 helicopter for their utility helicopter requirement including troop transport duties, air ambulance, inland search and rescue and VIP transport, after a full evaluation programme. In addition to the selection by the Irish Department of Defence, a number of government agencies around the world are showing a keen interest in the AB139 helicopter, whose modern design and certification standards, combined with its exceptional power-to-weight ratio and high-speed capability, make it ideally suited for law enforcement.
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Raytheon´s Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) has delivered ahead of schedule its first revolutionary APG-79 radar to Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in St. Louis. This low rate initial production (LRIP) delivery is the first of 415 radars to be delivered to Boeing for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, with the goal of operational readiness by September 2006. The APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system provides aircrew with greater capabilities than ever before. Aside from increased reliability, the radar provides improved situational awareness through its ability to conduct both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations almost simultaneously at greater distances.
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The rehearsal for Arianespace's upcoming Flight 164 was completed on January 12, and measurements collected during the countdown are now being analyzed. Launch preparations are continuing at the Guiana Space Center, leading up to the planned liftoff on Friday, February 11, 2005.
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Selenia Communications, previously Marconi Selenia Communcations, a Finmeccanica company specializing in electronics and communications, is introducing into the U.S. military and civil marketplace a new advanced technology product enabling helicopters to fly more safely. Based on sophisticated laser and imaging technology, the Selenia Laser Obstacle Avoidance (LOA-1000) system directs helicopters away from dangerous obstacles. The number one cause of helicopter crashes are wirestrikes. One of the main advantages of a helicopter is its capability to hover, fly low, and operate in restricted areas. A variety of military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and medical evacuation helicopters daily operate over most major cities and routinely work in a very hostile environment of wires, cables, bridges, and buildings. Between 1990-2003 NASA and Helicopter Association International data show there were 289 reported helicopter wirestrikes in the United States alone.
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An F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew from the 494th Fighter Squadron took part in a flight that marked an evolution in weapons technology when it used a Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod on the aircraft Jan. 7. An F-15E weapons system officer can now independently launch satellite-guided weapons on targets. Previously, such launches required ground support coordinates. "The pod has been a long time coming," said Capt. Sean Lowe, the weapon system officer who tested the pod during the flight. "It enhances the WSO's skills and the Strike Eagle's capabilities." The sniper pod also enhances the F-15E's capability by decreasing the time it takes to hit a target after identification, said Col. Kent Laughbaum, 48th Operations Group commander. The sniper pod receives target coordinates directly from a satellite and communicates the information to the munition.
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Lockheed Martin has sold its 42 percent stake in the joint venture company TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) to Turkish Aircraft Industries, Inc. (TUSAS). Terms were not disclosed. The sale recognizes that the joint venture met Turkey's goal of establishing an indigenous aerospace manufacturing capability and that TAI has matured to operations as a stand-alone company. TAI was established in 1984 as a joint venture company supporting the industrial participation program for Turkey's purchase of F-16 aircraft. Under the original charter, Lockheed Martin (then General Dynamics) owned 42 percent, General Electric owned 7 percent and Turkish interests owned 51 percent of TAI. GE is also selling its shares to TUSAS at this time. The Turkish owners are acquiring the U.S. owned shares as part of Turkey's plan to consolidate its defense industry into a single company. TAI produced 240 F-16 aircraft for Turkey during the 1980s and 1990s and assembled 46 F-16s for the Egyptian Air Force. Building on these operations, the company expanded its activities to include aerostructures manufacturing and production of other fixed and rotary wing aircraft, in addition to aerospace design and development.
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The third year of existence of the TUI discount airline Hapag-Lloyd Express (HLX) has gotten off to a resounding start. The airline has already registered over 600,000 reservations for its currently scheduled flights, which represents an increase of 15 per cent over last year. "The way things look now, we're well positioned to achieve our goal of 3.8 million passengers for 2005, which would be the first time we've broken even for an entire year," notes Roland Kepler who replaced Wolfgang Kurth as company chairman on Jan. 1. Last year 2.7 million passengers (up 38 per cent from the previous year) opted for the budget flights offered by HLX. The company reached the breakeven point for the first time in the third quarter of last year. Great Britain and Ireland are currently among the most promising European growth markets for HLX. Last year the airline carried nearly 200,000 passengers between the British Isles and Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart. HLX currently offers flights to and from Newcastle, Coventry, Manchester, Dublin and Shannon. HLX currently flies to and from 28 destinations in nine European countries.
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QinetiQ CEO Sir John Chisholm has urged the UK DTI to develop programmes for the long term strategic direction of the aerospace industry, ensuring that the UK holds its place as the second largest aerospace technology developer and manufacturer in the world. Giving evidence to the Commons' Trade and Industry Select Committee inquiry into the competitiveness of the UK aerospace industry, Sir John said that while QinetiQ supported the DTI Technology Programme, the scheme as it operates did not cover the larger-scale R&D projects that were essential for the continuing development and exploitation in the UK of world-leading technologies. "It can take up to 15 years for new technologies to be pulled through into the market, but the benefits, when the technology is fully developed, can be widespread," said Sir John. "The aerospace business is powerful vehicle for pulling through numerous technologies which in turn feed into other industries. It would be difficult, for example, to imagine the existence of the multi-billion pound Formula 1 motor racing business in this country without the innovative influence of aerospace technology. It is this powerful ripple effect throughout the UK economy which makes the industry so important and this is one of the reasons why investment needs to be long term."
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On 13 January, the second prototype of the Pilatus PC-21 crashed at Buochs, killing the pilot and seriously injuring a woman at the edge of the airfield. The PC-21 was training for a show performance when it came in too low and hit the ground.
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