+++ EADS records quarterly loss +++ Boeing wins CSAR-X +++ Saab tests IRIS-T for Sweden +++ FedEx goes for 777F and cancels A380 +++ BA609: second prototype achieves first flight +++ News in brief +++
EADS records quarterly loss
A380-Probleme schlagen auf Bilanz durch
From January to September 2006, EADS increased its revenues across all Divisions by 17 percent to EUR 27.5 billion (9m 2005: EUR 23.4 billion). The Group achieved an EBIT (pre-goodwill and exceptionals) of EUR 1.4 billion (9m 2005: EUR 2.1 billion), a reduction attributable to the A380 delays and the US Dollar devaluation against the Euro. “EADS financials remain sound based on good performance of the Airbus delivery programmes and the helicopter, defence and space businesses. Nevertheless, the struggle to reverse the A380 problems imposes a severe burden on our financial performance,” said EADS CEOs Tom Enders and Louis Gallois. “This together with the Dollar devaluation requires drastic measures to remain competitive. Therefore the 'Power8' programme in Airbus and structural streamlining of the Group has top priority.”
The rescheduling of the A380 delivery plan in early October overshadowed the progress in the A380 type certification process as well as Airbus' record nine-month deliveries of 320 aircraft. Louis Gallois assumed the additional responsibility of the Airbus CEO to drive forward the further development of Airbus, conduct the new programmes requested by the market, and carry out the “Power8” cost and cash saving programme together with a more efficient integration at Airbus and EADS levels. All Divisions contributed to the strong increase in revenues. Airbus and Eurocopter benefited from a significant increase in deliveries of commercial aircraft and series helicopters. The Defence & Security Systems Division's growth was supported by the expansion of the digital radio network business.
In the first nine months EADS' EBIT was EUR 1.4 billion (9m 2005: EUR 2.1 billion). EBIT suffered from already announced A380 delay impacts, a less favourable hedge rate and higher Research & Development (R&D) expenses at Airbus. Hedges were maturing at an average rate of EUR 1 = US$ 1.11 (9m 2005: EUR 1 = US$ 1.04). Additionally, losses at EADS Sogerma Services weighed down the Group's EBIT. EADS' reduced Net Income of EUR 848 million (9m 2005: EUR 1,271 million), or EUR 1.06 per share (9m 2005: EUR 1.60) mainly mirrors the Group's EBIT development. In the first nine months of 2006, EADS' order intake amounted to EUR 25.7 billion (9m 2005: EUR 38.8 billion). Eurocopter (order intake up 87 percent) and the Space Division (order intake up 130 percent) benefited from a very strong commercial momentum.
Based on the expectation of 430 Airbus aircraft deliveries in 2006 and strong contributions from its helicopters, defence and space businesses EADS is set to achieve revenues of well above EUR 37 billion for the full year as announced on 27 July 2006. EADS withdrew its previously provided 2006 EBIT and Free Cash Flow guidance on 3 October 2006. As already announced, EADS will not issue an updated 2006 outlook until further notice.
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Boeing wins CSAR-X
USAF wählt HH-47
The Honorable Michael W. Wynne, Secretary of the Air Force, announced the selection of Boeing Helicopter, Ridley Park, Pa. to provide the new Combat Search and Rescue Replacement Vehicle, also known as CSAR-X. The announcement comes at the end of a fair and open competition, and thorough evaluation of multiple proposals allowing the Air Force to fulfill its number two acquisition priority. "The Air Force is the only service with forces dedicated to the critical mission of combat search and rescue," said Gen Moseley. "We take that mission seriously and this new CSAR platform will greatly benefit all service members who perform vital work deep in hostile, uncertain or enemy territory." The primary mission of the CSAR-X will be to recover downed aircrew and isolated personnel in a combat environment. Rescue forces may also conduct missions such as non-conventional assisted recovery, evacuations of non-combatants, civil search and rescue, international aid, emergency medical evacuation, disaster/humanitarian relief, and insertion/extraction of combat forces. The CSAR-X will be designed to deploy quickly and to operate out of austere locations worldwide. Additionally, the Combat Search and Rescue mission requires the helicopter to operate in the day or night during adverse weather conditions and in a variety of spectrums of warfare to include Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) environments. On-board defensive capabilities with armor will permit the CSAR-X to operate and survive in a higher threat environment than legacy systems. The CSAR-X program office plans to procure 141 HH-47 aircraft with associated training and logistics support. The Air Force plans to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) with its first ten new CSAR aircraft by the end of 2012.
Boeing said: "The CSAR award is a vote of confidence by the Air Force in the ability of Boeing to provide them the rotorcraft they need for this very important mission," said Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. "Backed by our decades of experience in rotorcraft design, production and systems integration, the HH-47 will rapidly deploy versatile rescue capability to even the most challenging combat rescue situations." The CSAR program calls for initial operational capability of the HH-47 aircraft in 2012. "Boeing is delighted that the Air Force has selected the HH-47 for its new Combat Search and Rescue platform," said Mike Tkach, vice president and general manager of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. "We believe our proposal provided the best combination of capability and cost."
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Saab tests IRIS-T for Sweden
Flugversuche an der Gripen
Saab has successfully carried out the first flight tests with the air-to-air missile IRIS-T to verify the function between the missile and the Gripen aircraft. IRIS-T enhances Gripen's close combat capability, which is an important component for Gripen during future international operations. "The trials are an important milestone in the Gripen program. IRIS-T is a European collaboration and development project within the missile area, where Saab has a leading role for the integration of complex future missile systems", says Henrik Höjer, responsible for the Gripen program within Saab Aerosystems.
The IRIS-T is an air-to-air missile used by new generation fighters during aerial combat and will replace the American Sidewinder in the near future. The development of IRIS-T is being undertaken as an international industrial project with the participation of Germany, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Norway and Spain. The IRIS-T missile will be introduced as standard weapon system for close-in combat and self-defence of modern fighter aircraft in the air forces of the world. A total of over 4000 IRIS-T missiles will be produced over the coming years.
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FedEx goes for 777F
A380-Frachter abbestellt
FedEx Express announced an agreement with Boeing to acquire 15 new Boeing 777 Freighter aircraft with options to purchase an additional 15 aircraft. The decision to purchase the 777F was made after Airbus announced significant delays in delivery of the A380. FedEx Express notified Airbus that it has cancelled its order for 10 A380-800Fs. "Global demand for air cargo and express services continues to grow rapidly and FedEx has made significant investments in our network to meet customers' needs and fulfill our business objectives. Therefore, it was necessary and prudent for us to acquire the Boeing 777 Freighter." said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer, FedEx Corp. “The availability and delivery timing of this aircraft, coupled with its attractive payload range and economics, make this choice the best decision for FedEx, its customers, shareowners and employees.” FedEx Express continues to be Airbus' largest wide-body airplane customer and will add additional new and used Airbus wide-body aircraft to its fleet in coming years. Six new A300-600 aircraft are scheduled to join the FedEx fleet in 2007.
Boeing said: "We're looking forward to working with FedEx on this new chapter in our relationship. The 777F will have unmatched capacity for a twin-engine freighter and is a perfect complement to the existing FedEx fleet of aircraft," said Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for the Americas. The 777F, the world's longest-range twin-engine freighter, is based on the 777-200LR Worldliner (Longer Range) passenger airplane. Over the life of the 777 program, 44 customers worldwide have placed 866 orders for all versions of the 777. Since its launch in 2005, the 777 Freighter program has won orders for 38 aircraft from five customers.
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BA609: second prototype achieves first flight
Zweiter Kipprotor fliegt in Italien
The Bell/Agusta BA609 a/c 60002 performed its first flight on November 9th at AgustaWestland's facility located on the Italian Air Force airfield at Cameri, Italy. The first flight was completed successfully at 15.07 with Mr. Pietro Venanzi, Pilot and Mr. Herb Moran, Co-pilot onboard. The rotorcraft performed left and right peddle turns, forward and aft flight maneuvers, several take-offs and landings, nacelle position changes and stability testing during the flight which lasted 52 minutes. Further flight test activities will take place during the next months in accordance with the test plan. BA609 a/c 60003 is already at the AgustaWestland facility in Cameri and a/c 60004 is on the assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas. Bell/Agusta will produce a total of four prototype tiltrotor aircraft for flight-testing in the U.S. and Italy. BA609 a/c 60001 is continuing to undergo flight test activities at Bell's Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas. To date it has accumulated over 100 hours of flight test time and has operated at 25,000 feet and speeds up to 304 knots (563 km/h).
Dual certification (European and FAA) is planned in 2010 with military qualification and deliveries following soon after. With customer requirements in mind, parts and components for both assembly lines in Italy and Texas will come from the same source. This key design concept greatly enhances the lifecycle supportability aspects of the BA609.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Discovery has arrived at Launch Pad 39B following an overnight move from the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building. Perched atop the mobile launcher platform and carried by a massive crawler transporter, the shuttle assembly began the 4.2-mile journey at 12:29 a.m. EST and was officially in place at the pad at 9:03 a.m. Meanwhile, the P5 integrated truss segment and SPACEHAB module are already inside the environmentally controlled payload changeout room at the launch pad. The payloads are scheduled to be installed in Discovery's payload bay on Saturday, Nov. 11. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The launch window opens Dec. 7.
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The vision of quieter and more environmentally friendly flying came a step closer as researchers from Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) unveiled their revolutionary concept for a silent aircraft. Originally conceived as making a huge reduction in the noise experienced by people in the vicinity of airports, this highly-efficient design also offers improvements of around 25% in the fuel consumed in a typical flight compared to current aircraft. The design is intended for the generation after next of aircraft for entry into service in 2030. The design looked at improving the airframe as well as the engines as half of the noise from a landing plane comes from the airframe. Some of the key design features employed are: the overall shape of the aircraft which is a single flying wing – this allows the body to provide lift as well as the wings allowing a slower approach which reduces noise and the shape improves fuel efficiency in cruise; flaps and slats have been eliminated – these are a major source of airframe noise when a plane is landing; the undercarriage has been simplified and its aerodynamics improved; the engines are mounted on the top of the aircraft which screens much of the noise from the ground; novel ultra-high bypass engines, which have variable size jet nozzles to allow slower jet propulsion during takeoff and climb for low noise, and be optimized for maximum efficiency during cruise which requires higher jet speeds. Dr John Green, Chairman of the Science and Technology Sub-group of Greener by Design said: “My first reaction on hearing of the Silent Aircraft Initiative was profound scepticism. Three years on, I have to concede that the SAI has surpassed my expectations by quite a margin. The team has produced a high-risk but credible design that is predicted to meet the original target. In retrospect, I ought to have expected a team from Cambridge and MIT, supported by Rolls-Royce and Boeing, to achieve something special. A radical approach to the challenges of the future comes more naturally from Academia than Industry, but the outcome will carry credibility only if the team is sufficiently strong and if it has the support of Industry and access to modern design methods. The SAI team has shown how this can be done”.
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Boeing has started using a moving assembly line for the first time to build its market-leading 777 jetliner. For now, the moving assembly line is used only during final assembly positions for the airplane, moving it at a steady pace of 1.6 inches per minute during production. Earlier this year, Boeing began work to transform its 777 assembly line into a leaner and more efficient production system. This initial use of a moving line during final assembly represents substantial progress with that transformation effort. "A moving line is the most powerful tool available to identify and eliminate waste in a production system," said Elizabeth Lund, director of manufacturing for the 777 Program. "A moving line drives efficiency throughout the system because it makes problems visible and creates a sense of urgency to fix the root causes of those problems." In addition to productivity and quality improvements, Lund stressed the new production system enables greater involvement and support of the people who build the airplanes. Assembly mechanics have been involved with planning and designing the new production system and they will be one of the primary beneficiaries of it.
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Lockheed Martin, the Poland Air Force (PoAF), Polish Ministry of Defense (PMOD) and other Polish government officials celebrated the arrival of the first four new Advanced Block 52 F-16 multirole fighters at the Posnan-Krzesiny Airbase in Poland. Polish dignitaries attending the ceremony included Lech Kaczynski, president of the Republic of Poland; Radoslaw Sikorski, minister of national defense; Lt. Gen. Stanislaw Targosz, commander of the Poland Air Force; Gen. Franciszek Gagor, The Adjutant General; and other senior Polish officials. Representing the U.S. Government were Victor Ashe, U.S. ambassador to Poland and Gen. Tom Hobbins, U.S. Air Force Europe Commander. Attending the ceremonies on behalf of Lockheed Martin were June Shrewsbury, vice-president of F-16 programs; Scott Harris, president for Continental Europe; Irma Sippel, director of the Poland F-16 program, along with the senior management team for Poland Peace Sky. The Poland Peace Sky Program began in April 2003. Today's in-country arrival ceremony commemorates the 48 F-16s that Lockheed Martin is producing for Poland. The aircraft joins a fleet of more than 4,300 F-16s operated by 24 air forces around the world. The Poland Peace Sky program includes 36 F-16Cs and 12 F-16Ds, all powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. The first four aircraft to arrive are three single-seat F-16C models and one two-seat F-16D model. The next four Polish F-16s are scheduled to arrive in December with the remainder of the PoAF fleet scheduled for delivery in 2007 and 2008.
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The Royal Netherlands Air Force announced the selection of Northrop Grumman's third-generation LITENING Advanced Targeting (AT) system for their F/A-16 Advanced Targeting Pod upgrade program. Under the terms of the contract, Northrop Grumman will deliver 20 targeting pods and spares to the Royal Netherlands Air Force beginning in 2007, with final deliveries in 2008. To date, over 470 LITENING pods have been ordered by the U.S.Air Force and allied nations. More than 360 of the systems have been fielded, the largest number of any advanced targeting and sensor system. LITENING is combat proven on AV-8B, A-10, B-52, F-15E, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft. Together, all variants of the LITENING AT pod have amassed approximately 560,000 flight hours, with more than 253,000 of these hours posted in combat arenas.
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Boeing announced Lianne Stein has been appointed as vice president of Boeing International and president of Boeing Germany. Stein will identify and pursue new growth opportunities, lead the country strategy planning process, coordinate company activities in Germany and focus on strengthening local- market presence. She will be based in Berlin. Stein succeeds Horst Teltschik, who retired earlier this year after leading Boeing's wide-ranging business activities in Germany for more than three years. As the first country president in Germany, Teltschik developed strong relationships and partnerships with German companies, universities and research institutes, and implemented projects in the community. "Germany is home to some of our most important customers. It's also a business center renowned for industrial innovation," said Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney. "Many German technology companies are suppliers and partners for Boeing programs, including four suppliers to the 787 and the large cargo freighter. Lianne will focus on further strengthening and expanding our business and government relationships and partnerships in Germany," McNerney said. Sales and marketing responsibilities for Boeing products and services will remain with the company's Commercial Airplanes and Integrated Defense Systems business units.
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BAE Systems' new 32-bit digital flight control computer recently completed its first flight aboard the Taiwanese Air Force Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) C/D version, also known as the Shiang-Seng Fighter. The new flight control computer represents a substantial advance in processing power and control capability over the obsolete 16-bit computer it replaces. “This design provides important performance improvements over its predecessor that will result in a safer, higher-performing aircraft,” said Butch Hsu, senior vice president of Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC). BAE Systems has worked closely with AIDC, builder of the all-weather, multi-role IDF, since the program's inception in1985. The flight control system has been improved in several phases, with the latest development contract awarded in 2002.
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Thielert AG wins additional contracts from its US customer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI). As part of the ER/MP (Extended Range/Multi Purpose) program for the US Army, the current contract for the year 2006 was increased by 50 percent. This increase consists of additional developments to the engine for the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "Warrior". Thielert is the exclusive engine supplier for this program. "The new order from GA-ASI within the ER/MP program means continued growth for us in the defense technology market," said Frank Thielert, CEO at Thielert AG. "The Warrior UAV is now also under discussion for further military and civilian programs. Thanks to our diesel piston aircraft engines the Warrior is already able to fly using the single military fuel to be introduced in the future. In addition, our engines have civil aviation certifications and a high level of technological development with over 300,000 accumulated flying hours," added Thielert. Civil aviation certifications are becoming more and more important for drones like the Warrior because they are also used in civil airspace. In a study, the US General Accountability Office (GAO) approved the aviation-certified technology of Thielert engines as being fully ready to operate in US drone programs and gave them the highest "Technology Readiness Level". This is a unique selling proposition of Thielert diesel piston aircraft engines. In a further study, the GAO recommended the use of the Warrior UAV in all military services.
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Pratt & Whitney Canada is ranked the No. 1 R&D investor in Canada's aerospace sector in the new list of Canada's Top 100 Corporate R&D Spending. P&WC invested $472 million in research and development in 2005, as announced by RE$EARCH Infosource Inc., a leading Canadian provider of research intelligence for business and higher education. “This announcement reaffirms Pratt & Whitney Canada's leadership position in R&D investment and reflects our firm commitment to innovation in aerospace,” said Walter Di Bartolomeo, Vice President, Engineering, P&WC. P&WC has invested more than $2 billion in R&D over the past five years. It has brought an unmatched record of more than 50 new engines into production over the last decade, and is currently working on 20 new engine programs. P&WC's R&D projects centre on key technologies to ensure new engines meet emerging stringent environmental standards and offer improved fuel efficiency. P&WC also ensures that engines can be developed quickly with the best manufacturing technologies, while offering the best reliability and safety.
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Aurora Flight Sciences announced that the company's GoldenEye 80 unmanned air vehicle made a successful first flight. The flight marked another first as GoldenEye 80 became the first ducted fan UAV to fly under the power of a heavy fuel engine. The GoldenEye 80 UAV is being developed under contract to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through its Organic Air Vehicle (OAV-II) program. “GoldenEye 80 is designed to give company commanders the ability to spot, identify, designate, and destroy targets” said Aurora CEO John Langford. “With its powerful sensors and quiet operation, the aircraft can dash to a target area, hover motionless in the sky, and observe and designate a target – all without being heard by people on the ground.”
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Raytheon has achieved a key milestone on the Modernized User Equipment program by successfully acquiring and tracking for the first time a new M-code military signal transmitted by the latest-generation global positioning system satellite. Although the first modernized satellite, GPS Block IIR-14(M), has been operating with legacy signals since December 2005, it only recently began test broadcast of the new M-code. The code provides enhanced accuracy, encryption and anti-jamming capability for authorized users. "This initial success demonstrating the ability of our next-generation receivers to track the new modernized GPS signal is a key step forward for our modern user equipment program," said Dr. Ralph Garcia, director of GPS and navigation systems for the company's Space and Airborne Systems business. "It also marks a significant milestone for the government-industry GPS team by demonstrating synchronized user equipment, satellite, and control system interoperablility, which is critical for our customer's operations in the future."
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To confirm its multi-national strategy, Thales strengthens its presence in China by opening a Maintenance and Services Centre in Beijing. Known and appreciated for several years now by Chinese Government entities for the technical quality of its systems and equipment, Thales makes a new step towards its main goal: Customer Commitment. In a first step, this Maintenance and Services Centre will be dedicated to the support of the Spectrum Control systems that were supplied by Thales to the Ministry of Communications of big cities and Chinese provinces. Tenths of sites all over China are concerned. Thanks to a local expert team specialized in Spectrum Control Maintenance and supported by the worldwide Thales network, clients will be served efficiently and problems solved immediately.
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The first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) completed its maiden flight Nov. 7, logging a major milestone in preparation for the delivery to the RAAF later this month. With a gross takeoff weight of 458,000 lbs. (207,745 kg.), the advanced airlifter lifted off from the Long Beach Airport, Calif., at 11:03 a.m. Pacific time and flew for more than five hours before returning to the facility where Boeing assembles and tests C-17s prior to delivery. The first of four Australian C-17s will be delivered from Long Beach in late November. After a welcome ceremony in Canberra, Australia's capital city, the RAAF's first C-17 will arrive at RAAF Base Amberley, near Brisbane, in early December.
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Boeing has received more than $450 million in U.S. Department of Defense contracts for spare parts for the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy fleets of F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter jets. Boeing received a five-year contract to provide more than 3,000 new flight control surfaces for the F/A-18A-D. This $391 million order replaces a previous five-year agreement. Flight control surfaces are hinged or movable airfoils designed to change the aircraft's attitude during flight. Some of the F/A-18's surface pieces are as large as a compact car. The parts will be assembled in St. Louis with deliveries scheduled to begin this year and continuing through 2013. The contracts also include 23 spare inner wings that will restart a portion of the production line, which originally closed in 2000. The inner wing is the largest portion of the wing system that does not fold up when the plane is stowed on an aircraft carrier. The wings will be built in St. Louis with first delivery scheduled for 2009. The 23 wings will cost a total of $59.5 million.
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The United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) 555th 'Triple Nickel' F-16 Fighter Squadron has successfully completed its first Air to Air missile firing against QinetiQ's Mirach Aerial Target. In the first week of deployment during Exercise 'Deployed Titan 06' at RAF Fairford, a total of eight AIM 9M Sidewinder missiles were fired against a Mirach 100-5 aerial target drone The USAFE Squadron also carried out laser guided bomb drops against surface targets at Aberporth MOD Range, which is operated by QinetiQ. Skip MacQueen, 16AF Weapons and Ranges, USAF said: "The purpose of our deployment was to provide the centre piece fast jet element to the RAF's largest annual exercise. We engaged in simulated combined air combat operations and QinetiQ provided comprehensive ranges services, which allowed us to conduct the first live AIM-9 Sidewinder missile launches against drone towed targets within the European Theatre. This was a significant step up in tactical realism for USAFE missile training and provided the first opportunity for a number of the unit's pilots to employ one of their primary air-to-air weapons."
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The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition of joint control by Thales S.A. of France and Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG (Diehl) of Germany of part of the undertakings TDA Armements SAS (France), Thales Munitronic BV (The Netherlands), Forges de Zeebrugge (Belgium), currently controlled by Thales, and Junghans Feinwerktechnik GmbH & Co KG (Germany), currently controlled by Diehl. Diehl is active mainly in the areas of metals, controls, and defence and aviation. Thales is active in the field of defence, aerospace and civilian security technology. Through the joint venture the two companies will confer their respective assets for the production and sale of fuses for ammunition (the part of the ammunition that initiates detonation) and Safety and Arming Devices (SAD) for missiles.
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Vietnam Airlines has received preliminary approval from the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("Ex-Im Bank") for financing support in excess of US$400 million to support the acquisition of four Boeing 787-8 aircraft and engines, which will be operated by Vietnam Airlines. The decision was made by Ex-Im Bank's Board of Directors and announced in Hanoi by U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael W. Marine.
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Boeing has been named the winner of a deal to equip the Korean Air Force with four airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in stages by 2012, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Wednesday (Nov. 8). The decision was made at a meeting of the agency's supreme committee, chaired by Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung, in Seoul, DAPA officials said. The agency and Boeing agreed on a price of about $1.6 billion for the deal, codenamed “E-X,” they said. The purchase of the surveillance airplanes is a core part in the government's stated aim of achieving a “self-reliant” defense posture. Korea has no air surveillance system of its own and relies on U.S. reconnaissance aircraft based in Okinawa, Japan. The aircraft is capable of detecting and identifying airborne objects, determining their co-ordinates and flight path data, and transferring the information to a command post. It can also play the role of a control center in guiding fighter-interceptors and tactical air force aircraft to combat areas to attack ground targets at low altitudes.
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A Russian-built Proton Breeze M vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS) successfully launched a satellite today that will carry direct-to-home television services, together with voice and broadband services, across the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe. The Proton launcher lifted off at 2:01 a.m. local time in Baikonur on 9 November (3:01 p.m. Wednesday EST, 20:01 Wednesday GMT). It carried the BADR-4 satellite built by Astrium, which contracted for the launch on behalf of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization, ARABSAT, headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ILS is the U.S.-Russian joint venture responsible for worldwide commercial sales and mission management of satellite launches on Russia's premier vehicle, the Proton.
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NASA has selected Alcatel Alenia Space for award of a $50,000 Rapid Spacecraft Development Office II contract. This award under a commercial, fixed price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a potential maximum value of $1.5 billion.Rapid II is a multiple award contract for core spacecraft systems and non-standard services. The services may include operations, components and studies to meet the government's space, Earth science and technology needs. The principal purpose of this contract is to provide core spacecraft systems with any necessary modifications to meet specific mission needs. The baseline scope of work includes fabrication and test of the spacecraft with mission specific design modifications; generation of interface control documents, instrument and full spacecraft integration; test, shipment to launch site, launch vehicle integration support and on-orbit checkout.
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Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bell Helicopter entered into a MoU for possible areas of cooperation in the areas of supply of airframe sub-assemblies and product support. The MoU was signed by HAL Chairman Mr Ashok K. Baweja and Bell Helicopter CEO Mr Michael 'Red' Redenbaugh. “Bell Helicopter appreciates this opportunity to explore additional manufacturing projects with HAL. We have had a relationship with HAL for sometime and currently they are producing tail rotor blades for our 206 aircraft,” Mr Redenbaugh said. The MoU outlines several projects of mutual benefit to both HAL and Bell. “We are impressed with HAL's capabilities and this partnership will help meet the increased demand for the products,” Mr Redenbaugh added.
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Lockheed Martin has received a $42 million contract to provide U.S. Army surveillance aircraft with next-generation technology that will enable them to precisely locate the source of modern communication signals. Called Communications High Accuracy Location Sub-systems - Compact (CHALS-C), the system features improved processing speed, enhanced capability and is substantially smaller and lighter than the current systems. "CHALS-C greatly expands our previous technology and provides the next-generation of precision location systems," said Louis J. DeSantis, vice president of Systems Solutions at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego. "The system significantly enhances situational awareness and provides real-time information for battlefield commanders."
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced that its Altair unmanned aircraft system (UAS) recently completed a long-endurance fire mapping mission in support of the arson-caused Esperanza Fire started near Banning, Calif., in Riverside County on October 26. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized Predator and Predator B to fly in direct support of disaster relief, and with this latest emergency mission we have been able to demonstrate the ability of GA-ASI aircraft to respond to short order tasking for exactly this purpose,” said Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr., president, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. “What the Predator B derivative Altair has accomplished during this first official response to a natural disaster has the potential to refine the future direction of fire mapping for wildfire management agencies across the nation.” Responding to a call from the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the Fire Incident Command Center to assist with fire mapping efforts, GA-ASI teamed with NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (USDA-FS) to provide data gathering resources in an effort to track the movement of the fire through the critical nighttime hours when other aircraft and imaging resources were unavailable. Following receipt of an emergency amendment to a recently-acquired Certificate Of Authorization (COA) from the FAA, the Altair UAS was launched from GA-ASI's Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale, Calif. on Oct. 28 equipped with an AMS-Wildfire sensor, a sensing system developed by NASA for improved imaging capabilities and real-time processing and data delivery. Operating at an altitude of 43,000 feet, the aircraft lingered over the fire over a 16-hour period, delivering real-time thermal infrared data to the fire management team via a satellite communications link, with some 100 visible and infrared images distributed and more than 20 data files that the fire perimeter location generated. The Incident Command Center utilized the thermal imagery and derived products to study the fire overnight and prepare maps to assist in the planning efforts for the Incident Action Plan distributed at the team's morning brief.
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A new planning system CLOU (Co-operative Local Resource Planner) uses predictive, site-wide process optimisation in airports to significantly improve the punctuality of arriving and departing flights. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) designed the system as part of Aviation Research Programme III in collaboration with an industrial consortium that includes Fraport (the operator of Frankfurt Airport), DFS (Germany's national air traffic control service) and Lufthansa. The project was developed to prototype stage on behalf of DFS. The performance of the CLOU system was tested using simulated situations. Scientists were able to significantly improve the punctuality and flow of air traffic compared with the usual first-come, first-served method – particularly in poor weather conditions. Unlike conventional tactical planning systems like AMAN (Arrival Manager) and DMAN (Departure Manager), which produce schedules for approximately the next half-hour, CLOU generates a schedule for all take-offs and landings over the next three hours. By predicting available capacity on landing runways and using flight schedules, CLOU optimises punctuality and capacity utilisation at Frankfurt Airport, making the airport more efficient and contributing to environmentally conscious management. CLOU calculates scheduled times, which the airport then aims to meet using a range of control measures to allow flights to be processed smoothly without unnecessary time spent waiting. The airlines' priorities for punctual processing of particular flights and the requirements of DFS are all taken into account. Later on in the year there are plans to test CLOU in parallel to real operations, in so-called 'shadow mode', to refine the settings and parameters within the planning system.
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On November 4, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F-17 Block 5D-3 spacecraft, built under contract for the U.S. Air Force by Lockheed Martin, was launched this morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. at 5:53 am PST. "After several years of building, integrating, upgrading and testing DMSP F-17, our second Block 5D-3 spacecraft, it was enormously satisfying to see this morning's launch and hear that we have a healthy satellite on orbit that will carry out its vital mission of supporting our warfighters," said Michael O'Hara, Lockheed Martin DMSP program director. "Our partnership with the Air Force dates to the very beginning of the DMSP program with a common goal of ensuring that commanders have access to environmental data critical to the preparation and execution of military operations." The Block 5D-3 series accommodates larger sensor payloads than earlier generations. They also feature a larger capability power subsystem; a more powerful on-board computer with increased memory -- allowing greater spacecraft autonomy -- and increased battery capacity that extends the mean mission duration. Starting with F-17, the attitude control subsystem has also been enhanced with the integration of a second inertial measurement unit using ring laser, versus mechanical, gyros to provide greater precision pointing flexibility.
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The Sky-X, technological demonstrator for an unmanned vehicle designed and developed by Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, has made its first flight in a full automatic mode (ATOL, Automatic Take Off and Landing), from the Vidsel Base, near the Arctic Circle. The aircraft has taken off from the Swedish Base for its 15 flight with good weather conditions, and has followed the route defined in the flight pattern and has landed after a half-hour with extreme precision, despite a strong wind, all this without the direct guide from the ground station. The Sky-X has then made a second ATOL flight with the purpose of testing the performance of all the autopilot systems, including the control of the autothrottle In the end, in a third ATOL flight, the Sky-X carried out a flight path that included high-load turns and an approach for a go-around with a low-altitude fly-by on the runway and a successful perfect landing. The next flight activities for the Sky-X are scheduled for end 2006 at Amendola Base, in Italy.
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The U.S. Army has ordered 34 additional Eurocopter UH-145 Light Utility Helicopters, bringing the total number of aircraft purchased by the Army to 42. The LUH requirement is for up to 322 helicopters with a potential total program life-cycle value of over $ 2 billion. EADS North America, the prime contractor for the UH-145, was selected by the Army to provide the UH-145 for the Light Utility Helicopter mission requirement on June 30, 2006. The value of the order is $ 170 million. In addition to the order for 34 aircraft, the Army has placed orders for 6 additional external hoist kits for use on the UH-145, and 6 MEDEVAC “B-kits,” which enables the Army to quickly reconfigure the LUH for medical transport missions from passenger or logistics configurations.
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Cancellation of the Eurofighter contract would cost at least 1.2 billion euros according to a first estimate by Eurofighter GmbH, Austrian Secretary of Defense Guenther Platter announced here today in a press conference. This estimate was provided by the manufacturer of the Eurofighter in response to an Austrian request for an analysis of options relating to a possible cancellation of the contract. In the letter, Eurofighter GmbH stated that, to large extent, it has already attained the major production milestones. In addition, approximately 400 subcontractors would be affected by a termination of contract. "Exiting the contract means spending 1.2 billion for nothing, no air traffic control into Austria, and an enormous reputation loss of our country", Platter said. "The Eurofighter procurement is the right decision for the security of Austria. We have a clear security policy concept. Security politics is not suitable for horse trading,” he added.
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Arianespace and TerreStar Networks Inc., a subsidiary of Motient Corporation (MNCP) and an emerging North American mobile communications operator, signed a "Launch on Demand" contract for TerreStar I, which will be the largest commercial communications satellite ever launched into geostationary orbit. "We are very proud of our role in the development of the TerreStar system," said Jean-Yves Le Gall, Arianespace CEO. "Winning a contract from this pioneer in new communications technologies once again underscores the excellent service and solutions offered by Arianespace." The "Launch on Demand" contract between TerreStar and Arianespace, a first in the industry, provides for up to three dedicated launch vehicles and entitles TerreStar to a launch window for TerreStar I, commencing November 2007. The contract includes options for two additional launch vehicles, which TerreStar may assign to affiliates for operations in Europe or elsewhere. TerreStar I will be launched into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
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Under the A400M program, the first composite aileron and spoilers, designed and manufactured in world standards by TUSAS Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) have been delivered to Airbus at a ceremony held on 8 November 2006 at TAI's facilities. Thereby, TAI has once again proven its important role in the European Aviation Industry. The above mentioned parts will be assembled to the wing box of A400M at Airbus-Filton facilities in United Kingdom. Within the framework of A400M Program, TAI has a role in both the design and production of the aircraft along with the aviation industries of participant countries. (Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and United Kingdom). In addition to fundamental fuselage parts of a total of 192 A400M aircraft to be produced, the design and manufacture of aileron and spoiler, which are the most important flight control surfaces, are realized by TAI engineers and workers.
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Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) and Alliant Techsystems announced today that ATK will become the lead contractor for RpK's K-1 launch vehicle, which was recently awarded a Space Act Agreement by NASA for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The K-1 is a fully reusable space transportation system designed to provide cost-effective and reliable transport of cargo and science payloads to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Under terms of the agreement, ATK will provide launch vehicle development, assembly, integration and test of the launch system, and will conduct launch and landing site development and launch vehicle preparation for the K-1. ATK will also develop and produce critical composite structures and subsystems for the pressurized and unpressurized K-1 cargo modules, and conduct vehicle recovery and refurbishment.
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British satellite manufacturer Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) signed a contract with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) of Nigeria for the supply of the NIGERIASAT-2 Earth observation satellite, related infrastructure and a training programme to further establish a national indigenous space capability in Nigeria. The selection of SSTL follows a detailed technical evaluation and due diligence from NASRDA's procurement advisor, Telesat, Canada. NIGERIASAT-2 will provide Nigeria with valuable geographically referenced imaging for mapping, climate change monitoring, water resources management, agricultural planning, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management. By signing this contract with SSTL, NASRDA has taken another big step in the development of their National Space Plan following the NIGERIASAT-1 Earth Observation and NIGCOMSAT-1 communications satellite programmes. Commenting on the contract, NASRDA's Director General, Professor Robert Boroffice, stated "this contract is the next step in Nigeria's long term plans to use Space for the benefit of Nigeria and Africa. We are convinced that Space provides a cost-effective means of addressing many of the issues facing African nations such as mapping, water resources management, agricultural land use monitoring, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management".
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Insitu announced that it has flown a preproduction prototype of the ScanEagle Block D unmanned aircraft (UA) on a flight of more than 22 hours. ScanEagle is developed in partnership with The Boeing Company and is used to provide services for the US Marine Corps and US Navy. The Block D changes incorporate multiple product enhancements to ScanEagle that reflect requests from users during its more than 25,000 hours in deployment. Block upgrades for ScanEagle are typically released every 6 to 12 months. Key product enhancements in Block D include a new improved IR (infrared) camera with a factor of 3 improvement in the resolution; a new inertially stabilized turret with a factor of 5 improvement in disturbance rejection; a custom, ultra-light, Mode C transponder to facilitate airspace deconfliction; new video transmitter system; Rover interoperability; in-flight fuel measurement systems; and numerous improvements for reliability and modularity.
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The Australian Government has moved a step closer to ensuring Australia's future air superiority, by giving First Pass approval for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. This will be Australia's largest defence procurement. They plan to sign the JSF Production Sustainment and Follow-on Development (PSFD) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December, once final administrative arrangements are in place. Signing this MoU will open up billions of dollars of opportunities for Australian industry. Twenty Australian companies have already won work estimated at US$90 million. To cover against potential delays that can occur with projects of this scope, the Government is looking at cost effective options to ensure Australia maintains air superiority during the transition period.
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L-3 Communications announced that its AVISYS (L-3 AVISYS) subsidiary has been awarded a contract from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess its second generation Civil Aircraft Protection System (CAPS2) for the protection of commercial aircraft from man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). L-3 AVISYS will support the new DHS Emerging Counter-MANPADS Technologies Assessment (ECMTA) program by performing frequency interoperability and allocation analyses of its CAPS2 pulse Doppler warning subsystem technology, the MWS-20, produced by Thales Airborne Systems. A contract option is included to perform CAPS2 effectiveness modeling and simulation using advanced infrared decoys developed by Alloy Surfaces and tested by the U.S. Air Force. "The DHS ECMTA program will provide L-3 AVISYS the opportunity to demonstrate CAPS2 capabilities for providing safe and affordable protection for the nation's commercial aviation sector," said Ed Gloviak, Vice President of Special Programs and Services for L-3 Communications Integrated Systems Group (L-3 IS). Work on this contract will be performed at the L-3 AVISYS facility in Austin, Texas. L-3 AVISYS is currently in production of CAPS2 variants for international Head of State customers. Derivative applications of the CAPS2 technology include installations for Boeing 737, Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 aircraft.
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EADS Socata announced the signature of an Authorized Sales Representative contract between EADS Socata and IndUS Aviation, to market the family of high-speed turboprop TBM 700/850 in India, and to develop high class customer service and ongoing product support. IndUS Aviation Inc. is an American-Indian Aircraft manufacturing company with headquarters both in Dallas, Texas and in Bangalore, India. It produces the two-seater trainer Thorp T-211 and runs sales operations on the Indian market. The company was founded in 1994 by Dr. Ram Pattisapu, who migrated to Texas in 1984 where he discovered General aviation and became since a passionate private pilot with 1,400 flight hours and he is the president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) India.
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Cessna unveiled the mockup of its Next Generation Piston aircraft at this year's Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Expo Nov. 9-11 in Palm Springs, Calif. The company anticipates a decision on whether to launch the program by mid-2007. If the decision is made to go forward, an estimated 18-month certification schedule will be put in place. “The mockup on display represents a concept for a new family of airplanes we are evaluating,” said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. “Cessna has been the undisputed leader in general aviation for more than 50 years, and we are committed to increasing that lead, so we have been assessing a range of technologies, features, materials and processes for this endeavor. We want this innovative new family of Cessna aircraft to set the standard for performance, comfort and value, making it a strong competitor to current single engine piston designs from other manufacturers. As part of our ongoing market research, we look forward to what AOPA Expo attendees have to say about our concept.” Pelton said the flying proof-of-concept aircraft is meeting and exceeding expectations with more than 80 hours in the air to date. The aircraft's first flight was June 23.
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Cessna celebrated the 7000th single engine piston airplane manufactured at its facility in Independence, Kan., in October. In total, Cessna has manufactured more than 152,000 single engine piston aircraft in its nearly 80-year history. The 7000th Independence-produced aircraft was a Cessna 182 Skylane. The airplane was presented to Frank Seymour with Sheltair Aviation Services, owner of eight fixed-base operations (FBOs) in Florida and New York. The first Independence-produced single engine piston came off the line in November 1996. This was following Cessna's 10-year hiatus from producing single engine piston aircraft due to the rising cost of product liability and skyrocketing insurance costs.
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Cessna announced the 2007 upgrades for the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, 182 Skylane and 206 Stationair at this year's Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Expo in Palm Springs, Calif. Highlights include a significant enhancement to the Garmin G1000 integrated avionics suite with the introduction of the Garmin GFC 700 Automatic Flight Control (AFCS) and Flight Director (FD) system as standard equipment on all Skylane and Stationair models. In addition, for the Skyhawk, Skylane and Stationair, Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), Garmin SafeTaxiTM and Garmin FliteCharts will be standard, and Garmin ChartView powered by Jeppesen will be optional. “The Garmin GFC 700 autopilot on the 182 Skylane and 206 Stationair will fully integrate the avionics system making this our most sophisticated single engine piston cockpit to date – many of these capabilities were only found in jets before now,” said John Doman, Cessna vice president of worldwide propeller aircraft sales. “Every component of the now fully-integrated all-Garmin system has been engineered to work seamlessly together. The autopilot functions will be located on the G1000 flight displays, and more information than ever will be available to the pilot because the GFC 700 is capable of using all of the data available to the Garmin G1000 avionics system, thereby adding new navigational features that increase functionality and safety and reduce pilot workload.”
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The Austrian Airlines Group will become the first European airline to be granted the right to operate scheduled services into Iraq in the near future. Preparations are now well underway to fly to the city of Erbil in Northern Iraq from 11 December 2006. The service will operate twice a week out of Vienna. The Austrian Airlines Group will fly its scheduled route to Erbil using an Airbus A319. The city of Erbil in Northern Iraq is a safe gateway. With a population approaching one million people, Erbil is the fourth-largest city in Iraq, and the fastest-growing in the country. The United Nations Organisation plans to set up a support point for Iraq in Erbil. A range of renowned companies are currently active in the developing and expanding the regional economy of Northern Iraq, while Erbil also provides rapid and safe overland access to the cities of Mosul, Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. The integration of the new service to Erbil into Austrian's global route network will open up numerous European and intercontinental connecting flights into Iraq via the company's Vienna hub. Other than Austria, the most important source markets for flight revenue to the North Iraqi region include Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Eastern Europe and North America. As new „Regional Manager Iraq“ Peter Katzlberger, 53, was appointed, who will be responsible for all sales, marketing and pricing strategy in Erbil in this function.
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Ryanair today (6 Nov) announced record half year profits of Euro 329m. Traffic grew by 23% to 22.1m passengers, yields increased by 9% as total revenues rose by 33% to Euro1.256bn. Unit costs increased by 7.5% as fuel costs rose by 42% to Euro337m. Despite these significantly higher fuel costs, Ryanair's after tax margin for the half year rose by 1 point to 26% as half year net profits increased by 39% to Euro329m. Announcing these results Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, said: “Ryanair has again, delivered record half year profits despite intense competition and very high fuel prices. The Ryanair lowest fare model has repeatedly proven that it can generate increased profitability and significant passenger growth during difficult trading conditions while many of our competitors are struggling to deliver profits or are losing money. Summer yields rose by 9% despite a 22% increase in seat capacity. This benign yield environment continues to be driven by the multiple fuel surcharges imposed by European flag carriers, which has widened the gap between their high fares and Ryanair's lowest fares. Our unwavering determination to avoid fuel surcharges has enabled us to deliver rapid traffic growth and generate higher profits. Load factors were up 1 point as we launched 42 new routes and 3 new bases. Unit costs increased by 7.5% primarily due to higher fuel, staff and airport and handling costs. Fuel costs rose by 42% to Euro337m despite being almost fully hedged during the quarter reflecting higher world fuel prices. For the remainder of this fiscal year, we are 90% hedged at rates equivalent to $73 per barrel. We have used the recent weakness in forward oil prices to hedge 50% of our requirements for the quarter from October to December 2007 at a cost which is 10% lower than comparable Q3 this year. We continue to monitor forward prices with a view to hedging our requirements for fiscal 2008 when opportunities arise. We remain cautious in our outlook for H2 as we roll out substantial capacity expansion and suffer significantly higher oil prices than the comparable period last year. However, we expect to deliver significant traffic growth as we launch 130 new routes and 3 new bases, (Marseilles, Bremen and Madrid), albeit at slightly lower load factors (down 2% monthly on last year) during H2 which should result in better yield stability. The benign yield environment continues thanks to multiple fuel surcharges of our competitors. Based on a reasonable level of visibility, it now appears likely that yields in Q3 will be +2% to +3% compared to our original forecast of a -5% decline. With little visibility in Q4, we believe that yields may be slightly lower but not as much as the -5% decline previously guided. Accordingly, we now expect yields to be flat over the winter period although our net profit for H2 will still be lower than last year. As a result, we now expect that the increase in Net Profit after tax for the fiscal year will be approx. +16% to Euro350m, higher than our previous guidance of approximately +11% to Euro335m.
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MD Helicopters and Action Aviation announced today that Action Aviation has been appointed as a distributor for the Mesa, Arizona US-based helicopter manufacturer. Action Aviation will be responsible for several territories in the Middle East including the United Arab Emirates, the Indian Sub Continent and Scandinavia Action Aviation, principally working through its offices in London, Dubai, (UAE), Denmark and India will help to secure sales for MD's world renowned family of helicopters including its high-performance MD Explorer, the largest twin in its class; the MD600N, MD520N, MD 530F, MD 500E and the light utility helicopter. The initial 8 year contract covers the territories of Dubai (UAE), Sharjah (UAE) Ajman (UAE), Umm al - Qaiwain (UAE), Rasal – Khaimah (UAE) Fujairah (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri lanka, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
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Cenco International, a division of Techspace Aero S.A. member of the SAFRAN Group and ETBRDC, a division of HAL, Bangalore, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November 6 in the presence of Mr Didier Reynders, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Belgium. Mr Reynders is part of a high-level Belgian delegation visiting India this week. This MoU sets forth the principles of a long-term commercial and technical collaboration on the design, manufacturing, and installation of gas turbine engine test equipment in the worldwide market. Both parties will work together on specific projects in India and abroad and work as preferred supplier on specific items such as mechanical parts, data acquisition systems and other specialised equipment.
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The core product of Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, the Centurion 1.7 diesel aircraft engine, will now be installed in brand-new Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft. Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc. from Arlington, USA will be responsible for replacing the conventional engines. Van Bortel will then sell the diesel Cessnas worldwide. As the world's largest Cessna reseller, Van Bortel will be supported in its activities by Cessna Aircraft Company (Wichita, USA). Van Bortel is currently presenting its new product at the AOPA Convention in Palm Springs, USA. The cooperation will give general aviation pilots a further opportunity to purchase a brand-new aircraft with state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient and easy-to-operate diesel engine technology. Thielert has been offering retrofit kits for older Cessna 172 for the past three years. At the AOPA in Palms Springs the world's largest Cessna reseller Van Bortel Aircraft, Inc. announced that starting from now brand-new Cessna 172 Skyhawks would be equipped with the Centurion 1.7 piston aircraft engines. To this end the conventional, air-cooled gasoline engine will be replaced by a state-of-the art Centurion 1.7 diesel engine that can also run on the standard aviation fuel kerosene. As of now, customers can therefore purchase the Cessna 172, the world's most frequently sold aircraft, with a kerosene engine and thereby become less dependent on conventional aviation gasoline, the availability of which is declining dramatically worldwide. Equipped with the latest technology such a single lever control, the engine also features a constant speed propeller, full authority digital engine control (FADEC) as well as a turbo charger for improved performance at high altitudes.
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