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UPDATE
Week ending March 2, 2003
+++ Boeing 777-300ER flies +++ SWISS cuts fleet, route network and jobs +++ Vega small launcher development contracted +++ X-47 takes off +++ Ariane To Launch a "Space Tug" and Rescue Vehicle +++ Engineer memos hinted at Columbia disaster +++ News in brief +++
Boeing 777-300ER flies
Erstflug der Boeing 77-300ER
On February 24 the Boeing 777-300ER completed its maiden flight, beginning a 1,600-hour flight-test program that's expected to bring U.S. government certification by early next year. The newest member of the 777 airplane family, with its distinctive red, white and blue paint scheme, took off at 10 a.m. Pacific from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. After flying a little over three hours, it landed at 1:02 p.m. at Seattle's Boeing Field. Veteran Boeing pilots Capts. Frank Santoni and John Cashman were at the controls. Santoni is the chief 777 test pilot and Cashman is director of Flight Crew Operations and chief pilot for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The 777-300ER is the fourth 777 model. Cashman and Santoni also took the 777-200ER and 777-300 on their maiden flights, and Cashman was at the controls when the first 777, the 777-200, first flew on June 12, 1994. During the flight Santoni and Cashman tooklew the 777-300ER to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) and an air speed of 0.50 Mach, or about 370 miles (600 kilometers) per hour. Typically, the 777's cruise altitude is 35,000 feet (10,668 meters), and its cruise speed is Mach 0.84, about 484 miles (779 kilometers) per hour. Santoni and Cashman tested some of the airplane's systems and structures, as on-board equipment recorded and transmitted data to a flight-test team at Boeing Field. That data, and the crew's comments, will be analyzed in the near future.
Airframe certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is expected during the fourth quarter of this year. Certification of the interior is expected during the first quarter 2004. International Lease Finance Corp., and its customer Air France, will receive the first 777-300ER in April 2004.
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SWISS cuts fleet, route network and jobs
Notmaßnahmen bei SWISS
A package of emergency measures proposed by the executive management was approved by the SWISS Board of Directors on 24 February 2003. In Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and Lugano, destinations will be reduced and routes discontinued. The fleet is to be cut by 20 aircraft: 17 regional jets, two Boeing MD-83s and one Airbus A321. These measures will also mean the loss of around 700 jobs. Swiss International Air Lines believes it is essential to react to the worsening economic situation by adjusting its route network and reducing its fleet. The changes will come into effect with the summer timetable from 30 March 2003.
The enduringly gloomy economic climate and deep crisis in the global aviation industry are having a serious negative impact on business development at SWISS and have forced the executive management to take swift action. Despite a higher market share, revenues and passenger numbers are in sharp decline on the European network. The decisions taken last November were based on the figures for August/September 2002. Six months on, the situation has changed dramatically. A good load factor was enough to compensate for the fluctuations in yield (revenues per seat). Following the seasonal downturn in the number of passengers in November, however, this curve fell sharply against budget in December (-5%) and January (-10%) and continues to fall. Regional and short-haul routes are negative whilst long-haul routes are still performing to budget.
The generalised slump in the economy is reflected in the airline sector by a change in consumer behaviour. Former business passengers keen to make savings now tend to book Economy class. The forecasts for 2003 remain poor and there is no improvement in sight.
The massive collapse in demand in European air travel makes adjustments to the European fleet capacity essential. SWISS is to take 20 aircraft out of operation. The aircraft involved are one Airbus A321, two Boeing MD-83s and 17 regional jets. This means the SWISS European fleet, including the Airbus A320s, will total maximum 84 aircraft.
In Zurich, capacity adjustments will affect a total of 24 destinations. There will be one extra flight to Warsaw and Stuttgart. Frequencies on routes to London City, Graz, Hanover, Cologne, Nuremberg, Prague, Bucharest, Nice, Munich, Madrid and Barcelona will be reduced. Connections to Salzburg, Sarajevo, Tirana, Toulouse, Jersey, Guernsey, Dresden, Bremen, Turin, Bilbao and Göteborg will be discontinued. These capacity adjustments will reduce the number of seat kilometres on offer on European flights from Zurich by 12%.
In Basel, capacity adjustments will be made to a total of 18 destinations. There will be a reduction in frequencies on the routes to Hamburg, Berlin Tempelhof, Vienna, Brussels, Amsterdam, Bern and Geneva. Connections to Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stuttgart, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Palma de Mallorca, Florence, Toulouse, Bilbao and Seville are to be discontinued. This will reduce the number of seat kilometres offered on European flights from Basel by 31%. There will be no transfer of destinations from Basel to Zurich. These measures are motivated purely by economic considerations rather than by any regional or political factors. The January load factor on flights from the EuroAirport in Basel was just 35%.
In Geneva, capacity adjustments will affect six destinations. Connections to Rome will be increased, but there will be a reduction in frequencies on the Basel and Lugano routes. Connections to Alicante, Seville and Berlin are to be discontinued. The number of seat kilometres on offer will therefore be reduced by 11%.
Lugano will get its long-awaited early morning flight to Zurich, but the midday flight to Geneva will be cancelled. In the future there will only be one day-round-trip connection between Bern and the EuroAirport in Basel. SWISS has, however, given an undertaking to the government in Bern to make an active contribution to finding ways of connecting Bern to the Zurich hub more efficiently. The flight to Paris, whose withdrawal has already been announced, is not part of the SWISS strategy. There are too few local passengers on this route and SWISS prefers to have the long-haul passengers on its own network.
Up to 700 jobs will be affected: around 200 amongst cockpit crews, 200 amongst cabin crews and 300 amongst managers and ground staff. SWISS will work in consultation with the unions to find the best possible solutions. It is likely that the necessary reduction in cabin staff can be achieved via natural fluctuation alone.
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Vega small launcher development contracted
Neue europäische Startrakete wird entwickelt
ESA signed a contract with the ELV company for completion of the development phase of the Vega European small launcher programme, and CNES signed, on behalf of ESA, a contract with FiatAvio for development of the P80 advanced solid propulsion stage and demonstrator. The contracts were signed in Colleferro (Rome), on the FiatAvio industrial park, in the presence of representatives of the Italian Government, ESA, ASI, Arianespace, CNES and ELV. Step 1 of the Vega small launcher programme was decided by the ESA Council in June 1998. Funding for both the Vega and P80 programmes was approved by the participating states in December 2000.
Italy is the leading contributor to the Vega programme with 65 %, other participants being Belgium (5.63%), France (12.43%), the Netherlands (3.5%), Spain (5%), Sweden (0.8%) and Switzerland (1.34%). Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands are also contributing to the P80 programme. ELV is the prime contractor for the Vega launcher. Its shareholders are FiatAvio (70%) and the Italian space agency, ASI (30%). FiatAvio is the prime contractor for the P80. The Vega small launcher configuration consists of 3 solid stages: the P80 first stage, the Zefiro 23 second stage, the Zefiro 9 third stage and an upper liquid propulsion module, called AVUM.
Vega's target lift capability is 1500 kg and it will inject its payload into a circular orbit at 700 km altitude. The launch base to be used for Vega is the European Spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana. Arianespace will be the commercial operator for Vega. The first qualification launch is planned for mid-2006, with an expected frequency of 3 to 4 launches a year.
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X-47 takes off
Northrop-Kampfdrohne fliegt
On February 23, Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector achieved a significant milestone in autonomously controlled flight today with the successful first flight of its Pegasus experimental unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The flight took place at Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif. A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://media.primezone.com/noc/ Northrop Grumman designed and built the Pegasus X-47A with its own funds to demonstrate low-cost, rapid prototyping; robust unmanned vehicle management; and tailless aerodynamic qualities suitable for autonomous launch and recovery flight operations from an aircraft carrier. Lessons learned from the development and testing of Pegasus will be used in support of the company's naval unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV-N) program for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Navy. Today's flight began at 7:56 a.m. PST and lasted 12 minutes. Specific test objectives included low-speed handling qualities, air vehicle performance, navigation performance and collection of landing dispersion data. All test objectives were met. Most significantly, the X-47A successfully landed near a predesignated touchdown point to simulate the tailhook arrestment point on a carrier flight deck. This landing data, coupled with subsequent flight touchdown points, will demonstrate the X-47A system's landing accuracy potential. The shipboard-relative global positioning satellite system was used as the primary navigation source for increased landing precision.
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Ariane To Launch a "Space Tug" and Rescue Vehicle
Auftrag für Satelliten-Rettungsgerät
A unique new "space tug" and rescue vehicle for telecommunications satellites will be launched by Ariane 5 beginning in 2005 under terms of an agreement signed by Arianespace and Orbital Recovery Corporation. The Geosynch Spacecraft Life Extension System (SLES) is designed to extend the useful lifetime of multi-million dollar telecommunications satellites by 10 years or more, and also is capable of rescuing satellites stranded in incorrect orbits.
Ariane's mission flexibility was one of the deciding factors in Orbital Recovery Corporation's selection of the launcher as the primary launch vehicle for SLES missions. The agreement calls for an initial SLES launch on Ariane in the first quarter of 2005, followed by two more SLES flights in 2005. The launch contract provides for additional launches in 2005 and beyond. SLES will be carried as a secondary payload on Ariane launches, with a liftoff mass of 500-800 kg., depending on the space tug's specific mission. Operating as an orbital "tugboat," the SLES will supply the propulsion, navigation and guidance to maintain a telecom satellite in its proper orbital slot for many years. Currently, telecommunications spacecraft are placed in a graveyard orbit as they deplete their on-board propellant loads near the end of the typical 10-15-year operation lifetimes, even though their relay payloads continue to function. Orbital Recovery Corporation has identified more than 40 telecommunications satellites in orbit today that are candidates for life extension using the SLES.
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Engineer memos hinted at Columbia disaster
Neue Untersuchungsergebnisse zur Shuttle-Katastrophe
NASA has released a series of memos engineers wrote the day before the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, warning that the shuttle's left wing could fall off and lead to certain death for the crew. Columbia broke apart when it reentered the atmosphere shortly before its scheduled landing February first. All seven astronauts were killed. The latest e-mails discuss in far greater detail the potential for disaster caused by debris that hit the shuttle's left wing during lift-off. One engineer wrote of the potential for super-hot gasses to leak into Columbia's wheel-well. He recommended, if that happened, the crew try to bail out, if they could get out before the left wing burns up and falls off. Another engineer warned of the potential for a "wholesale loss of data" from sensors and said if that happened, NASA would have to decide between a risky landing and a bailout attempt. The sensors did fail, but it occurred too late to make either attempt. After intense debate by e-mail and telephone the engineers and supervisors decided not to inform top NASA managers of their concerns. The managers had already determined that they believed Columbia could land safely.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
City-air Germany AG will introduce 32-seat Saab 340B service on routes serving the capital city of Berlin from Muestner/Osnabruck and Dortmund as well as introductory service into Salzburg from Berlin's Templehof airport. The airline caters to business travellers by offering convenient and higher levels of customer service. The carrier will be the second operation to fly the Saab 340 in Germany on domestic and international routes. City-air intends to provide convenient, quick service in markets where there is little direct service. The aircraft will be used to complement its existing ATR-42 and with time replace the four Metros that service City-air's schedule today. City-air presently serves eight domestic markets in Germany and the international destination of Copenhagen. Saab Aircraft Leasing, Inc. will work closely with City-air in the coming weeks to customize the interior and exterior of the aircraft and to integrate the airline into Saab Aircraft's customized support service plans.
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Reactions to the Commission's Green Paper on space have thus far focused on support for a stronger European position in space and the continuation of manned spaceflight. Following the launch of the paper on 21 January, the Commission invited responses via an online forum. Points for discussion have been divided into 15 categories, the most popular being 'manned space flight' followed by 'independent access to space' and then 'international cooperation'. 'We are in no doubt that the space community has had its setbacks recently [...] and it is not at all surprising that there have been calls for curbing space exploration. This is a very understandable but shorted sighted view of the future,' writes Lee Edgar. Mr Edgar also claims that now is the right time for the European Space Agency (ESA) to assert itself and claim a stronger position for itself in space: 'ESA, with its European industrial partners, is in a much better position than ever to surge forward and explore in more detail the commercial possibilities of this exploration as well as merely searching for knowledge.' Praise for ESA comes from Jürgen Herholz, who claims that 'ESA has been and is a positive example of European cooperation in the interest of common goals.' However, Mr Herholz goes on to say that ESA and EU activities are to some extent overlapping and that 'coordination is absolutely necessary in order to ensure efficiency of the utilisation of European resources.' He proposes that a common structure be established at European level, covering both the necessary research work, which is currently predominantly ESA's sphere of activity, and the development of space infrastructures required to meet EU objectives. 'Separation of scientific objectives from commercial ones is not practical due to the fact that both use largely the same technologies,' says Mr Herholz.
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Due to the huge increases in the level of fuel costs against the background of the Iraq crisis, the Austrian Airlines Group has been forced to increase its fares. From 15 March 2003, fares in general will increase by 5 %. The exceptions to these increases are offers sold under the new marketing offensive on fares to Germany (from EUR 110), Great Britain (from EUR 150) and Ireland (from EUR 190). The price of kerosene has risen due to the worldwide uncertainty about the possibility of war in the Middle East, as well as the impact and duration of a conflict. The price of one ton of aircraft fuel in February was already over US$ 360. As reported previously, the Austrian Airlines Group has used extensive hedging measures to secure the price of one-half of the monthly fuel requirement – until end-April 2003 – and one-third of its requirement for the rest of the year. Had the Austrian Airlines Group not taken these steps, it would have been forced to introduce a significantly higher fare increase at an earlier date.
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The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Boeing an $81.2 million contract to produce more than 300 Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems, or JHMCS. The U.S. Navy will utilize the JHMCS in its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and the U.S. Air Force on its F-15s and F-16s. Deliveries for this contract have already begun. The JHMCS consists of electronics installed in the aircraft and a new helmet that interfaces with them. The JHMCS displays continuous flight information inside the helmet visors and allows for the aiming or deploying of sensors and air-to-air or air-to-ground weapons with little more effort than pressing a switch. The U.S. military is expected to order more than 1,500 systems.
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The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon Company an $18 million contract for the Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS). If all options are exercised, the contract has a potential value of $30 million. "This is an important strategic win for Raytheon," said Ed Franklin, president, Integrated Defense Systems. "Our continued execution and innovation in the mine warfare area has provided our naval customers confidence in our ability to deliver this transformational capability." The AMNS will be integrated into the U.S. Navy's Sikorsky MH-60 "Black Hawk" helicopter. The system will be used to locate, identify, and neutralize previously detected and classified bottom, close-tethered, and in-volume sea mines. Mine neutralization is accomplished by guiding a tethered, expendable, underwater vehicle (the Archerfish) to optimal firing position, where it fires a self-contained warhead that destroys the mine.
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The V-22 Integrated Test Team recently completed a series of tests designed to prove the Osprey's utility as an aerial delivery platform. The ITT took Osprey No. 21 on the road for the "para-drop" detachment, using the ranges around Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and, over the course of three weeks, added to the program's string of successes since the platform's return to flight last May. The team logged more than 30 hours of flight time during the detachment. Specific testing included deployment bag (what's left after a paratrooper jumps using a static line) trail tests to see how they reacted in the aircraft's wake, "hung jumper" tests in both the conversion and airplane modes using dummies that weighed between 150 and 360 pounds, and containerized delivery system tests with 500- and 1,000-pound bundles dropped up to four at a time. In addition to measuring the effects of the air stream on artificial jumpers or items rolled off the aft ramp, the team evaluated the internal equipment including the rollers, guide rails and vertical retention fittings that make up the Osprey's cargo handling system.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector delivered the seventh air vehicle of the Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance system to the U.S. Air Force Feb. 14 following the vehicle's successful first flight. This air vehicle is the final one to be delivered under the Global Hawk program's advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD) phase. Northrop Grumman is scheduled to deliver the first two production vehicles later this year. Following launch from its Palmdale, Calif., assembly site, the vehicle flew a three-hour, autonomous checkout mission over the Edwards Air Force Base test range to evaluate system performance prior to delivery. It will continue a series of checkout flights from the base. This air vehicle was built in a transition configuration between the ACTD phase and the first production system. It features enhancements to the avionics system, including enablers for an open-system architecture. The vehicle will be used to evaluate improved operational capabilities before production vehicles are delivered. In low-rate initial production for the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial reconnaissance system designed to provide military field commanders with high-resolution, near real-time imagery of large geographic areas.
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Sikorsky has selected the Fischer+Entwicklungen Executive Passenger Helicopter Seat for the S-92 VIP Aircraft. This program marks the first installation of F+E seats by Sikorsky. According to President and Founder of F+E, Mr. Thomas Fischer "The selection of our seat will offer unprecedented levels of comfort and safety for the VIP” Breaking new ground in the helicopter VIP interior market, this executive seat will be certified to the new crashworthiness requirements FAR part 29. The occupant will survive a 30g downward or an 18.4g horizontal crash. Features of the seat include full swivel, tracking, and recline among other amenities while maintaining the F+E tradition of lightweight designs. In addition to this new Executive Seat, F+E offers a full range of helicopter seating that includes: Standard Executive, Medical Attendant, Height Adjustable Pilot/Co-Pilot, Operator, High Comfort Medical Attendant, and crew seating.
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CAE announced that the Royal Australian Navy's S-70B-2 Seahawk Mission Simulator will be upgraded with the CAE Medallion-Svisual system. The state-of-the-art system will enable the Seahawk simulator to operate reliably and effectively well into the future. The current visual system will be upgraded under CAE's existing contract to support the Seahawk simulator on-site at the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Naval Air Station Nowra on the New South Wales coast, near Sydney. The upgraded system is scheduled to be ready for training early in 2004, and ongoing development of the associated databases will be supported in-country by CAE personnel at its Australian operation.
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Buzz and Ryanair, which recently agreed to purchase Buzz, Europe's No.3 low fares airline, from KLM, today (26th February 2003) announced the details of a major reorganisation with effect from 1st April 2003 (subject to the acquisition receiving regulatory approvals by that date.). These plans will be presented to the creditors and staff of Buzz over the coming days, after which a final decision will be taken on whether to restart flying as planned on 1st May 2003, or close Buzz altogether. Details of the reorganisation are attached. Buzz currently services three routes from Germany; Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Berlin. Passengers who presently have bookings on flights after 1st April 2003 will be offered a full refund of their fare. Passengers will then be able to rebook themselves with new tickets, at lower prices FROM 12th March 2003, on existing or alternative destinations. The really good news for Buzz customers and consumers generally, is that Buzz will be reducing air fares by 50% on all of the 12 routes which will continue to operate from 1st May 2003.
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After more than 30 years, it appears the venerable Pioneer 10 spacecraft has sent its last signal to Earth. Pioneer's last, very weak signal was received on Jan. 22, 2003. NASA engineers report that Pioneer 10's radioisotope power source has decayed, and it may not have enough power to send additional transmissions to Earth. NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) did not detect a signal during the last contact attempt on Feb. 7, 2003. The previous three contacts, including the Jan. 22 signal, were very faint, with no telemetry received. The last time a Pioneer 10 contact returned telemetry data was April 27, 2002. NASA has no additional contact attempts planned for Pioneer 10.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation delivered the 15th E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft to the 116th Air Control Wing today, five weeks ahead of schedule. This is the first airplane delivered to the Georgia Air National Guard's 116th Air Control Wing (ACW) since the Joint STARS mission transitioned late last year to the Air National Guard under the Air Force's Future Total Force concept. All E-8C aircraft are based at Robins AFB and assigned to the 116th ACW, a new "blended wing" with both active duty Air Force and Air National Guard personnel. "We're proud to add another platform to this fleet of high-demand, low-density surveillance and targeting aircraft operated by the 116th ACW," said Frank Moore, Joint STARS program vice president.
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On February 25, Boeing delivered the first upgraded AH-64D Apache Longbow to the U.S. Army in a ceremony at the company's facility in Mesa, Ariz. "This helicopter is the first Block II production Apache Longbow. Block II incorporates the latest in advanced avionics, digital enhancements, and communications upgrades that facilitate improved situational awareness as the helicopter communicates within the Tactical Internet," said Tommy Filler, Boeing program manager.Boeing has delivered more than 1,000 Apaches to customers around the world and plans to deliver 1,000 more to customers worldwide through the end of the decade.
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The Boeing Small Diameter Bomb, or SDB, successfully separated from a U.S. Air Force F-15E and flew on a planned mission at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This is the first SDB launch in the competitive SDB Component Advanced Development, or CAD, program. Boeing received a $47 million contract from the Air Force in September 2001 as one of two competitors for the CAD phase of the SDB program. Air Force officials will select a single company to produce small diameter bombs and carriage systems in the fall of 2003.
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On 24 February Airbus and Tenzing unveiled the next step in their evolutionary approach to inflight internet access, announcing the successful completion of the first full-scale test of Tenzing email services using the INMARSAT Swift 64 service over a standard high-gain L-band SATCOM antenna. This demonstrates to the airlines a scaleable, reliable and affordable systems solution for passenger email and Internet access. "Passengers will pay even less for in-flight email access because of this key communication system enhancement,” said Alan McGinnis, Chief Executive Officer of Tenzing. "It also will enable us to offer premium services such as live web browsing, VPN support and access to corporate networks.” The system combines hardware and software from Airbus, Rockwell Collins, and Tenzing. It uses an aircraft's existing high-gain SATCOM antenna and available worldwide coverage, making it affordable for airlines to deliver both email and live Internet services to passengers. More than 1800 aircraft worldwide are installed with this type of SATCOM antenna. The solution is designed to support short, affordable retrofits, making it possible for airlines to equip their entire fleet in mere months. It can also be upgraded to new generations of the high-speed data link with minimal impact.
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Under the Army XXI programme the Swiss air force will upgrade the F/A-18 in a second phase (292 million Swiss francs). This package includes a helmet-mounted sight for the pilot as well as a new datalink; the integration of a new missile and other software modifications. Procurement of an Interrogation Friend of Foe (IFF) system and of a new map display system have already been funded under Armament Plan 2001. The F/A-18 fighter aircraft are today armed with the AMRAAM medium-range missile, the AIM-9P Sidewinder short-range missile and a cannon. The Sidewinder, procurement for the first time by Switzerland in 1963, is operationally and technologically obsolete, and must be replaced by a modern weapon offering a wider engagement profile. It is proposed to acquire the AIM-9X Sidewinder.
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The military turboshaft engine market continues to grow on an ever clearer need for increased mobility, while the civil market remains fairly flat. In the recently released report, "The Market for Aviation Turboshaft Engines, 2003 - 2012,” Forecast International expects a steadily rising market for 11,042 military turboshafts, while civil engine production varies over the period, with only 8,955 engines slated for production. "Lessons learned in desert and mountain operations have pointed to a need for higher performance from helicopters,” said Forecast International analyst Carl Opdyke. "Additionally, rapid movement of troops and equipment in these harsh environments has proven important. This is driving US military turboshaft production growth, including hundreds of engine upgrade kits and retrofit engines with the purpose of expanding the operating/performance envelop of existing helicopters.” Most notable are current or planned engine upgrades for UH-1, UH-60 and CH-47 helicopters. In Europe, military turboshaft production has already started to rise in conjunction with new attack, transport and ASW/SAR helicopter programs a trend that is expected to continue.
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Regarding the recent disclosure by Swiss International Air Lines of a package of measures set up as a reaction to the worsening economic situation that currently affects the company, Embraer stated the following: Although the decision announced by SWISS that the reduction of its current fleet by 17 regional aircraft may involve ERJ 145 jets manufactured by Embraer, it is important to note that these aircraft have already been delivered and are the property of SWISS. As Embraer has no repurchase or remarketing obligations related to these assets, the announced reduction will have no direct impact on Embraer.
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Extending the cooperation initiated by the agreement signed in April 2002, SAGEM and Dassault Aviation have founded a joint company called Dassault Sagem Tactical UAV. This French company is in charge of developing and marketing next-generation tactical drone systems. For both companies, this line of strategic growth is meant to respond to changes in the operational needs of the armed forces. The two partners' recognized skills are being pooled to offer general staffs a range of solutions that expand the capabilities of pilotless aircraft. "The founding of this company is a concrete expression of our shared determination to approach future markets, both domestic and export, from an installed base that is unrivaled in Europe", adds Jacques Paccard, Director of SAGEM's Defence and Security Division.
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The EU Commission has identified substantial markets for GALILEO services across a range of sectors and has estimated that the system will generate revenues for the operator rising from some 66 million euros in 2010 to over 500 million euros in 2020. Now, the Commission has launched a call for expressions of interest in order to allow potential operators to make themselves known and to prepare themselves for the call for tenders. With the role played by satellite positioning systems set to grow considerably, GALILEO is likely to revolutionise society. A Commission study has suggested a concession scheme as the appropriate solution for its deployment and operation. Such a structure will provide for a clear legal relationship between the public sector and a private-sector company. Private companies are now being asked to express interest in the GALILEO concession, which will enable European governments and the Commission to get a better picture of the candidates, their sectors of activity and initial commercial concepts.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation's Space Technology sector has delivered the Beacon Illuminator Laser (BILL), a high-power solid-state laser and a key component of the Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser (ABL) program. "Delivery of the kilowatt-class BILL marks an important step forward in the ongoing integration of the first ABL system,” said Steve Hixson, Northrop Grumman's ABL program manager. "It also demonstrates the increasing maturity of diode-pumped solid-state lasers for military systems.” ABL will consist of a powerful Northrop Grumman-built chemical laser, capable of destroying enemy ballistic missiles during their initial ``boost'' phase of flight, mounted in a Boeing 747-400 freighter airplane. The program is an element of the Department of Defense's Ballistic Missile Defense System, which will deploy layered defenses against threat targets in the boost, mid-course and terminal phases of flight. Boeing leads the ABL contractor team that includes Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin under the management of the Missile Defense Agency.
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The Singapore Ministry of Defence and the United States Department of Defense signed a Letter of Intent this morning to mark Singapore's intention to participate in the System Design and Development Phase of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The Letter of Intent was signed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Mr. Peter Ho and Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics) Mr. Edward C. Aldridge, during the 4th Defence Co-operation Committee Meeting in Hawaii. The JSF is a potential candidate to meet the Republic of Singapore Air Force's longer term operational requirements for a multi-role fighter. The Letter of Intent laid down the broad principles for Singapore's participation in the JSF program as a Security Co-operation Participant (SCP). Singapore is the first Asian country to sign a SCP Letter of Intent for the JSF program.
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The price of crude oil has reached a new high. This is also having its effect on Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Cost increases, particularly as a result of the sharp increase in the oil price, have prompted the airline to raise its prices by around 4.5 percent. The price increase is planned to be implemented as soon as possible. The measures will also have an effect on Lufthansa's special rates, and will mean that in future German domestic tickets will be bookable online from 92 Euro (previously 88 Euro) and from 102 Euro (previously 98 Euro) in all travel agencies with a Lufthansa agency, at the Lufthansa call center on 01 803 803 803 and at the Lufthansa sales counters at the airport.
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Boeing officials have selected Dave Ryan to lead Boeing Satellite Systems effective immediately. Ryan, a 13-year Boeing employee, succeeds Randy Brinkley, who has announced his intent to leave the company on June 1, 2003. As vice president and general manager of Boeing Satellite Systems, or BSS, Ryan will report to Bill Collopy, vice president and general manager of Launch and Satellite Systems, a division of St. Louis-based Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
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Boeing delivered its first 717-200 airliner for Midwest Airlines during a ceremony at the manufacturer's Long Beach assembly facility. Formerly known as Midwest Express, the Milwaukee-based airline ordered 25 of the fuel-efficient Boeing twinjets in April 2002 with options to purchase an additional 25 airplanes. The new 717s will replace the carrier's current fleet of 20 DC-9s. The airplanes are configured for 88 passengers in Midwest's signature two-by-two wide leather seats, and are due to enter service beginning in March this year.
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Boeing officials announced that the company is consolidating all Delta launch vehicle manufacturing and assembly in Decatur, Ala. Beginning this summer, Delta launch vehicle assembly now done at its Pueblo, Colo., facility will transfer to the company's Decatur facility where Delta IV production and testing is done. The consolidation should be completed in mid-2004.
"Bringing together Delta assembly work allows us greater operating efficiencies and enhances our ability to provide affordable, high-quality launch services," said Will Trafton, vice president and general manager of Expendable Launch Systems for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. "Our facility in Decatur is the world's newest and most state-of-the-art rocket plant. Consolidating production and assembly operations will give us the flexibility to respond to any further changes in our market.
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The integrated European leisure group Thomas Cook AG took delivery today of its first new Airbus A320 painted in its own livery. This is the 25th Airbus aircraft to join the Thomas Cook fleet, which already comprises 22 A320s and two A330-200s operated by Condor Berlin, Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium and JMC Airlines. This A320 will be operated by Thomas Cook Belgium from Brussels airport and will serve holiday destinations around the Mediterranean. Thomas Cook's new A320 will be powered by the environmental friendly CFM56-B4 engines and features a comfortable single-class layout. Airbus single-aisle aircraft have the widest cabin cross section, thus offering wider seats and wider aisles for the best cabin comfort in its class. Furthermore the A320 Family offers the biggest overhead bins in single-aisle aircraft for a more convenient storage of modern roll-aboard luggage.
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Speaking at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al-Baker, today announced that the airline is going to operate an Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) configured for A319 Long Range operations. The aircraft delivered for A319 Long Range applications is Qatar's second ACJ. It is scheduled to enter service in mid 2003 and will be named "Oryx Long Range”. Qatar's first ACJ is in operation with the airline since mid 2001, carrying the name "Oryx Express”. The A319 Long Range is the latest addition to the Airbus A320 Family of aircraft, combining the performance capabilities of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) with the qualities of a premium-class airliner. The A320 Family comprises the A318, A319, A320 and A321, offering the highest degree of economy and passenger comfort for aircraft seating from 100 to 220 passengers. The ACJ, a longer-range version of the A319, can fly as far as 6,000 nm/11,100 km with 12 passengers on board.
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The European Space Agency (ESA) has agreed to six-month postponements of the Soyuz flights by two members of its astronaut corps planned for April and October 2003. The agreement is based on an understanding between ESA, the Russian Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos) and NASA, in close cooperation with the Spanish and Dutch authorities concerned. The purpose of the agreement is to allow the April Soyuz flight to be used for an International Space Station crew rotation. "The agreement was made in the interest of a smooth continuation of Space Station operation and utilisation," said Mr Jörg Feustel-Büechl, ESA Director of Human Spaceflight, "it should be seen as a sign of the close cooperation and solidarity among the International Space Station partners". It was initially planned to exchange the present crew on board the ISS in March with a new crew arriving on the Space Shuttle Discovery. In April a new Soyuz spacecraft was scheduled to fly to the ISS carrying ESA astronaut Pedro Duque for an 8-day stay on the ISS, a mission supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.
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Lufthansa Technik has succeeded in capturing a sizable order for the completion of a Boeing Business Jet. For the Asian customer the experts at the LHT completion center will be completely equipping a 39-million-dollar jetliner based on the Boeing 737-700. By agreement with the customer the amount of the order cannot be disclosed. The BBJ in question recently arrived at Lufthansa Technik's Hamburg facility. By the time it is delivered back to the customer at the end of 2003, some 70,000 labor hours will have been devoted to installing in it, among other things, a complete conference room plus state-of-the-art communications equipment.
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British Airways has condemned the Civil Aviation Authority for failing to revise its new pricing regime at Heathrow airport which will allow the airport operator, BAA, to raise landing charges by up to 50 per cent over the next five years. The airline believes the new charges, which will come into force on April 1, 2003, are stacked against airlines and passengers and go way beyond the requirements needed to fund BAA's capital programme over the next five years. British Airways' Chief Executive, Rod Eddington, said: "These increases are bad news for the travelling public who will end up paying higher prices and bad news for an industry already in financial distress. "British Airways, like all airlines, is fighting to control its costs in a very difficult environment.” The airline is extremely disappointed that the CAA has not responded to the very serious concerns which BA and other airlines expressed about the price cap proposals.
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