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+++ Bombardier abandons CSeries +++ KKR sells stake in MTU +++ Boeing has excellent 2005 +++ United exits bankruptcy +++ Spirit AeroSystems to purchase BAE Systems Aerostructures +++ DoD releases QDR +++ Sikorsky Delivers 600 th S-76 +++ Spacewalk for ISS astronauts +++News in brief +++
Bombardier abandons CSeries
Kein neuer Regionaljet von Bombardier
Bombardier announced that present market conditions do not justify the launch of the CSeries program at this time. The Corporation will now reorient CSeries project efforts, team and resources to regional jet and turboprop aircraft opportunities to address regional airlines' future needs in the 80- to 100-seat aircraft market. The majority of the CSeries employees will be redirected to the development of these regional aircraft opportunities. A small team of employees will remain with the CSeries program to further develop its business plan, with emphasis on including other partners, particularly in fast-growing major aerospace markets. ''This is the correct business decision given today's market dynamics,” said Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace. “Our realignment decision is based on two years of extensive research, development and evaluation. We will now concurrently continue to explore the CSeries' potential as well as pursue opportunities in the regional aircraft market. Our commitment to the upper end of the regional aircraft market and the lower end of the mainline market remains strong and we expect to fully exploit opportunities in these two markets in the future,” he added.
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KKR sells stake in MTU
Gutes Geschäft für Investmentfirma
MUNICH --- Private equity investor Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has sold the 29.3 percent share it still held after MTU Aero Engines Holding AG went public. The stock went to various institutional investors. KKR informed MTU of this move on January 31, 2006. On January 1, 2004, KKR had acquired MTU from DaimlerChrysler, and on June 6, 2005 the company went public, with an initial 64.8 percent of its stock being in free float. Commented Udo Stark, MTU Aero Engines' president and CEO: "The successful placement of the remaining shares held by KKR is impressive proof of the confidence the market has in MTU's performance and future viability. It was achieved in close cooperation with KKR. Now operating as a stand-alone public company, MTU has attained a major objective." MTU's final business figures for the fiscal year 2005 will be published on March 23, 2006. The company expects sales to exceed the previous year's figure of 1.9 billion euros by at least 10 percent. The improvement in the operating result (adjusted EBITDA), which in 2004 amounted to 172 million euros, is estimated at more than 30 percent.
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Boeing has excellent 2005
Gute Ergebnisse für Boeing
Boeing reported significant growth in its fourth-quarter financial performance and provided guidance for 2006 and 2007 emphasizing its expectations for continued growth and margin expansion. For 2005, Boeing's net income increased to $2.6 billion, or $3.20 per share, from $1.9 billion, or $2.30 per share, in 2004. Revenue rose to $54.8 billion from $52.5 billion and operating margin rose to 5.1 percent from 3.8 percent. Revenue in 2005 grew 5 percent despite labor strikes at Commercial Airplanes and the company's launch business that reduced revenue by approximately $2.3 billion. Building on progress made in 2005, Boeing is increasing its earnings per share guidance for 2006 to between $3.25 and $3.45. In 2007, earnings per share is projected to rise approximately 25 percent to between $4.10 and $4.30 on higher deliveries of commercial airplanes and company-wide productivity improvements. Further details on financial guidance are provided below.
"Our results and improved outlook reflect a strong commitment to growth, expanding margins and improving how we do business every day," said Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney. "As we look ahead, that commitment will be reflected in a continued emphasis on driving results in our core business units and a new focus on a series of growth and productivity initiatives to leverage our capabilities, resources and talent across the entire company."
Boeing's backlog at year end was a record $202 billion, up 19 percent from the end of the third quarter and 33 percent for the year. That growth primarily reflects the more than 1,000 commercial airplane orders received during the year. Boeing's cash and investments in marketable securities totaled $8.4 billion at year end, up from $7.5 billion at the end of the third quarter and from $6.1 billion at the end of 2004. This reflected strong operating cash flow partially offset by the ongoing share repurchase program, pension plan contributions, and planned investment increases in Boeing's core businesses. The company repurchased 12.4 million shares during the quarter for $832 million and 45.2 million shares for $2.9 billion during the entire year, leaving 24.3 million shares available under the existing repurchase authorization. The company made no discretionary contributions to its pension plans during the quarter; contributions for all of 2005 totaled $1.9 billion. The funded status of the Company's pension plans improved to 96 percent in 2005. The Boeing Company debt was unchanged from the end of the third quarter at $3.9 billion. Boeing Capital debt declined slightly to $6.2 billion as strong operating cash flow eliminated the need for new financing.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes' contractual backlog rose 37 percent during the quarter and 89 percent for the full year to $124 billion, reflecting 388 gross orders during the quarter - including 18 that launched the 747-8 program - and 1,029 for the year. From the 787 Dreamliner program launch to the end of 2005, 27 customers had booked a total of 379 orders and commitments for the new airplane, including 291 firm orders.
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) revenues increased 7 percent in the quarter to $8.1 billion due to strong growth in Aircraft & Weapon Systems and Support Systems segments. Operating margins increased to 11.4 percent from 8.9 percent driven by double-digit performance in these segments. A strike at IDS's launch business and lower revenue from proprietary programs reduced fourth-quarter revenue by nearly $700 million below previous expectations. For the year, IDS achieved record revenue, earnings and margins. Revenues rose 1 percent to $30.8 billion, operating earnings rose 33 percent to $3.9 billion, and operating margins increased to 12.6 percent, up from 9.6 percent a year ago. Full year operating earnings include a pre-tax gain of $569 million from the sale of Rocketdyne, without which IDS's operating margin would have been an industry-leading 10.8%.
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United exits bankruptcy
Insolvenzverfahren von United beendet
On 1 February, UAL Corporation, the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, formally exited bankruptcy , following confirmation of the company's Plan of Reorganization by the United States Bankruptcy Court. “Today, we have the business platform we need to compete with the strongest carriers and a clear strategy of offering the right service to the right customer at the right price,” said Glenn Tilton, United's chairman, chief executive officer and president. “As we move ahead, United is committed to continuous improvement in costs, revenue and operations to optimize our resources and sustain competitive margins. We have achieved a great deal in our restructuring to reposition this company and build upon our assets, an unrivaled global network and our dedicated employees. We can be better. We are in a very competitive industry, and we take nothing for granted.” “Our approach is clearly working, as the numbers show,” said Jake Brace, United's executive vice president and chief financial officer. “We have substantially improved our financial performance despite dramatic increases in fuel costs over the last 12 months. And United has one of the best operating records in the industry – in on-time departures, baggage handling, fewest customer complaints and other areas helping us to outpace the industry in unit revenue.”
Over the past three years, United has, among other steps: reduced its average annual costs by approximately $7 billion; substantially deleveraged its balance sheet; strengthened its network while eliminating unprofitable services; reconfigured its fleet to optimize the use of its aircraft; significantly increased the productivity of all its assets; and introduced new or expanded services targeted to specific customer groups. In particular, United increased its international capacity to leverage competitive strengths, including profitable international routes and its role in the Star Alliance, the largest and most successful global airline alliance. To further enhance its strong position with corporate and business travelers, United launched a new premium transcontinental service – p.s. – and significantly upgraded its regional jet service, United Express, to offer both first-class and extra-comfort Economy Plus services at a premium price. At the same time, it introduced a new low-fare service, Ted, which is now competing successfully in many markets, while also acting as a feeder to United's mainline network.
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Spirit AeroSystems to purchase BAE Systems Aerostructures
Ex-Boeing-Werk expandiert
Spirit AeroSystems announced that it has signed an agreement with BAE Systems to acquire the Aerostructures business unit of BAE Systems, which has operations in Prestwick, Scotland and in Samlesbury, England. Spirit is paying 80 million pounds Sterling ($142 million at current exchange rates) and assuming certain liabilities of the business. "Spirit sees this as an opportunity to diversify our revenue base and accelerate our growth as a world leader in aerostructures and systems manufacturing," said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Brunton in a statement to employees. The Aerostructures unit, which will be known as Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Limited, produces structural components, chiefly on wings, similar to that in Spirit's business unit in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but on different airplane programs. More than 80 percent of BAE Systems Aerostructures' revenue is earned on Airbus airplanes, including the A320 family, the A330 and the A340. The remainder is from the Boeing 767 and 777, and from the Raytheon Hawker 800XP. BAE Systems Aerostructures employs over 800 people in the United Kingdom, and has a history dating back to the early days of large scale airplane production in Scotland in the 1930s. BAE Systems Aerostructures had revenue of approximately $367 million in 2005.
Spirit will continue to focus on winning new work in both its U.S. and European operations. "We will grow our business both by winning new work and by expanding our presence around the world," said Chief Executive Officer Jeff Turner. "Growth is fundamental to our long-term success as a company." He added, "We welcome all the new employees to the Spirit family, and we look forward in sharing in our future successes together.
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DoD releases QDR
Neue Pläne des Pentagon vorgestellt
On 3 February, the US Defense Department unveiled the Quadrennial Defense Review, charting the way ahead for the next 20 years as it confronts current and future challenges and continues its transformation for the 21st century. The 92-page report, sent to Congress beginning today, represents "a common vision of where we need to go and what we need to do," Ryan Henry, principal deputy undersecretary for policy, told Pentagon reporters today. The report was driven, managed and authored by senior leaders throughout the department, from Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to the Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the service chiefs and secretaries to the combatant commanders, he said. Its release corresponds with that of the fiscal 2007 DoD budget request, which President Bush will send to Congress Feb. 6. The QDR aims to shift military capabilities to fight terrorism and other meet nontraditional, asymmetric threats, while shaping a defense structure better able to support and speed up this reorientation, Henry said.
At the same time, it recognizes the continued need to defend against conventional threats, conduct humanitarian missions at home and abroad, and help U.S. allies and partners develop their own defense capabilities.
The first of three QDRs conducted during wartime, this year's report focuses on the need for the U.S. military to continue adjusting to an era of uncertainty with asymmetric challenges, he said.
It incorporates lessons learned from operational experiences from Iraq and Afghanistan, Ryan said. Similarly, it incorporates experience gained in other operations associated with the so-called "long war" against terrorism in places like the Philippines, Horn of Africa, Georgia and Northern Africa. As a blueprint for shaping the force to carry out these far-reaching responsibilities, the QDR shifts from traditional thinking in pointing the direction forward, Henry said. "It's not about numbers. Numbers don't tell you if you can get the job done," he said. "It's about capabilities." The report focuses on a lighter, more agile, more deployable force that operates more jointly with a streamlined, more efficient defense operation supporting it, Vice Admiral Evan Chanik, the Joint Staff's director of force structure, resources and assessment, told reporters. It promotes more special operations, intelligence gathering, language and cultural capabilities, improved communications and enhanced security-cooperation activities.
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Sikorsky Delivers 600 th S-76
S-76-Produktion erreicht 600
Sikorsky Aircraft's S-76 helicopter line continued building upon its legacy with the recent delivery of the 600th S-76 helicopter, a new S-76C++. More than 220 operators in 59 countries are currently flying S-76 helicopters. The S-76 fleet has accumulated more than four million flight hours since the first aircraft was delivered in 1979. “The success of the S-76 has been built by meeting the needs of our customers throughout the products long and distinguished tenure. Delivering our 600 th helicopter attests to the S-76's status as the preferred choice for hundreds of commercial operators around the world,” said Jeff Pino, Sikorsky's senior vice president for strategy, marketing and commercial programs. Building on the success of the S-76 product line, Sikorsky announced in February 2005 a series of engine, air vehicle, interior and avionics upgrades available for order immediately on the new S-76C++ helicopter and a set of additional product improvements that will lead to the launch of the new S-76D model in 2008.
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Spacewalk for ISS astronauts
Raumanzug ausgesetzt
Space station crewmembers released a spacesuit-turned-satellite during the second spacewalk of their mission last night. Called SuitSat, it faintly transmitted recorded voices of school children to amateur radio operators worldwide for a brief period before it ceased sending signals. Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev ventured outside for a five-hour, 43-minute spacewalk to release SuitSat, conduct preventative maintenance to a cable-cutting device, retrieve experiments and photograph the station's exterior. Clad in Russian Orlan spacesuits, McArthur and Tokarev opened the hatch to begin the spacewalk at 5:44 p.m. EST. It was the fourth career spacewalk for McArthur and the second for Tokarev.
After setting up tools and equipment, they positioned the unneeded Orlan spacesuit on a ladder by the station's Pirs airlock hatch. The suit reached the end of its operational life for spacewalks in August 2004. It was outfitted by the crew with three batteries, internal sensors and a radio transmitter for this experiment. The SuitSat provided recorded greetings in six languages to ham radio operators for about two orbits of the Earth before it stopped transmitting, perhaps due to its batteries failing in the cold environment of space, according to amateur radio coordinators affiliated with the station program. The suit will enter the atmosphere and burn up in a few weeks. Tokarev pushed the suit away toward the aft end of the station as the complex flew 225 miles above the south central Pacific Ocean. The suit initially drifted away at a rate of about a half meter per second, slowly floating out of view below the Zvezda Service Module and its attached Progress cargo craft. The suit is now separating from the station at a rate of about six kilometers every 90 minutes.
As their final spacewalk task, the crew photographed the exterior of Zvezda, including Russian sensors that measure micrometeoroid impacts, handrails, propulsion systems and a ham radio antenna. McArthur and Tokarev then returned to the Pirs airlock and closed the hatch at 11:27 p.m. EST. It was the 64th spacewalk in support of station assembly and maintenance, the 36th staged from the station, and the 17th conducted from Pirs. In all, station spacewalkers have accumulated 384 hours and 23 minutes outside the facility since December 1998.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
The Swiss-based Jet Aviation Group, one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world, announced today that it reached an agreement to acquire the U.S. based Midcoast Aviation from Sabreliner Corporation. All parties have agreed that further details about the transaction, including the transaction size, will not be disclosed. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be closed in spring 2006. "When Jet Aviation was acquired by the Permira Funds in October 2005, the new owners committed to put the company on track towards a faster global expansion. The acquisition of Midcoast Aviation is a significant step in this direction," says Heinz Kohli, CEO of the Jet Aviation Group. "Midcoast Aviation has a similar business philosophy as Jet Aviation. The addition of one of the leading completions and maintenance service companies into Jet Aviation's U.S. organization will not only increase our U.S. presence but strengthen our position as a full business aviation service provider in North America," adds Theo Staub, president and COO of Jet Aviation North America. Kurt F. Sutterer, president of Midcoast Aviation says, "We consider Jet Aviation a perfect fit. Like Jet Aviation, we make substantial investments in resources and people to provide exceptional service to the benefit of our customers. We are happy to become part of the Jet Aviation Group."
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Boeing launched the 737-700ER (Extended Range), following an order conversion from ANA (All Nippon Airways) for two airplanes. The 737-700ER has the longest range capability of any 737 commercial family member, and is able to serve new nonstop, point-to-point routes profitably. ANA exercised rights to substitute 737-700s with 737-700ERs. The two 737-700ERs are part of a larger order announced June 23, 2003, for 45 737-700s. "The value of the Next-Generation 737 family continues to grow with the 737-700ER, and we are delighted to have ANA as the launch customer," said Alan Mulally, chief executive officer and president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "This new 737 derivative is a great example of how Boeing helps our customers succeed by responding to new emerging airline business requirements." Boeing is scheduled to deliver the first airplane to ANA in early 2007. "This special airplane will bring new possibilities for ANA in terms of the routes we fly," said ANA President and CEO Mineo Yamamoto. "It will allow us to explore destinations that could hitherto only be reached with larger aircraft, and further provide greater choice and convenience to our customers." The 737-700ER is a Boeing Business Jet-inspired airplane, designed for long-range commercial applications. The airplane features the fuselage of the commercial 737-700 and the wings and landing gear of the larger 737-800. The high-performance derivative can fly up to 2,145 nautical miles farther than the current 737-700. With up to nine optional auxiliary fuel tanks and optional Blended Winglets, the 737-700ER is capable of flying up to 5,510 nautical miles.
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Global Hawk became the first unmanned aerial system to complete the military airworthiness certification process and be granted a military airworthiness certificate during a ceremony Jan. 25 at Aeronautical Systems Center. Randy Brown, Global Hawk Systems Group director, signed the official Airworthiness Certificate, which recognizes the ability of Global Hawk to operate within the National Airspace System in accordance with the Certificate of Authorization issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. "This is a historic event," Brown said. "The aircraft was evaluated against over 500 technical criteria in order to get this certification." The military airworthiness process can be summarized in three steps. The first step requires the development and approval of a Tailored Airworthiness Certification Criteria document for use as the basis for certification.
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Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $2 billion contract to lead the development of an advanced Air Force network that will provide a new level of high-bandwidth, secure, global communications to transform the speed of command and provide a vital information link to deployed mobile forces. The 10-year contract for the TSAT Missions Operations System (TMOS) program will link the Transformational Satellite Communications Systems (TSAT) program to the Global Information Grid (GIG) and is expected to commence operations in 2014. TMOS will provide the network and operations management segments for TSAT, as well as enable the TSAT interfaces to the GIG. The TSAT network is essential to providing deployed forces with the dramatically increased networking requirements of modern military operations. Unlike other DoD networks, TSAT affords mobile forces a high-bandwidth connection to the GIG from virtually anywhere in the world, while protecting its users from enemy detection, eavesdropping and jamming. Its high-capacity links will dramatically increase the military's capability to support its deployed forces with real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
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Cessna Aircraft Company's third Citation Mustang - the second production aircraft (serial number two) - made its first flight, joining the Mustang prototype and first production aircraft (serial number one) in the Mustang development and certification flight test program. The three aircraft are being used for Federal Aviation Administration certification targeted for late 2006. The first flight of this aircraft was a week ahead of schedule, keeping the certification program on track, according to Russ Meyer III, Citation Mustang program manager. Citation Mustang serial number two will primarily be used for systems certification, function and reliability tests and post-certification service tests. The 90-minute first flight puts the Mustang certification flying program at more than 360 flights and 580 hours. The Citation Mustang prototype is primarily being used for aerodynamic and performance certification, and serial number one is being used for systems and avionics development and certification. Other recent milestones include certification of the two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F dual-channel FADEC engines Dec. 30 and completion of all 23 major static airframe tests Jan. 9.
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Jim Albaugh, President and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), announced a significant restructuring of that unit in order to enhance customer focus and improve productivity. "Since the creation of Boeing IDS more than three-and-a-half years ago, our team has enjoyed considerable success in growing our business by focusing on the enduring needs of our customers and providing innovative solutions," Albaugh said. "The bold steps we're taking today will enable us to more effectively address future and evolving requirements for integrated, capability-driven solutions at reduced costs across the markets we serve. The announced organization will continue our customer focus, improve our ability to execute and position Boeing for sustainable, long-term growth and profitability in a changing market environment." Over the next few weeks, operations will be consolidated into three business profit and loss centers organized around capabilities. John Lockard is named President, Precision Engagement and Mobility Systems, which includes Global Strike, Mobility, Airborne ASW and ISR, and Rotorcraft for all military services. Roger Krone is named President, Networks and Space Systems. Krone will have responsibility for Combat Systems, Space and Expendable Launches, Missile Defense Systems, C3 Networks, Space and Intelligence Systems and Space Exploration. Both Krone and Lockard will be located in Northern Virginia. Pat Finneran is named President, Support Systems, which includes Maintenance Modification and Upgrades, Material Management, Training Systems, International Business Operations, and Advanced Logistics Systems. Finneran is based in St. Louis, Mo.
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A recent analysis by Forecast International estimates that the market for air-to-air missiles will be worth $15.4 billion over the next 10 years, with Raytheon and MBDA sharing the lead. According to Larry Dickerson, Missile Analyst for Forecast International, the continued strong demand for combat aircraft and the drive to modernize air forces is fueling demand for these missiles. More than 52,000 air-to-air missiles will be built worldwide between 2006 and 2015. “As in previous years, this market is dominated by Raytheon and MBDA,” said Dickerson. “Raytheon is on top of this market due to the popularity of the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM. Sales of these missiles will be worth $4.5 billion. MBDA, which is producing the MICA and ASRAAM and will introduce the Meteor in the future, will see its air-to-air missile revenues top $3.3 billion through 2015.” MBDA's Meteor is the company's challenger to AMRAAM's dominance of the medium-range air-to-air missile segment. Yet Raytheon is already introducing new versions of the AIM-120 to maintain its market share.
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Boeing announced a new carbon brake option that will reduce airframe weight and lower operating costs for Next-Generation 737 operators around the world. The no-charge option will save up to 700 pounds in airplane weight and increase the wear life up to twice the number of landings. The reduction in weight and increased durability will lower maintenance and operating costs overall. "Carbon brakes offer the same stopping performance as steel brakes but with the added benefit of a significant weight savings, which ultimately increases fuel efficiency," said Mike Delaney, 737 chief project engineer. "Next-Generation 737s are already lighter than competing Airbus models. This structural efficiency is a fundamental reason why Next-Generation 737s fly farther, higher and with better fuel efficiency than the competition."
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EADS Socata announces the certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 23, 2006 of the newest member of its family of high performance pressurized turboprops - the TBM 850. This certification was received only 6 weeks after the FAA started its work on the reports presented by EADS Socata. On the same day, the first production TBM 850 flew for the first time with Christian Briand, chief pilot of EADS Socata at the controls accompanied by Alain Arnaud, flight test engineer. This flight of 2 hours 50 consisted in tests across the TBM 850's flight envelope including climbs to its maximum certified altitude of 31,000 ft (9,449 m), operation at its maximum cruise speed and high speed descents at the aircraft's maximum operating speed.
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The Lockheed Martin JASSM, a stealthy, air-to-surface missile, recently conducted two successful flight tests at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), NM. The first launch, on January 25, was from a B-1 aircraft and the second, on January 27, was from an F-16. Both missiles hit their mark. The two successes are on the heels of a successful 2005 flight test program where the missile scored nine successes in 11 tests. The tests bring JASSM's overall record to 33 successes in 43 flight tests, with 11 of the last 13 flights being successes. The recent tests were Product Upgrade Verification (PUV) flights and introduced features that improve the missile's reliability and affordability. Another activity in this flight is the introduction of the electronic safe and arm fuze (ESAF) which as part of a risk reduction, tested internal communication to the missile.
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Northrop Grumman signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), one of India's leading aerospace companies. Under the terms of the agreement, both companies have agreed to work together to identify projects of mutual benefit. This would result in involving HAL in Northrop Grumman's E-2C Hawkeye program by way of sourcing aircraft assemblies and components, digitization and other related service from HAL. Northrop Grumman sent several teams to India in 2005 to survey the nation's companies in search of potential new suppliers. The teams were impressed with the capabilities of the Indian companies surveyed, particularly HAL's expertise in aerospace design and manufacturing.
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EADS North America will produce the UH-145 rotary wing aircraft, the company's offering for the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), at the American Eurocopter state-of-the-art Columbus, Mississippi facility. The announcement was made by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, EADS CEO Thomas Enders and Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., Chairman and CEO of EADS North America at a joint press conference held in the Mississippi State Capitol. Earlier in the day, EADS and Airbus executives, along with federal and state government officials, participated in a groundbreaking ceremony in Mobile, Alabama to begin construction on a new Airbus engineering center. Operational since 2004, the Columbus facility currently handles a full range of manufacturing, assembly and upgrade activities for American Eurocopter, which is a leader in the U.S. helicopter marketplace. A selection of the UH-145 as the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter will result in significant expansion of the Columbus operation's size and employment.
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The U.S. Air Force, Navy and Raytheon Company successfully demonstrated a weapon data link (WDL) and a new air-to-ground message set that will enhance the capability and utility of Raytheon's Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). The demonstration was a key success in the Weapon Data Link Network (WDLN) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) managed by the Air Force's Air Armament Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The WDLN ACTD is an activity using weapons and government-provided command and control nodes designed to evaluate a standard weapons communications architecture and serve as risk reduction pathfinders for future weapon data link efforts. Raytheon is under contract with the Naval Air Systems Command to provide JSOW to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. JSOW deliveries started in 1997.
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Boeing is one of two companies selected by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence as a preferred bidder to compete in a technology demonstration program as part of Project Eagle, a major upgrade to the U.K.'s AWACS fleet. Although still to be negotiated, the one-year contract is expected to be valued at approximately $8 million. Under the contract, scheduled to start in April, Boeing will demonstrate through a series of test scenarios that its system meets the requirements of the U.K. customer. The demonstration will be conducted in a lab environment in Kent, Wash. with operator consoles using an early version of the proposed software. "The Boeing proposal offers a low- risk, high- performance solution for the United Kingdom and will keep its fleet interoperable with the NATO and U.S. AWACS fleets." said Doug Ilgenfritz, Boeing United Kingdom and French AWACS program manager. The winner of the competition will be selected in late 2007, with production work beginning in early 2008.
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The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for $491 million to build a third spacecraft for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (Advanced EHF) program constellation. Advanced EHF satellites will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for all warfighters serving under the U.S. Department of Defense. The Advanced EHF system is the successor to the Milstar system, whose capabilities were cited by the Department of Defense as essential to the U.S.-led coalition's success in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Advanced EHF will provide greater total capacity and offer channel data rates higher than that of Milstar communications satellites. The higher data rates permit transmission of tactical military communications such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data. Development of the first Advanced EHF satellite is progressing on schedule. The team recently delivered the spacecraft core structure to Lockheed Martin's Mississippi Space & Technology Center for integration with its propulsion subsystem. The second spacecraft is close behind in the production flow.
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Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force have successfully demonstrated the integration of a munition on the B-2 stealth bomber that incorporates an improved, penetrating warhead with an upgraded guidance kit. "The demonstration represents another example of our commitment to maintain the B-2's flexibility to employ a variety of advanced weapons," said Mike Galaway, director of B-2 product development and delivery at Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "We also want to ensure that the nation's No. 1 long-range strike asset remains the most versatile and lethal bomber in the inventory." During the demonstration at the Utah Test and Training Range at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, a B-2 delivered a live GBU-28C/B bomb with a new BLU-122 warhead, destroying the target. The 5,000-pound GBU-28C/B is a follow-on to the EGBU-28B/B that was successfully integrated on the B-2 in 2003. Improvements to the GBU-28C/B allow it to penetrate the target more deeply. The BLU-122 warhead and the upgraded guidance kit were integrated by Raytheon Missile Systems.
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Starting on 1 April 2006 Spanair is boosting its already extensive network of schedule flights between Scandinavia and Spain with 30 more flights a week linking the cities of Copenhagen and Stockholm with the tourist destinations of Malaga, Alicante and Palma (Majorca) in Spain. The start-up of these new routes comes within the context of the company's strategy of expanding to and from the Scandinavian market. These connections complement the broad range of flights which Spanair is offering between Spain and the Scandinavian countries via its Madrid and Barcelona hubs. The company is thus reinforcing its leading position between these two markets with a total of 98 flights a week. Since last 5 November Spanair has already been operating the Stockholm-Malaga route to which more frequencies are now being added due to the excellent market response.
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The last two H-3 Sea King helicopters made their last operational flight Jan. 27, taking to the air before making way for their replacement, the MH-60S Knighthawk. Military personnel and civilians gathered in hangar SP-35 aboard Naval Station Norfolk, home of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 2, the Fleet Angels, as their Commanding Officer, Cmdr. H. Kris Croeber, addressed the crowd. “Whatever the mission they were tasked with, the H-3 found a way to get it done.” said Croeber. “There is only one King.” Throughout its 45-year history, the H-3 has been involved in many missions, including search and rescue, firefighting, antisubmarine warfare, worldwide logistics support and torque and drone recovery. According to some HSC-2 crew members, the H-3 requires a lot of time and maintenance put into it in order to stay airborne.
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FH1100 Manufacturing Corp. of Century, Florida (FMC) announced the expansion of their factory flight training program. The new Van Nevel Helicopters Academy will soon be open to the public, said FMC president Georges Van Nevel who added, “We will offer all turbine “ab-initio” training through Commercial and CFI-I ratings for those who desire a career as a helicopter pilot.” “All of our instruction will be in the Rolls Royce 250 C-20B-powered FH1100 at a rate comparable to piston-engine trainers,” Van Nevel noted. “Since we build the FH1100, we are in a unique position to offer it at a rate much lower than that of any commercial operator. Our plan is to provide a comprehensive, real-world training course for aspiring professional pilots.” For instance, our Commercial Pilot curriculum will include training in such areas as elevated platform operations for those with a goal of working in the offshore oil industry. External load training may also be provided at advanced levels. Every successful graduate will receive a Factory Training Course Certificate, which is recognized by and has tremendous value to insurance companies.
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To accommodate burgeoning passenger traffic on domestic and international routes, airlines across the world are engaged in the expansion of their fleets. Record orders for new airplanes placed in 2005 have almost doubled the total orders of aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus and most aircraft deliveries are likely to take place over the next five years. "The record orders of 2005 placed by airlines worldwide indicate rapidly increasing seating capacity in the following years," notes Ms. Kamila Zlobinska, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "A significant number of deliveries will be devoted to fleet renewal as many airplanes are in need of replacements. New-generation airplanes will increase efficiency and help reduce operating expenses, particularly fuel costs." With 33.9 per cent share of the total orders, North America will continue to be the biggest customer in the world airline market. At the same time, lured by developing economies particularly in China and India, the Asia Pacific airline market is rapidly investing in aviation infrastructure improvements. Further, as European airlines hold over 500 options and purchase rights, which are likely to be realised in the future, the European airline market will contribute to further market growth. Current orders for airplanes are likely to provide an additional capacity of about 1.0 million seats and further growth is likely to take place due to the exercised options and purchase rights of future aircraft deliveries as well as new orders that airlines will place in the near future. In particular, 2007 is likely to mark significant growth with deliveries of the new Airbus A380. At present, the world fleet includes a seating capacity of over 3.1 million seats and is expected to grow by 20.3 per cent by the end of 2010. The North American aviation industry accounts for 37.4 per cent of the total world fleet and is likely to witness an increase in aircraft deliveries, with a significant number of airplanes requiring replacements. Europe - the second largest market in terms of the number of aircraft in use - will witness increasing long-haul traffic driven by the liberalisation of immigration rules on inter-continental travel. Further, the current fleet in Asia Pacific will witness a rise with an increase in the number of leased aircraft as well as the deliveries of additional orders that are likely to be placed by several airlines in the region.
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All oneworld member airlines serving Madrid will move into the airport's new, US $7.4 billion (EUR 6 billion) Terminal 4 on Sunday, Feb. 5, in what will be the alliance's biggest and most significant co-location move yet. Madrid is home base of oneworld member Iberia and the alliance's main gateway between Europe and Latin America. Five of the alliance's other partners also fly there -- American Airlines, British Airways, LAN, Finnair and Aer Lingus -- along with members-elect Malev and Royal Jordanian. Currently, these airlines operate from two different terminals at the city's Barajas Airport. Between them, they carried nearly 25 million passengers to and from Madrid last year -- seven in every 10 of the airport's passengers. They will account for 90 percent of the new terminal's passengers, with the rest flying on a number of unaligned carriers. oneworld member airlines currently operate a total of 650 arriving and departing flights a day at Madrid, connecting the airport with more than 100 destinations in 42 countries worldwide. Their move into the state-of-the-art Terminal 4 will improve the airport experience for all oneworld passengers travelling to or from the Spanish capital, with the smoothest of transfers for those connecting between alliance member airlines' flights, at what will be one of the world's most modern, passenger-friendly and efficient airport facilities.
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Aviall Services, a business unit of Aviall, announced that it has received from Smiths Aerospace LLC the worldwide aftermarket distribution rights for their civil aerospace line of products for a ten-year period. Aviall will assume its service provider responsibilities for the aftermarket after a transition period of several months. The total program revenue is estimated to be approximately $2 billion. For 2006, similar to other recent contracts, Aviall will receive a commission for civil product aftermarket sales during the transition period and will begin to report full revenues when Aviall takes over full operational responsibility. On an annualized basis, first year equivalent revenues are expected to be in the range of $130 to $140 million. As Smiths' civil aftermarket full-service provider, Aviall will utilize its critical core competencies of inventory forecasting and management, field sales and marketing, product fulfillment, quality management and technology- backed tools to ensure Smiths Aerospace's aftermarket customers have the product availability and support necessary to meet their needs. Smiths Aerospace products covered by the agreement involve mechanical and electronic systems. Mechanical systems products include actuators, holdback devices, propeller systems, flight control systems, landing gear systems, and thrust reverser control systems. Electronic systems offerings include flight management systems, power systems, modules, navigation equipment and supplemental power systems.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation recently demonstrated the ability of a new integrated sensor suite to support high-altitude maritime surveillance missions by the RQ-4 Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration unmanned aerial system. Northrop Grumman successfully tested the maritime software modes of the new sensors, which were designed and built by Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems, during three training flights over the Pacific Ocean. "Surveillance over the ocean is much more difficult than over land, because you have a moving target, such as a ship, against a moving background, the ocean," said Bill Beck, Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration program manager. "During test flights, we proved that from an altitude of 60,000 feet, Global Hawk can track a ship or pinpoint a buoy in various sea states." During the test flights, the new sensors performed exactly as designed. They were available to the sensor operators for more than 98 percent of the flight, with few false target hits. The sensors' mode agility was also demonstrated successfully when the Global Hawk air vehicle flew back over land and operators were able to switch its sensors easily from their maritime modes to the over-land modes.
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Raytheon has successfully demonstrated the capability of the Maverick Lock-On-After-Launch (LOAL) program in a series of captive flight tests. The LOAL Maverick flight missions, conducted by the 46th Test Wing's 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., successfully evaluated the functionality and utility of the newest Maverick variant, which significantly expands the missile's capabilities and opportunities for use against stationary and moving targets. The program is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions and Air Vehicles Directorates and sponsored by Air Combat Command's Requirements Directorate. "By successfully integrating a digital weapon data link, Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System and a UHF network data link radio, we offer the warfighter true plug-and-play integration," said Chuck Pinney, Maverick program director at Raytheon. "The LOAL Maverick utility evaluation program demonstrated the feasibility of using existing technology and the operational awareness data link network to significantly enhance the aircrew's situation awareness."
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Bombardier Aerospace announced today that REGCO Holdings Inc. of Toronto has signed a contract to acquire ten 70-seat Bombardier Q400 high-speed turboprop airliners and take options on an additional ten aircraft. The list price value for the ten aircraft on firm order is approximately $250 million US. The contract has a potential list price value of approximately $500 million US if all ten options are exercised. REGCO will publicly announce its plans for the aircraft on February 2, 2006. A media advisory will be issued later today to provide details relating to REGCO's announcement.
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Boeing announced Aeromexico, Mexico's largest airline, ordered six Next-Generation 737s as part of the airline's continuing fleet modernization program. The airline ordered three 737-700s and three 737-800s. Scheduled for delivery in 2007, the airplanes are worth approximately $372 million at list prices. It is the first order booked by Boeing in 2006. "With this order, Aeromexico continues its forward-looking fleet development with the fuel efficient, reliable Next-Generation 737," said John Wojick, vice president of Sales - Latin America and the Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
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Offshore Logistics, a leading provider of helicopter services and production management services to the offshore energy industry, announced today that it has changed its corporate name to Bristow Group Inc. In conjunction with this corporate name change, the Company also is changing its common stock symbol on the New York Stock Exchange to "BRS" effective Monday, February 6, 2006. The Company currently operates under the brand names of Air Logistics and Bristow Helicopters for its helicopter services and Grasso Production Management for its production management services. These brands will continue to be used in their respective markets alongside the new Bristow name and logo because of their strong customer recognition and association with a heritage of excellence in safety and service. William E. Chiles, President and Chief Executive Officer said, "We are rebranding the Company as Bristow Group Inc. as a way of outwardly expressing the internal changes we have been making over the past year to build a more unified service organization. These changes will help us expand our global reach involving the strategic allocation of assets and capital, as well as modernize and standardize our business practices and operations worldwide. In addition, we want to ensure that best practices and the highest standards of safety, excellence and business integrity are the hallmark of our global organization." Chiles added, "We are confident that our One Mission, One World, One Team approach will help us better serve our customers throughout the world."
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Columbia Helicopters, the world leader in heavy-lift helicopter operations, is proud to announce surpassing the 600,000-flight hour milestone with its fleet of Boeing/Kawasaki Vertol 107-II helicopters. The company accomplished the feat on January 23, 2006, when nine of Columbia's Vertols were working in California, Oregon, West Virginia, Canada and New Zealand. The Vertol 107-II is powered by two GE CT58 turbine engines. Consequently, Columbia has now surpassed 1.2 million flight hours with these engines. As a comparison, 600,000 flight hours are the equivalent of spending 25,000 days, or about 68.5 years in the air.
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CFM International set a new record in 2005, receiving orders for 1,640 commercial, military, and spare CFM56 engines at a value of $9.8 billion at list price. The company's previous record, set in 1989, was for 1,343 engines. CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma and General Electric Company. The company delivered 800 engines in 2005.
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For the full year Raytheon reported income from continuing operations of $942 million or $2.08 per diluted share compared to $439 million or $0.99 per diluted share in 2004. The Company reported 2005 net income of $871 million or $1.92 per diluted share compared to $417 million or $0.94 per diluted share in 2004. Net income for 2005 included a $71 million after-tax loss in discontinued operations or $0.16 per diluted share, versus $63 million or $0.14 per diluted share in 2004. The 2004 results also included an after- tax charge of $222 million or $0.50 per diluted share for the settlement of a class action shareholder lawsuit. Total 2005 net sales for the Company were $21.9 billion compared to $20.2 billion for 2004, an increase of 8 percent. Government and Defense sales for the year (after the elimination of intercompany sales) increased 6 percent to $18.2 billion from $17.2 billion in 2004. RAC sales for the year increased 18 percent to $2.9 billion from $2.4 billion in 2004. Free cash flow from continuing operations was $2.1 billion in 2005 compared to $1.6 billion in 2004.
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The European SOSTAR-X programme for the development and demonstration of an advanced airborne ground-surveillance radar system is entering a new decisive stage. On December 23, 2005, the SOSTAR Steering Committee, the highest government body acting on behalf of the Ministries of Defence of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands approved the Post Test Review (PTR) for SOSTAR-X (Stand-Off Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar Demonstrator) that had been held at the Indra facilities in Madrid, Spain. The PTR is an important programme milestone since it releases the mission system for installation into the test aircraft. Two days before, the PTR, the SOSTAR-X demonstrator aircraft, a Fokker 100 modified for test flight purposes, had successfully completed its flight tests in its SOSTAR-X aerodynamical configuration and received its Special Certificate of Airworthiness from the Dutch Airworthiness Authority. This is an important programme prerequisite since it releases flight operation of the test aircraft with the structural modifications applied. “We are pleased to announce that SOSTAR-X has successfully passed another two major milestones”, says Dr Enno Littmann, General Manager of the European company SOSTAR GmbH. “Based upon this progress, we now can fully concentrate on the industry flight tests in the months to come.”
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EADS Astrium has signed a contract with the Algerian National Space Technology Centre (CNTS) for the development of the ALSAT-2 system, which consists of two optical observation satellites. ALSAT-2 is the first Earth observation satellite system from the AstroSat100 family to be built using the Myriade platform. The ALSAT-2 contract covers the design and development of two satellites. The first, ALSAT-2A, will be integrated and tested in France at EADS Astrium, whereas the second, ALSAT-2B, will be integrated in Algeria within the small satellite development center (UDPS) in Oran. The ALSAT-2 programme also includes the construction of two ground control segments and one image station allowing the satellites to be operated and controlled from Algerian territory. ALSAT-2 is equipped with a latest-generation payload capable of supplying images with a resolution of 2.5 metres in panchromatic mode and 10 metres in each of 4 colour bands in multispectral mode. It draws on EADS Astrium's extensive experience in Earth observation, most particularly with respect to the silicon carbide telescopes which are being integrated onto a Myriade class satellite platform which was designed in cooperation with CNES, the French Space agency.
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Munich Airport has posted new records with the traffic results presented for 2005. With more than 28.6 million passengers – an increase of 1.8 million over the previous year – passenger figures were up nearly 7 percent in the operating year just ended. This strong growth rate, which exceeded the industry average, was a decisive factor in the airport's return to profit in 2005. In the "Top Ten" list of Europe's busiest airports in terms of passenger volume, Munich is still among the group displaying the strongest growth. In 2005, Munich Airport remained number 8 in Europe for total passengers handled, but is fast edging up on Rome's Fiumicino, in seventh place. The president and CEO of Munich Airport, Dr. Michael Kerkloh, believes that this traffic trend will secure Munich's hub function in the long term: “Munich is still a reliable growth engine for international air traffic at the European level, and has further solidified its position in the competition among the major European hubs.” In the 14 operating years since it opened in May 1992, Munich Airport has regularly reported higher figures, with the exception of the crisis year 2002. Commercial aircraft movements have also increased consistently, with higher numbers now reported in 14 consecutive years. The nearly 387,000 commercial take-offs and landings represent a gain of four percent in total aircraft movements.
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Lufthansa is further extending its leading position as the strongest European airline in the growth market of Asia as of the summer timetable 2006. With three additional connections to Shanghai from Frankfurt and two additional flights to Hong Kong and four to Beijing from Munich, the number of non-stop services offered by the German carrier is growing to a total of 35 weekly flights to China. The Asia programme will be rounded off by the inclusion of four additional connections per week from Frankfurt to Hyderabad. In addition, Lufthansa will in future be serving the Frankfurt - Doha route itself and offers three weekly services to the capital of Qatar. After around seven hours flying time, the modern Airbus A340 will land in the Emirate via Kuwait. 187 destinations in 79 countries: that is what Lufthansa is offering its passengers with its summer timetable 2006. That means 13,026 weekly flights. Overall Lufthansa will thus register a moderate increase in its capacities of 1.3 per cent compared with the summer timetable 2005. In long-haul traffic, capacity to and from Asia will increase by two per cent, in the Africa/Middle East region the increase will be 1.2 per cent. The capacity for North America will be stable and will increase by 0.4 per cent. As a result, the total seats offered by Lufthansa in the intercontinental traffic will remain at the previous year's level. The offer in European and German traffic will grow by 4.6 per cent. From its Munich hub, Lufthansa is increasing its offer of flights, in particular on the Asian routes and, as a result, significantly improving the quality it offers its passengers. In addition to the existing destinations, Delhi, Hong Kong, Montreal, Beijing and Teheran will now also be served daily in summer. The number of Lufthansa long-haul flights offered from Munich will thus increase by ten per cent compared with the summer timetable 2005. From Frankfurt there will be two flights a day to Boston, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles on the summer timetable, Portland will have one daily flight and passengers to New York have the choice between four daily departures. Business travellers and nature-lovers on their way to Canada will now have the possibility of flying from Frankfurt to Vancouver seven times a week.
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Rockwell Collins has been selected by British Airways to upgrade its Total Entertainment System (TES) with Audio/Video On Demand (AVOD), daily digital news and audio jukebox capabilities. The upgrade is expected to be complete by December 2007. Under the terms of the agreement, Rockwell Collins will upgrade the airline's existing TES systems on 57 Boeing 747's, 25 Boeing 777's and 14 Boeing 767's.
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Sikorsky has signed an exclusive teaming agreement with Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training Solutions, LLC, a subsidiary of Rockwell Collins, Inc., to be the training solutions provider for its bid in the U.S. Air Force's CSAR-X competition. Sikorsky's offering, the HH-92 weapon system, a military variant of the S-92 helicopter, provides the best combination of survivability, performance, interoperability, safety and cost for the vital CSAR-X mission. Under this agreement, announced at a press briefing held at the Air Warfare Symposium this week in Orlando, Rockwell Collins will provide seamless integration between the avionics system and the training systems for the HH-92.
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Under an international bidding procedure, the Indian government has contracted a consortium comprising Fraport AG to modernize, expand and operate Delhi Airport (DEL). The concession runs for three decades with an option to renew for another 30 years. Final approval from the entire Indian cabinet is expected soon. The consortium will soon own 74 percent of the shares in India's second largest airport. State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) will own the remaining 26 percent. Fraport, with a 10 percent stake in the joint venture, will take over the role of airport operator at Delhi – where it will be utilizing its extensive airport expertise developed over the past 80 years. One of Fraport's partners in the consortium is the Indian-based GMR Group, which is active in the energy sector, provides financial services, and already has a contract for developing and operating the new airport in Hyderabad. Other consortium partners include the Indian investment fund IDF, as well as Malaysian Airport's Niaga subsidiary. which will provide its experience in airport retailing.
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The world's longest-range commercial jetliner, the Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner, now is certified by U.S. and European authorities to enter into passenger service with airlines around the world. Certification approval by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) formally recognizes that the 777-200LR has successfully completed all testing and safety requirements during its six-month flight-test program. Two 777-200LR flight test airplanes completed 886 flight hours on 328 flights, and 318 ground test hours. On both test airplanes, 27.8 miles of wiring were installed for the instrumentation used to record flight test data. More than 73 terabits (73 followed by 12 zeros) of data were recorded and analyzed. The 777-200LR is capable of connecting virtually any two cities in the world nonstop. In service it can carry 301 passengers up to 9,420 nautical miles (17,445 kilometers). In addition to Pakistan International Airlines, EVA Air, Emirates, Air Canada, and Air India have ordered the 777-200LR. To date, 44 airlines around the world have ordered 827 777s.
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A UK exporter has completed a $17 million (USD) safety contract for 76 Brazilian Air Force planes which will be used to mount surveillance flights over the Amazon Basin to help stamp out illegal logging and drug trafficking. UK Trade Minister Ian Pearson today announced the completion of the multi-million dollar contact, backed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD), during a trade visit to Brazil. British exporter Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. Ltd. successfully completed the contract to supply ejection seats and associated safety equipment for the AL-X Super Tucano aircraft which have been developed and built by Embraer of Brazil. The Brazilian Air Force paid Martin-Baker for the work from a bank loan provided by Deutsche Bank AG London and guaranteed by ECGD. ECGD support was instrumental in helping the Middlesex-based specialist engineering company win the contract in 2001.
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The Italian helicopter manufacturer AGUSTA WESTLAND has delivered the first helicopter Type Hkp 15 to FMV. FMV has been working for a number of years on the procurement of new helicopters for the Swedish Armed Forces. The purpose is to provide the Armed Forces with modern and more suitable helicopters capable of meeting both new and existing operational requirements. Since 2001 FMV and Agusta have been working to define the requirements and to develop this new military helicopter which has been given the international designation A109 LUH (Light Utility Helicopter). In Sweden it will be known as Hkp 15. Hkp 15 is the first helicopter to be delivered under the modernisation plan. A total of 20 helicopters have been ordered consisting of 12 Hkp15A and 8 Hkp15B. The helicopters are to be delivered over the period 2006-2009. The total cost of the whole package, including helicopters, training, equipment etc., is approximately SEK 1.4 billion.
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BAE Systems has started production of the first U.K. components for the Short Take-Off / Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the world's next generation stealth fighter jet. BAE Systems' Advanced Machining Centre at Samlesbury, U.K. has started work on one of the major frames that form part of the aft fuselage. The aft fuselage and empennage for each F-35 JSF are being designed, engineered and built at the company's Samlesbury site, using the latest in advanced design and manufacturing technology. Jon Evans, BAE Systems' operations manager at the Advanced Machining Centre said, “The component takes around 200 hours to machine, however, in-total, it will take three months to complete, not because of the size or complexity but because the component is the first of its kind. During this time, the component will be subjected to continuous tests and inspection checks to prove the engineering and the component's integrity, to make sure it meets the exacting standards of the F-35 JSF design programme."
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The first of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines has been installed on the fifth A380 test aircraft, MSN009, at the Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, France. Once all four engines are installed in March the aircraft will join the flight test programme as part of the certification campaign by mid-2006. The four GP7200 engines from American manufacturer Engine Alliance, a joint venture between General Electric Co. and Pratt & Whitney, arrived in Toulouse from Middletown, Connecticut in the United States in September '05 and the first has since been fitted with heavy test instrumentation to allow the measurement of some 1,000 parameters during flight test.
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Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine), a leading shipbuilder which is part of the Singapore Technologies Engineering Group, has been selected to build two large roll-on and roll-off vessels for the shipment of A380 sections. The two vessels are due for delivery in 2008 and will join the existing A380 Transport vessel "Ville de Bordeaux", which entered service in 2004. The new vessels are being commissioned by FRET/Cetam, a subsidiary of Louis Dreyfuss Armateurs of France and Leif Hoegh of Norway. The value of the two vessels is EUR 60 million. Airbus will use the new vessels for the transportation of A380 sections from its sites in Hamburg, Germany, Broughton, UK, Puerto Real, Spain and Saint Nazaire, France to a port facility close to Bordeaux in France. Special barges then carry the aircraft sections along the River Garonne to Langon, where they are then transferred to road trailers for the final 250 km journey to the A380 final assembly line in Toulouse.
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Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC), a United Technologies Corp. company, has marked a major milestone in its 77-year history with the production of its 60,000th engine. A special ceremony was held in its Mississauga, Ontario plant to commemorate the event. Of the 60,000 engines P&WC has produced over the years, more than 40,000 are still in operation with close to 9,000 operators worldwide. To ensure that these operators obtain the service they need, when they need it, P&WC's Service Centre network is present around the globe. Today, P&WC offers the broadest product line in the industry. In the last decade alone, the company has certified more than 50 engines. These include new engines among its current engine series - the PT6, PW100, PW200, PW300, PW500, JT15D and PW900. In addition, the PW615F, the first in the new generation PW600 turbofan family, was certified in December 2005, and the PW610F is scheduled for certification in the first quarter 2006. Twenty more new engines should be off the drawing board within three years and powering thousands of aircraft. P&WC ranks 1st among aerospace R&D investors in Canada, investing an average $400 million per year. "Pratt & Whitney Canada is continuing to set the pace in aerospace with innovative engine programs," said Alain M. Bellemare, President, P&WC. "That's what puts us in such a strong position today, at a time when new products like very light jets (VLJs) are bursting onto the market," added Bellemare. P&WC has more than 10,000 employees in Canada (Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia) and elsewhere throughout the world (United States, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, South Africa, Singapore, China, Russia and Australia).
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Boeing was notified that the employees represented by three locals of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers at Boeing facilities in California, Alabama and Florida, voted yesterday to accept the company's offer for new bargaining unit agreements. The new agreements end a strike that began on November 2, 2005. "We are pleased the agreements were ratified and look forward to our employees returning to work," said Tom Easley, lead negotiator for Boeing.
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Lockheed Martin has upgraded the software processing and modeling for the Air Force's Global Positioning System (GPS), enhancing the Air Force's ability to monitor GPS satellites and improve system accuracy 10-15 percent for users worldwide. The recently completed update, named the Legacy Accuracy Improvement Initiative (L-AII), doubles the amount of navigation data collected and provided to Air Force operators. The L-AII upgrade allows the integration of data from up to 14 National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) monitor stations with data from six existing GPS monitor stations. The L-AII update has incorporated improvements in a variety of scientific knowledge areas, including: numerical standards, geopotential, monitor station site displacement, tidal variations in the earth's rotation, tropospheric delays, and satellite solar radiation pressure.
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Aermacchi has delivered Goodrich Aerostructures the 2000th series of components (Inlets/Fan Cowls) for CFM56-5B engine nacelles. These nacelles are installed on Airbus commercial aircraft. The delivery is taking place in a period in which the program is further increasing its production volumes and a peak of 360 delivery is expected in the year 2006. The cooperation between Aermacchi and Goodrich started in 1997 for the A318/A319/A320/A321 programs. It is still going on after the recent signature of a contact worth 500 million US $ covering the supply of components for engine nacelles to be fitted to Boeing Dreamliner B787 and Airbus A350.
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After five months of discussions, Fraport has declared an end to negotiations with a Philippine company to sell Fraport AG's stake in the operating company for the third passenger terminal at Manila Airport. Fraport AG's Executive Board noted in its meeting today that substantial roadblocks in reaching an agreement could not be removed. For the intended transaction, among others, a waiver of right of first refusal by the co-shareholders was required. This waiver was not declared. Fraport AG vigorously continues to pursue its claims. In the arbitration proceedings at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) of the World Bank in Washington, D.C., Fraport is confident that it has a strong case.
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The 19 international airports of the German ADV were able to report a big 2005 with altogether 165.4 million passengers, an increase in the passenger service of 6.3%. The number of the passengers in the german domestic traffic increased around 3,2%, in the traffic to and of European airport in comparison with the preceding year around 8.4% and in the intercontinental traffic around 4,8%. The growth in the passage was generate predominantly through the segment of the Low Cost-traffic in the german domestic and Europe-traffic. This segment indicated in 2005 an increase around 38.4% and stands with 31 million passengers already for a share of altogether 18.9% at the local recovery of the international wrong airports. The traditional lines air traffic and vacations air traffic was able to indicate inreases in the low one-digit area. Bernd M. Nierobisch, principal director of the ADV: "In 2005 the air traffic industry indicated again a pleasant market development, also as a consequence of the EU-expansion. The weakening of the demand through a referral of the exploding fuelcosts of the airlines at the consumers fell out substantially more slightly than originally expected. In view of the improved economic climate and the continuous expansion plans of the Low Cost airline, a clear increase of the air traffic recovery can be expected in 2006 as well."
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