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UPDATE 
Week ending May 31, 1998
+++ ILA a big success, organizers claim +++ France to sell shares in Aerospatiale +++ Meteor partners re-submit BVRAAM bid to UK MoD +++ Dornier Satellitensysteme focusing on space commercialization +++ Connie comes to Europe +++ Lockheed/BAe study new military comsat +++ Russia finds funds for ISS +++ News in brief +++

ILA a big success, organizers claim
Großer Erfolg für die ILA in Berlin

Organizers BDLI and Messe Berlin have issued an exceedingly positive final report on the ILA air show in Berlin-Schönefeld (May 18 - 24). Visitor numbers were up from 216500 two years ago to 226850. Of these, 82000 were classified as business visitors, a plus of nearly ten per cent. 825 exhibitors from 32 countries were present, much more than in 1996, when only 578 exhibitors were counted. According to the organizers report, there were 90 high ranking delegations touring the show, as well as some 90 ambassadors to Germany which were flown in by German foreign minister Klaus Kinkel. It is claimed that deals of "double digit billion DM figures" were concluded at Berlin, but this seems far and away exaggerated as the Fairchild Dornier 728 jet family "orders" for example consisted just of very preliminary statements of interest.
A survey seems to show that 81 per cent of exhibitors is interested to come back to ILA 2000, which will be held June 5 - 12, just a month before a rescheduled Farnborough air show. To face up this intense competition, ILA is planning close cooperation with the EXPO 2000 at Hannover, though no one could explain so far what these two events should have in common.

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France to sell shares in Aerospatiale
Aerospatiale soll Teilprivatisiert werden

In a surprising u-turn, French prime minister Lionel Jospin has given Aerospatiale chairman Yves Michot a mandate "to rapidly conclude essential strategic agreements" in the restructuring of combat aircraft, tactical missile and space launcher business, as well as authorising him to prepare the sale of shares "insofar as is necessary" to achieve the goal of strengthening the French companies position in the formation of European aerospace and defence giants. This new move will be welcomed by Dasa and British Aerospace, which have so far bluntly stated their unwillingness to go together with a company still in state ownership and thus highly liable to political interference. Prime aim of the industrialists now is the transformation of Airbus into a single corporate entity before moving on to the much more complicated business of bringing defence interests together.

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Meteor partners re-submit BVRAAM bid to UK MoD
Neues Angebot für Luft-Luft-Lenkwaffe

On May 27, the Meteor industrial partners have submitted their revised bid in response to the United Kingdom's Staff Requirement (Air) 1239 for a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM). The Eurofighter nations and Sweden have similar requirements for a BVRAAM and have indicated their intent to collaborate in the procurement of such a missile. The German Luftwaffe, though, seems not quite satisfied with the BVRAAM parameters so far, namely demanding a better dual-band seeker to be more resistanta against electronic countermeasures.
Meteor is designed to replace the US AMRAAM. With its solid propelland variable flow ducted ramjet it offers a quantum leap in kinematic performance. Partners in the programme are Matra BAe Dynamics as leader, Alenia difesa, CASA, GEC-Marconi, LFK GmbH of Germany and Saab Dynamics. Competition is coming from Raytheon of the US, which has also some European companies in its team. A decision on who is developing BVRAAM is expected by early 1999.

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Dornier Satellitensysteme focusing on space commercialization
Dornier Satellitensysteme konzentriert sich auf Kommerzialisierung

Daimler-Benz Aerospace's satellite business Dornier Satellitensysteme (DSS) is looking back at a successful 1997. The company's turnover increased by 23 percent up to a total of DM1,5 billion. DSS managing director, Dr. Klaus Enßlin, stated at the ILA in Berlin that the company is clearly focusing on the commercialisation of its space activities, raising the commercial share of its business from currently 30 percent up to 50 percent. He sees a good market potential in the telecommunication and multi-media applications, using so called constellation satellite programs with high numbers of satellites (typically 100). He continued, saying that DSS does not want to remain just a supplier of sub-systems but, will be able to supply entire platforms, for example the so called satellite bus which is optimized for serial production. Furthermore, DSS has developed a new business concept titled "SmartSAR/SmartSpectral" which will mark the transition from scientific to operational/commercial oriented missions.

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Connie comes to Europe
Europatour der Lockheed Constellation

On June 2, the MATS Connie, an historic Lockheed Constellation air transport, will depart Bangor (Maine) for a transatlantic flight to Woodford in the UK, where it will begin a 3 1/2 month tour throughout Europe. This is the first time in more than 20 years that a Constellation has flown in Europe. The MATS Connie is one of just five Constellations in the world still flying. It is owned restored and operated by the Constellation Group Inc. Of Scottsdale (Arizona).
Tour stops in Europe will include Berlin Tempelhof (Airlift Days, June 27-28), Hamburg (June 29, July 1, with local flights), Klagenfurt (Airshow, July 10-11), Twenthe (July 28-31), Texel (Airshow, August 1), Kleine Brogel (August 1-3), Altenrhein (IBAS 98 Air Show, August 7-9), Zurich (Stop, August 12-13), Geneva (Static display and flights, August 14-15), Basel (Static display and flights, August 16), Zurich (Airshow, August 23), Zurich (Local flights, August 22, 24-25), Neuchatel (Festival d'Aviation, August 30). More infos are available from Roland Hasler at 0041-1/950-4141 (phone and fax).

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Lockheed/BAe study new military comsat
Vorschlag für neuen militärischen Kommunikationssatelliten

Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space has joined with British Aerospace Defence Systems in a proposal to study the development of the next-generation space-based communications system for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence (MoD). The proposed military satellite communications system, called Skynet 5 National, is the technologically enhanced follow-on to Britain's current military satellite constellation, Skynet 4. The team recently submitted to the MoD a proposal for the Project Definition Study to define the military's satellite communications architecture. The award decision for this phase of the two-year study is anticipated in the summer.
The proposed Skynet 5 National architecture comprises two geosynchronous satellites with one spare spacecraft and the associated ground anchor stations and control network. The system will provide communications coverage over Europe, the Middle East, Africa, parts of Asia, the Atlantic Ocean and eastern United States. Though Skynet 5 is still in the planning stages, it will feature such attributes as fully redundant systems, interoperability with U.S. communication systems and the ability to serve fixed, mobile and man-portable terminals.

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Russia finds funds for ISS
Gelder für Rußlands Beitrag zur Raumstation

Russian Space Agency (RSA) director general Yuri Koptev is hopefull that Russia retains its commitment to the International Space Station project and will carry out its alloted volume of work. "A decision of the government has been drafted, which will be signed today, which ensures the financing of work on the ISS," he said on May 29 in an interview with Itar-TASS news agency. Koptev said the government decree follows his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov and Finance Minister Mikhail Zadornov on Thursday night after the cabinet had met over problems of the space sector. Koptev said allocations would come from several sources, one of which is the space sector's 1998 budget, making 3.67 billion roubles and "concentrating on the ISS". "In June, we by all means shall finalise these decisions judicially, so on May 31, at the meeting with leaders of space agencies of state members the ISS project I hope to convince colleagues of Russia's capability and of its meeting all of obligations," Koptev said.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

European competition commissioner Karel Van Miert has indicated that a decision on the contentious airline alliances like BA/American and Star Alliance will be made in mid-June.
+++
British Airways has reported a pre-tax profit of 580 million pounds, nine per cent less than the year before. This was mainly due to the strong pound and a strike of the cabin crews last summer, outweighting further cost-cutting efforts. Turnover rose three per cent to 8,6 billion pounds, while passenger numbers were up sevenper cent ot 41 million. Load factor was slightly down at 71,3 per cent.
+++
The RAF Benevolent Fund is offering an exclusive way to visit its spectacular Air Tattoo at Fairford in July: A South African Airways DC-4 will fly from Berlin to the English airfield on Wednesday, 22 July, and return on Monday, July 27. Price for a one-way trip is quoted as 275 Pounds. For details call Amanda Butcher on 0044-1285/713300.
+++
Dutch flag carrier KLM has swung back into profit, reporting a plus of 606 million Fl net. In addition, there was a 1,6 billion Fl gain on the sale of its 20 per cent stake in Northwest.
+++
Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH has welcomed the signature of the Eurocopter Tiger production MoU, which includes the weapons equipment ATA (Anti Tank Armament) - a system where LFK is acting as development and integration authority. ATA is capable of launching both the Hot 3 and the new Pars 3-LR. Orders for the latter are expected in 1999, but only from Germany as France has no money at the moment.
+++
A four-year, $ 15.9 million cooperative agreement to design, manufacture and flight-test a new center fuselage section fabricated from advanced composite materials for Apache helicopters has been awarded to Boeing The award was granted by the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (Aviation and Missile Command) at Fort Eustis, Va., under the Rotary Wing Structures Technology Demonstration program. The program funds cost and weight reduction initiatives for the Army's existing and future helicopter fleet.
+++
Berliner Spezialflug AG (BSF) will remain in the red this year, it was reported. The loss will be in the region of 200000 to 400000 DM, around half of that in the 1996/97 year. Turnover is predicted at 8,6 million DM, a slide of 0,6 million.
+++
On May 28, Boeing confirmed an order from AB Airlines, a London-based scheduled carrier, for six Boeing 737-700s. "We are delighted to announce that we have chosen the Next-Generation 737 for our expanding service," said AB Airlines Chairman, Brian Beal. "We were particularly attracted by the reliability of the Next-Generation 737. We need a plane with a proven track record of short turnaround times in a high-utilization environment. AB Airlines operates routes from Gatwick to Lisbon, Berlin and Shannon and is actively looking at several new routes."
+++
A Swiss group of researchers has developed a new anti-g-suit for fighter pilots. The new suit by Life Support Systems (LSS) is not using high pressure air to pump up a conventional g-suit to counteract high acceleration forces. Instead, the custom-fit life support suit is filled with 1,3 liters of fluid. When g forces are encountered, the fluid automatically generates a pressure equal to the pressure on the pilot's body. The system gives an instant g-resistance without the usual delay that conventional g suits need until the suit is pumped up by air. The system has been flight tested and, according to LSS, has reached a production standard. The fluid used automatically coagulates when it gets in contact with air, preventing fluid from spilling into the cockpit and aircraft systems in case of a leak.
+++
Telesat of Canada has chosen Arianespace to launch its ANIK F1 communications satellite in the year 2000. Meeting in Ottawa on May 28, Larry Boisvert, President and CEO of Telesat, and Jean- Marie Luton, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, signed the launch contract for the ANIK F1 communications satellite. The launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, will take place in the first quarter 2000, using an Ariane 44L launch vehicle. ANIK Fl is the fourth satellite that Telesat has entrusted to the European launcher, following ANIK E2, launched in April 1991, ANIK El in September 1991, and MSAT 1 in April 1996.
+++
A Sea King of Marinefliegergeschwader 5 from Kiel was operating off the French aircraft carrier Foch in a two week exchange exercise. Nine crew members and a dozen mechanics deployed to the Mediterranean for this operation.
+++

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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen ist nach wie vor abrufbar:

*May 24, 1998 *May 17, 1998 *May 10, 1998 *May 3, 1998

*April 26, 1998 *April 19, 1998 *April 5, 1998

*January to March 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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