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UPDATE 
Week ending December 20, 1998
+++ Space Shuttle completes first ISS assembly flight +++ "Desert Fox" air strikes against Iraq +++ Swiss Army procures 12 more Cougar +++ NASA Mars Probe launched on Delta II rocket +++ Raytheon ATC System goes operational at Geneva and Zurich +++ Ericsson Erieye selected by Greece +++ Branson off for global balloon flight +++ Sabena back into profit +++ Rosat completes last measurement campaign +++ News in brief +++

Space Shuttle completes first ISS assembly flight
Space Shuttle absolviert ersten Flug zum ISS-Aufbau

NASA's final Shuttle mission of 1998 came to an end on 15 December with the landing of Space Shuttle Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center. Following a 4.6 million mile journey, STS-88 Commander Bob Cabana guided the orbiter down onto runway 15 with landing gear touchdown occurring at 9:54 p.m. CST.
While Endeavour is back on firm ground, 246 miles above, the new International Space Station continues to orbit with all systems functioning normally. The current orientation of the ISS has the Unity module facing the Earth and the Zarya module facing deep space. The station is also in a slow rotation at one revolution every 30 minutes to maintain the proper heating and cooling.
Endeavour's astronauts had completed the first assembly work of the International Space Station on Saturday, securing tools, tethers and cables to the new outpost and freeing a second jammed antenna on Zarya during a 6-hour, 59-minute space walk. The third and final space walk of the flight by astronauts Jerry Ross and Jim Newman had begun at 2:33 p.m. Central time Saturday. Working close to the timeline, Ross and Newman accomplished all of the tasks planned for the excursion. The astronauts stowed a tool bag on the U.S.-built Unity connecting module and disconnected umbilicals used to drive the docking mechanisms that mated it with the Russian-built Zarya control module last week. They also installed a handrail on Zarya for use by future space walkers, and a made a detailed photographic survey of the station for review by engineers over the next several months. Standing at the end of the shuttle's robot arm, Ross duplicated the accomplishment of Newman last Wednesday, freeing a jammed backup rendezvous system antenna on Zarya with a grappling hook. Ross found the antenna to be a bit stubborn, but after tapping it and nudging it several times, the antenna finally rolled out from its spool to the fully deployed position. In all, Ross and Newman spent 21 hours and 22 minutes outside Endeavour in the initial assembly of the station. Ross now has completed seven space walks totaling 44 hours and 9 minutes, more than any other American space walker.

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"Desert Fox" air strikes against Iraq
USA und Großbritannien bombardieren Irak

As US patience with Saddam Husseins tactics agains UN weapons inspectors weared out, president Bill Clinton on December 16 ordered attacks on Iraq. The decision was made without formal backing from the UN security council. The attacks, under codename Desert Fox, are meant to diminish Husseins ability to produce weapons of mass destruction. Other than the US forces, UK units at the Gulf also participated in the raids, which continued for four nights until Clinton and Prime Minister Tony Blair declared them ended at 12 pm German time on Saturday, December 19.
According to the Pentagon, around 650 attack and support missions were flown by manned aircraft during the period. Also, there were 325 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from US Navy warships and around 90 CALCM cruise missiles from B-52 bombers operating out of Diego Garcia in the Indian ocean. Aircraft like the F-16, F-18 Hornet or Tornado mainly used laser guided bombs in the attacks. For the first time ever, even the B-1B Lancer was used in action. Navy planes operated from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise in the Gulf. A second carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, arrived during the mission but was probably not involved yet.
UK Defence Minister Robertson said that 100 separate, specific targets were attacked. Among them seven or eight of Saddam Hussein's "presidential sites" and the headquarter of the Baath party. There were also 32 air defense system sites, 20 command and control facilities, 11 industry facilities, nine Republican Guard facilities, six airfields and one economic facility, said the Pentagon. In its assessment of the damage inflicted, the Pentagon as of Saturday remained cautious. More details are expected to emerge on Monday.
US and UK aircraft, probably operating at medium to high altitudes, suffered no fatalities and probably even no damage in the action. There were no opposing aircraft and no long range SAMs launched. On the other hand, anti-aircraft guns were very active and the Iraquis claimed 100 cruise missiles as shot down.

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Swiss Army procures 12 more Cougar
Weitere Eurocopter Cougar für die Schweiz

Federal Counsellor Adolf Ogi, Head of the federal Department of Defence, population protection and sports, and Patrick Gavin, Chairman of the Management Board at Eurocopter, signed an agreement in Bern, Switzerland, the 17th of December 1998, bearing on the purchasing of 12 Cougar AS 532 UL helicopters and their logistic support. The contract amounts to ca. 1 billion French Francs. The procurement decision was made by the Swiss parliament in the scope of the 1998 armament programme plan. These aircraft are intended for the Swiss airforce. They will ensure diversified missions: tactical transport, trooper transport, cargo sling, medical evacuation, and Search & Rescue (SAR). They will complement the 15-aircraft fleet which have been procured in 1986 (3 aircraft) and 1989 (12 aircraft).
These new Cougar helicopters will be equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, ensuring a better integration of the flying control, navigation and mission functions, so as to alleviate the aircrew's workload and enhance flight safety. The first two helicopters manufactured in Marignane, South of France, will be delivered in the course of the second semester 2000. The following ten will be manufactured in the scope of a subcontract by Emmen-based Swiss Aeronautics and systems company. The deliveries will extend from the beginning of 2001 to mid-2002, at a rate of one aircraft per month.

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NASA Mars Probe launched on Delta II rocket
Mars-Sonde der NASA mit Delta II gestartet

A Boeing Delta II rocket took to the skies on 11 December carrying the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft, a NASA probe destined to expand the world's knowledge of the red planet. The launch took place at 1:45:51 p.m. EST. The probe is the 76th scientific mission to fly on a Delta rocket since 1961. The Mars Climate Orbiter was built by Lockheed Martin Astronautics in Denver, and is managed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The spacecraft will travel 10 months, arriving in October 1999. Upon arrival, the spacecraft will observe seasonal changes on the planet by mapping its surface for an entire Martian year (687 Earth days). The probe will examine the Martian climate and the presence of usable resources, and look for evidence of past life. The mission will provide an on-orbit data relay for the Mars Polar Lander mission, which Boeing will launch in January 1999. Additionally, the mission aims to establish the capability for future U.S. and international surface stations on Mars.

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Raytheon ATC System goes operational at Geneva and Zurich
Genf und Zürich erhalten neue Flugsicherungssysteme

Raytheon's Air Traffic Management/Aeronautical Information Services Data Acquisition Processing and Transfer (ADAPT) system has been declared operational at both the Geneva and Zurich Area Control Centers by swisscontrol. ADAPT provides the display processing for more than 40 controller positions; handles external interfaces, such as weather forecasts and navigation aid status; and, interfaces with the existing radar and flight data processors. The system also includes a customized software development capability and a training facility composed of specially developed ADAPT software combined with the Raytheon FIRSTplus simulator product. The system was declared "Ready for Operations" in April of this year and has been undergoing a series of operational tests over the past six months.
Swisscontrol recently awarded a $6.6 million contract to Raytheon for the maintenance of the ADAPT system through December 2000. Raytheon has previously supplied swisscontrol with solid state digital ASR10SS primary radar and Raytheon Cossor monopulse secondary radar.

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Ericsson Erieye selected by Greece
Griechenland wählt Erieye Frühwarnsystem

On December 15, the Government of Greece announced the selection of Ericsson as supplier of the Eerieye AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) system to the Hellenic Air Force. The bid comprises four systems integrated on EMB 145 jet aircraft. All systems are fully NATO-interoperable and deliveries will start three years after the contract is signed. The final contract is valued more than $500 million. This is the first export success for the European industrial cooperation between Ericsson and Thomson-CSF which was announced in March 1998, and together with Embraer of Brazil the companies form the winning industrial consortium.

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Branson off for global balloon flight
Ballon auf dem Weg um die Welt

In yet another attempt to clinch the elusive round-the-world record for a balloon flight, British Tycoon Richard Branson and his teammates Per Lindstrand and Chicago millionaire Steve Fossett got off from a Moroccan air force base outside Marrakech on Friday morning, December 18. After crossing Algeria and Libya, it sped out over the Mediterranean towards Turkey at about 130knots, at 28000 ft altitude. It is expected to go over Azerbaijan and Kazakstan before entering China. The trip, which could end somewhere in Europe, may take anywhere between eight days and three weeks.
Meanwhile, the Swiss competition of Bertrand Piccard and his team had decided to delay a launch until the US strikes against Iraq have ended. In any case, weather was not favourable for the time being for a crossing of the Alps.

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Sabena back into profit
Belgischer Nationalcarreir Sabena fliegt in die Gewinnzone

Sabena, the Belgian national carrier said it expected to return into consolidated net profit in 1998 with passenger numbers increasing 27 percent. Sabena, 49.5 percent owned by Swissair, managed a small nine million Belgian franc ($262,500) operating profit in 1997 but still had a consolidated loss of 2.51 billion francs. In 1996 it made a 8.87 billion francs consolidated loss. The airline said in March that 1997 earnings still included sizeable exceptional write-offs for two Boeing 747 aircraft. A Sabena spokesman told reporters that 1998 passenger traffic was expected to rise by 27 percent to about 8.7 million -- beating the company's forecast of 23 percent growth. Sabena carried 6,8 million passengers in 1997. Chief Executive Paul Reutlinger told weekly business magazine Trends he was also optimistic for 1999 passenger traffic. In February, deliveries are due to start of 34 Airbus narrowbody aircraft that were ordered to renew Sabena's medium-haul fleet and further develop its European network.

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Rosat completes last measurement campaign
Letzte Meßkampagne von Rosat

For the first week of December this year, astronomers have pointed the X-ray satellite Rosat to a celestial object for the last time. The detector which is still operational is expected to work for another one to two weeks until its gas supply is depleted. Then Rosat will be switched off. Scientifically and technically speaking, Rosat has exceeded all expectations and become a milestone in astronomical research: instead of the specified two-year mission, the "veteran" has worked for more than eight years - discovering 120 000 unknown cosmic X-ray sources. Dornier Satellitensysteme GmbH (DSS), a corporate unit of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa, Munich), was the prime contractor for this highly successful project. The Max-Planck-Institut for extraterrestrial physics in Garching was responsible for the scientific management.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

For the first time ever, the pilot of a potential export customer has flown the Eurofighter EF2000. Major Frode Andre Evensen of the Royal Norvegian Air Force was using prototype DA5 for three missions from Manching (Germany) on December 15 and 16. As many of the test pilots before him, he declared himself thrilled with the power and acceleration of the new fighter. Norway is considered the best bet for an export sale of the four-nation aircraft. Up to 30 new fighters are needed to replace F-5s.
+++
Spacehab Inc. said it signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly outline specific areas of cooperation for commercial operations and utilization services for the International Space Station. Spacehab said in a statement said it will work with Boeing to define potential commercialization initiatives including cargo processing, station enhancements and services. The commercial space services provider for manned and unmanned payloads also said it has reached a $1.1 million agreement with the German Aerospace Center DLR, to provide space-based research services aboard a September 2000 Space Shuttle flight. Under the deal, the DLR, or Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt, will purchase one locker aboard the Spacehab Double Research Module on Space Shuttle Mission STS-107.
+++
Air France is planning to end its strategic alliance with Delta Air Lines or Continental Airlines by the end of 1999. The Chief Executive of the state-owned airline told newspaper La Tribune that its alliances should be more global, and he suggested that it would go on to establish a global alliance with either Delta or Continental. He went on to confirm that Air France's initial public offering should go ahead in early 1999.
+++
Thai government agencies are squabbling over who was to blame for the recent crash of a Thai International Airbus in southern Thailand that left 101 passengers and crew dead. Thai Airways executives are defending the pilot, who died in the crash, against criticism that he should not have tried to land at Surat Thani airport during a heavy tropical storm. The company's president, Thamnoon Wanglee says the Airbus A310-204 was in good condition at the time of the flight and the pilot was well-qualified and highly experienced. But he says the control tower at Surat Thani was responsible for giving the go-ahead for landing because the instrument landing system had been temporarily removed during a runway expansion project at the airport.
+++
Eumetsat, the European Meteorological Satellite Organization, has selected Arianespace to launch MSG2, the secon model in its secon-generation series of weather satellites. The launch will be carried out by an Ariane 5 form Kouro early in the second half of 2002.
+++
Bombardier Aerospace has signed an agreement for the sale of 10 additional Canadair Regional Jet Series 200ER aircraft plus 10 options with Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) of Dulles, Virginia. The $210 million U.S. ($324 million Cdn.) transaction calls for deliveries to commence in July 2000 and be completed in September 2001 and represents the onversion of 10 existing options. ACA serves United Airlines hubs at Washington Dulles and Chicago O'Hare international airports offering 500 daily departures systemwide to 53 destinations in 24 states.
+++
The first of two Special Role Jetstream 41 aircraft which was built by British Aerospace Regional Aircraft at Prestwick has left the UK for delivery to the Hong Kong Government to be operated in a maritime search and rescue role by the Government Flying Service (GFS). The second aircraft will be delivered within the next 2 weeks. The aircraft features a 360* surveillance radar, a thermal imaging/daylight TV turret, an aerial survey camera, a comprehensive avionics package including Satcom and a video datalink, flare dispensers and a number of specific modifications and systems for accomplishing the local and offshore Government Flying Service mission tasks.
+++
The Tiger helicopter has just confirmed its air combat capacities through two successful consecutive Mistral (Matra Bae Dynamics France) air-to-air firing tests in conditions which were taken as representative of operational situations. The missiles were fired from the second HAP prototype on the 14th and 15th of December at the Test Centre of the "Landes", in France, with a mixed aircrew from the Flight Test Centre and Eurocopter. The first test was performed at long range, with the fighter (Tiger) in fast homing flight, by means of the Strix sight from the S.F.I.M company, on the infrared channel. The target was an Alouette II helicopter at ground runup (landing gear on ground, rotor turning). The day after, a second missile was fired on a remote controlled air target designated through the helmet-mounted sight (from the Sextant company). The fighter was manoeuvring: turn, with a high rate of descent, simulating an opportunity firing.
+++
On December 17, Rolls-Royce has announced that Fokker Elmo BV has joined the Trent 500 engine programme as a risk and revenue sharing partner. Fokker Elmo BV, a member of the Stork Group, will supply electrical wire harnesses for the Trent 500, representing a share of less than one per cent of the programme. The Dutch company is the seventh Trent 500 partner, bringing the total partners' share to 25 per cent. The other partners are FiatAvio, Hamilton Standard, Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, Lucas Aerospace and Marubeni.
+++
The Belgian government has decided to buy three Unmanned Air Vehicles Systems from Israel Aircraft Industries. The 2,5 BFr deal is awarded to an "Eagle" alliance of IAI Malat and Belgian companies. The Hunter UAV will be delivered from 2000.
+++
Iberia has now signed contracts for 11 more Airbus A340-300s, as announced in the autumn. Deliveries will start in November 1999.
+++
Kaman has said its founder and long-time Chairman and CEO Charles Kaman has decided to step down as CEO, and that a search has begun for a replacement. After 53 years at the helm of the company he founded in 1945, Kaman, 79--who in late August suffered a mild stroke during knee replacement surgery--asked his board on to find a successor. He will step down once a replacement is chosen, but will indefinitely remain as chairman of the $1 billion aerospace and distribution concern.
+++
Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES) has signed a 15.75 million ECU contract with Nortel Networks for the provision of a turnkey interactive satellite system. It will consist of the Ground Network as well as Satellite Interactive terminals (SITs) for Europe's first commercial Ka-band satellite return channel system. The new technology will be integrated seamlessly into SES' existing ASTRA-NET multimedia platform, in order to provide interactive broadband and bandwidth on demand multimedia services on the upcoming ASTRA 1H and ASTRA 1K satellites. Nortel Networks is the prime contractor in a team which comprises Philips Business Electronics B.V. (both also producing SITs), Spar Aerospace Ltd., and Nortel-DASA GmbH & Co.
+++
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace has received a new 30 million DM contract to build the biolab MCS (Multi CultivationSystem) for the ISS. The work will be performed at Friedrichshafen. It will be deploed from 2002.
+++
On December 15, Delta Air Lines has announced that it is investing approximately $314 million in customer service improvements with its new BusinessElite service for intercontinental business travelers. The new product features a number of industry-leading "firsts" and is designed to provide a world-class travel experience at a business-class fare.
+++
Poland's Defence Ministry has asked the cabinet to approve the lease of up to 36 fighter aircraft from the United States, a ministry spokesman was quoted by Polish PAP news agency as saying on December 14. Andrzej Adamczyk told PAP the United States had offered to lease second-hand F-16 or F-18 fighter jets to Poland for five years at a cost of around $100 million, including training for pilots and ground crews. "We can't wait any longer. At present, leasing the aircraft is the best option for the Polish armed forces," Adamczyk said.
+++
SPACEHAB, Inc., the leading commercial space services provider for manned and unmanned payloads, has announced that it has reached agreement with the German Aerospace Center, DLR, to provide space-based research services aboard a September 2000 Space Shuttle flight. Under the $1.1 million agreement, DLR (or Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt, in German) will purchase one locker aboard the SPACEHAB Double Research Module on Space Shuttle Mission STS-107. Housed in the pressurized, or habitable, SPACEHAB module, the microwave oven-sized locker will be filled with science experiments. SPACEHAB also will provide experiment integration and operations services for the DLR payload. The direct contract with DLR marks the first time the German government has been an independent customer to SPACEHAB, Inc. Previous Shuttle-based research services involving German researchers have been arranged through NASA or the European Space Agency.
+++
German charter airline Hapag-Lloyd is moving its hub from Munich to Palma de Mallorca for the winter season, in a bid to boost load factors on its aircraft. The aircraft come in from six German airports in in the morning and then go on to destinations on the Spanish mainland, backtracking their routes in the afternoon. Hapag-Lloyd says that Palma airport is much cheaper than Munich in terms of fees and less prone to weather delays.
+++
On December 16, the third Boeing 717-200 entered the company's flight test and certification program today after taking off for the first time from Long Beach Municipa Airport. At the controls were pilots Capts. Fred Hamilton and Mike Stevens, along with test engineers Madelene Vega and Gerald Prendergast. The 717-200, filled with flight test equipment, lifted off the runway at 8:36 a.m. and landed two hours and 30 minutes later at the Boeing facility in Yuma, Ariz.
+++
Italian regional airline Tell Air will operate from Mönchengladbach to Berlin-Tempelhof from next February, while also flying to Mailan-Orio. It is to offer a sort of bonus card. For 1900 DM a year, frequent flyers get all their tickets at half price.
+++
On December 11, Boeing has said that it will retain all 737 final-assembly work at Renton, Wash., reversing an earlier decision to assemble some 737s at its Long Beach Division in California. "We have increased production rates on the 737 from 14 to 21 airplanes per month at the Renton, Wash., facility with very satisfactory results," said Dick Pearson, vice president and general manager - Long Beach Division. "In light of that success, we reviewed both market demand and production options and determined that we will not require the additional 737 capacity in Long Beach."
+++
Lockheed Martin has successfully completed an initial round of paratroop drops with the C-130J Hercules as part of an advanced, military utility flight test effort for the U.S. Air Force. As is typical of a flight test program, the tests were done in gradual sequence. The first flight had 26 jumpers going out on six passes over the drop zone. The next flight called for one pass with 20 jumpers - 10 on each side, and 40 jumpers on another pass - 20 out of each side jump door. The final jump Friday (Dec. 11) used 53 jumpers on one pass. Up to 15 test units from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force were represented.
+++
Schleswig-Holstein will sell its ten per cent stake in Hamburg airport to the Hamburger Gesellschaft für Beteiligungsverwaltung before year end. This way, the Government in Kiel is able to put 65 million DM into its 1998 budget which had counted on a privatisation of the airport this year. Actually, the Government had hoped for a 100 million DM cash injection. It still has some hope, though, as it will get more if the Hamburger Flughafen fetches a good price if it is finally sold off.
+++
A Boeing F-15D Eagle air superiority fighter has become the first in the U.S. Air Force's inventory to reach 6,000 flight hours. The F-15D, assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., reached the 6,000-hour mark on Dec. 16. It first flew on Jan. 7, 1982, and was delivered to the U.S. Air Force on March 3 that same year. It was the 702nd F-15 manufactured in St. Louis and the 30th D model (two seat) off the production line.
+++

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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*December 13, 1998 *December 6, 1998

*November 29, 1998 *November 22, 1998 *November 15, 1998 *November 8, 1998 *November 1, 1998

*October 25, 1998 *October 18, 1998

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

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