Aircraft News - Europe.

Sep 3, 2007

AeroSpace and Defense Industries Assn. of Europe, US Aerospace Industries Assn. and US Air Transport Assn. announced a collaboration agreement to align international technical publication data in the aerospace/defense and commercial aviation industries. "The main objective. . .is to promote common, interoperable, international technical publication data in the aerospace manufacturing, commercial and defense aviation industries," the associations said in a joint statement. "This approach will harmonize how technical data are conveyed between the original equipment manufacturer and user community for both commercial aviation and military defense systems." Greater collaboration on technology development by the defense and commercial aviation sectors long has been pushed by outgoing AIA President and CEO John Douglass. "Streamlining these technical documents will serve members of the aerospace and aviation industries on both sides of the Atlantic," he said. Aug 27, 2007

Airbus

Airbus has filed applications is the Zero Splice Inlet integrated into the engine nacelles. The ZSI consists of a single 360-deg. composite piece and contributes to the Airbus A380's low noise emissions. Other patent applications cover the avionics data communication network that supports the increasing inter-system communication requirements; the Brake-to-Vacate function that optimizes the energy used for braking and reduces runway occupancy time, and the electrical backup hydraulic actuator that is part of the aircraft's new two-energy, four-channel flight control architecture. Aug 30, 2007

Airbus

Airbus has filed for 380 patents for design features on the A380. The manufacturer said that since the program was launched in December 2000, new technologies have been tested rigorously and "significant breakthrough innovations have been achieved in aerodynamics, cabin design, engine integration, flight controls, aircraft systems, manufacturing techniques and the extensive use of advanced lightweight composite materials." Aug 30, 2007

Airbus, EADS

Airbus parent EADS is controlled by the French state with 15 percent, French media firm Lagardere with 7.5 percent and German car firm DaimlerChrysler, which owns a matching 22.5 percent of the firm's voting rights. The German government has said it is assessing the scope for new rules that would protect domestic companies from being taken over by foreign funds, although EADS is formed under Dutch law. Berlin is particularly concerned about the influence of cash-rich state-owned funds, especially from China, Russia and the Middle East, which are increasingly eyeing acquisitions. Aug 28, 2007

Airbus, EADS

Berlin Sees Protection For Airbus parent EADS By Early 2008. Germany and France should be able to agree on measures designed to protect European aerospace firm EADS by early 2008, German government aerospace coordinator Peter Hintze was quoted as saying on Tuesday. The German government has said it is looking into the possibility of creating a 'golden share' in EADS in order to secure Germany's strategic interest in the company. The aim is to give Germany and France a veto on key issues, but leave EADS's industrial shareholders responsible for the bulk of the management of the company. Aug 28, 2007

Airbus, EADS

Gallois defines new hierarchy at Airbus parent EADS. The new sole chief executive of EADS, Louis Gallois, defined his role and that of Thomas Enders, the new head of Airbus, saying he would set targets but keep out of day-to-day operations. "I am not there to prevent them doing their job, nor to do it for them. I am there to provide support," he said. Aug 27, 2007

ATR, Batavia Air

ATR and Batavia Air signed a contract for 10 ATR72-500s plus 10 options, the manufacturer announced, marking its first order from an Indonesian carrier. Batavia will fly the 74-seat turboprops on regional routes currently operated with Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies. Deliveries will extend until 2010, ATR said, adding that the Batavia Training Academy is "considering" acquisition an ATR flight simulator. Aug 27, 2007

Avion Group, Artic Partners

Hf. Eimskipafelag Islands, formerly Avion Group, reached agreement for the disposal of its remaining 49% holding in Avion Aircraft Trading to Artic Partners. Artic, which is controlled by AAT Chairman Hafthor Hafsteinsson, AAT board member Arngrimur Johannsson and other AAT managers, acquired an initial 51% last October. Eimskip said sales proceeds amounted to $28 million and the profit on disposal before tax is estimated to be $24 million. Eimskip, parent company of ACMI provider Air Atlanta Icelandic, announced its intent to sell its AAT stake in May as part of its strategy to dispose of aviation-related assets. The sale of Air Atlanta is being undertaken along with airline managers and associated consultants. Aug 28, 2007

Dassault Aviation

Dassault Net Profit Up 46 Percent. Dassault Aviation said on Thursday first-half net attributable profit rose to EUR184 million euros from EUR126 million. Net operating income rose to EUR231 million from EUR156 million on net sales up to EUR1.79 billion from EUR1.409 billion in the first half of last year. The company's order book reached EUR14.05 billion, up from EUR12.81 billion at the end of 2006, with Falcon business jets making up 71 percent and military combat planes the rest. Dassault, which also makes the Mirage and Rafale fighters, delivered 29 Falcon business jets in the first half and took orders for 87. Aug 30, 2007

Lufthansa Technik

Lufthansa Technik Vostok is the name of a new component services support base being established at Moscow Domodedovo. Lufthansa Technik said it expects to have the customer service base and a stores facility for expendable materials in place by year end, with a component pool for Western aircraft types available by the end of 2008. Aug 31, 2007

Lufthansa Technik, Hamburg Airlines

Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg International Airlines signed Total Component Support and Total Engine Support contracts covering the carrier's soon-to-be-delivered 10 Airbus A319s. Deals are 10 years and worth approximately [euro]50 million ($68.2 million). HIA will take delivery of its first new A319 in January. Aug 30, 2007

Norwegian Air Shuttle, Boeing

Norwegian Air Places USD$3.1 Bln Boeing Order. Norwegian Air Shuttle has ordered 42 Boeing 737-800s with a list price of USD$3.1 billion and secured rights to buy 42 more of the same model, the company said on Thursday. The planes will be delivered between 2009 and 2014, with about 10 planes to come each year, and will supplement 11 Boeing 737-800s that Norwegian ordered in May this year. Aug 30, 2007

Norwegian Air Shuttle, Boeing

Norwegian Air Shuttle, a tiny competitor to SAS Scandinavian Airlines, said the new Boeing 737-800 planes it just ordered were more cost-efficient and significantly more environmentally friendly than the existing fleet. The reduction in fuel consumption is up to 33 percent, and the reduction in nitrogen oxide is up to 43 percent, compared with the oldest planes in Norwegian's current fleet, the company said. The new airplanes each have 189 seats, against 148 seats in the current 737-300, it said. On a typical Norwegian Air Shuttle 820 nautical-mile mission, the 737-800 with Blended Winglets burns 22 percent less fuel and produces 22 percent less CO2 per passenger than the Classic 737-300 currently operated by Norwegian. Aug 30, 2007

Ryanair, Boeing

Ryanair Doing 737 Checks, Sees No Disruptions. Ryanair, Europe's biggest budget airline and one of the largest users of the Boeing 737 airliner said on Tuesday it had begun checks on its fleet after US aviation authorities ordered emergency inspections. A spokesman for Ryanair said the airline had started the inspections and would be able to conduct them without disrupting operations. Aug 28, 2007

Tarom Hungarian, Airbus

Tarom is planning to restart long-haul service to North America after more than three years of interruption. A source close to the carrier said that its two Airbus A310-300s, stored since 2004 at Bucharest Otopeni, will undergo a total refurbishment by Airbus before year end. Aug 28, 2007

ZZ

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