Transportation Industry

Aircraft Supplier & MRO News

AirGuide Business, July 7, 2008

7/7/2008

ANA Aviation, Gabon Airlines Cargo

ANA Aviation Services will handle Gabon Airlines Cargo in the UK, North America, Scandinavia and Spain under a GSA agreement. Gabon Airlines operates thrice-weekly Boeing 767 service between Paris and Libreville, with flights to Marseilles, Johannesburg and Dubai expected to begin later this year when it takes delivery of a second 767. 7/1/2008

General Electric, Walter Engines

General Electric hopes its acquisition of Walter Engines, a small airplane-engine company in the Czech Republic, improves its competitive position against Pratt & Whitney. GE plans to invest in Walter and make the business competitive with Pratt & Whitney. A Pratt & Whitney spokesman said the company takes competition seriously but noted that it has a 45-year history producing small engines. 7/3/2008

IBS Software, KLM

IBS Software Services will provide KLM with its AvientCrew solution featuring crew data management, real-time alerting and decision support capabilities. 7/4/2008

Irkut, Airbus

Irkut is producing components and subassemblies for the A320, A330/A340 and A380 and also is partnered with Airbus on the A320 passenger-to-freighter conversion program. In late 2005 EADS bought a 10% stake in the company for $65.3 million. 7/2/2008

Lufthansa Systems, GOL

Lufthansa Systems reached a six-year deal with Gol for provision of its NetLine resource management solution and MRO technology. Implementation is expected in the 2009 first quarter. 7/4/2008

Madrid Aerospace, Iberia Tecnologia, Singapore Technologies, Airbus

Madrid Aerospace Services, the 50/50 joint venture between Iberia and ST Aerospace, was founded officially, Iberia announced. The Madrid-based facility will maintain A320, A330 and A340 landing gear and complement the current Airbus aircraft maintenance services supplied by Iberia's maintenance division and ST Aerospace. The European Commission cleared creation of the JV last month. 7/2/2008

Rockwell Collins, Xiamen Airlines, Boeing

Rockwell Collins reached agreement with Xiamen Airlines to provide a suite of avionics for 12 Boeing 737NGs with an option for 25 more. Technology includes WXR-2100 MultiScan Hazard Detection System aimed at reducing pilot workload and enhancing safety. Deliveries are scheduled to begin next year and continue through 2013. 7/2/2008

Singapore Technologies, SAS Group

Singapore Technologies Aerospace completed the purchase of SAS Group's remaining 28.7% shareholding in ST Aerospace Solutions (Europe) for A28.3 million ($44.4 million) following the exercise of a put option by SAS under a 2006 agreement between SAS and ST Aerospace. STA Solutions now becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of ST Aerospace. SAS sold an initial 67% shareholding in the unit, formerly known as SAS Component, in 2005. 6/30/2008

Socata

Socata's revenues of EUR220 million in 2006 come equally from small plane production, the TBM, about 80 percent of whose sales are in the United States, and sub-contracting on fuselages and other structures. Plans to sell larger Airbus factories in France and Germany flopped in June due to the credit crunch and weak dollar. 7/5/2008

Socata, Airbus

Socata[sup.1]s confirmed role on the Airbus A350 would lift recent doubts over the future of firm, a 97-year-old company which built the first plane to cross the Mediterranean. Socata's aircraft such as the recently unveiled 6-7 seat TBM 850 are at the opposite end of the scale from Airbus airliners, ranging up to the A380 superjumbo, and are aimed at businesses and wealthy owner-pilots. The TBM series has brought once loss-making Socata into a small profit in the past four years. But EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois said in January it could not manage without outside support.It has expertise in fuselage construction but lacks the financial muscle needed to keep up with demand for fuel-saving lightweight materials. 7/5/2008

Editorial eMail: edit@AirGuideOnline.com

For Air Transport & Travel Business Experts contact our Director of Content Aram Gesar eMail: bizintel@AirGuideOnline.com

To Advertising and Marketing: advert@AirGuideOnline.com

For Custom Content: content@AirGuideOnline.com