May 31, 1971

May 31, 1971

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Avionics

Avionics Giant Seeks Atc Superiority

Avionics

French Challenge U.s. Dominance

By Philip J. Klass14 min

Avionics

Mergers Key to German Aerospace Drive

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Avionics

Avionics Giant Seeks Atc Superiority

Paris—France’s Thomson-CSF, the largest avionics/defense electronics producer on the continent, is aggressively bidding to become the world’s biggest supplier of civil air traffic control systems and ground-based navigation-landing aids.
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Avionics

French Challenge U.s. Dominance

Avionics manufacturers in France seek to penetrate civil aviation market as domestic military sales level off

By Philip J. Klass14 min

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Avionics

Mergers Key to German Aerospace Drive

Series of wide-ranging mergers completed under heavy government prodding has streamlined the German aerospace industry and tailored it to become a serious competitor in the international aircraft marketplace. One industry leader has characterized the environment of the past few years this way:
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Special Report: Europe—The New Commercial Challenge

Mercure Pushed for Worldwide Market

Saint Cloud, France-Avions Marcel Dassault is investing over $100 million in a concerted drive to penetrate the world commercial transport market with its new twin-engine Mercure short-haul transport. The company will continue to put major emphasis on development of the series of jet fighter aircraft and business jets for which it is best known.
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Avionics

Diverse Trends Shape European Avionics

Interestingly different trends are emerging in West Germany, Italy and France that are likely to influence the future for avionics/defense electronics companies in each of these countries. In France, there has been a restructuring and product shift between companies, encouraged by the government, to reduce internal competition and create powerful giants like Thomson-CSF to compete for international markets (see p. 173).
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Avionics

European Avionics Firms Focus on Space Applications Projects

Focus of space technology on applications projects, such as telecommunications and air traffic control, has become a strong objective for many avionics companies in West Europe and their governments. But scientific satellite business is still welcome.
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Special Report: Europe—The New Commercial Challenge

Germany Studies Five V/stol Concepts

Bonn-Controversial Thalau Commission report that included a comprehensive evaluation of the industry’s V/STOL concepts could be the basis for future government policy regarding this transportation system. But the pace and character of German V/STOL—on which the government already has invested nearly $300 million—depends greatly on foreign market requirements, particularly in the U.S. The report is named after Dr. Karl Thalau who headed the commission.
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Special Report: Europe—The New Commercial Challenge

Vfw-614 Program Pace Hinges on M45h

Bremen—Dynamic young team directing the Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke VFW-614 program has overcome a near-constant series of setbacks, and this team is now convinced that the future path for Germany’s first post-war commercial transport will be much smoother.
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Business Flying

Astafan Test-flown on Hawk Commander

Pau, France—Turbomeca is proving the basic validity of its geared, variable-pitch turbofan design in flight tests with a modified North American Rockwell Hawk Commander powered by two Astafan 2 engines. The Astafan design is based on Turbomeca’s Astazou turboprop engine and has a small-diameter fan stage with 13 variable-pitch blades (AW&ST May 4, 1970, p. 72).
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Special Report: Europe—The New Commercial Challenge

Production Is on Original Schedule for A-300b Airbus

Toulouse-Major elements of the first A-300B European Airbus have been joined at Aerospatiale’s final assembly plant here as the program to develop a 250-290 passenger medium-haul transport moves into the production stage. Preliminary work also has started on the ground static test specimen and the second production aircraft.
May 241971 June 71971