ATLANTA, June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, today began service with its newest aircraft type – the Embraer E175. The first flight, UA4042 departed Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
“For ExpressJet and its 3,000 aviation professionals, the Embraer E175 is more than a new, high-tech aircraft,” said Chairman and CEO Subodh Karnik. “It is a symbol of ExpressJet’s future as a growing and trusted United Express partner.”
ExpressJet is adding 25 new E175s to its fleet in 2019. To date, the airline has taken delivery of four E175’s, and will continue adding new aircraft throughout the year. Additionally, ExpressJet recently expanded its crew training capabilities with the addition of an E175 full-motion flight simulator and a cabin door trainer at its Houston Training Complex.
To support its rapid growth, ExpressJet has hired more than 350 new pilots since the start of the year and will double that number by year end. Pilots who sign on with ExpressJet can expect a quick selection process, an immediate class date, and to bid for flying within three months. Pilots interested in signing on with ExpressJet should apply at expressjet.com/pilots or on airlineapps.com.
About ExpressJet Airlines ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston and Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 110 Embraer E175, Embraer ERJ145 and Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft, with 25 new Embraer E175s being added in 2019. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and a career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. ManaAir is majority-owned by KAir Enterprises and minority-owned by United Airlines. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.
Partnership between Bombardier and Hitachi to manufacture and deliver additional new trains for Trenitalia’s high-speed train fleet
The contract includes delivery of 14 Frecciarossa 1000 very high-speed trains and maintenance services
Hitachi Rail SpA and Bombardier Transportation, in a partnership expected to involve company participation of 60% and 40% respectively, will supply 14 Frecciarossa 1000 (also known as ETR 1000) very high-speed trains to Trenitalia (Italian Railways), as well as a ten years maintenance service agreement for the new trains. The contract overall value is around 575 million euros ($ 643 million US) with the Bombardier share valued at 233 million euros ($261 million US) and the Hitachi share valued at 342 million euros ($382 million US).
Maurizio Manfellotto, CEO at Hitachi Rail SpA and Group COO Service and Maintenance Hitachi Rail said: “We worked closely with Trenitalia to deliver a train which has dramatically enhanced the performance and customer experience of the Italian high-speed rail network. The Frecciarossa 1000 is a perfect example of how suppliers and customers working together towards a common goal can deliver for passengers. This order for 14 new trains and the related maintenance services are proof of the success we have achieved.”
Luigi Corradi, Managing Director, Italy, Bombardier Transportation, said: “As a full solution provider, Bombardier is looking forward to demonstrating continued excellence in the Italian rail market, supporting Italian customers in the realization of their long-term mobility plans, across a range of speeds and vehicle sectors, strengthened by our partnership approach.”
Giuseppe Marino, Corporate Officer Hitachi Ltd and Group COO Rolling Stock Hitachi Rail said: “Expanding the Italian high-speed train fleet is an achievement we are proud of. Developing new and innovative rolling stock is a challenge but this order for 14 new Frecciarossa 1000s shows we have realised a highly successful and competitive train. We are pleased to also be working on a new generation of modern regional trains for Italy and on our ground-breaking trams.”
Marco Biffoni, Head of Sales Italy for Bombardier Transportation, said, “With this order for 14 high-speed trains deriving from the V300ZEFIRO platform plus maintenance services, we are delighted that Trenitalia has put its confidence in Bombardier and Hitachi once again, a proven partnership now also bidding for projects in the United Kingdom. These high-comfort, high-technology and high-speed trains have already proven to be very popular with Italian passengers and this order highlights our continuing leadership in the exciting high-speed market segment.”
As with the current Frecciarossa 1000 fleet, all 14 of the new very high-speed trains will be built in Italy. The Frecciarossa 1000 has set new standards in performance, operating efficiency and passenger comfort.
Each train has a total length of around 200 meters, capacity for around 460 passengers and is capable of commercial speeds of up to 360 km/h. State-of-the-art aerodynamics and energy saving technologies give the train unmatched operating efficiency. There is WiFi onboard a meeting room and bistro area.
Not only is the Frecciarossa 1000 the fastest ever service high speed train in Europe, but it is also the quietest, with minimal vibration. The trains are designed and built in Italy, and operable on high-speed rail networks equipped with multi-voltage technology fulfilling all TSI requirements.
All 14 of the new very high-speed trains will be built in Italy.
DALLAS, May 15, 2019 – The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $10.5 million contract to develop a new modular pod for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets. The new pods will replace the depleting inventory of M26 rocket pods and support the increased production of GMLRS rounds.
The modular pod is designed to allow for reloading of individual rocket tubes as they are expended, whereas the original GMLRS pods are discarded after use. The pod will be able to fire the GMLRS Unitary and Alternative Warhead variants, as well as the developmental Extended-Range GMLRS rockets and future rounds.
“The new pods will be compatible with both the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and MLRS M270 family of launchers,” said Gaylia Campbell, vice president of Precision Fires and Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “These new pods will improve reload operations and assure our warfighters have adequate rounds available to them when they are most needed.”
The modular pods will be produced at Lockheed Martin’s Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Camden, Ark. Ground testing will begin this fall, with a planned flight test before the end of the calendar year. The first deliveries of the new modular pod are anticipated in the fall of 2021.
For more than 40 years, Lockheed Martin has been the leading designer and manufacturer of long-range, surface-to-surface precision strike solutions, providing highly reliable, combat-proven systems like MLRS, HIMARS, the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and GMLRS to global customers.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 105,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
DUBAI (Reuters) – Emirates will “work smart and hard” to improve its performance after the Gulf airline’s profit hit a decade low as soaring fuel costs and a strong dollar took a toll on earnings, while passenger growth stalled.
After years of growth, during which it has become one of the world’s biggest airlines as other long-established national carriers have struggled, Dubai-based, state-owned Emirates warned last week profit would be lower than previous years.
It revealed just how badly it had fared on Thursday, reporting a 69 percent fall in net profit to 871 million dirhams ($237 million) in the year to March 31.
Meanwhile, the number of passengers flying Emirates rose 0.2 percent to 58.6 million, its weakest growth rate in at least 15 years, while cargo increased 1.4 percent to 2.7 million tonnes.
Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum said in a statement that the year had been “tough”, with higher oil prices, a strong dollar and stiffer competition, adding “our performance was not as strong as we would have liked”.
While revenue at the airline rose 6 percent to 97.9 billion dirhams, its profit fell to its lowest level since 2009. And profit at Emirates Group, which includes other units, fell 43.7 percent to 2.3 billions dirhams, its lowest since 2012.
Despite the profit fall, Emirates said it will pay the Investment Corporation of Dubai a dividend of 500 million dirhams for the year.
“SMART AND HARD”
Sheikh Ahmed said it was difficult to predict the year ahead but Emirates would “work smart and hard to tackle the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities.”
Unfavorable currency moves in key markets cost Emirates $156 million, while operating costs rose 8 percent with the airline recording its biggest ever fuel bill of 30.8 billion dirhams.
Emirates filled an average of 76.8 percent of passenger seats, slightly lower than the previous year, while increasing the number of available seats by 4 percent.
Fare increases helped Emirates register a 3 percent increase in passenger margin, despite it filling fewer seats.
The number of airline employees fell by 2,074, or 3.3 percent. Overall group workforce rose 1.9 percent to 105,286.
Emirates agreed with Airbus in February to cancel dozens of A380 orders and buy smaller A350’s and A330’s as the planemaker scrapped production of the world’s largest passenger jet.
Emirates, which will take 14 more A380’s between this year and the end of 2021, is developing a new route network for a fleet that will include smaller aircraft, it said last week.
Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Alexander Smith
FILE PHOTO: Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo
A year ago, at 7:35 a.m. in Bergen, Norway, the E190-E2 took off with 114 passengers on board. It was the first commercial flight of the second and latest generation of commercial jets of Embraer, the E-Jets E2.
The aircraft, gracing the colors of Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, completed flight WF622, which ended at 9:35 a.m. in Tromsø.
At the helm was Espen Bergsland, the airline’s chief pilot, and Embraer pilot Celso Fonseca, this flight marked the starting point for Widerøe’s aircraft transition – from turboprops to jets – and a change in passenger comfort.
With the intention of extending the connections between north and south Norway, as well as exploring new international routes, Widerøe decided to expand its operations by incorporating jets that can seat 110 to 120 passengers. Embraer’s new E2 Jets fit the bill.
In November 2016, representatives of the Norwegian airline visited the manufacturer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, in the suburbs of São Paulo, to see and assess the aircraft. Three months later, the company announced it was acquiring three E190-E2 and the purchase rights for another 12 jets of the E2 family.
In February 2018, the E190-E2 was certified to conduct commercial flights by the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA), and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
This victory, a triple and simultaneous certification, was recently repeated. On April 15, 2019, the E195-E2, the largest commercial aircraft ever developed by the Brazilian company, also received the triple permission.
The delivery of the first E190-E2 took place on April 4, 2018 at a ceremony held at the Embraer plant in São José dos Campos, São Paulo. After five days, captains Fonseca, Bergsland and Endre Berntzen took off to Norway. On the journey, they stopped at Recife, Las Palmas (Spain), Aberdeen (Scotland) and arrived in Bergen on April 12th.
The aircraft was welcomed to the Norwegian city with a party. Political and aviation officials, the press and employees attended a dinner with music, a Brazilian martial arts (Capoeira) show, a play and other attractions.
During the entrance of the E190-E2 into the Widerøe hangar, a local opera singer sang one of the songs from the Bachianas Brasileiras series written by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. “The ceremony was very beautiful. It included cultural aspects of both Norway and Brazil, as if a bond were forming,” said Fonseca.
So, on April 24th, Bergsland and Fonseca piloted the new aircraft from Bergen to Tromsø for two hours. The aircraft took off with the maximum capacity of passengers – regular passengers, leaders and employees of the companies involved – and made a calm flight to its final destination.
“This flight represents increased connectivity between the north and south of the country on one of the longest routes of the Widerøe network, increasing the number of passengers per flight and bringing greater speed and comfort to Norwegian citizens,” explained Daniel Balducci, manager of Embraer’s customer accounts.
When the E190-E2 landed and arrived at the gate, it was met with the traditional water jets. Slices of cake were offered to all the passengers at the landing gate.
“On the way out, we heard positive comments about the cabin’s low noise level. Afterwards, I even read an article written by one of the passengers on a blog saying that he felt like he was inside an electric car during the flight,” said Fonseca. “The Widerøe pilots also liked the plane very much and found it very easy to pilot.”
By placing the first E2 model commercially in the skies, the Norwegian airline officially started its transition from turboprop to jet aircraft.
FILE PHOTO: A Norwegian Air Boeing 737-800 is seen during the presentation of Norwegian Air first low cost transatlantic flight service from Argentina at Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 8, 2018. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci/File Photo
OSLO (Reuters) – Norwegian Air has agreed with Airbus and Boeing to reschedule delivery of aircraft to cut capital spending, the loss-making budget carrier said on Wednesday.
In total, the announced restructurings and postponements of Boeing and Airbus aircraft delivery will reduce capital expenditure for 2019 and 2020 by $2.1 billion, it said.
The Oslo-listed airline has shaken up the long-haul market by offering cut-price transatlantic fares, but its rapid expansion has left it with hefty losses and high debts.
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
FILE PHOTO: Lockheed Martin is seen at Euronaval, the world naval defence exhibition in Le Bourget near Paris, France, October 23, 2018. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
(Reuters) – Lockheed Martin Corp reported a better-than-expected 47 percent jump in quarterly profit on Tuesday and raised its annual profit forecast, helped by strong demand for its missiles and fighter jets, sending its shares up more than 5 percent in pre-market trading.
U.S. weapons makers have been expected to benefit from stronger global demand for fighter jets and munitions and higher U.S. defence budgets in fiscal 2020 as they announce first quarter earnings this week.
Lockheed’s Missiles and Fire Control business, which makes missile defences like the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD), was one of its best-performing units.
On April 1, the unit was awarded a THAAD interceptor missile contract worth $2.4 billion, some of which are slated to be delivered to Saudi Arabia, which could boost earnings for the current quarter.
Overall, the Bethesda, Maryland-based company said its earnings rose to $1.70 billion, or $5.99 per share, in the first quarter ended March 31, from $1.16 billion, or $4.02 per share, a year earlier. That was partly helped by a $75 million dollar boost from additional tax deductions on foreign military sales.
Excluding that one-time gain, Lockheed reported $5.73 per share profit, well ahead of the $4.34 per share that Wall Street had expected, on average, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Lockheed’s overall net sales for the quarter rose 23 percent to $14.34 billion. The company’s sales backlog grew to $133.5 billion, up 3 billion over the quarter.
Operating margins at the aeronautics division, Lockheed’s biggest, fell to 10.5 percent in the first quarter from 10.8 percent a year earlier, but sales were up 27 percent to $5.5 billion on demand for the F-35 jet and some classified contracts.
The United States is considering expanding sales of Lockheed-made F-35 fighter jets to five new nations including Romania, Greece and Poland as European allies bulk up their defences in the face of a strengthening Russia, a Pentagon official told Congress in early April.
(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington D.C. and Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Bill Rigby)
Second and Final Phase of Airbus A320 Interior Cabin Restyling Ushers in New Era of Comfort and Connectivity for JetBlue Customers.
The Most Legroom in Coach® Now Features the Widest, Most Comfortable A320 Seats, Larger Seatback TVs with Even More Entertainment, Expanded Gate-to-Gate High-Speed Internet on Nearly Every JetBlue Route—and More!
The restyling effort has been several years in the making, with the latest aircraft marking the first to receive this all-new 2019 design. The aircraft, named “If You Can Read This, You’re Blue Close,” re-joins JetBlue’s fleet today, with roughly a third of JetBlue’s A320 aircraft scheduled for restyling completion by the end of the year.
“JetBlue rocked the airline industry in 2000 with seatback television and all leather seats. In our first makeover since, this incredible new onboard experience represents what the founders would have done if they were launching JetBlue today,” said Marty St. George, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, JetBlue. “The new experience brings together technology, entertainment, and comfort with the great service JetBlue customers love so much.”
For most of the airlines 100+ destinations the A320 restyling will bring the upgraded JetBlue experience to their city for the first time.
A major focus of the restyling is keeping customers connected throughout their flight, including a new inflight entertainment system, high-definition seatback televisions, in-seat power outlets with USB ports and continued free gate-to-gate Fly-Fi high-speed internet with an expanded coverage area – including throughout the Caribbean and Latin America where Fly-Fi had not been available until now.
The Widest Seat Available For the A320
In 2019, JetBlue will outfit its A320 aircraft with the Collins Meridian seat, customized for the airline’s needs and featuring a number of design elements with customer comfort in mind:
Expanded seat width of more than 18 inches, the widest available for the A320.
The most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (a).
Enhanced cushion comfort.
Adjustable headrests, a new feature for JetBlue’s A320.
Contoured seatback design at knee level creating additional living space for every customer.
Redesigned seatback stowage options, including an innovative elastic grid to accommodate a variety of customer items.
At least two easy-to-reach power connections at every seat.
“We are proud to partner with
JetBlue on its A320 restyling project by supplying our Meridian Seat,” said
Cynthia A. Muklevicz, Vice President, Account Management, Interiors for Collins
Aerospace. “Meridian offers passengers industry-leading comfort and living
space through an intense focus on ergonomic design supported by optimization of
the underlying seat structure.”
IFE
Also in 2019, JetBlue will build on
its reputation as an industry leader in inflight entertainment options with
Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. With this system, JetBlue will offer
customers aboard its restyled A320s expanded entertainment choices in nearly
every region the airline flies (b). JetBlue is the only major U.S. airline with
seatback entertainment screens at every seat on every aircraft.
10.1 inch, 1080P high definition screen at every seat.
More than 100 channels of live television with DVR-like pause and rewind functionality.
Expanded collection of on demand movies, TV shows and video content, plus new gaming features.
Destination-specific content allowing customers to enhance their travel experience.
Picture-in-picture function
Enhanced, 3D flight map offering multiple ways to track time to destination.
Personal handheld device pairing capabilities for use as a remote or gaming controller.
Expanded Fly-Fi connectivity, providing coverage to nearly the entire JetBlue network.
“Thales is proud to have been a
business partner with JetBlue since the beginning of their IFE evolution. The
airline has reimagined the flying experience, and with our custom-designed
AVANT IFE solution, we’ve helped JetBlue reimagine their customer experience on
the A320 platform,” said Philippe Carette, Chief Executive Officer, Thales
InFlyt Experience. “We look forward to collaborating with the airline to create
new opportunities that wow their customers with a unique and personalized
inflight experience.”
“Thales is proud to have been a
business partner with JetBlue since the beginning of their IFE evolution. The
airline has reimagined the flying experience, and with our custom-designed
AVANT IFE solution, we’ve helped JetBlue reimagine their customer experience on
the A320 platform,” said Philippe Carette, Chief Executive Officer, Thales
InFlyt Experience. “We look forward to collaborating with the airline to create
new opportunities that wow their customers with a unique and personalized
inflight experience.”
“JetBlue continues to be an
industry leader in its approach to inflight internet—bringing free, high-speed
connectivity to every customer onboard,” said Don Buchman, vice president and
general manager, Commercial Aviation, Viasat. “We’re honored to once again
partner with JetBlue on inflight connectivity, giving them access to ViaSat-2,
the world’s most advanced satellite network, enabling all JetBlue customers to
enjoy fast Fly-Fi service on more routes where JetBlue flies.”
Completing The 2018 Phase
The first phase of JetBlue’s A320
interior cabin restyle began in spring 2018 and modernized the airline’s so-called
“classic interiors” with products that matched those found on the airline’s
newer A321 aircraft – features such as more modern seats and larger seatback
TVs. More than a dozen A320 aircraft have been restyled with these products so
far and several more are scheduled for completion in the coming weeks. This
spring the restyling will fully transition to the 2019 version of onboard
products for all aircraft going forward.
About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 42 million customers a year to 100+ cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of more than 1,000 daily flights. For more information please visit jetblue.com.
(a) JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach based on average fleet-wide seat pitch for U.S. airlines.
(b) Fly-Fi is available on all JetBlue-operated flights. On ViaSat-2 equipped aircraft, Fly-Fi may not be available on portions of some routes. On all other aircraft Fly-Fi may not be available while operating outside of the contiguous U.S., or until the aircraft returns to the coverage area.
BERLIN
(Reuters) – The German Defence Ministry is evaluating a bid from Canada
to buy a high-altitude surveillance drone prototype that has been
parked at a German air base for years after the cancellation of the Euro
Hawk programme in 2013.
A
formal bid for the prototype aircraft, which was demilitarised by the
United States in 2017, was received from Canada, a ministry spokesman
said on Wednesday without providing further details. The Canadian
embassy in Berlin had no immediate comment.
NATO was also considering a bid for the drone, but had not yet submitted it, according to sources familiar with the process.
A
sale of the drone would end an embarrassing chapter that raised
concerns about the German military’s procurement process and triggered
the transfer of former Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere to another
cabinet post.
The
German government told lawmakers last year that it had spent about 700
million euros ($793.5 million) on the Euro Hawk prototype built by U.S.
arms maker Northrop Grumman and the ISIS surveillance system built by
Airbus.
Berlin
initiated plans in 2000 to buy five Euro Hawk drones based on
Northrop’s Global Hawk unmanned system at a cost of about 1.2 billion
euros but later cancelled the programme because of cost overruns and
problems obtaining certification for use in civilian airspace in
Germany.
It had only received the one prototype aircraft that is now being sold.
Berlin
is now negotiating with Northrop to buy several MQ-4C Triton drones for
delivery after 2025. Northrop last year said the process could take
years to complete.
German
opposition lawmaker Andrej Hunko, a member of the radical Left party,
said the German government had declared the aircraft incapable of flight
after the U.S. Air Force removed key systems.
“The airplane has salvage value at best,” he told Reuters.
“Any proceeds from the sale would be a drop in the bucket, compared with the huge amounts spent on the programme.”
For
NATO, the drone could provide additional support to the fleet of five
high-altitude unmanned Global Hawk planes it agreed to buy from Northrop
in 2012 for $1.7 billion, along with transportable ground stations.
Industry
officials said the Euro Hawk saga highlighted problems in German
military procurement, noting that NATO’s sister aircraft regularly
traverse German air space to conduct surveillance missions over the
North Sea. They also have no blanket approval for use in German civilian
airspace but use case-by-case permissions from air traffic authorities.
It was not immediately clear what steps would be needed to return the German Euro Hawk prototype to flight.
($1 = 0.8821 euros)
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Editing by Riham Alkousaa and David Goodman, William Maclean)
CHICAGO and PARIS, Feb. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/
— Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Safran [EPA: SAF] today announce the name of
their 50-50 joint venture to design, build and service Auxiliary Power
Units (APUs): Initium Aerospace.
From its Latin roots, initium means ‘the beginning’ or ‘to start.’
This is what an APU is and does when it provides the power to start the
main aircraft engines and systems on the ground and, if necessary, in
flight. Initium Aerospace starts with Boeing’s customer and airplane
knowledge and Safran’s experience designing and producing complex
propulsion systems.
“This is an exciting milestone as we bring together the best of both
companies to design and build an advanced APU that will create more
lifecycle value for our customers,” said Stan Deal,
president and CEO, Boeing Global Services. “This is further proof that
Boeing is making strategic investments that strengthen our vertical
capabilities and continue to expand our services portfolio.”
The creation of Initium Aerospace follows the regulatory and
antitrust approvals the joint venture received last November, after an
agreement was reached in June.
“I would like to congratulate everybody at Boeing and Safran who
contributed to the creation of this new joint venture,” said Philippe
Petitcolin, CEO of Safran. “Initium Aerospace is swiftly capitalizing on
the vast expertise of both partners to provide state-of-the-art APUs
and innovative solutions to customers. Safran is proud and totally
invested in supporting Boeing’s growth and operators expectations. We
look forward to presenting the first demonstrator engine to the market.”
The initial team consists of employees from the two parent companies and is led by Etienne Boisseau, CEO of Initium Aerospace. Initial work is being done in San Diego, California,
where they are focused on the next-generation APU design as well as
collaborating with teams across Boeing and Safran on engineering and
production.
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating
in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets.
Safran has a global presence, with more than 58,000 employees and sales
of 16.5 billion euros in 2017. Working
alone or in partnership, Safran holds world or European leadership
positions in its core markets. Safran undertakes Research &
Development programs to meet fast-changing market requirements, with
total R&D expenditures of around 1.4 billion euros in 2017. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.
In February 2018, Safran took
control of Zodiac Aerospace, significantly expanding its aircraft
equipment activities. Zodiac Aerospace has 32,500 employees and
generated sales of 5.1 billion euros for its fiscal year ended August 31, 2017.
Boeing is
the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of
commercial airplanes and defense, space and security systems. Boeing is
also the world leader in combined commercial airlines and government
services with customers in more than 150 countries. The company’s
products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft,
satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems,
advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based
logistics and training. Boeing employs approximately 150,000 people
across the United States and in more than 65 countries.
Forward-Looking Information Is Subject to Risk and Uncertainty
Certain statements in this release may be “forward-looking” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the expected timetable for completing the transaction, future business prospects, and benefits and synergies of the transaction, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions about future events that may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include the effect of global economic conditions, the ability of the parties to consummate the transaction and receive antitrust clearance, and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in reports filed by Boeing and Safran with their respective agencies.
