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Voyager Space and Airbus Announce Joint Venture to Build and Operate Starlab

August 2, 2023 /

DENVER – 02 August, 2023 – Voyager Space, a global leader in space exploration, and Airbus (OTC: EADSY) Defence and Space, the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe, today announced an agreement paving the way for a transatlantic joint venture to develop, build, and operate Starlab, a commercial space station planned to succeed the International Space Station. The US-led joint venture will bring together world-class leaders in the space domain, while further uniting American and European interests in space exploration.

Voyager was awarded a $160 million Space Act Agreement (SAA) from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in December 2021 via Nanoracks, part of Voyager’s exploration segment. Part of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, this SAA sets the foundation to create Starlab, a continuously crewed, free-flying space station to serve NASA and a global customer base of space agencies and researchers.

The program’s mission is to maintain continued human presence and American leadership in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Today’s announcement builds on an agreement made public in January 2023, where Voyager selected Airbus to provide technical design support and expertise for Starlab.

In addition to the US entity, Starlab will have a European joint venture subsidiary to directly serve the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member state space agencies.

Austrian Airlines sells three Boeing 767s to US company MDI

February 27, 2021 /

Austrian Airlines has found a buyer for the three long-haul aircraft that were up for sale. The Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will go to the U.S. company MonoCoque Diversified Interests. The purchase agreement has already been signed. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The first aircraft, registered OE-LAT, will leave Vienna at the beginning of March for Pinal Airpark, Arizona. The aircraft is currently undergoing all the necessary preparations for the handover. The next transfer flight is scheduled for May with the Boeing 767 registered OE-LAX. 

“Being able to sell all three Boeing 767’s to one buyer is very gratifying and a big step for our fleet transition”, says Austrian Airlines CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech. “I would like to thank MonoCoque Diversified Interests for the good negotiations and our team for their great commitment.” 

“MDI is excited to continue the growth of its passenger and cargo aviation portfolio with the addition of three 767-300ERs”, adds MDI’s manager Mary Alice Keyes. “It has been a pleasure to work with Austrian Airlines, a group with a long history and outstanding pedigree.” 

At an average of 28.5 years, the three 767’s sold are among the oldest aircraft in the Austrian Airlines fleet. The remaining three 767’s are between 20 and 22 years of age. After the completed handover, Austrian Airlines will continue to have nine long-haul jets at its disposal, which will connect Austria with destinations around the globe – from the USA to the Far East. In detail, these are six Boeing 777’s with over 300 seats and three Boeing 767’s with over 200 seats. 

Until the beginning of 2022, 28 aircraft will leave the fleet of Austria’s home carrier: In addition to the aforementioned three Boeing 767-300ER’s, 18 Dash turboprops and seven Airbus A319 jets will be handed over. Ten turboprops have already left Vienna, with the remaining eight to follow soon. This means that the fleet will consist of around 60 aircraft by the beginning of 2022. As mainly smaller aircraft will be retired, this corresponds to a capacity reduction of around 20 percent.

Canadian Agency Mandates Onex Meet Ownership Rules on WestJet Deal

December 11, 2019 /

(Reuters) – The Canadian Transportation Agency said on Tuesday Onex Corp will need to amend its by-laws to meet the country’s ownership rules related to its proposed C$3.5 billion buyout deal of Canada’s second-largest carrier WestJet Airlines.

The agency has sought the amendment to Onex’s by-laws to ensure that matters related to WestJet are voted where a majority of Canadian directors are present.

WestJet said it is in the process of reviewing the determination.

Air Canada had challenged Onex Corp’s proposed acquisition of WestJet Airlines, on grounds that the deal may not meet the country’s ownership rules. (https://reut.rs/2LHqQvk)

Air Canada had argued that the likely presence of Onex co-investors such as foreign wealth funds and carriers, and “the opaque nature” of the deal to buy WestJet through company subsidiary Kestrel Bidco, will make it harder to ensure compliance with ownership laws.

Under Canada’s Transportation Act, carriers must be Canadian and controlled by Canadians in order to hold a domestic licence.

Shareholders of WestJet Airlines in July voted in favor of the Onex deal.

Under Canadian rules, foreigners cannot own more than 49% equity in a Canadian airline. The rules further restrict a foreign airline and any single foreign owner from controlling more than a quarter of voting interests in a Canadian carrier.

Onex did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Arundhati Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Uttaresh.V)

Brazil Association Takes Fight Against Embraer-Boeing Deal to Europe

December 5, 2019 /

BRUSSELS, Dec 5 (Reuters) – An association representing minority investors in Brazil is lobbying European antitrust regulators to spike a deal between planemakers Embraer SA and Boeing Co, calling it a killer acquisition.

Aurelio Valporto, the head of minority investor association Abradin, said the European Commission should block Boeing’s proposed $4.2 billion purchase of 80% Embraer’s commercial passenger jet division or demand hefty concessions.

“What will be left from Embraer won’t survive, and even if it was possible to survive, Embraer wouldn’t be able to produce any aircraft with 50 passengers or more,” Valporto said in an interview late on Wednesday, arguing that Embraer and Boeing planes compete in the marketplace.

Embraer’s commercial jet division focuses on the 70 to 150-seat segment, competing directly with the CSeries jets designed by Bombardier Inc, a division that was bought by Europe’s Airbus SE.

Boeing aims to take control of Embraer’s commercial jet business, its most profitable, to compete directly with Airbus in the market for planes with fewer than 150 seats.

Embraer said in a statement on Thursday that the deal will “serve the interests of shareholders by enabling Embraer to expand markets and increase sales.” The deal was backed by around 97% of Embraer’s shareholders earlier this year.

Valporto complained about the deal to the European Commission two months ago, saying it hurt competition in the Brazilian aerospace industry, and on Wednesday took his grievance to antitrust officials in Brasilia.

The deal has already been approved by regulators in the United States, China and Japan. If it closes, Embraer will receive dividends from its remaining 20% stake in the commercial jet business, but will have to rely more heavily on its business jets and defense divisions to turn a profit. Those two divisions have posted losses in recent quarters.

The European Commission, which launched a full-scale investigation into the deal in October, declined to comment.

Boeing said it and Embraer had been engaged with the European Commission and other global regulatory authorities since late last year.

“We continue to co-operate with the European Commission and CADE as they assess our transaction and look forward to a positive resolution,” a spokesman for the company said.

The EU has voiced concerns the deal would remove Embraer, the world’s third-largest commercial aircraft maker, from the industry, an indication that it may demand significant concessions from Boeing.

The EU regulator halted its investigation last month while waiting for Boeing to submit data on the deal.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels Additional reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Matthew Lewis)

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