PIPER TO TERMINATE PIPERSPORT DISTRIBUTOR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

Vero Beach, Fla., Jan. 12, 2011 – Piper Aircraft Inc. will terminate its business relationship with Czech Republic-based Czech Sport Aircraft to market that company’s Light Sport Aircraft, citing differences in business philosophies.

“After a year working with Czech Sport Aircraft, Piper determined that it is in our company’s best long-term interests to discontinue the business relationship which distributed a Light Sport Aircraft manufactured by the Czech company and distributed under Piper’s brand by a separate distributor network,” said Piper CEO Geoffrey Berger. “Clearly, the company has a different business perspective and approach to the market than Czech Sport Aircraft,” he added.

Piper had created a stand-alone distributor network specifically to market the aircraft manufactured and supported by Czech Sport Aircraft and branded as the PiperSport. As the company built that distributor network, it became clear that Piper’s core strengths and that of Czech Sport Aircraft were mismatched.

“We at Piper have a close affinity with this emerging segment of the marketplace and we have great expectations for the LSA industry. The LSA we were distributing is a good one and we encourage aviation enthusiasts to continue their support of this segment of the market,” Berger added.

“We certainly understand the implications of this development in the Light Sport Aircraft segment and do not take this action carelessly,” he said. Piper’s core philosophy is to execute leading aircraft programs where the company offers the most value to customers. An example of this is Piper’s sustaining commitment to the PiperJet Altaire business jet program and the improvements the company is making to the global dealer and support infrastructure.

“As we have reiterated, Piper is committed to the company’s line of efficient and reliable personal, training and business aircraft. We also continue to support and strengthen an extraordinary global network of Piper dealers and agents dedicated to marketing and supporting these great Piper aircraft for the long-term,” he said.

About Piper Aircraft
Piper Aircraft Inc. is headquartered in Vero Beach, Fla. A global force in aviation, Piper offers efficient single-engine and twin-engine trainer, personal and business aircraft. Piper Aircraft designs, manufactures, sells and supports the strongest and broadest single-engine product line in the industry, from high-performance pistons to turboprops to the world’s most fuel-efficient seven-person business jet, the PiperJet Altaire. With economical acquisition and operating costs, Piper airplanes deliver the best values available today and into the future. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

Piper

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Pratt & Whitney Purchases Patented Technology for EcoPower(R) Engine Wash

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – Jan. 18, 2011 – Today, Pratt & Whitney closed on an agreement with Gas Turbine Efficiency to purchase the assets of the company’s aviation business, which provides patented technology for Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower® engine wash service. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

Pratt & Whitney had exclusive rights to use Gas Turbine Efficiency’s technology to wash aircraft engines since it launched its EcoPower engine wash service in 2004. With this agreement, Pratt & Whitney will own the intellectual property for the technology as well as other assets associated with Gas Turbine Efficiency’s aviation business.

“As an original equipment manufacturer, we are committed to helping our customers reduce operating costs and provide quantifiable environmental benefits,” said Andrew Tanner, vice president, Product Line Management, Pratt & Whitney. “The acquisition of Gas Turbine Efficiency’s aviation business supports this goal as we continue to offer the EcoPower engine wash service to customers around the world at competitive prices.”

Gas Turbine Efficiency designs, manufactures and supplies proprietary cleantech energy saving and performance enhancing solutions to the power generation, as well as oil and gas industries.

Pratt & Whitney's patented EcoPower engine wash system reduces fuel burn by as much as 1.2 percent, eliminating three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every pound of fuel saved, while also decreasing engine gas temperature thus increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

P&W

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Aero-TV: Supersonic Biz-Jet -- Aerion Continues Development

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Boeing Confirms P-8A Poseidon Airframe's Structural Integrity with Full Scale Static Tests

SEATTLE, Jan. 20, 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it completed full scale static testing of the P-8A Poseidon’s airframe on Jan. 7. The series of tests, which began in May 2009, confirmed the airframe's structural integrity.

“The structure performed as we expected throughout testing, allowing us to efficiently expand the P-8A’s flight-test envelope,” said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. “Our static test plan was successful thanks to the combined efforts of Boeing’s design, analysis, and test teams and our U.S. Navy customer.”

S1 -- the program’s full-scale static ground-test vehicle -- underwent 154 different tests in which it sustained loads equal to or greater than those expected to occur during operational flights, with no failure of the primary structure. During 74 of the tests, the airframe was subjected to 150 percent of the highest expected flight loads. More than 4,000 installed strain gages and calibrated parts captured data for analysis.

In September, the Boeing P-8A team will begin refurbishing S1 to prepare it for live-fire testing at Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, Calif. Boeing will begin fatigue tests on its second ground-test vehicle, S2, later this year.

The Navy plans to purchase 117 of the P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013.

A derivative of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800, the P-8A Poseidon is built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation.


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First Flight of the French and Spanish NH90 TTH

NHI is pleased to announce the first flight of the French and Spanish NH90 TTH. This event took place today in Marignane at the Eurocopter facilities . Both NH90s took off for a one hour flight and performed the traditional safety controls. Please visit the news chapter to read the press releases.



THE SPANISH NH90 TTH MAKES ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT

NHI is pleased to announce the first flight of the Spanish NH90 TTH. This event took place in Marignane at the Eurocopter facilities on December 17th . This event marks also the first flight of a GE CT7-8F5 powered NH90. This engine has been selected by Spain for its specific performance adapted to the customer requirements.
This important step follows the initial order by the Spanish Government in December 2006 for 45 NH90TTH.

The first two Spanish NH90s are built by Eurocopter in Marignane while the assembly of the remaining 43 has started in Eurocopter Spain (Albacete).
The first NH90 TTH will be transferred to Albacete in 2011 in order to complete the development flights leading to a full qualification by the Spanish Ministry of Defence of the NH90 TTH.
This new generation helicopter will join the Spanish Armed Forces in 2012.

The NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) is a 11 Ton class helicopter, primarily configured to perform tactical transport missions in all environments, by day and night. The flexibility of the NH90 TTH allows its users to perform multi-role missions such as internal/external load transport, Search and Rescue, Personnel Recovery and Casualty Evacuation.

The NH90 TTH is the most modern helicopter of its class available on the market. It features a high level of system integration built around a dual bus core avionic system, full glass cockpit with
multifunction displays, fly-by-wire controls with 4-axis automatic flight control. The dedicated mission system includes: A piloting Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system, helmet mounted sight and display, electronic warfare system, tactical control and tactical communication system, weather radar, digital map generator and an on-board monitoring and diagnostic system. It features a fully composite fuselage fitted with a rear ramp which allows the transport of a light tactical vehicle. The two General Electric GE CT7-8F5 engines provide power reserve in all environments. The NH90 helicopter has provision for a number of role equipment to enable mission flexibility and effectiveness coupled with the latest standards for safety and survivability.

The twin-engine, medium-size NH90 helicopter programme is managed by the consortium NHIndustries, a company owned by AgustaWestland (32%), Eurocopter (62.5%), and Fokker
Aerostructures (5.5%). The NH90 helicopter programme is the largest ever launched in Europe, with firm orders now reaching 529 units for 19 Armed Forces of 14 Nations: France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Oman, Australia, New- Zealand, Spain and Belgium.

http://www.nhindustries.com/publications/en/ref/THE-SPANISH-NH90-TTH-MAKES-ITS-MAIDEN-FLIGHT_365.html




First Flight of the French NH90 TTH

NHI is pleased to announce the maiden flight of the first French NH90 TTH. This event took place in Marignane at the Eurocopter facilities .
This important step follows the initial order in December 2007 by NAHEMA (Nato Helicopter Management Agency ) on behalf of DGA (Délégation Générale de l'Armement) for 34 NH90 TTH.

The French NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) is a 11 Ton class helicopter, primarily configured to perform tactical transport missions in all environments, by day and night. The flexibility of the NH90 TTH allows its users to perform multi-role missions such as internal/external load transport, Search and Rescue, Personnel Recovery and Casualty Evacuation.

The French NH90 TTH which will join the ALAT (French Army Aviation), shares a high degree of commonality with the NH90 NFH already deployed within the French Navy, including the logistics
and support aspects. The NH90 TTH aircraft will progressively replace the legacy fleet of Cougar and Super Puma within ALAT.

The NH90 TTH is the most modern helicopter of its class available on the market. It features a high level of system integration built around a dual bus core avionic system, full glass cockpit with
multifunction displays, fly-by-wire controls with 4-axis automatic flight control. The dedicated mission system includes: A piloting Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system, helmet mounted sight and display, electronic warfare system, tactical control and tactical communication system, weather radar, digital map generator and an on-board monitoring and diagnostic system. It features a fully composite fuselage fitted with a rear ramp which allows the transport of a light tactical vehicle. The two Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca RTM322 engines provide power reserve in all environments. The NH90 helicopter has provision for a number of role equipment to enable mission flexibility and effectiveness coupled with the latest standards for safety and survivability.

The twin-engine, medium-size NH90 helicopter programme is managed by the consortium NHIndustries, a company owned by AgustaWestland (32%), Eurocopter (62.5%), and Fokker Aerostructures (5.5%). The NH90 helicopter programme is the largest ever launched in Europe, with firm orders now reaching 529 units for 19 Armed Forces of 14 Nations: France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Oman, Australia, New-Zealand, Spain and Belgium.

http://www.nhindustries.com/publications/en/ref/First-Flight-of-the-French-NH90-TTH_366.html

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Announcing the premier of... The New 747-8 Intercontinental

We are publishing a e-mail received from Boeing:

The premiere of the new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is fast approaching. The Intercontinental builds on the 747's tradition of excellent performance with new technologies and materials. These innovations enable it to be cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient with added payload and range. The 747-8 Intercontinental has a new 787 Dreamliner-inspired interior featuring a sculpted ceiling, LED lighting and a new staircase. Together, these features create a comfortable and relaxing oasis environment. Please join us at http://www.newairplane.com/747/incredible/ to get up-to-the-minute news, videos and information about the upcoming premiere of the new 747-8 Intercontinental. You can view the premiere event at 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (19:00 GMT) on Feb. 13, 2011. For updates and event coverage, follow us on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/boeingairplanes/. Thank you. Sincerely, Boeing

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