Le Bourget, June 20, 2005 (Business Line)

Safran soared at the Paris Air Show with all of the French Group's companies winning multiple orders.

For the Safran Group - made up by the merger of the aircraft engine-maker Snecma and the communications giant Sagem - it was a fruitful week at Le Bourget, as the small team of Indian journalists found for itself at the Air Show where it was hosted by the Group. 120 engine orders.

Coinciding with the Air Show, the Snecma-GE joint venture CFM International won orders for 120 CFM56-7B engines valued at $600 million. Jet Airways' 10 Boeing 737-800s are to be powered by the CFM56-7B, as also GE Capital Aviation Services 20 737s, and International Lease Finance Corporation's 20 737-700/-800s.

As a CFM release says, over 1,600 aircraft have been delivered to date, and the fleet has accumulated more than 35 million flight hours and more than 18 million flight cycles while maintaining a 99.95 per cent dispatch reliability rate.

Turbomeca expands operations

Safran Group's Turbomeca, the No 1 in helicopter engines, is expanding its customer support network with four more TurboSupport Centres. Simultaneously, at a press conference at the Paris Air Show, Turbomeca also announced the sale of the first Arrius 2B2-powered Eurocopter EC135 in Brazil. The twin-engine helicopters are to be used for emergency medical services operations. With the latest additions at Lafayette, Louisiana; São Paulo, Brazil; Kuala Lumpur; and Geneva, the number of TurboSupport centres around the world goes up to 25. A storage facility is being set up in Dallas - the first step towards a logistical hub in Texas. "Next year, an Asian hub should commence operations," says Emeric d'Arcimoles, Turbomeca's president and CEO, in a release.

The Turbomeca chief is very optimistic on the helicopter market. As he told Aviation International News: "The helicopter market is to grow from 800 to 1,200 a year." He expects to have a significant piece of the cake. He claims a 48-per cent market share. In 2005, Turbomeca's production is to reach a 20-year high of 1,100 engines, 40 per cent more than the 789 produced in 2004. For Turbomeca, Eurocopter remains customer No 1, accounting for some 80 per cent of the company's revenues. Production for Sikorsky and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is rising. The S-76 ++ and the Chetan (based on the Alouette III) are equipped respectively with Arriel 2S2s and TM333s. This fall, the Ardiden 1H/Shakti engine, designed for HAL's Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter, will begin ground-testing. HAL has 11 per cent of this new programme.

Labinal electrical harnesses for Airbus 400M

One of Safran Group's hi-tech companies, Labinal, a world leader in electrical wiring systems for aviation, space and defence applications, has been selected by Airbus France for the design and manufacture of nose fuselage and cockpit electrical harnesses for the A400M military transport aircraft. The assemblies consist of around 40 electrical harnesses in the nose section, for 15,000 electrical connections. Says Labinal's Chairman and CEO, Philippe Petitcolin, in a release: "This new contract confirms our commitment to excellence in the services we offer and endorses Labinal's position as the partner of choice for Airbus."

Sagem Défense Securité-Thales to upgrade combat aircraft

Safran Group's Sagem Défense Securité, among Europe's top defence and avionics companies, and Thales, a leader in electronics and systems for aerospace and security, will together offer complete upgrade solutions for Dassault combat aircraft, excluding Mirage 2000 and Rafale. Thales will provide expertise in onboard radars, electronic warfare, communications and laser designation pods. Sagem Défense Securité will add its know-how in navigation and mission planning systems, mission computers, mission software and integration, and new-generation weapon deployment. This combination, a Safran release says, will offer solutions that draw on all the best technologies available to upgrade the operational capabilities of the combat aircraft to the state-of-the-art. Several air forces have shown interest in this new offering.

Messier-Bugatti brakes for Formula 1 cars

That there are opportunities beyond the aviation market is clear from Messier-Bugatti, a Safran group company that specialises in aeronautical braking systems, equipping Formula 1 teams with its carbon brakes. At the last Montreal Grand Prix, seven cars on the finish line were equipped with Messier-Bugatti brakes.

At Le Bourget, Messier-Bugatti signed a contract with the Austrian airline company NIKI of the former Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda, for wheels and brakes for ten A320s. This contract follows the one signed recently with the low-cost Air Berlin for 60 A320s.