Aviation News, Boeing, Airbus

Boeing Co, the US aircraft manufacturer, has received orders for four wide-body 747 jet aircraft and two narrow-body 737 aircraft worth about USD842m at list prices.

The identity of the buyers has not been revealed as the company has a policy of waiting for customers to announce their orders according to Reuters.

Further, Alitalia, an Italian airline, has converted an order for five passenger 747s to one for six 777-200 aircraft.

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The mobile user objective system (MUOS) will provide global communications to all U.S. forces in remote locations, such as jungles, urban canyons, mountains and at sea. MUOS would provide warfighters with a key link to an “integrated battlespace'’ of networked terrestrial, airborne and satellite communications systems.

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Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has reportedly rejected the possibility of taking a stake in Brazilian carrier Varig.

Under a merger proposal drawn up by Brazil’s Banco Fator, the airline’s creditors - including Boeing - would end up with an equity stake in Varig after it merges with TAM. The debt the carrier has with its creditors would reportedly be converted into shares in the new venture.

The two Brazilian carriers are planning to join forces to offset rising costs and declining demand, reported Reuters.

The RS-68 is a new rocket engine Boeing is developing for their Delta IV Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), aimed at reducing space launch costs up to 50 percent from today’s rate. The RS-68 is a liquid hydrogen-liquid oxygen engine that develops 650,000 pounds of sea level thrust, 30 percent more efficient than conventional liquid oxygen/kerosene engines. The engine is environmentally friendly, producing only water as a combustion by-product.

“We are pleased to build our reputation as a safe, reliable supplier to the aerospace industry,” said Mike Kerr, Praxair’s manager, Government and Aerospace Programs. “This industry has highly specialized requirements and the contract with Boeing demonstrates our ability to meet them with the most dependable range of cryogens, gases and services. For example, during a typical testing the RS-68 engine will require 100,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen to be delivered over a 4-day period to Canoga Park.”

Praxair has had a long-standing commitment to the aerospace industry, including a 30-year relationship with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to supply various cryogens and industrial gases for the following: Space Shuttle program at Cape Kennedy, engine testing at Stennis Space Center and wind tunnel testing at Langley Air Force Base. Praxair is, therefore, well- positioned in the marketplace to supply cryogens and industrial gases for all upcoming commercial launches in the aerospace industry.

Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 1997 sales of $4.7 billion. Praxair is also the largest liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen producer in the United States. The company produces, sells and distributes atmospheric, process and specialty gases, and high- performance surface coatings. Praxair is a recognized leader in the commercialization of new technologies that bring productivity and environmental benefits to a diverse group of industries. For more information, visit Praxair on the Internet at www.praxair.com.

CONTACT: Media Relations:

Pedro Ferraz

203-837-2702

e-mail: pedro_ferraz@praxair.com

The aerospace company and Russia’s Verkhnaya Salda Metallurgical Production Association (VSMPO) were among several companies represented at the Commerce Department to sign agreements as part of the Gore-Chernomyridin Commission’s effects to develop stronger commercial ties between the U.S. and Russian private sectors.

The signing ceremony, an elaborate political ceremony rarely seen in metals deals, came in the middle of Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin’s visit here, during the latest round of discussions of the commission.

Under the terms of Boeing’s contract, delivery of titanium milled products, including billet, sheet and plate, will begin in early 1999 and run through 2003.

The contract is valued at a minimum of $175 million, with the potential for reaching $200 million depending on the product mix, VSMPO general director Vladisly Tetyukhin confirmed after Wednesday’s contract signing.