AIR SHOW-US defense firms look to M&A, international sales

* International sales to bolster US defense firms
* Acquisitions also being studied
* Strong demand for fighters, helicopters
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
PARIS, June 14 (Reuters) - U.S. defense companies, some rocked harder than others by Defense Secretary Robert Gates' sweeping program cuts, are looking to international sales and acquisitions to fill the void.
Many are also vying for contracts to maintain and sustain aircraft for U.S. military services and foreign countries, an increasingly attractive market given that budget woes are keeping many aircraft in service longer than expected.
Industry executives, meeting with reporters on the eve of the Paris Air Show, said they expected U.S. defense spending to flatten after years of strong growth, but said their companies were largely well-positioned to report growth in other areas.
Executives are not expecting to clinch big-ticket orders at the show, but most have dozens of meetings scheduled with possible foreign buyers and U.S. officials. Most
Jim Albaugh, head of Boeing Co's (BA.N) defense business, acknowledged that some big Boeing programs such as the Future Combat Systems Army modernization program, the Air Force's Transformational Satellite program, and the C-17 transport plane took a hit in the Gates cuts, but said the fiscal 2010 budget plans also pointed toward some future opportunities.
He said Boeing was bidding in many foreign competitions and expected global sales to expand to 20 percent of Boeing's defense sales from 16 percent now, and 5 percent in 2004.
He said Boeing, the No. 2 U.S. defense contractor, was taking part in fighter jet competitions in India, Denmark, Brazil and Greece. South Korea could also buy 40 more fighters and Australia remained interested in the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
He also cited foreign interest in Boeing's C-17, Chinook CH-47 helicopter, and Apache attack helicopters. "There's a lot of international potential there," Albaugh told reporters.
Boeing is creating a separate business unit for the company's work on unmanned vehicles, and will announce on Monday a fourth targeted acquisition in the intelligence area, Albaugh said. He gave no further details.
Robert Stevens, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), said the Pentagon's No. 1 contractor was also keeping an eye out for value-adding acquisitions at the right price, but said he was generally pleased with the broad, diversified portfolio the company had developed over the past years.
He told reporters at a media dinner that the very definition of global security was expanding to include things such as access to clean drinking water, secure transportation, and alternative energy sources, among other things, all areas in which Lockheed was already active and growing.
At the same time, Stevens said he had strong expectations for the new radar-evading F-35 fighter jet being developed by nine countries to replace up to 13 different current fighters.
Helicopters are also in great demand, Jeff Pino, president of Sikorsky AirCraft, a United Technologies Corp (UTX.N) unit, told Reuters. "We're really focused internationally."
Pino said he planned to meet with Navy Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, head of the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and other foreign and U.S. officials to talk about future sales during the air show.
Pino said his company had an order backlog valued at $12 billion and was in talks on some $1.4 billion of foreign sales over the next three to five years to Albania, Georgia, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
In addition, he said Taiwan was interested in buying 60 Black Hawk helicopters, a deal that could be worth around $1 billion, and should be finalized later this year.
Turkey was also nearing a decision on up to 300 new helicopters in a competition that pitted Sikorsky against AgustaWestland, a unit of Italy's Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI). That deal was worth around $2.5 billion, Pino said.
Pino said Sikorsky was also looking for ways to keep its helicopter platforms relevant as the Pentagon increases its focus on irregular warfare, including development of an aircraft that could be remotely piloted, or manned, depending on what was needed. A first flight was expected in 2010.
Gates' decision to cancel Lockheed's work on the VH-71 presidential helicopter, a deal Sikorsky lost, and redo a competition for combat search and rescue helicopters, could also spell a chance to bid for the work again, Pino said.
Aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney, another unit of United Technologies, is also eyeing acquisitions in its core engine business and energy sector, Pratt & Whitney President Dave Hess said in an interview ahead of the Paris Air Show.
Hess said Pratt was hit by Gates' decision to end production of Lockheed's F-22 fighter at 187, since it builds the engine for the fast, stealthy fighter. He said he would welcome a repeal of a congressional export ban on the F-22 to keep the production line running until production of the F-35 fighter begins to ramp up in 2014, but that was up to Congress.
He said he was more optimistic that U.S. lawmakers would act to add funding for additional C-17 aircraft, which also runs on Pratt & Whitney engines, which would stave off the closing of that production line, at least for now.

AIRSHOW-Pratt could make engine, energy acquisitions

PARIS, June 14 (Reuters) - Aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney could make acquisitions in its core engine business and energy sector as it looks to grow, the company's president said on Sunday.
The United Technologies unit has the cash and commitment to take on acquisitions, Pratt & Whitney President Dave Hess said in an interview ahead of the Paris Air Show.
"Within Pratt, certainly we'd look at things that would relate to the core (engine) business," Hess said.
Although there are not a lot of very large or what would be considered top-tier acquisition targets currently, "things could happen," he added.
He said United Technologies has increased interest in energy, as it has a gas turbine business and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants with its Rocketdyne business.
"We see these ... as potentially fast-growing businesses and it's possible we could see acquisitions in that space," Hess added.
He also said his company was looking to expand in segments such as renewable and alternate energy.
There are more available acquisition candidates in the energy space, "so there's more opportunity," Hess said.
Hess said Pratt & Whitney, which gets as much as 40 percent of its business from military and space and the majority from commercial aerospace, had seen commercial spare orders stabilize, albeit at low levels, and added that air traffic and cargo traffic also seem to have stabilized.
He said it was hard to tell what effect recent announcements of capacity cuts by air carriers including Delta Air Lines Inc [DAL.N] could have on aftermarket sales.
He also said rising oil prices could trigger demand for more fuel-efficient aircraft.
"There was pressure to move forward with new (fuel-efficient) platforms that diminished with oil prices dropping last year," Hess said. "But as they increase again and with some of the challenges airlines are facing, there could be renewed pressure to develop more fuel-efficient aircraft."

AIRSHOW-Safran open to drone partnerships

PARIS, June 14 (Reuters) - France's Safran is open to industrial partnerships to create aerial surveillance drones, a company executive told a news conference on Sunday ahead of the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget.
The aerospace, defence and security group currently makes tactical military drones, but wants to branch out into unmanned aircraft for both military and civilian use, such as border monitoring, he said.
"We are open to all types of partnerships, notably with industrial partners that have acquired expertise and experience in the domain of this type of aircraft," said Jean-Lin Fournereaux, head of Sagem defence security, a Safran unit. (Reporting by Matthias Blamont; Writing by James Regan, editing by Martin Golan)

Abu Dhabi's Mubadala to build aerostructures plant

ABU DHABI, June 15 (Reuters) - Mubadala Development Co, an investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government, said on Sunday it will start an aerostructures plant later this month.
The first phase of the plant will be operational in the fourth quarter of 2010, Mubadala said in a statement, adding that it would produce "advanced composite aerostructures," but did not give an estimate of the cost.
"Strata has formed industrial partnerships with leading aerospace companies EADS, Airbus, FACC and Alenia Aeronautica -- a Finmeccanica company -- through which composite aerostructure manufacturing programs will be established in the new plant," it said.
It said that initial contracts with partners have totaled more than $2 billion.
The plant will manufacture advanced composite aerostructures, including flap track fairings, ailerons, spoilers and assemblies for Airbus aircraft and the empennage for the ATR Regional Aircraft -- a joint venture between EADS and Finmeccanica, it said.
"Strata will progressively build capabilities that include engineering, design, and research and development," it said of the plant, headed by Ross Bradley, the former Farnborough Aerospace Consortium chief executive.
"This investment in establishing a market leading advanced aerostructures facility will support the demands of current and future generations of commercial aircraft," said Bradley.
"Strata will supply highly competitive products and services to the global aerospace industry, supporting the establishment of Abu Dhabi as a major aerospace centre." (Reporting by Inal Ersan, editing by Martin Golan)

Lockheed Martin Chairman Underscores Need for Partnerships: 'To Meet the Demands We Face...We Must Work Together'

PARIS, June 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Bob Stevens today told a group of journalists that as the global security environment becomes more complex, and the definition of "security" evolves, the answer to the challenges lies in the ability to form strong, healthy global partnerships.
Stevens, speaking at the company's media dinner on the eve of the Paris Air Show, made a forceful case for open, integrated transatlantic partnerships as an essential part of global security. "At Lockheed Martin," he said, "we recognize that global security is human security."
Pointing to persistent and diverse worldwide challenges including nuclear proliferation, terrorism, piracy and cyber attacks--as well as growing concern over the sustainability of the planet's environment and the downturn in world economies--Stevens told the group: "Our fates and fortunes are linked, as peoples, countries and regions."
Stevens said the challenge is not only redefining what "global security" means but also considering how the challenges of global security will best be met. "To meet the demands that we face together, we must work together, and that means global markets must remain open, and global partnerships must remain healthy and mutually beneficial," he said.
Referring to the temptation some nations may have during difficult times to look inward to protect companies and markets, Stevens described protectionism as "a counterproductive response, distorting markets and dislocating trade flows that, in the long run hurts customers, companies and taxpayers alike." He cited the European Commission's Directive on Defence Procurement as an encouraging development that will help to introduce more competition into the European market. "Of course, an open, integrated transatlantic marketplace requires a two-way street, and Lockheed Martin has been promoting this course of action for years," he added.
Stevens reminded the group that the world's security challenges are not going away, nor are they getting less complicated. "Their volume and their consequences are rising. At a time of global economic stress, the resources available to meet these challenges are constrained, and that means execution and affordability are more important than ever. And understanding how our customers define value, and making sure we provide it each time, every time, is more critical to us than ever," he said.
"I am confident we are going to meet these future challenges," he said, adding that Lockheed Martin is "a business of fundamentals--performance excellence, superior value, unquestionable integrity."
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

MegaPhase Optimizes Airborne Cables Lifecycle Management for Aircraft Manufacturers

STROUDSBURG, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MegaPhase, the leading manufacturer of super-flexible and highly reliable coaxial cables and assemblies is changing how advanced aircraft avionics and EW systems are built and maintained. For too long limited proprietary options restricted aircraft contractors to solutions that reduced their ability to source, build and maintain complex communications and RADAR antennas. MegaPhase’s microwave cables meet rigorous design specs with standard RF and microwave connectors. By engaging MegaPhase engineers, aircraft communications suppliers design connectors and cables that are standardized and save installation time and engineering costs. And since the connectors meet uniform standards, cabling options are no longer limited to one proprietary vendor.
MegaPhase designs standard coaxial connectors, adapters, low loss cable connectors and terminations to meet nearly all defense and commercial applications. While custom designs are available including high density, ZN and ZMA, MegaPhase encourages its customers to improve their lifecycle risk by eliminating proprietary designs. Additionally, "build-to-print" connectors are available, plus most common RF/Microwave connectors including Type N, TNC, HN, SC, 7-16, SMA, 3.5 mm, 2.92 mm, 2.4 mm and 1.85mm.
“Too often onsite repairs require too much time to retrofit solutions and work around proprietary constraints,” observes William Pote, MegaPhase’s CEO. “Increasingly aerospace contractors require suppliers to conform to industry-wide standards to extend the service life of in-place systems or dramatically reduce maintenance and repair costs,” he reports.
Case Study:Standardized SMA Cable and Connectors Reduce Costs and Improve Maintainability
The problem
Major defense aircraft manufacturers when building the critical path connections into EW and avionics components, engineers too often found themselves limited to purchasing unnecessarily expensive, proprietary cables and connectors. Whenever a connector needed replacement, engineers were strapped with a higher cost of materials and labor. These proprietary connectors and cables came from a single manufacturer, making replacement parts dependent on production schedules of one supplier – and could not be reliably obtained when and where they were needed.
The solution
When a leading integrated microwave antenna assemblies provider came to William Pote, president of MegaPhase with their frustration, Pote went back to his engineers to design a standards-based solution that could be implemented in the field with far fewer steps and processes. This line of flight-qualified cable assemblies and connectors conform to interface standard and are manufactured at a fraction of the cost of legacy counterparts.
MegaPhase’s engineers reviewed their unique requirements and proposed a solution. “We spent a few hours talking to the engineers at the plant,” recalls Pote. “We went back to our office, brainstormed several alternative solutions, tested different integration solutions, and based on our research, were able to recommend a reliable and efficient solution that easily saved the customer, and therefore the taxpayer, tens of thousands of dollars.”
MegaPhase’s connectors work seamlessly with their line of GrooveTube® cables that are equipped with a super-flexible, rugged outer conductor. This high performance outer conductor is manufactured using the highest quality, pure oxygen-free copper tape. MegaPhase produces the copper tape into flexible copper tubing, which offer the following benefits.
Electrical Benefits:
Repeatable, reliable performance over time because the outer conductor does not fatigue when flexed like traditional braid/foil outer conductors and stiff corrugated copper types.
Superior phase and amplitude stability during flexure because the inner conductor stays in the center of the outer conductor - where it belongs. The insured concentricity maintains impedance and low SWR.
Low VSWR and Insertion Loss, because each connector screws directly on to GrooveTube®, the outer conductor, and then the seam is 100% soldered versus other cable brands terminating to small strands of braid.
Mechanical Benefits:
Smaller bend radii.
Built-in crush-resistant armor that withstands over 150 lbs of plane compressive force per inch (66 kg per 2.5 cm).
Strong mechanical termination at connectors. Connectors screwed on.
The Result
The MegaPhase connectors have proven to be reliable and much less expensive than the legacy alternatives. MegaPhase’s connectors and GrooveTube cables are widely used today in aircraft installations and applications, where they have significantly cut costs and improved sourcing options.
The Build-to-Print & Custom Design Process
When standard off-the-shelf RF connectors do not meet the needs of a defense supplier, MegaPhase’s engineering staff works collaboratively to design interconnect products to meet their stringent requirements. Their quality engineering expertise has developed from wide experience in designing custom connectors for Defense, Commercial, and Aerospace customers. MegaPhase also offers electronic and mechanical qualification testing, prototypes, and prove out of final design.
MegaPhase’s field support gathers the unique requirements, proposes the most efficient and cost effective solution, and provides complete documentation of the solution, including 3D Modeling and EM Simulation. The production team assembles and tests for quality fully before delivery, where again the field support can oversee the installation. MegaPhase’s project team manages the process to make sure the assemblies are delivered on time and within budget. All special assemblies are MegaPhase certified and labeled with product specific and contact information so field staff understand what components are used, and who to call for more information.
Solutions
MegaPhase’s Build-to-Print & Custom Design Process Center has been called on by leading companies working with RF cable systems. Special assemblies have included:
Projects
Special design connectors in a wide variety of interfaces and configurations, designed in accordance with MIL-STD 348, IEEE 287, and other pertinent specifications
Interfaces include: 1.85mm, 2.4mm, 2.9mm, 3.5mm, SMA, N, TNC, ZMA, & ZN
Multiple configurations: Straight,Jack, Bulkhead, Right Angle, PC Mount
Semi-rigid and flexible cable types terminated with either Crimp styles, direct solder, or solder clamps
“We suggest engineers call us when they need a solution and estimate when they need to assemble a special RF cable solution. The comprehensive “Build-to-Print & Custom Design” center provides the technical information, parts, new and retrofitted assemblies and service,” offers Pote.
About MegaPhase, LLC
MegaPhase is an ISO 9001:2000 certified privately held company that designs, manufactures and sells RF/Microwave coaxial cable, cable assemblies, connectors and RF components. Located in Stroudsburg, PA, MegaPhase customers include OEMs in instrumentation, broadband networking, wireless communications, semiconductor, advanced microwave and optical electronic systems, space and defense. MegaPhase products include GrooveTube® test cables, semi-rigid and flexible coaxial cables for advanced systems, test adapters and coaxial connectors. MegaPhase’s broadband and high frequency interconnect technologies include coaxial cables through 67 GHz have been used reliably to test Sprint-Nextel cell phones, the US Navy’s new AWACS E-2D Hawkeye, Agilent’s new FireFox handheld analyzers, and many other high-profile projects. For more information contact MegaPhase at 570-424-8400, by e-mail at FastQuote@megaphase.com or visit www.megaphase.com.

CCAGW Blasts House Defense Committee for Funding JSF Alternate Engine

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) blasted members of the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee after they voted to authorize $603 million for an alternate engine program for the F 35 Joint Strike Fighter in the fiscal year (FY) 2010 Defense Authorization bill. The alternate engine program has been the subject of several comprehensive reports that indicate that it is duplicative and unnecessary. According to CBS News, the U.S. Air Force and two independent panels have also concluded that the second engine is “not necessary and not affordable” and that the alleged savings from creating a mock competition “will never be achieved.”
“Even though the Pentagon has repeatedly rejected the alternate engine program, the funding for it has been added back in as unaccountable earmarks,” said CCAGW President Tom Schatz. “In the FY 2009 budget, this ill-conceived program got two earmarks for a total of $465 million and they were among the 142 anonymous earmarks slipped into the Defense Appropriations bill. In an era of tough economic times and deficit spending, it is impossible to justify spending $603 million on a program that will not save money or improve our defense capabilities,” said Schatz.
The Pentagon has tried to cancel the $7.2 billion alternate engine project every year since 2006 but members of Congress have kept it alive with earmarks.
“Now that Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) has emerged as a vocal proponent of this boondoggle, we may at least begin to find out who was behind the anonymous earmarks last year,” continued Schatz. “This year, taxpayers may have an alternative of their own, because President Obama singled out the alternate engine program for elimination on May 7, 2009 when he announced his intention to cut $17 billion in wasteful programs from the budget. This will be his first test. If the funding for the alternate engine program ultimately reaches his desk, he will finally be able to make good on his promise to cut wasteful spending by vetoing the bill,” concluded Schatz.
CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

Textron's Cessna to cut 1,300 jobs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Textron Inc's Cessna unit said it would cut another 1,300 jobs, underscoring the face of deteriorating demand for corporate aircraft and leaving the company with about half of its workforce remaining.
Last week the diversified U.S. manufacturer said it planned to announce more job cuts as order cancellations continued.
The company is the world's largest maker of business jets. At its height is employed about 16,000 workers.
Business jets have become something of a symbol of corporate excess in the current downturn, after the heads of big Detroit automakers outraged Congress last year by flying to Washington in private planes to ask for government money.
Karen Gordon Quintal, a spokeswoman for Providence, Rhode Island-based Textron, said the cutbacks will affect all Cessna's facilities. Cessna, based on Wichita, Kansas., has manufacturing facilities in Independence, Kansas, Columbus, Georgia and Chihuahua. It also has 10 service centers in the United States and Europe.
The first 800, 60-day layoff notices are expected to go out within a week. The remaining 500 workers are expected to receive their lay off notices when they return from a previously scheduled furlough.
The company also said it would impose an additional company wide three-week furlough.
The recession has posed a double whammy to Textron, which is working to radically downsize its finance business and coping with a simultaneous sharp falloff in demand for aircraft.
Textron in April slashed its profit target for the year by about half.

Testing and Production of Bombardier's CRJ1000 NextGen Aircraft Progressing Well

PARIS, FRANCE--(MARKET WIRE)--Jun 14, 2009 -- Testing and production of the world's first CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft are progressing well. The technologically advanced 100-seat regional jet was launched in 2007 as the next major step in the evolution of the CRJ Series airliners, the world's most successful family of regional aircraft.
Earlier today, Bombardier announced a new firm order for 15 CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft placed by Air Nostrum. The CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft program has now captured 64 firm orders and four options.
"We continue to make strong progress, including the addition of the second production model," said Benjamin Boehm, Vice President, Programs, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "And we are particularly delighted with the expression of confidence in the program through a significant new order for an additional 15 aircraft from Air Nostrum announced today."
Among the program's recent highlights:
- The fuselage barrel for the first production CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft, S/N 19001, arrived at Bombardier's Mirabel, Quebec facilities on January 16, 2009 after traveling by sea and truck from Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast site, Northern Ireland. Wing to fuselage mating is complete and the aircraft has been transferred to the pre-flight hangar at Mirabel. Installation of the cabin interior as well as exterior painting is complete, and the aircraft is now in the final stage of preparation for flight.
- Following its initial flight at Mirabel, S/N 19001 will be flown to the Bombardier Flight Test Center in Wichita, Kansas where it will join the prototype CRJ1000 NextGen airliner, S/N 19991, in the flight test and functional and reliability testing programs. (The prototype aircraft made its inaugural flight from Mirabel on September 3, 2008).
- S/N 19991 had completed over 450 flight test hours by May, 2009, a bit more than 50 per cent of the estimated total flight test hours required for the program. Transport Canada have seen and reviewed the prototype aircraft and the agency's pilots have had opportunities to fly the aircraft.
- The second production model, S/N 19002, is now on the assembly line.
- The CRJ1000 NextGen simulator program is on track and will be certified next month.
- The prototype aircraft has met or exceeded published speeds and altitudes and flutter tests have been successfully accomplished. Flights into natural icing conditions have also been successfully completed. The aircraft weight is on target.
- Transport Canada has approved the escalation of "C" check (heavy maintenance) intervals for the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft to 6,000 flight hours, or approximately three years of airline service, thereby reducing maintenance costs for operators.
The CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft is a minimum change variant of the 88-passenger CRJ900 NextGen jetliner and will hold a common pilot type rating with it and the 70-passenger CRJ700 NextGen aircraft. Optimized for medium-haul applications, the CRJ NextGen family of aircraft is a benchmark for regional jet efficiency in the 60- to 100-seat segment.

GE's Integrated Cockpit Demonstrates Cost and Environmental Benefits

LE BOURGET, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE’s integrated cockpit at the Paris air show incorporates a large area display suite and the flight management system (FMS) demonstrating the capability to fly precision and optimized descent arrivals that deliver fuel, emission and noise reductions for an integrated Air Traffic Management system. The cockpit is on the GE stand, hall 2A, stand C137.
“Southwest Airlines is an early adopter of this fleet-wide, integrated solution from GE,” said Lorraine Bolsinger, president and CEO of GE Aviation Systems. “We’ve been providing Required Navigation Performance (RNP) capabilities since the 90s when we first demonstrated this with Alaska Airlines in Juneau. We have now advanced the technology with our FMS optimized descent, which is an ecomagination product and we are committed to bring our airline customers savings now with proven products. GE’s FMS optimized descent enables increased capacity along with a potential 6-12% fuel savings for our customers and roughly 20% CO2 and NOx emissions reductions.”
Commercial aviation is reaching the limits of capacity for the air traffic management system and the long-term demand for growth in commercial aviation continues. The key to growth is in the ability to accommodate more flights, while maintaining proper distances between arriving flights.
“The integrated system of GE’s large area display suite and flight management system is a key part of our plans to conduct RNP operations. It allows us to realize significant cost savings with lowered fuel consumption while simultaneously benefitting the environment with reduced emissions,” commented Mike Van de Ven, Executive Vice President, Chief of Operations for Southwest Airlines.
FMS Optimized Descent
European airlines flying Boeing 737s have been given approval to use an optimized landing approach, made possible through GE’s FMS, that significantly reduces fuel used during descent, lowering CO2 and NOx emissions roughly 20% compared to standard arrival procedures. This groundbreaking effort was initiated at SAS Scandinavian Airlines, where “green approaches” saved hundreds of pounds of fuel and reduced emissions throughout 2008.
“The optimized descent available through GE’s advanced FMS, enables us to operate much more efficiently considering today’s air traffic challenges and economic pressures,” said Niels-Eirik Nertun, Environmental Director, Scandinavian Airlines. “Through partnerships such as this, and with a leader in FMS technology and operations like GE, we were able to significantly reduce our operating costs and help to reduce the aviation industry’s carbon footprint.”
The optimized descent is a money and environment-saving feature of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) operations into Stockholm, where, in more than 4,000 such approaches, SAS recorded an average fuel savings of 240,000 kg, CO2 reduction of 756 metric tons, NOx (nitrogen oxide) reduction of 2640 kg annually and noise reduction by 50% (65db) for the exposed area.
GE’s integrated cockpit demonstrates the FMS optimized descent high degree of accuracy and predictability required to accommodate more flights, offering the opportunity for airports and airlines to begin using optimized approach procedures. The design and implementation of an optimized descent requires aircraft capable of performing four dimensional trajectory based operations (4-D TBO). GE’s FMS is the first in commercial aviation with all of these capabilities.
The 4-D TBO requires the FMS to predict and precisely fly:
Latitude, longitude, altitude while meeting a precise arrival time at any point along the flight path
Ability to communicate current position and predicted trajectory data with air traffic control.
GE’s FMS optimized descent is one of the most recent products to join the ecomagination portfolio and is an example of GE’s commitment to helping customers address business and environmental issues with innovative technologies.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE - News), is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation.
Notes to editors:
The integrated large area display suite and flight management system controls the aircraft track to an accuracy of 10 meters and the time of arrival to within 10 seconds to any point in the flight plan. Benefits include the ability to fly shorter flight paths and idle-thrust descents which reduces fuel consumption, thereby lowering emissions and community noise levels. Software and hardware updates provide the latest technology to continue to meet the needs of the world’s evolving airspace requirements, offering safe and efficient improvements to aircraft operations.
GE’s integrated cockpit display suite includes primary flight displays, standby instrument and control panels. The primary flight displays have been designed to mimic the appearance of the B737 Next Generation cockpit featuring new 15.4” widescreen displays with innovative dual-channel display architecture. The technology is patent pending and offers unprecedented levels of display availability. The displays feature integral signal and video processing and graphics generation, eliminating the need for a separate symbol generator. The suite includes GE’s Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS), which provides a single box solution for standby instrumentation.
The optimized descent with Scandinavian Airlines is the result of GE’s participation in Europe’s NUP2+ (North European Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast Network) project where select 737 aircraft in Sweden used GE’s FMS to fly aircraft at idle from cruise through landing. Reliable performance gave Air Traffic Management (ATM) authorities the confidence to approve the new approach in Europe for 737s equipped with GE’s FMS.
SAS estimates from a potential 36,000 optimized descents yearly into Stockholm alone, annual benefits could reach $6 million in fuel savings with an additional $4 million in cost avoidance due to the increased efficiency and punctuality of aircraft using GE’s FMS.

US envoy set for key Syria talks

President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, has arrived in Syria for talks with officials including President Bashar al-Assad.
He is the highest-ranking US diplomat to visit Damascus since Barack Obama's administration took office.
Correspondents say the US is testing Syria's support for America's stated new drive for peace in the region.
But Mr Mitchell has assured Lebanon that securing Syrian co-operation will not come at Beirut's expense.
He arrived in Syria from Beirut, and has already visited Israel, the West Bank, Egypt and Jordan.
Key player
Mr Mitchell is set to meet President Assad on Saturday morning, after which he will deliver a statement.
The BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus says Syrians are looking forward to the meeting.
Improved relations could mean a lifting of sanctions and many new business deals - something many ordinary Syrians are hoping for.
However, our correspondent says, the government and people here want to see pressure from the superpower on the Israelis to deliver long-awaited promises of peace.
The visit comes just a week after President Obama's ground-breaking speech in Cairo, in which he called for a "new beginning" between Muslims and the US, and vowed to pursue aggressively an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He did not mention Syria in the speech, but Damascus, where the United States still does not have an ambassador, remains a key regional player, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus.
It has an influence over events in Lebanon; it shares a crucial border with Iraq; it has a significant relationship with the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip; and it is a close ally of Iran, he says.
But above all it wants Syria to push Hamas along the road to Palestinian unity - and ultimately Washington would like to woo Damascus away from Tehran.
Lebanese unease
Syria also has issues: It wants to get back the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 war. It also wants to see an end to US economic sanctions.
While in Beirut, Mr Mitchell stressed that Mid-East peace could not be achieved "at Lebanon's expense", reported the news agency AP.
Factions in Lebanon are concerned that improving relations could see Syria reassert its influence in Lebanon.
Under international pressure, Syria withdrew soldiers from Lebanon following the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

After 7 years at Gitmo, resettled Uyghurs grateful for freedom

Two of four Uyghurs relocated to Bermuda after seven years of detention in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, denied Friday that they had ever been terrorists, and expressed gratitude toward President Obama for working to free them.
Salahidin Abdalahut and Kheleel Mamut were two of four Uyghurs released from Gitmo. Thirteen remain there.
Asked what he would say to someone who accused him of being a terrorist, one of the men, Kheleel Mamut, told CNN's Don Lemon, "I am no terrorist; I have not been terrorist. I will never be terrorist. I am a peaceful person."
Speaking through an interpreter who is herself a Uyghur who said she was sympathetic toward the men, the other man -- Salahidin Abdalahut -- described the past seven years as "difficult times for me ... I feel bad that it took so long for me to be free."
The two Chinese Muslims were among four relocated from Guantanamo to Bermuda; another 13 remain in detention on the island.
He said he had traveled to Afghanistan not to attend any terrorist training camps, but because -- as a Uyghur -- he had been oppressed by the Chinese government. "We had to leave the country to look for a better life, a peaceful life, and Afghanistan is a neighboring country to our country and it's easy to go," he said. "It is difficult to obtain a visa to go to any other places, so it was really easy for us to just travel to Afghanistan."
Asked what he hoped to do next, he said, "I want to forget about the past and move on to a peaceful life in the future."
In addition to the four relocated from Guantanamo to Bermuda, another 13 Uyghurs remain in detention on the island.
The four were flown by private plane Wednesday night from Cuba to Bermuda, and were accompanied by U.S. and Bermudian representatives as well as their attorneys, according to Susan Baker Manning, part of the men's legal team.
The men, who are staying in an apartment, are free to roam about the island.
Mamut accused the Bush administration of having held them without cause, and lauded Obama for having "tried really hard to bring justice and he has been trying very hard to find other countries to resettle us and finally he freed us."
He appealed to Obama to carry out his promise to shut Guantanamo Bay within a year. "I would like President Obama to honor that word and to free my 13 brothers who were left behind and all of the rest of the people who deserve to be free," Mamut said.
Asked how he had been treated in Guantanamo Bay, Mamut said, "It is a jail, so there will be difficulties in the jail that we have faced and now, since I am a free man today, I would like to forget about all that. I really don't want to think about those days."
He cited a proverb from his homeland that means, "What is done cannot be undone."
Asked if he had anything to say to anyone watching, he said, "Thank you very much for those people who helped me to gain freedom."
He said he had spoken earlier in the day with his family. "They told me, "My boy, my son, congratulations on your freedom.' "
The move has had international repercussions, including causing a rift between the United States and Britain.
A British official familiar with the agreement but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told CNN the United States had informed London of the agreement "shortly before the deal was concluded."
A U.S. official, speaking on background, said the British feel blindsided.
Bermuda is a British "overseas territory."
The four were twice cleared for release -- once by the Bush administration and again this year, according to a Justice Department statement.
The issue of where they go is controversial because of China's opposition to the Uyghurs being sent to any country but China.
Uyghurs are a Muslim minority from the Xinjiang province of far west China. The 17 Uyghurs had left China and made their way to Afghanistan, where they settled in a camp with other Uyghurs opposed to the Chinese government, the Justice Department said in its statement.
They left Afghanistan after U.S. bombings began in the area in October 2001, and were apprehended in Pakistan, the statement said.
"According to available information, these individuals did not travel to Afghanistan with the intent to take any hostile action against the United States," the statement said.
However, China alleges that the men are part of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement -- a group the U.S. State Department considers a terrorist organization -- that operates in the Xinjiang region. East Turkestan is another name for Xinjiang.
China on Thursday urged the United States to hand over all 17 of the Uyghurs instead of sending them elsewhere.
The United States will not send Uyghur detainees cleared for release back to China out of concern that they would be tortured by Chinese authorities. China has said no returned Uyghurs would be tortured.
A senior U.S. administration official told CNN that the State Department is working on a final agreement with Palau to settle the 13 remaining Uyghur detainees.

NASA scrubs Saturday launch of space shuttle Endeavour

A gaseous hydrogen leak on the space shuttle Endeavour forced NASA to cancel Saturday's planned launch, the space agency said.
NASA officials postponed Saturday's scheduled launch of space shuttle Endeavour.
NASA halted fueling of the shuttle after detecting the leak on a vent line that leads from the ground umbilical carrier plate to the launch pad and to the "flare stack" where vented hydrogen is burned off, the space agency said.
The leak is similar to the one that happened during the first launch attempt of space shuttle Discovery in March, NASA said.
Shuttle managers will assess the leak and meet Saturday morning to discuss what steps to take next, including setting a new launch date, NASA said.
Endeavour, carrying seven astronauts and a key component for Japan's Kibo science laboratory, is scheduled for a mission to the International Space Station.

Ahmadinejad 'wins Iran presidential vote'

Mr Ahmadinejad won his first term in a close race four years ago
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been re-elected as president of Iran with a resounding victory, the electoral commission says.
With more than 80% of results in, the commission said he won 64% support in an election marked by high turnout.
Reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi also claimed victory, calling the result a "dangerous charade", as supporters vowed to appeal for a re-run.
Police have sealed off Mr Mousavi's campaign HQ, preventing his supporters from holding a news conference.
Mr Mousavi was hoping to prevent Mr Ahmadinejad winning more than 50% of the vote, in order to force a run-off election.
However, the Iranian election commission said Mr Mousavi's share of the vote was around 32%.
Earlier, the state news agency Irna declared Mr Ahmadinejad the "definite winner", and his campaign manager was quoted as saying "any doubts cast on this victory will be treated as a joke by the public".
Danger of 'tyranny'
Mr Mousavi issued a statement shortly after 1300 local time (0930 GMT) on Saturday, after the scale of the hardline president's victory became clear.
The former prime minister dismissed the election result as deeply flawed.
"I personally strongly protest the many obvious violations and I'm warning I will not surrender to this dangerous charade," the Reuters news agency reported him as saying.
IRANIAN ELECTION
Voting age 18 years; electorate of 42.5m people
President to serve maximum of two consecutive four-year terms (or three non-consecutive)
Election won by absolute majority
Second round held between top two if no candidate wins majority
"The result of such performance by some officials will jeopardise the pillars of the Islamic Republic and will establish tyranny."
Mr Mousavi has already said there was a shortage of ballot papers and alleged that millions of people had been denied the right to vote.
His election monitors were not allowed enough access to polling stations, he added, saying he would deal seriously with any irregularities.
The head of the Committee to Protect the People's Votes, a group set up by all three opposition candidates, said the group does not accept the result, alleging fraud.
They have asked Iran's Guardian Council - a powerful body controlled by conservative clerics - to cancel the results and re-run the elections.
The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says the result has been greeted with surprise and with deep scepticism by many Iranians.
The figures, if they are to be believed, show Mr Ahmedinejad winning strongly even in the heartland of Mr Mousavi, the main opposition contender.
The scale of Mr Ahmadinejad's win means that many people who voted for a reformist candidate in the previous presidential election four years ago have apparently switched their votes to Mr Ahmadinejad, he adds.
Police presence
Although there were few signs of organised dissent on the streets, police in Tehran moved to prevent protests on Saturday.
There was heavy security around Mr Mousavi's campaign headquarters and reports that at least one rally for Mr Mousavi was broken up by police using truncheons against small groups of people.
The AFP news agency said police dispersed opposition supporters on Saturday morning, quoting a senior police official as saying: "The time of dancing and shouting is over."
One opposition supporter who gave her name as Shirin, told the BBC she still had confidence Mr Mousavi would become president.
"But he advised us, the supporters, not to do anything harsh or trying to... clash with Ahmadinejad's supporters," she said.
Our correspondent says the reaction of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be extremely important.
BBC Iranian affairs analyst Sadeq Saba says the result means that hope for peaceful reform in Iran may die for a long time.
Large turnout
There had been a surge of interest in Iran's presidential election, with unprecedented live television debates between the candidates and rallies attended by thousands.

Mr Mousavi has alleged widespread electoral fraud
There were long queues at polling stations, with turnout said to be higher than 80%.
Four candidates contested the election, with Mohsen Razai and Mehdi Karroubi only registering a small percentage of votes.
President Ahmadinejad draws support mainly from the urban poor and rural areas, while his rivals have support among the middle classes and the educated urban population.
Iran is ruled under a system known as Velayat-e Faqih, or "Rule by the Supreme Jurist", who is currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It was adopted by an overwhelming majority in 1979 following the Islamic revolution which overthrew the autocratic Western-backed Shah.
But the constitution also stipulates that the people are the source of power and the country holds phased presidential and parliamentary elections every four years.
All candidates are vetted by the powerful conservative-controlled Guardian Council, which also has the power to veto legislation it deems inconsistent with revolutionary principles.

Robust message for North Korea

"Actions must have consequences." That was US President Barack Obama's cry in the wake of North Korea's second underground nuclear test at the end of last month.
Accordingly, the unanimous adoption of this resolution containing tougher sanctions against North Korea represents a significant rebuff for the Pyongyang government.
Russia and China backed the agreed text. North Korea can be in no doubt about the concerted international disapproval for its actions.
Tough words have been accompanied by tougher actions - up to a point.
A battery of measures are set to reinforce the sanctions regime against Pyongyang. There is a total embargo on exports of weaponry from North Korea and significantly expanded controls on arms exports to it.
A new framework is being established for international co-operation to inspect North Korean cargoes for anything associated with weapons of mass destruction.
There are additional financial sanctions too, along with strengthened measures to monitor the whole sanctions regime.
However, much of this still depends upon the actions of individual governments and none more so than North Korea's giant neighbour - China.
'Complex and sensitive'
China's UN ambassador Zhang Yesui took a more nuanced approach to the resolution insisting that it was "an appropriate and balanced response" and that it sent a positive signal to Pyongyang that its nuclear problems had to be resolved by negotiation.
All eyes now will be on Pyongyang's reaction with many analysts fearing it may respond with more bangs - in the form of missile tests - and more bluster.
It is clear that China remains deeply uneasy about the whole business of cargo inspections.
This was, he said, a "complex and sensitive" matter. China is urging countries to approach this in a legal and reasonable way and that there should be no question of using force.
Russia too stressed that this resolution was not offering an opportunity for military action against Pyongyang and that the measures outlined on stopping and searching ships were circumscribed and narrow in scope.
None of this suggests that the new sanctions regime is necessarily going to bite.
But the US and its allies like Japan and South Korea will want to bank the fact that Russia and China are on board.
The diplomatic front at least against Pyongyang is reasonably solid with a clear message for North Korea to return to the negotiating table.
Dangerous times
What is not yet clear is what additional unilateral steps the Obama administration might take against Pyongyang. It could seek to toughen financial restrictions and it might even restore North Korea to the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
North Korea's actions are clear but its motivation is much less so.
Some analysts argue that North Korea is trying to attract the attention of the new US president to push the whole issue of its nuclear programme higher up Washington's agenda.
Others argue that North Korea's nuclear and missile tests relate more to internal developments, bolstering the public image of the regime and possibly preparing the way for a transfer of power from the ailing, elderly Kim Jong-il to one of his sons.
But these are dangerous and uncertain times.
There are growing fears of a possible incident between North and South Korean ships along the Northern Limit Line - the disputed western maritime extension of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas.
All eyes now will be on Pyongyang's reaction with many analysts fearing it may respond with more bangs - in the form of missile tests - and more bluster.

Australians demand climate action

Thousands of demonstrators have rallied across Australia to demand greater government action to protect the environment from climate change.
The National Climate Emergency Rallies called on Australia to take the lead at the UN environment summit in December in Copenhagen.
Activists also want an end to Australia's dependence on cheap and plentiful supplies of coal.
It is one of the world's worst per capita emitters of greenhouse gases.
'Strong grip'
Protesters were urged to wear red to highlight the risks of global warming.
In Sydney, rally organiser Moira Williams said that a coalition of trade unions and religious groups, as well as students and environmental campaigners, was pushing for immediate action.
"We need to be making these alliances and be stronger than the fossil fuel industry that currently has such a strong grip on climate policy in Australia.
"That is the positive in this rally and in this year - that we need to build that movement and it does need to come from the ground up, because at the moment we are not seeing any action from the top down."
Scientists have warned that Australia is particularly vulnerable to the effects of a shifting climate.
As temperatures increase, there are predictions that coastal communities will be threatened by rising sea levels, while other parts of the country could suffer more severe droughts, cyclones and bushfires.
The government in Canberra has repeatedly stressed that tackling climate change is a priority.

Environment fears halt China dams

China's environment ministry has suspended construction of two dams on a tributary of the Yangtze River.
The projects on the Jinsha River had been started without environmental assessments or approval from the ministry, officials said.
The dams are part of a series of eight power stations planned for the Jinsha.
The $30bn (£18bn) project has been criticised by conservationists, who say it will damage the region's environment and biodiversity.
The power stations are expected to generate as much electricity as the controversial Three Gorges Dam - about 20 gigawatts.
The series of hydro-electric stations is planned for a 560km (350 mile) stretch of the Jinsha River in south-west China's Yunnan province.
Public outcry
The dams suspended by the environment ministry at Longkaikou and Ludila were being built by two of China's largest power-generating companies - Huaneng Power and Huadian Power.
"To protect the management of the environment... and to punish the violation of the environment and illegal acts regarding the environment, the environmental ministry decided to suspend the construction projects in the middle reaches of the Jinsha River," a statement from the Ministry of Environmental Protection said.
The ministry also suspended approvals for the two companies' other projects, except those involving energy-saving and pollution prevention measures.
At the same time, the ministry said it was suspending construction projects in eastern Shandong province begun by a state-owned steel company because it had not submitted an environmental impact assessment.
Two other dams in the Jinsha River project have received approval from the environment ministry, but another dam planned for the Tiger Leaping Gorge area was suspended after a public outcry in 2005.
Tiger Leaping Gorge and the nearby town of Lijiang are popular with tourists and trekkers.
Further hydro-electric dams are also planned for elsewhere on the Yangtze River system, as Chinese authorities attempt to reduce their reliance on burning coal to produce power.

Gaddafi no-show angers Italians

The Italian lower house has cancelled a high-level conference with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi after he failed to turn up after a two-hour wait.
Calling the delay "unjustified", Speaker Gianfranco Fini called the meeting off to applause from the crowd.
Col Gaddafi has prompted a number of controversies on his first visit to Italy, Libya's former colonial ruler.
An earlier address to a group of 700 Italian women - for which he was also late - drew both applause and jeers.
He and his 200-member entourage arrived to a red-carpet welcome on Wednesday hosted by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
But at a debate in Rome University on Thursday, the colonel was heckled by students who were protesting against his human-rights record and a deal with Italy to forcibly return African migrants.
Long wait
The streets of Rome around the lower house of parliament were reportedly shut down in a security operation by police, and senior politicians had gathered in anticipation of Col Gaddafi's visit.

Col Gaddafi's visit sparked protests
He had been due to begin meetings at 1430 local time (1230 GMT), but by 1630 had failed to arrive.
The conference was then called off "due to the delay" by Gaddafi, said Mr Fini to applause from the waiting crowd.
"A delay that has not been justified to the lower house speaker and for which... I consider this conference cancelled," he said.
Observers say Col Gaddafi has made a habit of failing to appear on time for his appointments while on his Italian visit.
They say he was half an hour behind schedule for his meeting with the Italian head of state, President Giorgio Napolitano; an hour late for government President Berlusconi; an hour late for the Senate; and an hour-and-a-half late for La Sapienza University.
'Forced by necessity'
Col Gaddafi was also an hour late for his audience with prominent Italian women from the fields of business, politics and culture earlier on Friday.
Nonetheless, he entered the gathering at Rome's concert hall to loud applause, and was introduced by Italy's Equal Opportunities Minister Mara Carfagna, a former beauty queen.
Col Gaddafi spoke about the condition of women in Europe and Africa with some of his trademark female bodyguards standing by.
"In society I think there is complete equality between men and women," he told the audience, which included some women who were carrying posters of him.
"The European woman has arrived where she is today, driving trains and buses, travels on her own, sleeps in hotels, and so formally she is emancipated.
"But this wasn't because of her free choice or development but because she was forced by necessity," he added.
Although the comment drew boos from many of the women present, other remarks were met by applause and laughter.

Obama pledges aid for Zimbabwe

President Barack Obama has announced $73m (£44m) in aid for Zimbabwe.
The US president was speaking at the White House in Washington, where he met the visiting Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Obama said he wanted to encourage the rule of law, human rights and basic health and education in Zimbabwe.
Mr Tsvangirai - who entered a power-sharing agreement with President Robert Mugabe in February - is on an international tour to seek aid.
President Obama said he had "extraordinary admiration for the courage and tenacity" shown by Mr Tsvangirai, the leader of the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe.
Contrast with Mugabe
The US president said the power-sharing coalition in Zimbabwe was showing promise, following what he termed the "very dark and difficult" period the country had been through.
Correspondents say the warm welcome given to Mr Tsvangirai is in sharp contrast to the attitude towards President Mugabe, who is the subject of a travel ban and assets freeze by the United States and European Union.
Earlier, Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the country's economy could grow by between 4% and 6% this year.
Tendai Biti is optimistic about the prospects for economic growth
Mr Biti said steps would be taken to restrict central bank activities such as borrowing and that Zimbabwe was coping with a lack of foreign aid.
The Zimbabwe economy has been battered by years of hyperinflation.
Mr Biti was speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town.
"I think we will be able to achieve a growth rate of at least 6%, although conservatively it will be 4% in 2009," he told journalists.
Zimbabwe's economy has been shrinking for years. It contracted by 6.1% in 2007, according to the International Monetary Fund.
The power-sharing government has said the country needs about $10bn (£6bn) to stabilise its economy.

Nasa cancels space shuttle launch

The launch of space shuttle Endeavour has been cancelled due to a hydrogen leak, Nasa officials have announced.
Endeavour was due to take off from Cape Canaveral with seven astronauts at 0717 local time (1117 GMT), but launch was cancelled several hours beforehand.
The problem was discovered during fuelling, before the astronauts had donned their spacesuits.
The shuttle was to deliver equipment for space experiments, as well as drop off a new station crew member.
Mission controllers are expected to meet on Saturday to decide when to reschedule the launch.
Crew switch
The leak was found on the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate, which is attached to the shuttle's external tank.
The leak is similar to one which grounded the Endeavour's sister shuttle Discovery in March.
The ship would have taken three days to reach the International Space Station (ISS), where six astronauts work.
The mission would have meant 13 astronauts were on the space station - a new record.
Endeavour will carry its usual complement of seven astronauts
It was to deliver the final components of Japan's Kibo laboratory.
During five scheduled spacewalks, an external platform was to be added to the lab that would enable experiments to be performed that require materials to be exposed to the harsh environment of space.
Endeavour astronauts also need to fit equipment to the exterior of the platform such as batteries and a spare space-to-ground antenna.
Endeavour was to deliver a new crew member (Tim Kopra) to the ISS and bring back another (Koichi Wakata) who has lived aboard the platform for more than three months, as well as spare part for other equipment.
When it does take off, Endeavour will be making the 127th space shuttle flight, and the 29th to the station.