Daimler-Benz Aerospace

Aircraft Group

42,220 Employees
DM 8.738 bn. Turnover

The Aircraft Group is headed by Dr. Dietrich Russell. The Aircraft Group comprises all activities of

Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus

regional aircraft

military aircraft
and holds a 40-percent share in the German-French helicopter joint venture,

Eurocopter.

Large passenger aircraft

In the field of large passenger aircraft, Daimler-Benz Aerospace holds a share of 37.9 percent in the European Airbus Consortium through Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus GmbH (Hamburg) and is thus the principal partner among with Aerospatiale (France). British Aerospace has a share of 20 percent, the Spanish Casa 4.2 percent. Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus is supplying major assemblies for Airbus-family aircraft and is also in charge of the entire interior equipment of these aircraft, except for the A330 and the A340 models.

Since June 1992, the final assembly line has been located in Hamburg. The first of the A321 aircraft was delivered to Deutsche Lufthansa in January 1994. Since March 1995, final assembly of the youngest member of the Airbus family, the A319, has also taken place in Hamburg. Work on this new 129-seat airliner was initiated in June 1993. Roll-out and maiden flight took place in August 1995. Now, for the first time since the end of the war, large commercial aircraft are being entirely built in Germany.

Since July 1991, as result of the German reunification, there are also Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus production capacities in the Eastern part of Germany. Branches of Flugzeugwerft Dresden GmbH have been integrated into the newly founded Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (Dresden), in which Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus holds a share of 100 percent. Among other activities, the Dresden plant manufactures Airbus components. In July 1993, Elbe Flugzeugwerke was granted European approval for Boeing 737 maintenance.

Design and development of new aircraft requires much time. That is why Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus even today is working in international cooperations on the aircraft of tomorrow. The findings of the recently completed feasability study on Cyroplane have been positive. The Cyroplane is developed in German-Russian cooperation and can be operated by using liquid hydrogen instead of kerosene. A feasability study on a huge passenger aircraft VLCT (Very Large Commercial Transport), which the European Airbus partners and the USA aircraft manufacturer Boeing have jointly carried out and completed in the mid of 1995, describes technical problems of such a project as being solvable. Since the potential demand of airlines is still small the market will be observed for the time being, before the participating partners are going to decide upon the future of the project at the beginning of 1996.

Program organization of the program of the planned European new military transport FLA will be settled under the roof of the Airbus consortium from 1996 onwards. Apart from the four Airbus partners, Alenia of Italy will also have a stake in the Airbus Military Aircraft Company.

Regional Aircraft

In the field of regional aircraft, Daimler-Benz Aerospace is to be found in the commuter aircraft market with the 19-seat Dornier 228 and the 33-seat Dornier 328. In 1993, the first Dornier 328 aircraft were delivered to the regional airlines Air Engiadina (Switzerland) and Horizon Air (USA). The Erfurt based Eastwest Airlines was the first German airline to receive a Dornier 328 in May 1994. At present, a total of 87 firm orders and 72 options from20 customers are in the Dornier 328 order book. 113 of them come from the United States, the most important market segment for this regional aircraft, which represents over 50 percent of the entire market. 45 aircraft already have been delivered to their customers. With 46 firm orders the share of Dornier 328 aircraft held a share of about 40 percent in the world market in 1994.

Military Aircraft

The development of the European fighter aircraft Eurofighter 2000 is the key project of the Military Aircraft Division. On March 27, 1994, the first prototype successfully took off for its maiden flight from Dasa's Flight Test Center at Manching. Apart from Dasa, British Aerospace (UK), Alenia (Italy), and Casa (Spain) are the other partners in the Eurofighter program. In cooperation with the US company Rockwell International, the division is also conducting the X-31A experimental program on the research of flying at extremely high angles of attack. The development of the Ranger 2000 training aircraft is another joint program undertaken by the division and its American partner.

Within the scope of the tri-national Tornado program (Germany, United Kingdom, Italy), the complete center fuselage of the aircraft is made at the division's Augsburg site. Maintenance and repairs are carried out in Manching. The Manching site of Dasa will become the support centre for military aircraft operated by the German Armed Forces.

Helicopter

In January 1992, Dasa transferred its helicopter activities to a joint venture with the French company Aerospatiale in order to strengthen the competitive capability of the European helicopter industry. The resulting Eurocopter Holding (Daimler-Benz Aerospace is holding a 40-percent and Aerospatiale a 60-percent interest in) covers the entire product range from single engine, light helicopters to medium-weight, transport helicopters. As a result of the merger, this bi-national company has become the second largest helicopter supplier and the largest civil helicopter exporting firm in the world.

To the other Dasa business areas:

Space Systems

Defense and Civil Systems

Propulsion Systems