Coppell, TX, August 1, 2010 — Representatives of Superior Aviation, Beijing have announced that aviation veteran Timothy T. (Tim) Archer has been appointed as the CEO of Superior Aviation, Beijing and its wholly owned subsidiary, U.S.-based Superior Air Parts, Inc.

As CEO of Superior Aviation, Beijing, Archer will oversee all day-to-day operations including directing the completion of the 14,400 square foot (1,340 square meter) state-of-the-art piston engine production facility in Beijing, China. Once the facility is operational and personal training is completed, the facility will manufacture Superior Air Part’s line of XP-Series of non-certified, sport aviation engines for the Chinese and Asian markets. The company will also be the selling arm of Superior’s Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) piece parts and components for these markets.

Additionally, once production and certification extension approvals are received from the FAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the facility will begin manufacturing Superior’s 180-horsepower certified Vantage Engine exclusively for the Chinese and Asian markets.

“To get in on the ground floor and help build the Superior brand in China and Asia is a tremendously exciting opportunity for me,” Archer said. “When the current ownership group purchased Superior Air Parts, they had a clear vision of the growth potential for Superior’s family of general aviation engines, components and piece parts in the growing Chinese and Asian markets. My goal is to ensure their vision will be realized.”

As CEO of Superior Air Parts, Inc., Archer will provide high-level guidance and new business development direction for the company’s U.S. headquarters in Coppell, Texas.

“Kent Abercrombie (Superior’s President) and the team at Superior have done a great job of seeing the company through its recent bankruptcy issues,” Archer said. “Now that the company is fully funded and poised for a bright future, our goal is to quickly reestablish the company as the leading provider of FAA PMA’d aftermarket cylinders, components and piece parts, as well as the Vantage and XP engines. Once that is done, we can begin an aggressive new product development program.”

“Let me be 100-percent clear on this point,” Archer stated. “Superior Air Parts U.S. is the flagship of this organization’s global efforts. Superior’s U.S. headquarters will serve as the central point for the engineering, development, FAA certification and production of our new-generation engine products.”

“Superior’s ownership group doesn’t only want to be involved with general aviation, they want our engines and components to set a new standard for innovation, performance and efficiency,” Archer stated. “Our long range plan is for Superior Aviation, Beijing and Superior Air Parts, Inc., to be a true industry innovator; not only with products based on Superior’s proven family of piston engines, but also by introducing a new-generation of alternate fueled engines.”

“From Superior’s inception in 1967, the company has continued to find new ways to develop piece parts and entire engines that out perform the competition,” Archer said. “I can promise you that nothing will change. Superior is back and with a global commitment to be better than ever.”

About Superior Aviation, Beijing.
Headquartered in Beijing, China, Superior Aviation, Beijing, is the general aviation division of a joint venture between Weifang Tianxiang Technology Group and the People’s Republic of China.

About Superior Air Parts, Inc.
Superior Air Parts, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Superior Aviation, Beijing, is a leading manufacturer of FAA approved aftermarket replacement parts for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines. In addition, the company manufacturers the FAA certified Vantage Engine and the XP-Engine family for experimental and sport aircraft builders. For more information, visit: www.superiorairparts.com

Regional turboprop aircraft maker ATR said Tuesday it has received a firm order for 20 ATR 72-600 aircraft and an option on 20 more from Brazilian carrier Azul Linhas Aereas. ATR is a joint venture between Airbus maker EADS NV and Alenia Aeronautica, a subsidiary of Italy’s Finmeccanica SpA.

The deal, worth $850 million when including the options, was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in England. Delivery of the new aircraft will begin in late 2011. The new ATR 72-600 fleet will come with 70 seats each and will enable Azul to continue expansion of its domestic regional network as it adds smaller routes, Azul said.

BRASILIA, Brazil — The Brazilian government approved on Monday nearly $3 billion in funding to renovate and expand its airports ahead of the 2014 World Cup.

The government also guaranteed investments of about $400 million in its ports, hoping to make sure the country is ready to host soccer’s biggest tournament. Authorities signed a document Monday securing the investments and creating a timetable for work related to transportation and stadium construction, two of the areas receiving most of the criticism from FIFA because of delays. Government officials had also expressed concerns with the country’s preparations, but Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said everything will be ready on time.

“Things are happening very quickly,” he said. The document allows Brazil’s civil aviation agency to accelerate work to renovate the 13 airports expected to be used by fans and tourists in the 12 host cities that are spread across Brazil, a large country that is currently without the transportation infrastructure needed to host the tournament.

“Now we have the investments for some of the sensitive areas such as the airports,” Brazil Sports Minister Orlando Silva said. “We expect 600,000 international visitors and other 3 million Brazilians (traveling).” The investments approved Monday will also help Rio de Janeiro host the 2016 Olympics.

A recent government study said Brazil will invest a total of $18 billion in infrastructure in the next few years.

Company presents 20-year forecast of world demand for 30- to 120-seat segment

São José dos Campos, July 19, 2010 – Embraer announced its 20-year forecast, today, for commercial aircraft in the 30- to 120-seat segment. This category serves low- and mediumdensity markets and is an essential component of commercial aviation. The outlook analyzes industry trends by world region and identifies the demand for new aircraft from 2010 to 2029.

Among the key trends are:

Air Traffic Growth:
- 4.9% world average annual increase over the next 20 years;
- demand in 2029 will reach 2.7 trillion Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK), 2.7 times greater than in 2009;
- China’s annual growth rate will be the highest, at 7.3%;
- Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Russia & CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) air traffic is forecast to grow 6% annually;
- annual growth in Africa will average about 5%;
- North America and Europe will see average growth around 3.5% per year;
- Asia Pacific and China will represent more than one-third of the world air traffic by 2029;
- mature markets (USA and Europe) will decrease their share of world air traffic from 57% in 2009 to 44% in 2029.

Environment:

More stringent limits on noise and emissions will mandate the development of cleanerburning fuel and quieter aircraft. Embraer has been a leader in exploring technologies that will make its products compliant with future environmental restrictions. The family of E-Jets already reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 50%, compared to oldergeneration aircraft. Some 1,100 jets operated by scheduled airlines in the 30- to 120-seat category are over 15 years old and will need to be replaced.

Embraer forecasts that the size of the world fleet of 30- to 120-seat jets will increase from 4,285 aircraft in 2009 to 7,780 in 2029. During this period, 51% of the new deliveries (3,495 units) will be added to support current growth and 49% (3,380 units) will be needed to replace ageing equipment. By 2029, 21% of the current fleet (905 jets) will still be in operation.

For new aircraft, Embraer foresees global demand for 6,875 jets in the 30- to 120-seat segment over the next 20 years. The estimated market value of these new orders is approximately US$ 200 billion. Of this total, 2,895 jets are planned to be delivered between 2010 and 2019, and the remaining 3,980 units between 2020 and 2029, as detailed below.(…)
Embraer’s market outlook has analyzed each segment. For example, demand for 50-seat regional jets has matured, yet there are opportunities for replacement over the next 20 years.

The aircraft will continue to feed hubs and provide service to smaller communities in the U.S. and Europe. Fifty-seat jets will support the development of regional aviation in other areas of the world, such as Russia & CIS, Mexico, Africa and South America.

Aircraft in the 60- to 120-seat category will continue to improve overall industry efficiency.

These airplanes will help to reduce excess capacity by rightsizing fleets comprised of larger narrowbody jets. Aircraft in this segment are replacing old equipment, developing new markets and allowing airlines to grow gradually with smaller seat increments.

Embraer’s Market Outlook is available at www.EmbraerCommercialJets.com.

Source : EMBRAER
2010-07-19
Web : www.embraer.com

Centurion Aircraft Engines AG & Co. KG in Lichtenstein/Saxony, the distribution company of engine manufacturer Thielert Aircraft Engines (TAE), which despite its insolvency has successfully continued operations for two years under the administration of Dr. Kübler, can look back on a successful first half of 2010. All product improvement and service expansion objectives were achieved. Besides the life time extension of the Centurion 2.0 to 1,500 hours, the certification of the 155 hp Centurion 2.0s for installation in the Cessna 172 was another major accomplishment. Additional Service Centers and distributors have also been appointed, so that now over 310 fixed base operators (FBO) are providing services worldwide. Though the market for sales of piston aircraft remains troubled, sales of Centurion piston engines are still stable, representing a safe, dependable and environmentally friendly propulsion alternative. Efforts to attract new investors for TAE continue.

In the first half of 2010 the company saw no decline in sales, despite the persistence and even the partial worsening of the crisis affecting the piston engine market for General Aviation. Production levels were kept stable at the same level as in 2009. Finch Aircraft was attracted as a new OEM, engine development and production orders for operation in unmanned aircraft are under way. Centurion engines are known for their fuel efficiency, dependability and environmental advantages, which gives them outstanding prospects for the future.

Reliable and sustainable

By the end of June 2010, Centurion engines sold worldwide have logged a total 2,166,688 flight hours since production began, proving to be extremely reliable. While the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has recorded 10 engine failures per 100,000 General Aviation flight hours, during the same time span Centurion engines failed only 5.86 times. In the last twelve months the shutdown rate has actually fallen to 3.86 failures per 100,000 flight hours. Centurion engines thus are verified as being among the most reliable and safe piston engines in General Aviation.

These engines have ideal prospects to be assured of a good future because of their economical and environmental advantages, being able to use standard aircraft kerosene (Jet-A) instead of having to rely on aviation gasoline (avgas). In addition to non-dependence on avgas, the many “green” benefits of Centurion engines include zero risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, zero lead emissions and substantially lower nitrogen and hydrocarbon emissions than with avgas engines. Plus, Centurion engines use less fuel and meet strict noise ordinance requirements.

Service network continually expanding

All Service Centers remain in full operation despite the insolvency of TAE. In fact, the service network has expanded considerably in the last two years. Contracts have been signed with more than 50 new FBO and with three additional distribution partners. In the first half of 2010 the number of FBO providing maintenance and servicing of Centurion engines rose to over 310 for the first time. Centurion aircraft engines thus enjoy the largest, most comprehensive service network for jet fuel piston engines.

Other areas besides the service network have expanded too during the period of insolvency. The warehouse for the North American market, for example, located in Texas has been further built up to accelerate deliveries to the Service Center there and to reduce AOG times for customers. The technical representative for Centurion Aircraft Engines in North America is still based in Dallas, supporting service and conducting mechanic trainings.

Particularly in view of the good results in the first half of the year, the achievements of TAE, while being on the search for an investor, for its customers – particularly in the area of service – should be emphasized. The lifetime extensions for engines and components reached in April 2010 prevented the disastrous situation in replacement parts supply that would have occurred if Centurion production had been discontinued. Customers, creditors and employees can be grateful for the insolvency administrator’s strategic decision to continue the company’s operations, which by no means is a risk-free course of action. The successes seen bear out the administrator’s decision. The active restructuring management that he and his team have implemented in insolvency has put the company back in the black, creating excellent conditions for the ongoing investor process.

Technical objectives achieved

Nearly all technical objectives were achieved on schedule. The first clutches designed for an extended lifetime of 600 hours have already been delivered to customers. The lifetime of the feed pump rose from 600 to 1,200 hours. The lifetime of the Centurion 2.0 has been 1,500 hours since the end of May, avoiding the originally scheduled factory inspection at 1,200 hours. This considerably reduces maintenance costs and aircraft-on-ground times considerably. Centurion is working on extending the lifetime of the Centurion 2.0 to 1,800 hours as its next major service-enhancing step. All owners of 1.7 engines will benefit from this lifetime extension within the frame of the upgrade program. Any aircraft equipped with a Centurion 1.7 can be upgraded to Centurion 2.0, namely the models Cessna 172, Piper PA28, Robin DR400 as well as Diamond DA40 and DA42.

ABOUT CENTURION AIRCRAFT ENGINES
CENTURION is the leading brand for certified kerosene (diesel) piston aircraft engines for general aviation. As far back as 2001, the manufacturer of CENTURION engines became the first company in the world to receive type certification for its kerosene piston aircraft engines. CENTURION pilots have a global network of more than 300 authorized service centers at their disposal. Altogether, the some 2,600 plus CENTURION engines operated in General Aviation have to date successfully completed more than 2.16 million flight hours. The weight of all Centurion engines 1.7 and 2.0 is identical so that each 1.7 l engine can be replaced by a 2.0 l engine.

CENTURION AIRCRAFT ENGINES AG & Co. KG
Visit: www.centurion.aero

There IS Life Ahead For VLJs… Well, Some Of Them Anyway In light of the global economic malaise and a significantly anti-aviation sentiment in many parts of the world (especially if you listen to Congress or read the NY Post…), one has to wonder where tomorrow’s aviation business is going to come from… and doubly so for the slowly maturing VLJ market. ANN and Aero-TV were the principal media partner for MIU Events’ Very Light Jets – Latin America and the Caribbean conference last fall, and spent quite a bit of quality time with a number of industry experts discussing the current market for VLJs in Latin America.

We learned that there are more business jets and turbo props in Brazil than in any other single country outside the United States and Canada. As a region, Latin America and the Caribbean operate more turbo props than either Europe or Asia. With Very Light Jet (VLJ) manufacturers forecasting more than 60% of their sales outside the US, Latin America and the Caribbean offers an enticing market. With a poor road network and few railways, the Latin American region has long been a place where private aircraft have been an essential tool for business. As the Latin American economies gain momentum and the boom in agriculture generates business in areas far removed from the big industrial centers, demand for aircraft is growing at a phenomenal pace. Conservative estimates predict the market for private jets in the region will grow at 10%pa for the next five years …

Source: Ancient secrets of the financial
Click here to visit

“In light of the steady growth of its customer base in the country, Embraer strengthened its existing customer support capability by creating ECA. The business scope of the new subsidiary covers logistics and spare parts sales, as well as
consulting services regarding technical issues and flight operations,” Embraer said.

The Brazilian company has been represented since 2000 in China, where it operates through a joint venture with Aviation Industry Corp. of China, called Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry.

While Latin Americans have been fixated on the ups and downs of their football teams in South Africa, financial analysts point to a more impressive set of indicators that should capture the world’s attention.

Economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is forecast to average 4.5 per cent this year, twice the estimated US rate and four times faster than the eurozone. Fiscal deficits in Latin America are expected to average 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product in 2010, compared with 6.8 per cent in the euro area and 10.6 per cent in the US. The region’s total public debt is roughly only half the level of Europe and the US.

This economic role-reversal is no accident. Although problems such as drugtrafficking and emigration still dominate and distort public perceptions of Latin America, over the past 20 years the region has undergone a quiet but profound
transformation.

Brazil is the most visible example: it has emerged as an industrial and agricultural powerhouse while lifting some 30m of its citizens out of poverty, and is on track to grow more than 7 per cent this year. But Brazil’s progress is echoed, to varying degrees, by most of its neighbours.

The foundations for sustained development – particularly in the area of political stability and fiscal reform – have been laid in much of the region. Having weathered the financial crisis, Latin America now has the opportunity to join Asia in leading a global economic recovery. To do so, however, its governments will have to tackle several long-neglected problems.

One is education. Latin America can take pride in having achieved near-universal primary school enrolment. Illiteracy has been essentially eliminated, and a growing percentage of children complete high school and have a chance to attend university.

However, the region still scores near the bottom of international standardised tests. To finish the job, Latin America must revolutionise teacher training, adopt worldclass curricula and make school administrators accountable for student performance.

Almost every Latin American and Caribbean country is on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals for improving access to safe drinking water. But millions of people with faucets in their homes only get water for a few hours a day,
and some 80 per cent of all sewage is still dumped raw into rivers and lakes.

Governments must ensure that 100 per cent of their populations have reliable water 24 hours a day and that all wastewater is properly treated. Mobile phone penetration is nearly 90 per cent across Latin America and the
Caribbean, while internet access is among the highest in the developing world. Many large cities have state-of-the-art Bus Rapid Transit systems that provide safe, efficient mobility to millions of low-income commuters. But crumbling ports, railways and highways hobble exporters with needless costs and delays. Clear incentives and legal safeguards are needed if Latin America is to attract the private capital that could overhaul its infrastructure.

Latin America’s energy system is among the world’s cleanest. More than 65 per cent of the region’s electricity comes from hydroelectric sources, and it is a leading producer of sustainable biofuels. But in recent years severe droughts have left key reservoirs without water, while fossil fuel production is flat or declining in Mexico and Venezuela. The region needs to develop new sources of energy and fully embrace the regional energy integration that would allow natural gas, for example, to flow freely from countries that have it abundantly to those that do not.

Finally, regular and credible elections are one of Latin America’s greatest recent achievements, given its history of military coups. However, violence and organised crime have become so pervasive in some cities that they threaten hard-won political and economic progress. To address this, governments must reform law enforcement and judicial systems. More fundamentally, they need to confront the staggering inequality and lack of economic opportunity that drive so many into lives of crime.

As in marathons or football championships, the final stretch is often the hardest. Yet each of the objectives I have described is within reach. If the region’s leaders rise to the challenge, we stand poised to see the 2010s become the decade of Latin America.

The writer was re-elected president of the Inter-American Development Bank by its 48 member nations on Tuesday.

In October 2009, Grupo Taca Holdings and the Synergy Group announced their plans to merge and create a new company, “Avianca-Taca Ltd.” In February 2010, the two companies received the regulatory and antitrust approvals to merge. Grupo Synergy owns 67% and Group Taca Holdings 33% of the new holding company.

With revenues of US$3 billion, the combined airline serves 100 destinations—75 of which are in Latin America. The airline carries around 15.4 million passengers with hubs in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia and Peru.

The new company benefits from geographic diversity and a larger network that provides new revenue opportunities. Its leaders have identified growth in north-south traffic and flights to Europe as opportunities. It is also leveraging its scale to cut costs with suppliers. There are also fleet synergies to be had since both use A319s and A320s as their main aircraft. In 2007, Grupo Synergy placed orders for 100 planes, which now can be distributed across the wider network as they are delivered.

Read more at the Euromonitor Global Market Research Blog

LIMA, Peru — While the United States and Europe fret over huge deficits and threats to a fragile recovery, this region has a surprise in store. Latin America, beset in the past by debt defaults, currency devaluations and the need for bailouts from rich countries, is experiencing robust economic growth that is the envy of its northern counterparts.

Strong demand in Asia for commodities like iron ore, tin and gold, combined with policies in several Latin American economies that help control deficits and keep inflation low, are encouraging investment and fueling much of the growth. The World Bank forecasts that the region’s economy will grow 4.5 percent this year.

Recent growth spurts around Latin America have surpassed the expectations of many governments themselves. Brazil, the region’s rising power, is leading the regional recovery from the downturn of 2009, growing 9 percent in the first quarter from the same period last year. Brazil’s central bank said Wednesday that growth for 2010 could reach 7.3 percent, the nation’s fastest expansion in 24 years.

After a sharp contraction last year, Mexico’s economy grew 4.3 percent in the first quarter and may reach 5 percent this year, the Mexican government has said, possibly outpacing the economy in the United States.

Smaller countries are also growing fast. Here in Peru, where memories are still raw of an economy in tatters from hyperinflation and a brutal, two-decade war against Maoist rebels that left almost 70,000 people dead, gross domestic product surged 9.3 percent in April from the same month of last year.

“We’re witnessing what are probably the best economic conditions in Peru in my lifetime,” said Mario Zamora, 70, who owns six pharmacies in Los Olivos, a bustling working-class district of northern Lima where thousands of poor migrants from Peru’s highlands have settled.

Vibrancy mixes with grit around his pharmacies. A Domino’s Pizza vies for customers with Peruvian-Chinese restaurants called chifas. Motorcycle taxis deliver passengers to nightclubs. Competition, in the form of a newly arrived Chilean pharmacy chain, looms around the corner from his main store.

Los Olivos offers a glimpse into the growth lifting parts of Latin America out of poverty, but big exceptions persist. In Venezuela, electricity shortages and fears of expropriations caused gross domestic product to shrink 5.8 percent in the first quarter.

But Venezuela, and to a lesser extent Ecuador, another oil-dependent country that lags behind its neighbors in growth, seem to be exceptions to a broader trend.

Even small countries ideologically aligned with Venezuela have adopted pragmatic policies and are faring well. While Europe was gripped by fears of contagion from Greece’s debt crisis, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s upgraded Bolivia in May, citing its sound public finances.

Latin America’s growth largely reflects a deepening engagement with Asia, where China and other countries are also growing fast. China surpassed the United States last year as Brazil’s top trading partner, and is the second largest trading partner in countries like Venezuela and Colombia, Washington’s top ally in the region.

Some scholars of Latin America’s economic history of ups and downs say the robust recovery may be too good to last, pointing to volatile politics in some places, excessive reliance on commodity exports and the risks of sharply increasing trade with China.

Michael Pettis, a specialist at Peking University in Beijing on China’s financial links with developing countries, said the region was especially exposed to Chinese policies that had driven up global demand for commodities, including what appears to be Chinese stockpiling of commodities.

“Within China there is a ferocious debate over the sustainability of this investmentdriven growth,” Mr. Pettis said. “I’m worried that too few policy makers in Latin America are aware of the debate and of the vulnerability this creates in Latin America.”

Other economists, including Nicolás Eyzaguirre, director of the Western Hemisphere department of the International Monetary Fund, suggest that low international interest rates, another factor supporting Latin America’s growth, will not last much longer. Even so, they applaud home-grown policies that are supporting growth.
Chile, for instance, saved revenues from copper exports when commodities prices climbed, allowing it to enact a stimulus plan last year and rebound from the February earthquake. Chile’s economy grew 8.2 percent in April from the previous month, its biggest increase since 1996.

“This time around, the positive shock is probably even better, since some countries saved at least part of their windfall from the good years,” Mr. Eyzaguirre said. Within the fund itself, Latin America’s recovery is translating into new political sway, particularly for Brazil, which has paid its debt to the fund and is seeking to enhance its voting stake in it. As Brazil posts China-level growth, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is nurturing soft-power ambitions, with ventures like a state television station that will broadcast to African nations.

David Rothkopf, a former Commerce Department official in the Clinton administration, pointed to the dozens of embassies and consulates that Mr. da Silva has opened around the world.

“Like other Latin American countries, Brazil needs to improve its infrastructure and train more engineers,” Mr. Rothkopf said, “but it embodies the rise of emerging powers, one of the great themes of this century.”

Peru, whose economic growth is expected to rival or outstrip Brazil’s over the next several years, exemplifies the challenges remaining in a sizzling economy. The country boasts nimble companies like Ajegroup, founded during the chaos of the 1980s. Now the company’s soft drinks compete with giants like Coca-Cola, not just in Peru but in other Latin American countries as well.

Foreign investment has flowed into Peru, largely in mining. But this investment reveals both weaknesses and strengths. Mining accounts for about 8 percent of economic activity, but about half of tax revenues, creating problems if commodities prices fall, said Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a former finance minister here.

Deep inequalities also persist, especially between the capital, Lima, and the Andean highlands and the forests of the Amazon basin, where factions of the Shining Path guerrilla group feed off the cocaine trade. As much as 70 percent of the labor force still works outside the tax system, depriving workers of benefits and the government of revenue.

But some of what glitters in Peru’s boom seems to be paving the way for lasting prosperity. Felipe Castillo, 60, mayor of Los Olivos, is investing tax proceeds in a new low-tuition municipal university for 4,000 students. He gazed recently at the 11-story structure, in a slum that has begun to take on the trappings of a lower-middle-class district.

“Maybe the students at this institution will look at the mistakes of our economic policy in the past as the tragic features of a bygone era,” Mr. Castillo said.