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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: H James Morris who wrote (3070)	7/23/2002 7:50:56 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Investors Turn Pessimistic on the Economy Gallup/UBS Index of Investor Optimism falls to an all-time low gallup.com guess the gist of the two polls is short-term worried, long-term stick-with-it...=)

To: H James Morris who wrote (3070)	7/25/2002 10:32:52 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Dassault sets sights on supersonic business jet By Tom Pfeiffer FARNBOROUGH, England, July 25 (Reuters) - Dassault Aviation (Paris:AVMD.PA - News) thinks it can resolve the technical obstacles to developing a supersonic corporate jet within five years, the president of the French firm's business jets arm said. "I hope that within five years we'll be able to say 'let's go'", Jean Rosanvallon told Reuters in an interview at the Farnborough air show in England. "We think the market exists. We have some strong support." Speed is the big selling point for business jet makers and business folk and other wealthy travellers tired of queuing at airports and switching planes are still expected to lavish $50 billion on such aircraft over the next 10 years, despite the recent stock market rout. Dassault and nearest rivals Gulfstream, a unit of General Dynamics Corp (NYSE:GD - News), and Canada's Bombardier Inc (Toronto:BBDa.TO - News), have not found engines to push a plane beyond the speed of sound without making too much noise or burning too much fuel. Those technical problems forced Dassault to put a supersonic jet project on the back burner in 1999 after two years of initial design work. But the project has not been forgotten. "I have a certain level of confidence that in the next five years the biggest stumbling blocks in terms of technology will be overcome," said Rosanvallon. "Within 10 or 12 years you will see a supersonic business jet." Dassault and Gulfstream still recognise the huge market potential of small, super-fast aircraft that could cut very long distance flights by around two hours and the planes are potentially very profitable. Prices of subsonic business jets have doubled within a few years, to around $50 million for the top models. The sector got a boost from the arrival of fractional ownership firms, in which several buyers share the cost of one plane, making the luxury of a personal jet available to a wider public. Gulfstream is also studying a "Quiet Supersonic Jet", though there are still several technical obstacles to overcome. Besides heavy fuel burn and noise, the sonic boom means regulators may be opposed to such planes flying over land, while the engines could wear out far earlier than those fitted on conventional aircraft. OUTLOOK MORE UNCERTAIN Demand for such planes is expected to grow within a decade as the only commercial supersonic aircraft, Concorde, is gradually brought out of service on the remaining routes of Paris and London to New York. Business jet manufacturers have been relatively protected from the stockmarket slump because top executives still need to travel and the richest private individuals tend to keep spending even when the wider economy shrinks. Rosanvallon said that up until now Dassault had managed to soar above the stock market downturn, though as share prices continue to head lower the outlook was becoming more uncertain. "I have to be more cautious now," he said. "Our competitors Bombardier and Gulfstream have decided to decrease (output)...We are pleased to stay at the level of seven planes a month." He said orders for the new Falcon 7X, to be delivered from the third quarter of 2006, had just exceeded 30. Cancellations for Dassault planes totalled four this year, out of a backlog of around 200 planes, while delivery delays at the request of customers were "almost zero", Rosanvallon added.