magazine - Safran · FIRST FLIGHT OF TURBOmECA-POWEREd dHRUV On January 12, 2009, the Dhruv...

magazinesafran

special report

june 2009 – no. 6the safran group magazine

p. 28 strateGY: Safran anD THE SECUrITY MarKET / p. 34 MarKet: SaGEM'S DronE SYSTEM

Powered by the French-Russian SaM146

Superjet 100, Sukhoi'S lateSt

A t this year’s Paris Air Show, better known here as “Le Bourget”, the Safran group will be showcas-ing our latest innovations in electrical, electronic and optronic systems, as well as composite materi-als. Tomorrow’s aircraft will be lighter and more electric, making them quieter and less fuel hungry.

Our contributions to these developments, and to sustainable growth in general, are a top priority in all three of our core businesses, aero-space, defense and security.

We bolstered our security business in 2008 by acquiring Sdu-Identification, followed by Motorola’s biometrics op-erations and more recently Homeland Protection, a General Electric sub-sidiary. This transaction also strengthens our long-standing partnership with the American company, while firmly consolidating our world leadership in the security market.

In fact, aerospace and security have a number of points in common: entry barriers are high, both technically and financially, and there are few global players. Both of these sectors have also proven resilient, because of their associated spare parts and service businesses.

Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, they involve key tech-nologies at key moments. An aircraft taking off, or immigration con-trol at an airport, demand state-of-the-art technologies and absolute confidence. And that’s Safran's profession.

“Aerospace and securityhave a number of points in common”

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tomorrow p. 08BiometricsFacial recognition technology

special report p. 10Superjet 100, Sukhoi's latest The new regional jet, powered by a jointly-built French-Russian engine

panorama p. 18Ariane 5 propulsion Safran delivers the 100th nozzle

markets p. 2222 Helicopter engine MRO

25 Safran equips A350

28 Safran’s security strategy

30 TRUEngine, the quality label

32 Safran and Brazil: long-term partners

34 Sagem’s drone system

insight p. 3737 Engineering and services: towards

comprehensive offers38 A400M engine takes off

interview p. 40Vendée Globe, human adventure and athletic achievementInterview with Marc Guillemot, skipper of the Safran Open 60 racing yacht

Safran is the world’s leading provider of helicopter engine MRO services, through subsidiary Turbomeca’s international support network.

NETWORK BENEFITS

22 markets

Check out the latest Safran group news on our revamped website, www.safran-group.com

June 2009 _ Safran magazine Safran magazine _ June 2009

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JEAn-PAuL HERTEMAnCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SAFRAN GROUP

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June 2009 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ June 2009

GLASS COCKPIT FOR THE SIKORSKY S-61

In early 2009, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States certified the five digital displays made by Sagem Avionics Inc. (Safran group) for the new glass cockpit in the Sikorsky S-61 helicopter. First launched nearly 50 years ago, the S-61 is especially well known in the Sea King version, specialized in maritime missions. These new-generation displays will rejuvenate the 600 S-61s now in service worldwide.

The first meeting of the Safran Scientific Council was held on April 9. Comprising eight world-renowned scientists, this council was created to oversee the excellence of Safran’s scientific partnerships, contribute to its strategy of technological differentiation, and help enhance the Group’s expertise.

It is chaired by Georges Charpak, winner of the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physics, and also comprises Mathias Fink, French physicist, who holds the technological innovation chair at the Collège de France; Daniel Eylon,

specialist in materials engineering and a professor at the University of Dayton, Ohio; Alain Aspect, French physicist, research director at the French national scientific research agency CNRS and professor at the Ecole Polytechnique; Jean-François Baumard, deputy scientific director in the CNRS Chemistry department; Albert Benveniste, mathematician-engineer; and Jean-Louis Chaboche, French research-engineer with aerospace research agency Onera. The Scientific Council meets three times a year.

Snecma’s Leap-X engine, expected to hit the market towards 2016, is designed to meet increasingly demanding requirements, especially environmental, since it will help reduce aircraft emissions by 16%. This is one of the objectives set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in

Europe, or Acare. Launched by the European Commission eight years ago, this council has some 40 members representing all stakeholders in European aviation: EU governments and the Commission, industry, research organizations, airlines, airports, etc. Acare’s main mission is to

draw up a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), that will be approved and followed by all players in European aviation, and then to monitor its application.

K mOREwww.acare4europe.org

SAFRAN SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL: FIRST mEETING

LEAP-X, IN LINE WITH ACARE OBJECTIVES

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Participative innovationSafran handed out its Innovation Awards during a ceremony on May 9, attended by Dominique Bussereau (photo), French Secretary of State for Transportation. For nearly a dozen years, Safran has encouraged its employees’ creativity through a participative innovation initiative, covering subjects such as sustainable development, patented innovation, Lean-Sigma, etc. During this ceremony Safran also inaugurated its Scientific Council, chaired by Nobel prizewinner Georges Charpak.

The Safran Group magazine2, bd du Général Martial-Valin75724 Paris Cedex 15 - FranceFax: 33 (0)1 40 60 85 01

E-mail: [email protected]

Publication Director Pascale DuboisEditorial DirectorChristine Orfila Executive Editor in chiefFlorent Vilbert Editor in chief Martin BelletWritten byD. Baudier, M. Bellet, B. Dietz, P. François, F. Lert, P. Michaud, A. Papeguay, G. Sequeira-MartinsTranslation Don Siegel, ID CommunicationsProduction

Printed by Imprimerie Vincent, certified imprim’vert, on PEFC accredited paperIssn 1960-7164The articles and illustrations published in this magazine may not be reproduced without prior authorization.Cover photo© Marina Lystseva / Sukhoi

FIRST FLIGHT OF TURBOmECA-POWEREd dHRUV

On January 12, 2009, the Dhruv helicopter built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India, powered by two Turbomeca (Safran group) Ardiden 1H1 engines, made a successful first flight in Bangalore, southern India. Developed in conjunction with HAL as part of an industrial partnership contract, the engine is designed to meet the most demanding mission requirements for operation in hot, high and cold environments. The first test flight checked the

engine’s aero-mechanical performance. Subsequent flights confirmed its performance when operating at high altitudes, at the Leh air base in northern India. The engine, also called Shakti (“power” in Hindi), develops 1,032 kW of power (about 1,380 hp) and has chalked up 350 orders to date.

K mOREwww.safran-group.com, in the Media section

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BIOmETRICS CONFERENCE FOR USERS WORLdWIdE

In early April, Sagem Sécurité (Safran group) brought together its customers in Paris for “Image”, a conference it has organized every two years since 1992. This year’s event was attended by 119 customers and security agencies from 63 countries, who were able to

exchange information on the biometric systems they operate. For Sagem Sécurité, it is an ideal opportunity to showcase its latest technologies.

K mOREwww.safran-group.com, in the Media section

SOLAR-POWEREd RAdARS IN THE GULF

In March, the Abu Dhabi police took delivery of automated speed control radars using solar power. Designed by Sagem Sécurité (Safran group), they will be deployed along the highway from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia. These radar units are fully autonomous, operate day and night, and help improve road safety while saving energy.

dELIVERY OF 1,000TH A330/A340 LANdING GEAR

Early this year Messier-Dowty (Safran group) delivered its 1,000th landing gear for the A330/A340 family. Messier-Dowty’s landing gear were selected by Airbus in 1988 and entered service in 1993. Today, they are fitted on 950 aircraft deployed by 90 airlines. Airbus' order book now stands at over 400 aircraft still to be delivered.

The first international air show – also called the Aeronautical Salon, Flight Show or Aero Exhibition – was held under the majestic glass roof of the Grand Palais in Paris on December 24, 1908. Over the six days of the show, some 720,000 visitors came to see, at last, those magnificent flying machines that had been making the front page in all the newspapers. No less than 15 aeroplanes were on display – including three Blériot models, a Wright and the Voisin-Farman – as well as helicopters and airships. Airplane and engine manufacturers were in the spotlight, under very impressive signs. The Gnome Omega engine presented at the show by the Seguin brothers was still something of a curiosity. But it would shortly be lauded throughout Europe. The 7-cylinder Gnome rotary engine quickly enjoyed unprecedented market success, eventually leading to the creation of Snecma, now part of the Safran group.

K mOREwww.museesafran.com (French Only)

First air show a success

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SAFRAN AT THE PARIS AIR SHOW

As a major player in the global aerospace, defense and security industry, Safran will boast an extensive presence at the 48th Paris Air Show-Le Bourget, from June 15 to 21, 2009. Most of the airplanes and helicopters on display include a number of Safran systems and equipment. For example on the A380, the Group supplies the engine nacelles, wiring, braking systems, nose landing gear and more. In addition to these aircraft, Safran will be showcasing its own products

on two main stands: one dedicated to aerospace, to display its civil and military airplane and helicopter engines, rocket engines, landing gear etc.; the other stand is dedicated to defense, and will feature a real Mirage F1, as well as the Sperwer drone system (including the drone itself and its catapult launcher).

The Group’s revamped website provides full coverage of Safran’s presence at this year’s Paris Air Show: www.safran-group.com

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Safran acquires GE Homeland Protection

In April 2009, Safran acquired an 81% stake in GE Homeland Protection, a subsidiary of General Electric. GE Homeland Protection specializes in tomography-based systems for detection of hazardous or illicit substances in checked baggage. It has the world's largest installed base, with approximately 1,600 machines in service. GE Homeland Protection offers a range of equipment and services to both civil and military government customers, to protect airports, ports, borders and high-value

sites. Customers include several U.S. government departments (justice, defense, homeland security), airports in Paris, New Delhi, Israel, etc.

General Electric retains a 19% stake in Homeland Protection, thereby further strengthening its links with Safran (the two groups already have joint ventures in aircraft engines and nacelles). This latest acquisition significantly bolsters Safran's third core business, security, which should eventually generate 20% of the Group's revenues.

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FINGERPRINT AND IRIS RECOGNITIONIn the world of biometric recognition systems, fingerprints are still the most widely used characteristic. Not only do they combine precision, comfort and low cost, but fingerprints don’t change over time. However, in certain countries they are saddled with a negative “police state” image. Iris recognition, although well behind in popularity, about on a par with facial recognition, is actually more accurate than fingerprints. The main drawback it that it requires people to place their eye in front of a reader, which is not always very pleasant. But, once again, technology is improving. Safran is at the cutting edge of both of these technologies, and continues to develop innovative and highly capable solutions.

tion with another biometric identifier, such as fingerprints. This is the case in Guatemala, where Safran was selected at the end of 2008 to supply a com-plete biometric ID card system. “Facial recognition is used when the quality of fingerprints is insufficient,” notes Claude Bauzou, product manager at Sagem Sécurité.

The second major use is border con-trol, in which the photo on a biomet-ric passport (which includes a digital photo) is compared with the face of the passport holder. Australia is a real pio-neer in this field, and has already fitted its main airports with the SmartGate system developed by Sagem Sécurité, capable of automatically performing this operation in a couple of seconds. Since being installed, Australia’s SmartGate systems have already checked more than 150,000 passengers.

The third, and far less common appli-cation is for the police. In this case, it is used to help identify people hav-ing committed criminal acts, based on shots from a surveillance camera for instance.

Growing useAlthough comfortable and well accepted by the public, facial recogni-tion system do not yet offer the ability to distinguish people as well as finger-prints or the iris. Furthermore, a new beard, sunglasses, a broad smile and other factors can disturb the identi-fication process. However, error rates are still fairly low, and the technology continues to progress.

For instance, Safran coordinated a European research project, 3D Face, which aimed to develop a 3D facial recognition system. “The advan-tage of 3D is that it captures faces even on the move, without having to ask subjects to stand still and look at the camera,” explains Jean-Christophe Fondeur, head of R&T at Sagem Sécurité. The prototype sys-tems based on this research work are now being tested at airports in Berlin (Germany) and Salzburg (Austria). Initial results are excellent.

These advances herald new uses for facial recognition. For example, authorities are considering the use


Out of all biometric technolo-gies, facial recognition is undoubtedly the most easily accepted by the general pub-

lic. It the most widely used and most natural: nobody minds seeing their photo on an ID card, transportation pass or healthcare system card. With the ongoing progress in biometric technologies, this type of identifica-tion is also becoming automated. The technology is based on a comparison of a person’s face with his or her photo stored in the system’s memory, to make sure that it’s really the same person.

After several years of design work, the facial comparison engine devel-oped by Sagem Sécurité (Safran group) hit 100% accuracy on one of the tests used by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States.

Multiple applicationsFacial recognition is used today for three main applications. First, to issue identity cards, most often in associa-

BIOMETrICs. Recognizing people by looking at their faces is something we do every day. But facial recognition is also the principle behind a biometric technology that meets emerging security requirements.

FACIAL RECOGNITION: PORTRAIT OF A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY

of facial recognition systems that check passports at borders to also help identify internationally wanted persons whose faces are already on record. Another possible applica-tion is monitoring people released on probation. Likewise, secure access to public buildings could be made much easier and more user-friendly thanks to this technology, which guarantees security without all the usual restric-tions. ■

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Safran designed and produces the Superjet 100’s SaM146 engine in partnership with NPO Saturn.

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AN AUDACIOUS FRENCH-RUSSIAN PARTNERSHIP P. 12

21st CENTURY POWERPLANT P. 14

SAFRAN, MAJOR EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER P. 15

SUPERJET 100, SUkHOI’S LATEST

FACTS & FIGURES

special report 11 Safran companies participating

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137 ordersbooked

95seatson largest version of Superjet 100

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safran magazine _ June 2009June 2009 _ safran magazine

L ike any large-scale project, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 and its SaM146 engine began with a few rather simple ideas: a

response to market demand for a modern aircraft and engine, a search for partners to share costs and pro-vide solid commercial foundations. For the engine, this led to the cre-ation of PowerJet, a joint venture between the French engine manu-facturer Snecma (Safran group) and Russian counterpart NPO Saturn.

“The birth of PowerJet was the result of several factors,” says com-pany head Jean-Paul Ebanga. “Our initial analysis, still applicable, was based on three central ideas: the favorable outlook for regional jets over the next twenty years; Rus-sia’s growing role in the global avia-tion industry; and Snecma’s goal of expanding its scope of expertise by taking full charge of a commercial jet engine. Furthermore, the devel-opment of this type of engine had to go hand in hand with an equally modern platform. So we offered our new engine for the projected Superjet 100 regional jet, and it was selected in May 2003.”

The teaming arrangement between Snecma and NPO Saturn is based on the same general principles as the CFM56, a very successful joint ven-ture by Snecma and General Elec-tric that reaches back more than 30 years.

ParTnErsHIP. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 represents the future of regional aviation. Snecma and NPO Saturn teamed up through PowerJet to develop a new propulsion system purpose-designed for this market segment.

POWERJET, AN AUDACIOUS FRENCH-RUSSIAN PARTNERSHIP

On track Six years after the official launch of the SaM146, the program is right on track: eight development engines and six pre-production engines have been built, and certification tests are under way. PowerJet is responsible for all aspects of the SaM146, including marketing, development, production, sales and support. There are complementary entities as well, including the VolgAero plant that manufactures engine parts, and Poluevo Invest, in charge of an open-air engine test cell in Russia.

Top-flight performance “Results to date are excellent,” notes Jean-Paul Ebanga. “The engine has

logged several thousand hours of operation, and continues to demon-strate its excellent performance and reliability.” But any program this ambitious also runs into its share of difficulties, as Ebanga explains: “Not only did we develop a new engine, which is already a very complex undertaking, but we were also set-ting up a new international part-nership. This program forced us to develop some brand-new solutions, in particular to resolve certain fiscal and legal problems inherent in any trade relationship between France and Russia.”

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Having made its first flight on May 19, 2008, the Superjet 100 could well be one of the stars

at the 2009 Paris Air Show. “We want to win about 17 percent of the regional aircraft market in the next 20 years,” says Svetlana Issaeva. “We estimate the market, now dominated by Embraer and Bombardier, at 6,100 aircraft. Our aim is to sell more than 1,000 Superjets.”

The current economic crisis means that airlines need to make their fleets more efficient than ever. With its reduced fuel consumption and maintenance costs, the Superjet is the right solution. Sukhoi has logged 137 orders to date. Aeroflot, a member of the Skyteam alliance, is the launch customer. This is a major success for the aircraft manufacturer, which was able to adapt very quickly to Western standards in terms of certification, financing and marketing. It also marks a successful diversification for Sukhoi, much better known around the world for its fighters.

bREAkTHROUgHT IN THE COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE MARkET

from Snecma are seconded to the various production and test sites in Russia. Collaborating with Russia on this program has reinvigorated the company’s teams through new chal-lenges. Results are equally positive at NPO Saturn, where everybody is doing their utmost to design and pro-duce a new engine that meets West-ern standards.

“Our collaboration reflects a long-haul relationship between France and Russia, since this airplane and its engine will be in operation for the next forty years!” notes Jean-Paul Ebanga. “By meeting today’s challenges, we will realize the out-standing promise that this program harbors in the years to come.” ■

SVETlANA ISSAEVA, VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING, SUKHOI CIVIL AIRCRAFT COMPANY.

Sukhoi officially selected the SaM146 to power its new regional jet in 2003.

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T he Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a major program for Messier-Dowty, a Safran group com-pany. This landing gear spe-

cialist has mainly worked on business aircraft and large commercial jetlin-ers until now, but with the Superjet 100 it bolsters its position in the regional aviation market. “We were selected by Sukhoi in 2003,” recalls Carole Petit-Marty, program manager at Messier-Dowty. “When Sukhoi opted for a main gear with dual struts in 2005 we had to accelerate the pace of development.”

Design work was a concurrent effort by Messier-Dowty’s Canadian plant in Toronto, for the main landing gear, and the French plant in Vélizy, for the nose gear. Another plant, at Bidos in southwest France, will manufacture

safran magazine _ June 2009June 2009 _ safran magazine

T he SaM146 marks the first time Safran is managing the development of a complete propulsion system, includ-

ing the engine itself, plus the nacelle and thrust reverser. The engine is under the responsibility of a joint venture called PowerJet, created by Safran company Snecma and the Russian engine manufacturer NPO Saturn. The worksplit is clear, with the Russian partner in charge of the low-pressure section, assembly and final testing, and the French partner in charge of the engine core (high-

pressure section), control system, accessories and integration. Each partner is responsible for the design and development of the equipment under its responsibility. As the sys-tems integrator, Snecma is coordinat-ing the program, in association with NPO Saturn.

PrOPulsIOn. Innovative yet simple, the SaM146 perfectly meets the requirements of the regional aviation market. Here we take a closer look at this engine that delivers excellent performance for the Superjet 100.

POWERPLANT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

EQuIPMEnT. In addition to the propulsion system, Safran provides other systems and equipment on the Superjet 100, starting with the landing gear and nacelles.

SAFRAN, MAJOR EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER ON THE SUPERJET 100

Philippe Perrin, a former fighter pilot and astronaut, is a test pilot at Airbus. He was also alternate test pilot for Snecma on the SaM146 program, and kept a close eye on the development of the new engine. Perrin co-piloted the Ilyushin IL-76 flying testbed for the maiden flight of the new engine. “The SaM146 was a fascinating adventure, based on a very tight-knit collaboration between French and Russian teams. During the test flights, I was struck by how we all spoke the same language: of technicians from two countries with a great tradition in aeronautics. During some 45 hours of testing on the IL-76, we were able to completely open the flight envelope and explore the engine’s handling qualities. In the end, we delivered a safe, responsive engine, which played a key role in the successful first flight of the Superjet 100.”

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Messier-Dowty designs and produces the complete landing gear system for the Superjet 100.

“Engine development went very quickly,” recalls program manager Robert Vivier. “The first ground test was on July 9, 2006, and the engine reached nominal power. We carried out the first flight test using a flying testbed on December 6, 2007, and six months later the Superjet 100 made its first flight, powered by two SaM146s.”

Performance and simplicityThe SaM146 is technically sophisti-cated and yet simple, to ensure that its maintenance costs are signifi-

cantly lower than competing engines. For example, the core developed by Snecma largely draws on the com-pany’s experience with the M88, the engine powering the Rafale fighter, as well as extensive work on its DEM21 core demonstrator program.

“We have met our performance and

SaM146 engine under the wing of the Ilyushin IL-76 flying testbed, in August 2007.

specific fuel consumption targets,” says Robert Vivier, “and the engine satisfies all environmental standards with room to spare.” Based on the SaM146’s performance, the Superjet 100 should carve out an excellent position in the highly competitive market for regional jets. Building on this initial success, the engine may well be chosen to power other new commercial airplanes. ■

PHIlIPPE PERRIN, AIRBUS TEST PILOT

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Aircelle makes a complete nacelle system, including the thrust reversers, air inlets, nozzle, fan cowls, etc.

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the shock struts and carry out final assembly of the nose landing gear.

The Superjet 100 is also the first regional jet to be fitted with fly-by-wire flight controls. This feature actu-ally affects the landing gear, since it interfaces with about 50 other aircraft systems. As Carole Petit-Marty points out, “The control unit for landing functions is under the responsibility of Safran Electronics.”

Because of the fast-paced develop-ment of the aircraft, a preproduction version of the landing gear was used on the Superjet 100 during its maiden

flight on May 19, 2008. “We’re still working on development of the pro-duction-standard landing gear, opti-mized in terms of the weight budget, which will be certified at the same time at the airplane,” adds Petit-Marty.

Qualification tests started back in November 2008 and fatigue tests will continue until 2014. “Most tests will be carried out in Toronto, except the fatigue tests for the main gear, conducted by the SibNIA research institute in Novosibirsk,” notes Petit-Marty. “Static and fatigue tests

require the use of a wing section rigidity simulator. loads are applied to this wing section during simula-tions of takeoffs, landing and taxiing. Russian certification authorities have also requested ‘multi-drop’ endurance tests, including a demonstration of sustained shock attenuation, and this is a first at Messier-Dowty.”

Total responsibilityFellow Group company and nacelle specialist Aircelle, selected by Power-Jet at the end of 2003, is also logging a number of firsts.

“For this program we’re taking care of everything within the scope of a nacelle manufacturer,” explains Serge David, Superjet program manager at Aircelle. “In other words, our respon-sibilities include not only the thrust reversers, air inlet, nozzle and fan cowls, but also the engine suspension system and what we call the Engine Build Up, or EBU, meaning all the wiring harnesses and ducts providing the interface between the aircraft and the engine.”

The design of the suspension sys-tem, which connects the engine to

the pylon, is a first for Aircelle. “This is the first time we’ve designed these parts, which means we had to start working with the engine-maker very early in the process,” says David.

Aircelle is also in charge of final integration of the nacelle, a task known as podding. “The podding was performed by an Aircelle team based near the assembly line in Komsomolsk-on-Amur,” says David. “We’ll be delivering complete propul-sion assemblies, so that the aircraft manufacturer just has to attach them under the wings.”

The nacelle itself boasts aerody-namic and acoustic performance on a par with the latest Boeing and Airbus jetliners, a first for a regional jet in this class. “We’re applying advanced technologies,” adds David, “such as a single-piece acoustic panel for the air inlet. large acoustic panels are also

used for the fan cowls, nozzle and thrust reversers.” Aircelle has made wide use of composite materials to reduce overall weight, including on the nozzle.

Entering productionSukhoi plans to deliver the first pro-duction Superjet 100 at the end of the year. Which means that Messier-Dowty, Aircelle and other Safran companies are stepping up the pace to meet this tight deadline. Messier-Dowty has already delivered the first landing gear shipset, and expects to deliver a few more by the end of the year. Aircelle is moving forward at the same rate, and will complete manufacture and podding of nacelles for all test aircraft by the beginning of the summer. Its plants will then make the transition to production-standard equipment. ■

SAFRAN’S CONTRIbUTION TO THE SUPERJET 100

Sagem • Engine overspeed controller

aircelle• Thrust reversers • Nacelles

Sofrance• Engine injector upstream filter• Main fuel filter

Snecma ProPUlSion SoliDe • Mixed flow nozzle (MFN)

TechSPace aero• Lubrication systems

microTUrbo• Air starter

hiSPano-SUiza• Electrical equipment• Hydromechanical equipment• FADEC (via Fadec International)• Engine control system components

Technofan• Fans

ENgINE

Snecma (Via PoWerJeT)• SaM146 propulsion system

OTHER EQUIPMENT

meSSier-DoWTy• Landing gear

ENgINE EQUIPMENT

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Safran delivers its 100th nozzle for the European launcher

ARIANE 5PROPULSION SYSTEMS


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THE 100TH NOZZLE FOR ARIANE 5Starting in 1996, Snecma Propulsion Solide (Safran group) has designed and produced nozzles for the huge MPS solid rocket motors on Ariane 5’s boosters. Operating for 130 seconds after liftoff, these strap-on boosters provide more than 90% of the thrust generated by Ariane 5 to lift its 750 metric tons (1.65 million pounds) free from the Earth’s gravity and through the dense lower atmosphere. The nozzle is also movable to steer the launcher. It is 3.3 meters high (about 10 feet), weighs 6 metric tons (13,200 lb) and is primarily made of Sepcarb®, a carbon-carbon composite that features a low rate of erosion. The metallic exit cone has a thermal lining made of the ablative composite Sephen®, allowing it to support over 2 tons/second of hot gases at up to 3,000°C. For more information on Ariane 5’s solid rocket motor, see www.snecma-propulsion-solide.com, in the “Businesses and Markets” section.


panorama

1. MILESTONE In honor of the delivery of the 100th nozzle to Arianespace, program partners organized a panel discussion of the past, present and future of Ariane 5. From left to right: moderator Serge Guynier from TV station France 3 Aquitaine, Michel Freuchet, head of Launcher Programs at EADS Astrium Space Transportation, Jean-Luc Engerand, Chairman and CEO of Snecma Propulsion Solide, and Pierre-Yves Tissier, Ariane production project manager, Arianespace.

2. CURINGCuring the nozzle’s thermal protection in an autoclave.

3. CONTAINER LOADINGThe nozzle is placed in a container to protect it during shipping to Kourou, French Guiana, where it is assembled with the rest of the solid rocket motor prior to launch.

4. ASSEMBLY HALL This is where all steps in the nozzle assembly process take place, up to loading in its shipping container.

5. TOOLINGThese mandrels in the shape of nozzles are used for the winding operation that forms the thermal protection lining for the nozzles.

6. PROTECTIONInstalling the thermal protection lining on the nozzle’s exit cone.

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N ew helicopter sales have grown 13 percent annually since 2006. The helicopter MRO (maintenance, repair

and overhaul) market is enjoying sus-tained growth. “The growth rate will slow down in 2009 because of the global economic crisis, but there is still a basic upward trend, at least for civil helicopters. However, the mili-tary helicopter market seems stable,” notes Serge Maillé, head of operator support and sales at Turbomeca (Saf-ran group).

There is also major growth head-room in countries such as Russia, China and India, where helicopters are still relatively scarce. Of course, an uptick in sales is inevitably followed by the development of MRO business.

The helicopter market is extremely diverse, as Serge Maillé explains: “The civil sector is characterized by a wide variety of customers and use rates, from offshore helicopter fleets logging over 1,000 flight-hours per year, often

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under very difficult conditions, to VIP-corporate clients who have a single machine and rarely fly more than 100 or 200 hours a year. The military mar-ket, which generates 40 percent of our service business, is more homogenous. Most of the time we’re dealing with highly structured organizations, and a far more organized approach to main-tenance.”

The helicopter market demands both local presence and quick respon-siveness. The most highly organized operators, with fleets exceeding 30 machines, account for 15 to 20% of all customers, but 70% of MRO busi-ness. “Each of our strategic customers expects us to be a real partner, fully aware of their requirements and totally involved in their operations,” empha-sizes Serge Maillé.

Capitalizing on global presence Turbomeca is almost exclusively ded-icated to helicopter turbine engines,

MrO. Turbomeca, the world’s leading maker of helicopter turbine engines, is also No. 1 in the growth market of engine MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul). Its leadership is driven by technical expertise and close customer support.

TURBOMECA nETwORk: COMpETiTivE EdgE

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with a range that spans nearly all rotorcraft power requirements. The company naturally developed sup-port services dedicated to each seg-ment and customer.

“We created 40 service centers dedicated to on-site repairs, mean-ing those where the engine does not need to be removed,” notes Serge Maillé. “We also have 24 industrial repair centers, offering more in-depth servicing for both civil and military customers. Eleven of these centers are Turbomeca-branded, and they are responsible for 85 percent of all world-

Servicing an Arriel 1d engine on an Ecureuil helicopter.

Engine evaluation managers study turbine parts under repair.

wide repair services for our turbines.”Seeking to capitalize on this global

presence, a clear competitive edge in the market, Turbomeca also deploys some 40 Field Representatives. Work-ing closely with customers and ready to support their operations, these Field Reps are capable of quickly finding solutions to technical problems. “Our guys are real specialists,” enthuses Maillé. “In fact, they offer recommen-dations that go far beyond the engine itself, since their end-goal is to keep their machines in the air as much as possible.”

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marketssuCCess. Safran won several key contracts on the new Airbus A350 XWB in the first quarter of 2009. In addition to previous contracts for the landing gear, wheels and carbon brakes and integrated landing system, Group companies will also provide wiring for the fuselage and engine pylons.

SAFRAn BUiLdS iTS FUTURE wiTH THE AiRBUS A350 XwB

Field Reps work in tandem with Customer Support Managers, who are in charge of the contractual and sales aspects of the relation-ship. “Setting up this dual network required heavy investments,” admits Maillé, “but it also enabled us to establish real personalized relations of mutual trust with our customers.”

Taking the market’s pulse Turbomeca also revised its approach to services in 2008. Before changing anything, however, Turbomeca sur-veyed its customers to find out what type of “value-added” they expected from their engine supplier. Serge Maillé summarizes the conclusions: “Major operators want us to work more closely with them to optimize their maintenance management, by sharing feedback and suggesting improvements or helping them deploy new solutions. To meet their demand, we revised our training programs to make them more modular, and thus more easily adaptable to each cus-tomer’s specific needs. That was also the thinking behind our ‘power by the hour’ support solutions, again with the aim of completely person-alizing each contract. A number of customers also shared their concerns about electronic equipment, so we’ll be working with them in the coming months and years to simplify these components and subassemblies.”

shaping the futureAnother major concern for custom-ers is durability. Turbomeca is of course working in this direction: for example, the time between overhauls for the Arrius 2B2, powerplant of the Eurocopter EC135 light twin, has been increased from 3,500 to 4,000 hours.

This improvement reflects the reli-ability and proven technology of the Arrius 2B2, of course, but it was also made possible by gathering feedback in the field, and by customers follow-ing the operating recommendations issued by Turbomeca.

Insurance companies also have certain demands. In 2005, consid-ering the growing risk of insuring a

helicopter-based business, they con-vened all stakeholders in the sector to emphasize the necessity of reduc-ing the number of accidents, espe-cially given the growth in the overall f leet. Insurers recommended focus-ing on human factors, which are the cause of virtually all accidents.

Three year s ago Turbomeca launched a project called “BASIS”, designed to reduce human error and

T he Airbus A350 XWB, an “extra wide body” twinjet with a range exceeding 9,500 miles, available in three versions, has

already won 450 orders from 30 custom-ers. First flight is slated for the end of 2011, with service entry of the initial A350-900 version planned in 2013, fol-lowed by the -800 version the next year and the -1000 in 2015. Depending on the version, the A350 will carry 250 to 350 passengers.

For Airbus, this new aircraft will enable it to compete with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It incorporates systems and equipment from several Safran group companies, including Messier-Bugatti for the integrated landing sys-tem and Labinal for fuselage and engine pylon wiring.

new carbon brakes for the a350 XWBMessier-Bugatti was chosen back in February 2008 to provide all braking and landing control systems. It offer an integrated solution comprising the braking control system, landing gear extension/retraction system, moni-toring systems (tires, brakes, landing gear) and steering system. A year later, the company’s carbon brake, based on Sepcarb IIIOR carbon disks, was also selected for the new airplane. As the world’s leading supplier of wheels and carbon brakes for mainline jets (over

100 seats), Messier-Bugatti is a blue-chip supplier for Airbus. “The brake we developed uses the latest carbon materials and an advanced anti-oxi-dation coating called Anoxy 66,” says Jean Souètre, head of wheel and brake programs at Messier-Bugatti. “Its other main feature is that it’s a single-cavity hydraulic brake, which means there is only a single hydraulic circuit, a first in our work for Airbus.” Furthermore, this new carbon brake was eco-designed and eco-produced (see box on page 27).

Another first on the A350 is that

Messier-Bugatti was selected through Airbus’s new Early Supplier Selection program, which involves the selection of suppliers four to five years before the plane enters service. “An early selection means we can participate in the devel-opment process,” explains Souètre. “We work together on the specifications, and this joint design effort is new in the aviation business.” It also means that partners will come up with solutions that are optimized for the A350 XWB family.

“Different versions of the plane will

Labinal’s design department works on wiring systems for the Airbus A350 XwB.

Maintenance operation on Arrius 2k1 engine in an Agusta A109 power.

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prevent certain accidents. The aim of this project is to consolidate and centralize all information concern-ing a f leet of engines, and to support more efficient maintenance sched-uling. “By automating data manage-ment and limiting human involve-ment as much as possible,” says Serge Maillé, “we are paving the way for innovative services and extra value-added for our customers.” ■

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ECO-BRAKESMessier-Bugatti’s carbon brake for the Airbus A350 XWB is eco-designed and eco-produced. Furthermore, it contains no chromium (the world’s first “zero-chrome” brake), nor asbestos, and has considerably reduced the use of other heavy metals, including cadmium. “We initiated this approach at Messier-Bugatti, and it is now reflected in general market requirements,” says Jean Souètre, director of wheel and brake programs at Messier-Bugatti.

FLIGHT DATA UNDER CONTROL

In addition to Messier-Bugatti and Messier-Dowty (Safran group), chosen in 2007 for the main landing gear, fellow Group company Sagem was also chosen in 2008 as a supplier on the Airbus A350 XWB, for the flight data acquisition and security system. This is based on two main units: the centralized data acquisition unit (CDAU) and the secure communication interface (SCI). The CDAU handles the acquisition, processing, monitoring, display and recording of the aircraft’s flight data to monitor systems, ensure flight safety and support

maintenance. It is used to analyze vibration levels, oil consumption and other key parameters. If the system records a deviation from normal values, the CDAU stores the information, summarizes the history of the event and sends it to ground maintenance crews.

The SCI is the secure gateway between the aircraft’s core avionics (a high-security, safety-critical system) and the open information and communications networks for the crew and cabin systems (air conditioning, in-flight entertainment, etc.).

Sagem is also supplying the aircraft’s throttles, the first time an Airbus jetliner will be equipped with cockpit control components by Safran.

The A350 XwB will generate sales of 11 billion euros for Safran over its lifespan.

have specific equipment items, but there will also be a number of common points,” says Souètre. In particular, the A350-1000 will have a main landing gear with 12 wheels, versus eight on the other versions, and a different size tire.

The A350 XWB is obviously a key program for Airbus. According to Olivier Le Merrer, head of the wheel and brake business at Messier-Bugatti, “We were already chosen for the Boeing 787. With the Airbus A350 XWB, we’re now a major supplier on the two new-generation long-haul airplanes offered by the two leading manufacturers.”

a key work package for LabinalIn January 2009 Labinal was officially named a Risk Sharing Partner on the A350 XWB, with responsibility for sev-

eral complete electrical systems. It will be in charge of the design and installa-tion of the Electrical Wiring Intercon-nect System, or EWIS, for the entire fuselage and the pylons that attach the engines under the wings. Drawing on its experience and expertise, Labinal offers advanced technology solutions, such as wiring “segregation” and pro-tection against electromagnetic inter-ference. Furthermore, Labinal has the powerful tools and skills needed to quickly move from functional design (interconnecting the aircraft’s systems) to the actual installation of the wiring harnesses.

This contract marks a major step in Labinal’s development as a company capable of offering more complete packages. “Our scope of expertise now goes from design and manufac-

turing to installation,” notes Henri Griguère, vice president for strategy at Labinal. “Our approach is based on adapting our model to meet the cus-tomer’s specific requirements, giving them custom-tail ored solutions. And that enables the aircraft manufactur-ers to focus on their core business. We started working with Airbus very early in the process so we could refine our proposal and quickly deliver a fully mature solution.”

With these two new contracts, the Airbus A350 XWB now represents potential sales of over 11 billion euros for Safran. ■

K MOREFor further information on Safran’s contri-bution to the A350 XWB, see the revamped Group website: www.safran-group.com

Sagem will supply the throttles and certains avionics equipment on the A350 XwB.

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I n June 2008, Safran acquired Sdu Identification B.V. (Sdu-I), subse-quently renamed Sagem Identifica-tion. This Dutch-based company

manufactures secure identification doc-uments, including electronic passports, ID cards and new-generation driver licenses. Headquartered near Amster-dam, Sagem Identification is one of the world’s leading specialists in polycar-bonate data page technology. “Acquir-ing Sdu-I makes us the only company in the world to offer proven expertise in all of the key technologies needed for secure ID documents, spanning biomet-rics, cryptology, smart card software and secure printing,” says Jean-Paul Jainsky, Chairman and CEO of Sagem Sécurité (Safran Group).

The acquisition also gives Safran the additional capabilities it needs to tackle the market for new-generation passports, slated for strong growth in the coming years, thanks in particular to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. All countries wishing to benefit from the visa waiver will be required to introduce passports that meet U.S. government security requirements. Rising demand will also be driven by the European Union’s rec-ommendations on biometric passports.

stronger presence in the u.s.In April 2009, Safran completed the acquisition of Printrak, Motorola’s bio-metric business unit, headquartered in Anaheim, near Los Angeles, California.

seCurITY. Safran’s acquisition of Sdu-I in 2008 was followed just a few months later by the purchase of Motorola’s biometrics business, consolidating the Group’s position as the global leader in identity solutions.

MAJOR ACQUiSiTiOnS SHApE SAFRAn’S dEvELOpMEnT

VIEWPOINT

OLIVIER ANDRIES, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGY, SAFRAN GROUP

Growth sector

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Printrak specializes in automated finger-print identification systems (AFIS), mainly for police forces, and has more

The kugler 1 machine assembles passport pages containing secure data in Sagem identification’s plant in the netherlands.

“These acquisitions underscore the Safran group’s desire to strengthen its position in the security market, our third core business alongside defense and aerospace. The market should continue to see sustained strong growth in the next few years, despite the global economic crisis. The identity document segment, in particular, is set to expand at over 15% per year between now and 2015. Safran’s objectives in the security market focus on three segments: identity solutions, passenger detection and control, and security for high-value sites.”

than 300 customers in 40 countries. The acquisition boosts Sagem Sécurité’s pres-ence in the United States, where it

already supplies identification solutions to major customers such as the FBI. Expanding business in the U.S. is a major strategic challenge, because this country accounts for 40% of the world biometric solutions market, and also drives developments in other countries in its role as a leading specifier of secu-rity requirements. “The acquisition of Motorola’s biometrics business will gen-erate technological and industrial syner-gies, making us even more competitive,” says Jainsky. “The associated expansion of our R&D capabilities will allow us to boost innovation as well.” To speed up the process, Printrak and Sagem Mor-pho (Sagem Sécurité’s U.S. subsidiary) have merged to form a new company, named MorphoTrak. ■

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markets

A nnounced in July 2008 at the Farnborough air show in Britain, the TRUEn-gine™ label created by

CFM International, the joint com-pany of Snecma (Safran group) and General Electric that builds CFM56 engines, meets a clear need in the aviation industry. TRUEn-gine is an innovative initiative by an aero-engine manufacturer, and

Offer. The TRUEngine qualification program, launched less than a year ago by CFM International, introduces an innovative label in the aviation market. Its success reflects strong pent-up demand.

TRUEnginE: CERTiFYing ORiginAL vALUE

Royal Air Maroc has certified the 80 engines in its fleet.

Servicing a CFM56-7B at one of Snecma’s French facilities.

OVER 2,000 ENGINES QUALIFIED

Less than eight months after being launched, the TRUEngine™ program has proved to be a resounding success, demonstrating the validity of the concept. As of March 31, 2009, seven fleets had already earned this qualification: • Royal Air Maroc

• Aer Lingus• AirAsia• Malaysia Airlines• KLM• Southwest Airlines• Continental Airlines. They will shortly be joined by other fleets, now in the process of being qualified.

seeks to address issues raised by airlines and other engine owners. François-Xavier Hussenet, prod-uct marketing manager at Snecma, explains: “Appraisers estimate the value of aircraft engines, just like a ‘blue book’ or similar publication provides guidelines for used car prices. Their latest analyses show that recent changes in the market have made this task rather problem-atic.”

By labeling engine parts and maintenance operations, in line with CFM recommendations, the TRUEngine program partially meets appraisers’ needs. This label gives operators and potential buyers a formal evaluation of the value of the engine.

Online engine status The qualification process depends

VIEWPOINT

MOHAMED BELLATIG VICE PRESIDENT ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE, ROYAL AIR MAROC

“Royal Air Maroc’s CFM engines were qualified in the first quarter of 2009, covering nearly 80 engines. In general, we support any measure that seeks to improve the quality and facilitate the management of the products we use. From this viewpoint, the TRUEngine program is an excellent technical solution that meets a broad need in the aviation industry. It enhances technical support and provides additional information on the integrity of engines, since both the parts and processes are qualified by the engine manufacturer. Above and beyond any commercial

considerations, I believe that technical collaboration between operator and manufacturer is important to establish relations of mutual trust, improve product quality and, in the final analysis, enhance service delivered to the customer. A program of this type helps reinforce this long-term relationship and validates a sustained collaboration. CFM International and Royal Air Maroc share the same level of unyielding expectations. The TRUEngine program will help support the joint development of solutions to adapt to the changing requirements of our business.”

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on the engine report, which lists its entire maintenance history,” notes Hussenet. “New engines are quali-fied as soon as they leave the fac-tory. Engines that hit the market recently, and have yet to undergo any shop maintenance, can earn the label fairly simply. However, once an engine has already undergone a shop visit, the report must be studied very closely.”

Once the TRUEngine label i s awarded, thi s quali f ication applies until the next shop visit, or until a change in the engine configuration. Some 2,000 engines have received the TRUEngine label to date, and this list can be con-sulted online on CFM’s Customer Web Center.

Owners will eventually be able to see the exact qualification status of their engine at any given moment, based on it s maintenance and repair history, by merely entering its serial number. The ultimate aim is to largely automate the system, by creating gateways that inter-face with the information systems at maintenance shops, and to keep this process very transparent for the customer. ■

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F rance feted the “Year of Brazil” in 2005. This year, it is the turn of the South American giant to reciprocate. A host of cultural and

artistic events are being organized to mark “The Year of France in Brazil” (see box), which should also give a welcome boost to business relations between the two coun-tries.

The Safran group – which has oper-ated in Brazil for 26 years via its subsidiary Turbomeca do Brasil – kicked off 2009 with a major contract win when the Bra-zilian army selected Safran’s Makila 2A turboshaft engine to power its new fleet of 50 EC725 helicopters. More powerful than its predecessors, the Makila 2A is also equipped with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC), which records hundreds of different engine operating parameters to enhance flight safety and maintainability.

GrOWTH. A major contract with the Brazilian army bolsters Safran’s presence in Brazil and ensures through-life support business up to 2040.

SAFRAn And BRAZiL, pARTnERS FOR THE LOng HAUL

The contract, which encompasses assembly and testing as well as through-life support, represents a major achievement for the helicopter engine-maker. “No other manufacturer is in this position,” explains Turbomeca do Brasil’s managing director François Haas. “This will naturally put us on a stronger footing in the local market.”

The significant investments called for by the different facets of the contract are already under way, with a new test cell slated to enter service at the Rio de Janeiro repair center in 2010. The employee head-count will also rise. “We are planning to recruit around 30 engineers and techni-cians by 2011,” says François Haas. A boost to the existing workforce of 260 is vital, given the need to provide training for Brazilian army mechanics assigned to the maintenance of the new helicopter fleet.

Credibility anchors future growthTurbomeca do Brasil’s mix of local facili-ties and unrivaled expertise was a major differentiating factor for the Brazilian army. “Proximity played a key role in our contract award decision,” confirms Gen-eral Peternelli, the army’s head of airborne resources. “A local partner is more respon-sive, quicker to understand problems, and more effective at transferring knowledge.”

Delivery of the engines is scheduled for completion in 2016. Given the Makila 2A’s design life of 25 to 30 years, Fran-çois Haas is optimistic about the ongoing prospects for subsequent support business:

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SAFRAN SPONSORS “THE YEAR OF FRANCE IN BRAZIL”

The Year of France in Brazil provides a unique opportunity to forge stronger links between the two countries. A major series of events offer Brazilians a broad overview of France’s artistic talents in a range of disciplines, with over 600 projects in fashion, theater, literature, architecture and the visual arts taking shape around the country throughout the year. This host of cultural events

will be supplemented by a scientific, technical and economic program which includes a meeting of the Institut Pasteur International Network in Rio de Janeiro in October, as well as economic development missions at various trade fairs, such as the Latin American Aerospace and Defense Show; the smart card and identification show in April; and the offshore exploration and hydrocarbons show in June. The entire program is being sponsored by Safran, along with many other French companies and institutions.

30 YEARS OF SUCCESSThe Safran group first entered the Brazilian market back in 1977, with the sale of Hispano-Suiza turbines for power generation and gas compression applications on Brazil’s oil drilling platforms. Turbomeca came on the scene shortly afterward, supplying equipment for helicopters, while the Brazilian Air Force’s Mirage III aircraft were subsequently powered by Snecma engines. Today, the full spectrum of the Group’s businesses is represented in the country. The CFM56 engine manufactured by CFM International – a 50/50 subsidiary of Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric – has scored a slew of major successes in the Brazilian market, powering the entire Boeing 737 fleets operated by the airlines GOL and Varig. Sagem Orga do Brasil (450 employees) develops and manufactures digital security solutions based on smart cards and biometric identification technologies. Safran has also supplied systems and equipment to Embraer, the world’s leading regional aircraft manufacturer, for over 20 years.

“The contract should generate a recurring income stream until 2040 or even 2050.”

Brazil’s keen interest in further high-tech applications involving Safran group companies (such as the Rafale combat air-craft, the Felin future infantry combat sys-tem and the Scorpène submarine) could mean that the EC725 contract marks the start of something big. When future contracts are up for grabs, the credibility gained by Turbomeca do Brasil should stand Group companies in good stead in both the military and civil markets. ■

K MOREFor further information on the Makila engine, see the “Media” section in Safran’s revamped website, www.safran-group.com

Brazilian planemaker Embraer, the world leader in regional aircraft, works with seven Safran group companies.

50 EC725 helicopters powered by twin Makila 2A engines will be delivered to the Brazilian army by 2016.

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S tarting in November 2008, French army units in Afghani-stan have deployed the Sper-wer tactical drone, or UAV

(unmanned aerial vehicle), as it’s called in military jargon. Like the armed forces of Canada and the Netherlands, which have used this drone for several years already, the French have been won over by its performance in the field. The Sperwer tactical drone, used for recon-naissance missions under particularly harsh conditions, has been dubbed the “guardian angel” by ground forces.

“We paid very close attention to user requirements when developing this pro-gram,” says Patrice Chenière, head of sales and marketing in the drones and airborne surveillance department of Sagem (Safran group). “For instance, we designed the Sperwer so it could be deployed directly by the operating unit, which could program its flight path, launch it using a catapult and then recover the drone without special equipment.” This very short, direct cycle is one of the qualities most appreciated by units in the field, who can launch the drone independently. In addition, they can change its flight path at any given moment, and direct the gyrostabilized observation pod towards a specific target.

Tactical interoperabilityThe Sperwer drone system is actually being deployed in a broader context,

Defense. Sperwer drones have taken on an important role with armed forces deployed in Afghanistan, as these tactical UAV systems continue to expand their scope of application.

dROnES, kEY TO SECURiTY And inTEROpERABiLiTY

VIEWPOINT

BRIGADIER GENERAL PATRICE SARTRE, MILITARY ADVISOR, SAGEM

“Drones have proven to be particularly useful in asymmetrical operations, where our troops may find themselves in very isolated positions scattered over vast areas. Under these circumstances, the drone plays a decisive role by surveying the environment to provide early warnings of any possible threats. They are especially apt for these missions because the catapult launch and parachute recovery means that drones can always be used independently in any theater of operation, without requiring additional infrastructure.

Canadian armed forces have shown how they can be used ahead of convoys, or troop movements in general. But drones are also very useful in

support of firepower (planes, helicopters, artillery), since they offer more accurate information on targets, and lower the risk of friendly fire and collateral damage.

The Sperwer is today’s top tactical UAV system, based on its total integration in airspace management, and its ability to support extremely short information cycles between the ground-based warfighters and close air support. These are major advantages in relation to competitors that are either drones with similar capabilities, but reserved to higher command levels, or drones than can be operated by lower-level units, but do not offer the same airspace integration capability.”

Warning and surveillance missions

based on interoperability between different service branches or armies. Information gathered by the drone can be transmitted directly towards a national or allied command, fused with other information, or, on very short notice, be processed to provide target coordinates for attacks by artil-lery or airplanes.

The most commonly assigned mis-sion is to detect threats and protect or support ground troops. This was in fact the raison d’être behind the exercise carried out last January at the Saint-Dizier air base in Eastern France, bringing together the Rafale

combat aircraft from the 1/7 Provence fighter squadron, and Sperwer drones (designated SDTI in France) from the 61st Artillery Regiment. Objective: provide training for aircraft crews, drone crews and ground troops who will be collaborating on joint mis-sions. A forward aerial observer, positioned in the drone ground con-trol station, was in charge of retrans-mitting target coordinates detected by the Sperwer drone to the Rafale fighters. With this information, the pilot could decide whether to attack using his plane’s guns, or to launch an AASM guided weapon,

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also developed by Sagem (see Saf-ran Magazine, No. 5). The very high precision offered by the AASM takes full advantage of the information sup-plied by the drone. This joint services exercise also showed that the drone was fully capable of operating in the same airspace as other aircraft, with-out disturbing traffic.

“Very early in the game, we ana-lyzed ways of guaranteeing security, and we’re at the forefront of think-ing on new regulations in this area,” emphasizes Patrice Chenière. “The experience we have built up over the last ten years is invaluable.” Based

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on lessons learned from various for-eign deployments, Sagem has also developed a new terminal, dubbed RVT (Remote Video Terminal), that directly receives images from the drone and handles tactical coordina-tion.

Looking ahead The Sperwer tactical drone meets the needs of ground troops who want a surveillance system that operates as closely as possible to combat zones. The primary aim is therefore to ensure

the operational availability of this sys-tem until 2016. However, this strategy also takes account of future upgrades, in particular the Sperwer Mk II, which reduces the overall system size to facilitate air-transportability, and introduces a more user-friendly multi-function control station, a new cata-pult, etc. According to Pierre Jorant, head of drone programs at Sagem, “We’re also looking at other possibili-ties, including a modernized aircraft, greater range, etc.”

To meet the expanding range of

requirements, Sagem will draw on its expertise in all the technologies needed for an effective drone system: high-performance imaging system, data transmission, mission planning, inertial navigation, flight control and system integration. Pierre Jorant is very confident: “Based on our expe-rience and expertise, we can tackle the development of new-generation, higher-performance systems, incor-porating the latest technologies and carried out within the scope of joint European programs.” ■

Sperwer drone next to a Rafale fighter for a joint exercise in 2009.

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safran magazine _June 2009

Engineering and other services are a major part of Safran’s corporate strategy, which is mobilizing the Group’s com-

panies and resources to develop more comprehensive solutions. The scien-tific and technological engineering specialist Teuchos, for example, is recognized for its expertise in the transport sector. “We’re actually closer to technology engineering,” explains Teuchos Chairman and CEO Gérard Le Page. His compa-ny is prime contractor for various technical development programs, as well as carrying out technical assis-tance and evaluation missions. The aerospace industry accounts for 80% of the company’s business, and the auto industry most of the balance. “In an environment characterized by increasingly complex systems,” says Le Page, “we address the core tech-nologies in our customers’ businesses, namely complex mechanical systems, command-control systems and safety-critical equipment.”

The market expects increasingly complete solutions covering the entire system development cycle, from preliminary studies and devel-opment to operational support.

Tailored servicesLabinal, the world leader in aircraft wiring systems, applies a similar strategy. This Safran company meets emerging needs by operating as an

electrical systems integrator, backed by local service, to give customers real end-to-end support spanning all requirements and all locations. Reflecting this strategy, the compa-ny has created the Labinal Services division. “We want to provide our customers with more comprehensive services, from wiring system design to installation and testing,” says Labinal Chairman and CEO Norman Jordan. “Our strategy reflects the increasingly common practice of providing inte-grated work packages.”

The second major aspect of Labinal’s strategy is “customer proximity”, as shown by the wiring design and production contract for the Boeing 787. At the height of this operation, 450 Labinal staff were working with Boeing at its main plant in Everett, Washington. Labinal also has facili-ties in Blagnac, France, Chihuahua, Mexico, and even in Bangalore at Safran Aerospace India, a subsidiary of Teuchos! This is a clear illustration of the natural complementary relation-ship between two Group companies. ■

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The Teuchos design department, specialized in structural mechanics.

sTraTeGY. Markets expect increasingly complete solutions and Safran is on the ball, as shown by Group subsidiaries Teuchos and Labinal.

EnginEERing And SERviCES: dEvELOping COMpREHEnSivE SOLUTiOnS


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ticipating in this program as a mem-ber of the Europrop International (EPI) consortium that is respon-sible for the aircraft’s TP400-D6 turboprop engine. EPI comprises the four leading European aero-engine manufacturers: Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP), MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce and Snecma.

The TP400-D6 is a major chal-lenge for these companies, since it is the largest turboprop engine ever built in Europe. “After 2,500 hours

V arious European armed forces have for a number of years expressed a requirement for an aircraft that would

cover all of their logistic and tacti-cal transport needs. To meet this requirement, Airbus launched its A400M multirole military transport aircraft in 2003. Today, 192 of these aircraft have been ordered by nine countries, for missions ranging from deployment of rapid reaction forces to humanitarian aid. Safran is par-

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of ground testing, the entire propul-sion system, including the propel-ler, nacelle and engine, are now being tested on a flying testbed,” explains Jacques Desclaux, executive vice president of EPI. “It is common practice to check out a new engine on another aircraft, before install-ing it on the aircraft that it will power.” British company Marshall Aerospace is in charge of these tests, on behalf of Airbus Military, and chose a C-130 Hercules as the

The TP400 (second engine from the right) being flight-tested on a C-130 Hercules.

Computer image of the A400M.

propulsion. The TP400-D6 will power the new Airbus A400M military transport. Flight tests of this new turboprop kicked off in December 2008 on a C-130 Hercules flying testbed under the responsibility of Airbus Military very satisfactorily.

A400M ENGINE EN ROUTE FOR CERTIFICATION

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SAFRAN SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE AIRBUS A400M

• Engine: combustor and high-pressure turbine, control and lubrication systems, combustor and high-pressure turbine disk casings, thermal protection, filters for fuel and lubrication lines, starter.

• Electrical wiring and harnesses.

• Landing system: design, manu fac -ture and integration of landing system, wheels and brakes, SLK system for steering, landing gear extension/retraction, aircraft “kneeling” (to facilitate loading/unloading).

• Navigation and hybrid GPS systems, data acquisition and processing systems.

K MOREwww.safran-group.com

f lying testbed, with one of its four turboprop engines replaced by the TP400-D6, which EPI delivered to Airbus Military at the end of 2007. This aircraft was chosen for its abil-ity to fly at the very low speeds typical of many military missions, including paradrops and terrain-fol-lowing at very low altitude.

Complete flight envelopeThe TP400 made its first flight on December 17, 2008 in Cambridge, Great Britain, as recounted by Jacques Desclaux: “During this flight we limited the engine power to that of the three other engines, remain-ing near its flight idle rating. The aircraft reached an altitude of 9,000 feet and a speed of 165 knots.” It was during the third test flight on February 28, 2009, lasting nearly three hours, that the engine was test-ed at maximum power and altitude, reaching 30,000 feet. It was also suc-cessfully restarted twice after being shut down on purpose. “We are now gradually opening the flight enve-lope, to test performance in terms of altitude, speed and specific aircraft-engine operating conditions,” adds Desclaux.

All engine functions on the Airbus A400M are controlled by a very sophisticated FADEC, or full author-ity digital engine control. This piece of equipment is extremely complex; for example it has 125,000 lines of computer code, compared with 60,000 on the CFM56 that powers Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 com-mercial twinjets. The software on the TP400 itself comprises another 100,000 lines of code for mainte-nance functions, and 50,000 con-cerning the separation of control and protection functions. Delays in delivering this software, partially due to its unprecedented complex-ity, should not obscure the fact that the engine is delivering highly sat-isfactory performance, particularly in terms of specific fuel consump-tion, acceleration and deceleration – in fact, exceeding the performance specs that were guaranteed in con-tracts with Airbus Military. ■

line, only eleven of whom finished the race. Connoisseurs saluted Marc Guillemot’s impressive achieve-ment, which confirmed his spot among the world’s top specialists in the extremely demanding sport of ocean racing. The public was also very moved by Marc’s gesture of solidarity, when he changed course to help competitor and friend Yann Eliès, who had broken his leg in an accident and was awaiting rescue over 800 miles south of Australia. We asked Marc to tell us a bit more about this three-month adventure.

Safran Magazine: Now that you’ve been back on terra firma for a while, how would you summarize your race? Marc Guillemot: The race will stay in my mind as one of the greatest moments in my life as a sailor, even though I must admit that the result wasn’t really what I was looking for at the beginning. When I lined up at the start, it was to win: what interested me more than anything else was the competition. But in the final analysis, even though competition is still mainly what drives me, I came back with the

The sixth Vendée Globe amply showed why this round-the-world sailing race, solo and unassisted, merits its nickname of “Everest of the Seas”. Marc Guillemot was one of the dozen skippers who had a legitimate chance to win the 2008-09 race, but he ran into his share of incidents, both technical and otherwise, start-ing with a defective autopilot at the beginning. There were also problems with the mainsail rail that forced him to drop anchor twice and climb the mast for makeshift repairs. To cap it off, the keel was damaged during a collision with a cetacean, and then lost as he sailed back up the Atlantic on the last leg home.

Despite these seemingly never-ending trials, Marc called on the exceptional mental strength that characterizes all top skippers, enabling him not just to finish the race, but on the podium. Safran wound up third out of thirty com-petitors who crossed the starting

“Even when things get hardest, you have to keep your competitive edge” Marc Guillemot

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bio 1979 FIRST SOLO RACE

1988 SETS RECORD FOR ATLANTIC CROSSING

2002 SECOND IN ROUTE DU RHUM

2007 SECOND IN TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE(ON Safran)

Interview with Marc Guillemot,skipper of the Safran Open 60 monohull ocean racer

June 2009 _ SafraN magazine SafraN magazine _ June 2009

2009 THIRD IN VENDEE GLOBE (ON Safran)

interview

Vendée Globe, human adventure and athletic achievementAfter finishing third in the Vendée Globe round-the-world solo race, Marc Guillemot, skipper of the Safran, reviews some of the highlights of this amazing competition, and how he formed strong ties with the Group and its employees.

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June 2009 _ SafraN magazine SafraN magazine _ June 2009

interviewfeeling of having lived through a great adventure. A lot of incredible things happened during this Vendée Globe: the fast-paced start, four successive leaders dropping out, Jean [Le Cam] capsizing and being rescued by Vincent [Riou], not to mention the surge and victory by Mich’ [Michel Desjoyaux]. The accident to Yann [Eliès] was also a very intense moment, of course. The hours I spent alongside him were full of anguish. Given the sea conditions, I couldn’t join Yann on his boat with-out taking an enormous risk; but if his condition had worsened, of course I would have tried. On the other hand, I was just glad to be able to talk to him, and send messages to reassure his fam-ily. And I know that by keeping him company in that isolated stretch of the South Pacific, I helped him hold out.

How do you get back into a race after going through something like that? It wasn’t easy getting back into the rhythm, especially because I rejoined the race under weather and tactical conditions that were much less favor-able. Plus, shortly afterward, I had to stop in a bay in the Auckland Islands, south of New Zealand, for the first repair of my mainsail rail that had been torn off. But then I sailed around Cape Horn with the feeling one has, during a round-the-world race, of starting on my way back home! However my route back up the Atlantic wasn’t exactly a

piece of cake. I had to stop once again, this time in the Falklands, to fix my mainsail rail again, this time with a real makeshift repair. Then to cap things off, following a collision with a large cetacean a few weeks earlier, I lost my keel while I was locked in a close battle with Samantha Davies for third place. The final battle with Sam, which I wound up winning, forced me to outdo myself to keep the boat mov-ing as quickly as possible. I’m one of those skippers who believe that, even under the most difficult circumstances, you have to maintain your competitive edge and keep fighting to the bitter end, because you never know what’s going to happen. At least, when you’ve done

all that you can do, and never give up, you won’t have any regrets later.

are you happy with the boat? Safran is a fabulous machine. It com-bines in one small package my expe-rience, the talent of the naval archi-tects and the technological expertise of Safran – and it’s exactly the boat I wanted! Despite all the problems I ran into during the race, it brought me to third place, and for a moment I even thought I would finish second. With an ordinary boat, none of that would have been possible. In fact, I think that Safran is now the benchmark in the Imoca Open 60 class. A number of skippers, including some of the best, want the same kind of boat.

What were your relations with Saf-ran’s teams during the race? I was in permanent contact with Gérard Le Page, the director of Saf-ran Sixty [the entity that manages the Group's boat sponsorship program], and that gave me real technical and

human support. It was clear that my sponsor was there to help me, not put me under pressure, and even to buck up my morale when I needed it.

In the beginning, I was almost a bit shy about working with such a major corporation. But I soon saw that we shared the same human values, and we were able to establish a very privi-leged relationship, one that was sound, simple and open. Over time, more and more employees wanted to get involved in the technical aspects of the project. There are a lot of people at Safran who have a passion for their profession, just like in the world of sailing. And when two groups of passionate enthusiasts get together, things just click!

In any case, for a skipper it’s extremely important to be able to count on a partner of this caliber. Over the three months of the race, I received a number of encouraging mes-sages from Group employees – includ-ing from people who up to then had never been interested in sailing, and who were all of a sudden huge fans of

ocean racing and their boat! That was especially gratifying. ■

K moreSafran's dedicated website: www.safransixty.com

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• Media impact up by 83% for the 2008-09 Vendée Globe, compared to the previous race.

• 36.8% of sports news in December 2008 concerned sailing, a highly unusual score, placing it ahead of soccer!

• For the start of the Vendée Globe and rescue of Yann Eliès, media coverage equivalent to the Tour de France.

Sources: SportTrack – TNS Sport and Safran communications department.

SETTING NEW RECORDS FOR MEDIA COVERAGE

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alDuring the Vendée Globe, Marc Guillemot demonstrated exemplary courage, competitiveness and humanity. He showed a sterling example of solidarity to the world by participating in the rescue of one of his competitors, Yann Eliès. This attitude perfectly reflects our Group’s values, and our employees proved this with the many messages of support they sent to Marc throughout the race. These were also the qualities emphasized by Jean-Paul Herteman, Safran CEO, when he announced that the Group was extending its partnership with Marc Guillemot and his team for another four years.

For us, this partnership extends well beyond the financial aspects. In fact, the Group’s role in the technological aspects of the boat it sponsors is a first. Seven Safran companies and more than 80 engineers were involved

at various levels: design and validation of the structure and appendices, development of new technologies, such as the infrared “UFO” (unidentified floating objects) detector. By taking an active role, we developed expertise and specific solutions that inspired keen interest in the maritime sector and especially sailboat racing. For instance, we were contacted by one of the teams preparing for the America’s Cup, another team gearing up for a round-the-world record attempt on a multihull boat, and even certain competitors participating in the same races as we are. Even the national maritime rescue organization in France, SNSM, is considering the use of our UFO detector to search for shipwreck survivors.

* see article on page 37.

GéRARD LE PAGE,dIrector of Safran SIxty (and chaIrMan and ceo of teuchoS*)

a premier in boat sponsorship©

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