BAE Systems North America has acquired California-based Femtometrics, a manufacturer of chemical agent detectors for military personnel. Canadian Marconi has meanwhile been renamed BAE Systems Canada, the Marconi name having been taken by the UK's GEC. Honeywell is selling its RDR1400 and 1500 search and weather radar products to New York communications systems specialist Telephonics, a disposal required in return for regulatory approval of the AlliedSignal/Honeywell merger. Navaids and airfield lighting manufacturer Airport Systems International has completed its purchase of electronics and displays specialist DCI and related assets. The BAE Systems/Aerospatiale Matra satellite joint venture Matra Marconi Space has bought UK Earth observation data and systems specialist National Remote Sensing. Cabair, Europe's largest flight training organisation, has taken a 40% stake in Thurston Helicopters, renaming it London Helicopter Centres. Both are UK-based. Aurora Flight Sciences, a US manufacturer of high-altitude unmanned air vehicles, has acquired Northrop Grumman's Bridgeport, West Virginia, component manufacturing plant. US investment firm Tennenbaum, which owns a 9.4% stake in Great Lakes Aviation, is proposing that the United Express regional carrier be acquired "by another company or person" to realise its full value. White Rock Enterprise has acquired Iowan in-flight entertainment developer ISES (International Systems and Entertainment Software) in a share-swap deal. Dallas-based Aviation Group has sold its Casper Air Service operations to an unnamed fixed-base operator, its second such disposal in 45 days. It will focus on aircraft painting services and aircraft battery manufacture, and is looking for a buyer. SPS Technologies is to buy fellow-US company Avibank, an aerospace fasteners maker.
Source: Flight International
