FARNBOROUGH, England - Long a mainstay of England's police forces, Eurocopter is promoting the virtues of its light twin-engined helicopter family while also touting a heavier helicopter to respond to terrorism, the company said July 19. Police aviation in the United Kingdom has been employing Eurocopters for 20 years, notably the AS 355 Ecureuil, BO 105, BK 117, and more recently the EC 135, 15 of which serve Great Britain's constabularies. Overall, 28 U.K. police forces rely on these aircraft.

LE BOURGET, France - In spite of short-term uncertainty caused by the present crisis in the commercial aviation market, "long-term expectations are good," observes Giorgio Zappa, chairman and CEO of Alenia Aeronautica. With a flexible and diversified strategy, aimed at maintaining the company's financial and economic performance while increasing its competitive level, Zappa sees the company in 2003 as achieving target performance despite unfavorable market conditions.