Magazin "take off" - Issue 4 - FACC

F A C C C U S T O M E R M A G A Z I N E 

take off 

Projects 

Investments 

Place of Business 

Internet 

December 1998 

4


Dear readers, 

takeoff2 

take off 

Off we go into the Internet. 

Work is proceeding full steam ahead to 

complete a new form of access to FACC and, 

starting 1 February 1999, you can visit our 

website at this address - www.facc.co.at. The 

specialists at interact!multimedia have come up 

with the technical and graphic design in 

cooperation with our experienced take off 

graphic artist, Mr. Pointecker. The website is to 

complement take off wherever it makes sense. 

More on page 14. 

Back to take off and to what you can expect in 

the fourth issue. While the previous issue of 

take off featured articles on Boeing and Airbus 

Industrie, this issue will contain a report about 

the current market situation and new 

developments concerning the 30 to 100 

passenger jetliners. We would like to thank 

Mr. Carl Albert, CEO of Fairchild Aerospace for 

his article. 

It must also be mentioned that FACC has taken 

on part of the R&D for Airbus Industrie´s new 

aircraft, the A 340-500/600. This is a milestone 

inasmuch as we have now joined the ranks of a 

systems supplier not only for Boeing but also for 

DASA. 

In addition to information on new projects and 

investments we should like to give you some 

insight into the surrounding area of our 

company location. After all, it is great to be able 

to work in a country where others vacation. 

We shall be featuring Upper Austria in its 

importance as a place of industry and as a 

favorite vacation spot in the heart of the 

European Union. 

Happy holidays! 

Andrea Schachinger / Manfred Neuböck 

Editors 

Contents: 

Building the future 3 

Innovative FACC-Design 

For The New A340-500/-600 4 

Expansion and Investments 7 

First Flight of the Boeing 717-200 8 

Fairchild 

Aerospace 10 

Upper Austia 12 

@ 

FACC Goes Cyber 14 

Innovation from 

Austria 15 

Published by: FISCHER ADVANCED COMPOSITE COMPONENTS GES.M.B.H., Fischerstraße 9, 

A-4910 Ried/Austria. Editorial Staff: Andrea Schachinger, Manfred Neuböck, Walter Stephan. 

Photos: Alois Furtner Reportagen,Ried, Lang & Lang Klagenfurt, Austrian Airlines Wien, 

Boeing Seattle, Airbus Industrie Toulouse, Fairchild Aerospace, San Antonio. Design and 

Composition: Oskar Pointecker „Ihr Druckpartner”, 4941 Mehrnbach.


Building 

the future 

In the last issue of take off I presented 

our view on the development of the 

aviation industry in the next few years. 

The article also featured the ways and 

means we will have to resort to if we 

are to master stormy weather together 

with our customers, suppliers and 

employees while maintaining continuous 

growth. Barely half a year has passed 

since then and we are already in the 

middle of actively implementing these 

ways and means: Every day we inch 

forward towards making the long-term 

planning become reality, every day we 

fine-tune the concept to fit everyday 

requirements, and all this without 

losing sight of the overall strategic goal. 

Milestones of the last few 

months: 

● Two years of intensive product 

development to the tune of an investment 

volume of US$ 8 mil was concluded 

in November to everyone’s satisfaction 

– the first complete passenger cabin 

developed by FACC was installed 

successfully into a B717. Thanks to our 

know-how and a number of innovative 

ideas we have succeeded in achieving 

a significant reduction not only in 

weight, but also in installation time. 

Major competitive advantages of the 

B717 such as low operating costs, low 

fuel consumption and high passenger 

comfort in the 100-seater market are 

profound reasons to expect high 

production rates. By re-structuring its 

program management – the changes 

will be implemented within the first 

quarter 1999 – FACC will have the 

adequate tools to cope with the 

comprehensive challenges in the field 

of logistics and of catering to the 

configuration needs of the individual 

airlines. Small efficient offices right at 

the Boeing homebase, a repair station 

in Long Beach as well as the permanent 

presence of FACC representatives at the 

most important sub-suppliers for the 

interior will guarantee the excellent 

quality and delivery performance we 

are noted for. 

● Two important contracts for 

developing and supplying components 

for the new generation of the A340 

aircraft, the A340-500 and –600 have 

been signed with DaimlerChrysler 

Aerospace Airbus and Hispano Suiza 

Aerostructures. For these long-term 

development projects, FACC will be 

responsible for the component 

definition and development of the 

blocker doors and of spoilers 2 and 6. 

This will require intensive cooperation 

with our clients and a permanent and 

rapid exchange of data and information 

if we are to achieve time-saving 

procedures and swift progress in the 

project work. Once again FACC will 

bank on proximity to our customers. 

Our engineers are working on concurrent 

engineering teams in Le Havre and 

Bremen. Apart from our profound 

technological background, these 

integrative engineering concepts and 

our approach to team-oriented 

engineering in close cooperation with 

the customer are the elements that 

have paved the way for FACC to move 

up into the ranks of a systems supplier 

also in the field of structural elements. 

New orders and a higher turnover 

require capacity adjustments: 

Only recently we have completed the 

final stages of our office complex 

creating workspace for the engineering, 

sales and shipping departments. The 

growing number of employees requires 

a structural adaptation to ensure our 

efficiency and customer orientation. 

This is why we have created separate 

positions for the product management 

of cabin interior and structural components. 

On a medium-term range we 

are also planning a separation of the 

areas of the production facilities. 

In order to achieve our set goal 

of a turnover of ATS 1.2 billion 

(EURO 87 mil/US$ 102 mil) these 

are small steps. Our future editions 

of take off will keep you posted 

on the strategic measures that 

lie ahead. 

Walter A. Stephan 

Chief Executive Officer 

3 takeoff


Fairchild 

Aerospace 

Fairchild Aerospace: A German-American Company on the Move 

Carl Albert 

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer 

Fairchild Aerospace Chairman and 

Chief Executive Officer Carl A. Albert 

acquired Fairchild Aircraft in 1990. 

Prior to his acquisition, Albert provided 

venture capital to Wings West Airlines, 

a California regional commuter airline, 

formed in 1981. 

Albert’s business experience includes 

15 years as an attorney, specializing 

in business and corporate law in Los 

Angeles, California, from 1967 

through 1981. He also has served as 

a member of the board of directors 

of several publicly held and private 

corporations. 

The histories of Fairchild Aerospace, 

Fairchild Aircraft and Dornier Luftfahrt 

GmbH have involved revolutionary 

changes to meet the demands of the 

growing aircraft industry through the 

years. 

Fairchild Aerospace Corporation took 

flight in June 1996, when Fairchild 

Aircraft of San Antonio, Texas, USA 

acquired Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH of 

Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, 

Germany. Since the day these two 


companies joined forces, Fairchild 

Aerospace has cut costs and increased 

sales and profits. 

With the dedication of a dynamic 

management team and a highly qualified 

and enthusiastic workforce, 

Fairchild Aerospace has strengthened 

its balance sheet and introduced a 

pace-setting product line that responds 

precisely to the growing requirements 

and preferences of airlines, corporate 

customers and passengers worldwide. 

Fairchild Aircraft began manufacturing 

the Metroliner aircraft in the 1970s. The 

Metro is a small, 19-seat turboprop that 

played a major role in the first years 

after deregulation. During that time, the 

Metro replaced unpressurized, 15- to 

17-seat airplanes, creating the basis 

upon which some of today’s most 

profitable and successful regional 

airlines started. 

Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH was formed in 

1922 by the late Professor Claude 

Dornier. The Dornier company has 

been recognized as an aviation pioneer 

and a leader in aircraft manufacturing, 

service and support for more than 

75 years. 

Dornier introduced the Flying Boat, its 

first aircraft, in 1922. Acquired by 

Daimler Benz in 1985, the company 

invested $1 billion in the development 

of the dornier 328 turboprop. Though 

it was one of the most quiet and fast 

turboprops in the world, the aircraft 

came too late to a market already 

saturated with turboprop aircraft, and to 

a market that was fast losing interest in 

anything but jets. 

Carl Albert knew 

that the Dornier 328 turboprob 

was the best turboprop in its class. 

It was a well-engineered, spacious 

aircraft. However, he knew the market 

was changing. Albert concluded that by 

converting the 328 turboprop to a 

jet would revolutionize the market. 

Thus came the birth of the 328JET, the 

first regional aircraft in the 32- to 

34-seat jet market, a program that was 

accomplished in a little over a year’s 

time and for a cost of less than $100 

million. 

Fairchild Aerospace launched the 

328JET program with the vision to 

identify future market trends and 

resources to support development. 

In February 1997, the company 

announced that the jet would roll out 

on December 6, 1997 and make its 

first flight January 20, 1998. Fairchild 

achieved both milestones. Currently in 

flight test, the 328JET will enter airline 

service in the spring of 1999. 

The 328JET will be the first regional jet 

in the 30-seat jet class. The company 

estimates that operators worldwide will


provide an 

additional 10 seats and 

low incremental operating cost 

to make it a logical addition to airline 

fleets with a family of aircraft in the 32to 

42-seat size category. 

In addition to the 328JET and 428JET, 

Fairchild Aerospace is creating the 

528JET, 728JET and 928JET aircraft. 

This production of an all-new, 

wide-body, low-wing aircraft, starting 

with the 70-seat 728JET, will set the 

standard for comfort in the industry. 

Most importantly, high commonality 

between the 55-seat 528JET, the 

70- to 75 seat 728JET and the 90- to 

95-seat 928JET will reduce operating 

costs of the airlines that operate this 

family of aircraft. The 728JET family is 

believed to be the aircraft that will 

change the industry. 

Development of the 428JET, 528JET, 

728JET has already begun. These 

large-cabin aircraft are hailed as the first 

true regional jets in their seat categories 

ranging from 44 to 98 seats. 

Today, the company is investing more 

than $1 million per month in research 

and development for its regional 

airliner program. Total program cost, 

with risk-sharing partners, will run 

approximately $850 million. 

"We intend to invest a billion dollars in 

this 728 family, including research and 

development, tooling and working 

capital," said Albert. 

Fairchild Aerospace also has entered 

the business aircraft market with the 

Envoy 3, 4 and 7, which offer the 

industry’s most spacious cabins for the 

price. These business jets bring an 

unprecedented level of reliability to the 

fast-paced corporate market. Precise 

German engineering will enable the 

Envoy 3 and Envoy 4 to outshine their 

rivals. 

Entering service in 1999, the Envoy 3 is 

truly revolutionary. It offers the 

cabin comfort of large jets and the 

economics of mid-size jets. The Envoy 

4 will enter service in 2001, providing 

its travelers with the advantage of the 

Envoy 3, with an 11-foot longer cabin. 

Fairchild Aerospace’s latest response to 

needs of the corporate market is the 

visionary Envoy 5, 7 and 9 family. The 

first of the family to enter service in 

2001 will be the Envoy 7, offering vast 

cabin space, superior performance and 

low operating costs. The Envoy 5 will 

enter the market in 2002 as the most 

modern aircraft with the lowest 

acquisition and widest cabin for its 

price. The Envoy 9 is scheduled to 

enter service in 2003, designed to be 

the roomiest and most affordable 

business jet ever created. 

Fairchild Aerospace is the only aircraft 

manufacturer that comprises an equal 

partnership of American management 

and German engineering and 

manufacturing expertise, with independent 

assembly facilities on both sides 

of the Atlantic. Manufacturing of all 

aircraft, except for wing assembly, 

will be accomplished at the 

Oberpfaffenhofen facilities near 

Munich, Germany. 

"German engineering is synonymous 

with quality," said Albert. "I take a great 

deal of comfort from the fact that 

German engineers are designing our 

aircraft. They are the best engineers in 

the world, and they will do their work in 

an efficient manner. 

Since the acquisition of Fairchild Aircraft 

in 1990, and Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH 

Dornier is a valued customer of 

FACC for many years. Following 

components are manufactured 

by FACC and supplied to the 

Do328 line: 

- Cargo compartment liners 

- Cockpit-liners 

- Toilet 

in 1996, Fairchild Aerospace has 

created jobs in both the United States 

and Germany. Compared to the 150 

people employed within the company 

when Carl Albert acquired it in 1990. 

Fairchild Aerospace now employs 

approximately 2,800 personnel 

worldwide, with nearly 2,000 residing 

in Germany and more than 800 

residing in the United States. 

"When our new family of aircraft 

is in production, our employment 

will increase to more than 4,000," 

added Albert. 



Innovative FACC-Design 

For The New A340-500/-600 

Peter Diesch of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus signed a 250 mil ATS contract in 

Hamburg with Ried´s high-tech company. FACC will be developing and supplying 

structural components for the wings of the new flagships of Airbus´s four-engine 

fleet, the A340-500 and the A340-600. 

The A340-500 can carry its 313 

passengers 15,750 km (8,500 naut. mi.) 

– the longest range of any commercial 

aircraft. The bigger sister in the A340 

family is capable of transporting 380 

passengers over 13,900km (7,500 

naut. mi.). 

This ultra-long-range capability makes 

these two new aircraft models cut right 

out for new destination-to-destination 

trips especially in the Pacific region. 

According to Boeing´s forecast for 

1998 - 2017 this is a market segment, 

which – due to the Asian economic 

turmoil – is going to shrink in the next 

few years but will be the fastest 

growing segment after 2002. 

By 2010 Airbus anticipates an overall 

market of 1500 long-range 300-400 

long-range seaters, which will be 

divided up between the A340 and 

Boeing 777/747. 

In 2002 the first jetliners will be 

delivered to the airlines and the first 

passengers will have the pleasure of 

being whisked away by the new planes. 

FACC will develop and produce Spoiler 

2 and Spoiler 6 for the wings of both of 


these models. These spoilers serve as 

lift dumps which reduce the lifting 

force caused by the wing. In certain 

flight situations they take over the 

function of the aileron, regulate the 

rate of descent, prevent up float after 

landing and act as an additional air 

brake, thus helping to decelerate the 

plane after landing. 

Spoiler 2: 

Important for the airworthiness 

Spoiler 2 is a particularly important 

component for the airworthiness of 

a plane. If it fails and damages the 

horizontal tail it can render the plane 

unmanoeuverable. Such emergency 

situations caused by the loss of the 

component will be prevented by using 

special fail-safe fixtures. 

The amount of stress the composite 

spoilers and the integrated metal 

fixtures for mounting and adjusting 

components is enormous: for aerodynamic 

reasons the thin trailing edges 

of the spoiler need to be firmly integrated 

with the surrounding wing elements 

during take-off and flight, at all speeds 

and during all plane manoeuvres. 

Accordingly, the tests are comprehensive 

and strict: static tests are performed 

with 50% extra stress added to the 

maximum in-flight stress. That amounts 

to more than two tons per spoiler 

(which corresponds to the weight of 

two mid-size cars). In addition, we 

must prove that damage through rock 

impact will not cause the spoiler to fail. 

FACC is also required to carry out dynamic 

tests simulating the entire life-span of 

an aircraft, hence they have also become 

part of our testing routine. 

The tough criteria: 100,000 flight 

hours, 10 years, 20,000 flights. To 

demonstrate adequate service 

life, fatigue, damage tolerance 

and residual strength tests have 

do be performed.


All spoilers activated after landing 

Three additional planes containing components 

provided free by FACC will be 

used as test aircraft for the qualification 

procedure. These test planes are 

subjected to 4000 hours of testing 

under all sorts of conditions, assuming 

every imaginable pilot error. 

Taking on systems responsibility 

for structural components 

Closing this deal is the ultimate reward 

for long-range planning and preparation 

at FACC. Already in 1996 the company 

added large-scale assembling facilities 

in order to be able to manufacture 

Closing the deal : Peter Diesch (DASA) and Walter Stephan sign the 

"milestone" contract. 

ready-to-use composite components like 

the spoilers. For two years FACC had 

consistently tried to establish itself as a 

partner in this field especially with Airbus. 

This was not the only reason, however, 

why Walter A Stephan, CEO at FACC, calls 

the contract a milestone for the company: 

"We are already a systems supplier for 

aircraft interiors. For example, we have 

developed and produced the passenger 

cabin for the Boeing 717 short-range 

aircraft including an installation system for 

lighting, ventilation, passenger comfort 

and emergency equipment. We are 

striving to obtain a similar position with 

structural components. This Airbus 

contract now for the first time makes us 

a player in the field of systems responsibility 

for structural components." 

Up-to-date information on the new 

Airbus aircraft as well as a video clip 

on the new four-engine 340 series 

can be found on the Airbus 

homepage: www.airbus.com 



Spoilers contribute to bringing a plane 

to a halt faster after landing 

Just like with the cabin interior project for 

Boeing, FACC was already involved in the 

project when it was in the developing 

stage – when the industrial program 

start was announced in December 1997. 

"Move closer to the customer" is the 

motto. Since October, up to four of our 

employees from Ried have been stationed 

with DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus in 

Bremen. They will be spending quite a bit 

of time in the town that was put on the 

map of aviation pioneers thanks to the 

daring flight experiments and construction 

concepts of engineers Henrich Focke and 

Georg Wulf at the turn of the century. 

According to Focke, his contemporaries 

saw his daring under-takings as "a spooky 

atmosphere of adventure, circus, insane 

asylum and graveyard", which has since 

developed into the Bremen aircraft 

industry. This prodigy has meanwhile left 

the boundaries of our planet´s atmosphere 

and is involved with space projects. 

DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus in 

Bremen also operates the joint computer 

calculations model that is being permanently 

fed all the current data submitted by all the 

suppliers for the new aircraft models. 

State-of-the-art communications technology 

makes the permanent exchange of information 

possible und enables us to use 

CAD data fresh from a computer in 

Bremen in the production planning for the 

corresponding components in Ried just a 

few hours later. 

Due to the new project the FACC 

headquarters in Ried have increased their 

staff and recruited two new employees for 

the stress engineering department . 


From a mere supplier to a 

risk-sharing partner 

Walter A. Stephan: "In this project we are 

not merely a supplier but a risk-sharing 

partner. Within the framework of our 

contract we shall be financing ATS 50 mil 

in developing and tool costs." 

Closer 

to the customer 

The time frame for the project: The first 

components are delivered in the fourth 

quarter of 1999. In 2001 the first plane 

of the new generation with an MTOW 

(maximum take-off weight) of 365 tons 

will lift off the runway. In 2002 the new 

planes will carry their first passengers. 

The original Bremen Musicians 

according to Grimm´s Tales and the FACC "Musicians" Dieter Lapusch, Kurt Pieringer, 

Wolfgang Billinger, Harald Mittermaier – part of the DASA engineering team in 

Bremen since 19 October 1998 

The long-distance carriers of the near future: 

A340-500 A340-600 

wing span: 63,5 m 63,5 m 

lenght: 67,5 m 74,9 m 

height: 17,7 m 17,7 m 

number of seats: 313 380 

range: 15.750 km 13.900 km


Expansion 

and Investments 

Full order books, solid financial growth 

in recent years and a rosy forecast for 

the growing aviation market – these are 

only some of the factors that have 

motivated the FACC management to 

provide the necessary basis for further 

positive future development of the 

company. The motto is expansion and 

investment. 

Expansion of our 

office building 

A mere 18 months after completion, 

the continuing growth of FACC has 

made it necessary to add on to our 

office building. About 5 mil. ATS were 

invested to create 21 new office 

spaces. These new offices are mainly 

reserved for employees working in 

sales and technology. A new conference 

room was also added. 

Since we cooperated with the same 

companies as in the past the project 

was completed in a mere ten weeks 

and the offices could be moved into at 

the beginning of November. 

Expansion of the FACC 

office space. 

Office space before November 1998: 

15,600 sq.ft/1,450 m 2 

Office space as of November 1998: 

19,000 sq.ft/1,800 m 2 

New 5-axis processing center Jobs 

Jomach 32: 

Just before Christmas the third 5-axis 

processing center at FACC – a Jobs 

Jomach 32 – was delivered and set up. 

It will go into operation at the 

beginning of January 1999. The new 

center will be used primarily for working 

on overhead stowage bins for Airbus 

A319/A320/321, but also for the new 

Boeing B717-200. It is mainly reserved 

for carrying out various drilling and 

milling work. 

In addition to its main use this machine 

has universal applications. 

It represents an investment value of 

approximately 7.5 mil. ATS. 

FACC currently has three modern 5-axis processing 

centers supporting the automatic processing of 

components. 

Workrange Axis 

x-axis y-axis z-axis 

Jomach 23: 5,2m/17,1ft 2,2m/7,2ft 1,2m/3,9ft 

Jomach 146: 9,8m/32ft 4,0m/13,1ft 2,0m/6,6ft 

Jomach 32: 4,0m/13,1ft 2,0m/6,6ft 1,5m/4,9ft 



First Flight 

of the Boeing 717-200 

Long Beach, California, 2 September 1998 – The 717-200, Boeing’s newest 

100-seat jetliner, sets out on her first flight. A jubilant crowd of spectators – Boeing 

employees as well as delegations of clients and suppliers – watch the impressive 

performance as the short-range jet takes off to the skies with ease. 

This maiden flight lasted four hours and 

seven minutes and ended at the 

Boeing test center in Yuma, Arizona, 

home base for the first B717-200 for 

the next ten months. For the first time 

the plane proved its airworthiness with 

a series of in-flight tests performed 

on the engines, the autopilot and the 

flight management system. The aircraft 

reached a maximum altitude of 11,500 

ft (3,500m) and a maximum speed of 

245knots (450km/h). All in all, the 

flight debut was rated an outstanding 

success. The words of Jim Phillips, Vice 

President for the B717 program, sum 

up this sentiment in a letter sent to 

FACC after the flight debut: "To a great 

extent we at Boeing owe the extraordinary 

success of the B717-200 maiden flight 

to your hard work and support as a 

member of the Boeing Supplier Team. 

Thank you very much for your contribution 

and your outstanding involvement with 

the B717." 

A modern, passenger-friendly 

interior developed by FACC 

While the first three test planes (T1, T2, 

T3) were used for airworthiness tests 

takeoff 

8 

only, the fourth plane (P1) – the socalled 

customer model designed for 

the launch customer AirTran - will be 

tested with the passenger cabin interior 

developed by FACC. The main purpose 

of the P1 tests is to obtain in-flight data 

on the actual performance and reliability 

of the supply systems for air (A/C and 

fresh air), water and lighting as well as 

the lavatories and galleys. According to 

the Boeing plans the entire test phase 

is scheduled to last until May 1999, 

followed by parallel certification 

procedures through the Federal 

Aviation Administration (FAA) and the 

European JAA (Joint Airworthiness 

Authority). 

Since the middle of October FACC 

engineers have been stationed with 

Boeing in Long Beach to instruct and 

support the Boeing staff in assembling 

the cabin components. Prior to this 

stage FACC had completed a two-year 

intensive design and development 

phase for the passenger cabin of the 

B717-200. The result is an aircraft 

interior for a 100-seater which will let 

passengers enjoy the comfort and extra 

room on short-range flights that has so 

far only been found on jumbo size 

planes. FACC developed all of the 

ceiling, side and floor panels as well 

as the stowage bins including an 

advanced passenger service unit. The 

new FACC interior will attract the 

customer with its improved and more 

efficient air conditioning and ventilation 

system, its newly developed cabin 

lighting concept as well as with 

the excellent acoustics. Supplying 

pre-mounted systems and a new type 

of fuselage mounting devices has resulted 

in a reduction of assembly time. 

An additional plus: The weight of the 

components is significantly lower.


BMW Rolls-Royce AeroEngines 

and FACC Begin Cooperation 

BMW Rolls-Royce – a joint venture 

between BMW of Germany and Rolls- 

Royce of England – produces the new 

advanced BR715 high-bypass-ratio 

engine for the B717-200. With its thrust 

of 18,500 pounds at takeoff, the 

BR715 offers Boeing essential 

advantages in fuel consumption, fewer 

emissions and significantly lower noise 

levels than comparable engines. FACC 

– also known for its innovative and 

future-oriented ideas in the field of 

developing and manufacturing engine 

components – is involved in a number 

of research projects aiming to reduce 

engine noise emission. That way the 

HPC Fairing 

company intends to make an important 

contribution towards creating more 

environment-friendly passenger planes. 

BRR has commissioned FACC to produce 

high pressure compressor fairings as 

well as splitter fairings – a component 

that is directly exposed to the airstream 

and which houses a number of 

hydraulic and air pressure lines. The 

main factors leading to BRR´s decision 

to place the order with FACC were the 

superior technical solutions presented 

by FACC and the accompanying 

reduction in manufacturing costs 

and weight of the components. The 

individual components will be 

produced in sandwich technology with 

carbon fiber material around a Rohacell 

core. 

Splitter Fairing 

A Bright Future Ahead 

The B717 was developed 

to replace the thousands 

of airplanes covering the 

short-distance sector, many 

of which are approaching the 

end of their lifespan, and to 

cover the future need for 

new planes. Both FACC and 

BRR draw their optimism 

from the rosy forecasts by 

Boeing officials who estimate 

a total need of 2,600 airplanes 

in the 80-100 seater category 

within the next twenty years. 



Upper Austria 

A Top European Region 

There are at least six good reasons for 

companies to invest in Upper Austria: 

The Best Educated and 

Trained People 

Magna founder Frank Stronach spoke 

about the "highly qualified specialists 

who manufacture highly qualified 

products" during his recent visit to 

Upper Austria. These are the deciding 

factors for a good business location. 

The intellectual capacities and skills of 

the people play a decisive role in 

international competition. In addition to 

the basic education provided by 

compulsory schools, Upper Austria has 

a dense network of secondary and 

vocational schools. This network is 

complemented by three specialised 


With around 1,4 million inhabitants, Upper Austria is not a large state. But it is highly productive in 

economic, technological, social, cultural and ecological fields. 

technical colleges and the Johannes 

Kepler University in Linz. 

The Research Factor 

In Upper Austria, R&D isn't simply given 

lip service by the government. During 

the next five years, ATS 200 million 

will be spent annually to successfully 

lead our Federal State into the next 

millennium. The main focus has been 

centred on the expansion of networks 

and the forcing of modernity and 

speed. Moneys are flowing into 

concept centers for information and 

communications technology, material 

sciences, and in the field of mechatronics. 

Clusters are forming in the 

plastics, paper, and pulp branches, as 

well as in the auto components supply 

industry. Research and experience 

will be concentrated here in order 

to meet the coming challenges with 

effectiveness and agility. 

Top Speed Processing 

Permission processing of company 

plants takes place in record time in 

Upper Austria - between the initial 

application and final permission there 

are often only a few weeks. 

In doing this, Upper Austria has reacted 

to the demands of business, because 

time is an important cost factor today. 

Those who begin production earlier can 

reach the customer faster, keeping 

them a step ahead of the competition.


Strong in Exports 

Export is the sustaining pillar of 

industrial activity. The development of 

Upper Austrian industry is clearly going 

upwards, thanks to those branches 

who are heavily involved in exports 

(e.g. FACC's export quota is 98% of 

turnover). 

With a population share of 17%, Upper 

Austria generates 25% of all exports 

from the Republic of Austria. 

These 25% share of the total Austrian 

foreign trade volume gives a total of 

ATS 180 billions, where 65% are going 

into the EU countries, 16% to the rest 

of Europe and 17% overseas. 

Quality of Life 

Upper Austria has a lot to offer as far as 

landscapes and culture are concerned. 

A symbiosis of crystal clear lakes, 

healthy farm land, splashy Danube 

waterscapes and jagged mountain 

peaks. Everything Austria has to offer 

can be found here. Cultural treasures 

from the prehistoric finds of the 

Hallstatt Era to the avantgarde art of the 

world-famous Ars Electronica can be 

admired in the 283 museums and folk 

houses in Upper Austria. Athletic 

activities in harmony with nature and 

culture await you. 

Professor Sämann from BMW once 

said: "It is wonderful to work in a part 

of the country where others spend their 

holidays." 

In the Middle of the World 

Not only does the diligence and skill of 

the people contribute to the good 

economic numbers in Upper Austria. 

The state's geographical location is also 

highly preferred. Near the town 

Kremsmünster there is a well known 

inn called "Zum Baum mitten in der 

Welt" ("To the Tree in the middle of the 

World"). Perhaps this part of our state 

does not lie in the middle of the world, 

but surely in the heart of Europe. 

This fact has made Upper Austria a 

springboard to the east. These structures 

are not new, as these transport routes 

had already connected us to the old 

industrial nation of Czechoslovakia 

during the monarchy. 

Renowned companies like VA Tech, VA 

Stahl, AMAG, Plasser&Theurer, BMW 

Steyr, MAN-SNF, SKF, Magna-Steyr 

Daimler Puch, Bombardier-Rotax, 

Rosenbauer, MIBA, UniTech, FACC, 

Fischer Ski&Tennis, DSM, Hoffmann- 

LaRoche, Lenzing, SCA Laakirchen, 

Engel and Greiner, just to name a few 

of the firms that are successful on international 

markets, profiting from the 

favourable economic climate, the 

qualification and motivation of the 

workforce, and the ambitious expansion 

of the Upper Austrian technical 

network. 

No wonder more and more international 

companies are becoming aware 

of Upper Austria and examining 

possibilities of cooperation, settlement 

or relocation. 

The Upper Austrian State Government 

has created the structures for this. 



www.facc.co.at. 

FACC Goes Cyber 

In conjunction with multimedia!interact, 

our competent partner in Salzburg, we 

are currently working at a fever pitch to 

complete the FACC website, and plan 

to go online on 1 February 1999. 

Certainly no other communication 

technology has ever gone through such 

a swift development and worldwide 

application as the internet – the instant 

and seemingly boundless availability of 

data and an unlimited exchange of 

information with all parts of the globe. 

As a global player, FACC wants to join 

this virtual medium to be present 

online for all its customers, partners 

and suppliers. Naturally we are also 

eyeing new contacts and business 

relations, which the internet will help us 

establish. 

The prime aim is to make an information 

matrix available that will enable 

potential customers and partners to 

obtain comprehensive information 

about FACC before any first personal 

contact takes place. The clearly structured 

categories Company, Technology, 

Products, Services and News are easy 

to access. The News link in particular 

will enable everyone interested to 

follow the latest developments at FACC. 

Moreover, we shall place the most 

interesting articles in take off on our 

website and gradually build an archive 

that can be called up around the clock. 

In addition there will be interesting 

visual material as well as links to our 

major accounts such as Boeing and 

Airbus Industrie. 

@14 

takeoff 

1 February 1999 - off we go into the Internet. 

For more details check the internet on 

1 February 1999 – www.facc.co.at. 

See you there. 

FACTS & 

FIGURES 

EQUIPMENT & 

FACILITIES 

CUSTOMERS 

HISTORY 

MAP 

CONTACT US 

Solutions in Composite 

COMPANY TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS SERVICES NEWS 

Our History 

Welcome 

to the 

World of FACC 

In the 1980s Fischer - the famous sporting 

goods manufacturer founded in 1924 - 

challendged it’s R&D department to develop 

an unbreakable cross country ski weighing a 

maximum of 1000 grams. The solution: 

Reinforced fiberglass fused to extremely light 

composite components. 

Using the extensive R&D capacity, technicians 

saw the chance to carry over the applied 

composite manufacturing technology to airplane 

construction. The first order for aircraft 

components was received from Airbus Industrie 

in 1981, followed by contracts from McDonnell 

Douglas, Boeing, Saab, Bombardier deHavilland 

and Fokker. 

Since it’s foundation in 1989 as a wholly onwned subsidiary of Fischer, 

FACC has permanently set new standards in doing business in an ever 

changing and more demanding aerospace industry. In the years following 

FACC successfully established itself among the leading US and European 

aircraft components manufacturers. 

Fischer 1924 

First Contract 

Airbus Floor Beams 

Solutions in Composite 

COMPANY TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS SERVICES NEWS


Innovation 

from Austria 

Ars Electronica Center - A House in Progress 

As a unique center 

for digital media and 

technologies, the Ars 

Electronica Center sees 

itself as a point of intersection 

for art, technology, 

business, science and 

society. 

In 1996, the city of Linz supported the 

construction of the Ars Electronica 

Center, a project idea of Hannes 

Leopoldseder, director of the Upper 

Austrian division of Austrian radio and 

television. In doing so, the city of Linz 

set up a shining symbol for the future 

orientation and innovative spirit of the 

city itself and also of Upper Austria as a 

center of business. In an area of 2,000 

square meters, visitors can try out the 

newest technologies and gather 

experience in using these new media. 

Known as a "museum of the future", 

the Center is a prototype for the future 

purposes and functions of museums. It 

is a meeting place for everyone from 

computer freaks and families to artists 

and businesses. With all its different 

functions, the Center considers itself a 

representative of a global information 

exchange system. The Center offers its 

infrastructure – unique in all of Europe 

– for research, development and 

presentation projects. Inter-disciplinary 

seminars and workshops are to 

enhance information exchange and 

critical reflection. It sees itself as a 

house-in-progress, and is available to 

its visitors as a permanent laboratory 

and studio for innovation projects. 

Culture, Art, Sports, Innovation, Personalities 

This atmosphere of progress offers 

FACC an opportunity to present a 

current project in development. We are 

working on a program that will allow 

visitors - at the click of a mouse - to 

experience a computer-simulated flight 

in a Boeing 717-200, whose cabin 

interiors are of Upper Austria origin. 

Using the digital technologies available 

at the Ars Electronica Center, Boeing 

and FACC want to make the advantages 

of the newly developed passenger 

cabins available to a wide public 

without having to actually board a 

plane. 


Building 

for the Future 

A-4910 Ried/Austria, Fischerstraße 9, P. O. Box 192 

Tel. +43/7752/616-0 - Fax +43/7752/616-350

Magazin "take off" - Issue 4 - FACC

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