RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN END-USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS VIENNA 000777

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC AU
SUBJECT: RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN END-USE CHECK ON
APPLICATION 05-976491

REF: STATE 18354


1. PolOff met with Martin Weger, Maintenance Director of
Helikopter Air Transport (Heliair),at the company's
facilities in Innsbruck on March 6 to check receipt of 5 lamp
assemblies of night vision goggles (NVGs). Weger told us
that the company had received four of the five assemblies,
with one remaining at Aero Electronic in Germany. Weger
explained that the assembly was kept there as a reserve
supply and it made little sense for it to be stored at
Heliair, as the firm relied on Aero Electronic to install the
assemblies. Weger confirmed that there were no problems with
the shipment -- Aero delivered the installed assemblies in
working order and on time, with intact packaging.


2. Weger gave Embassy officers a brief tour of the company's
facilities, showing us how the lights are used in the
helicopters. The Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring
Club (OAMTC),roughly equivalent to the American Automobile
Association, owns Heliair. Heliair maintains the helicopters
that OAMTC uses for air rescue operations, including rescues
of injured or stranded skiers. The assemblies are used for
nighttime lighting of cockpit instruments and are installed
directly in the helicopters. The facility appeared to be
maintained to a high professional standard.


3. Weger said that Heliair was extremely interested in
purchasing night-vision goggles for use in night-rescue
operations. According to Weger, U.S. authorities had told
the company that it was not eligible to receive the goggles
because it was not a government organization, although Weger
pointed out that Heliair and OAMTC work in close cooperation
with Austrian government entities. (The facility that we
toured also houses helicopters that the Austrian Ministry of
the Interior operates.) The company has outfitted all its
helicopters for night-time flying, but has not been able to
obtain the goggles pilots need to operate in unknown terrain.
Weger asked Embassy for any assistance they could render.
McCaw