Cablegate: Blue Lantern Pre-Check On Ddtc License 05-973079:

VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMZ #0400 1811610
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301610Z JUN 06
FM AMCONSUL MUNICH
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3321

UNCLAS MUNICH 000400

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR PM/DTTC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC GM
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN PRE-CHECK ON DDTC LICENSE 05-973079:
CONFIRMATION OF GERMAN FIRM IBR AERONAUTICAL CONSULTING'S
PARTICIPATION IN THE SOLAR IMPULSE PROGRAM

REF: STATE 80805

1. (SBU) POL/ECON Officer and an LES researched bona fides
of ref German firm IBR Aeronautical Consulting, and visited
Hannes Ross, IBR's owner and sole employee, at his home
office on June 29. When asked, Ross explained that the
confusion over a firm by the name of EEL (reftel) being
listed at the same address as IBR was due to his allowing
the owner of EEL, a longtime friend and former colleague who
now resides and works in the Canary Islands, to use his home
as a German mailing address. Ross further explained that
tracking down IBR was difficult, as he is retired and only
does part-time consulting work from his home. Ross said IBR
stands for "Ingenieur Buero Ross."

2. (SBU) Ross was very cooperative, spoke fluent English,
and expressed familiarity with U.S. export controls, saying
he had even asked Athena representatives if this would be a
problem. In conversation, Ross demonstrated a strong
knowledge of the aviation industry in general, and of the
Solar Impulse program in particular. Ross stated he had
previously done work for McDonnell Douglass, Boeing and
EADS. Ross also said he had worked on the joint U.S.-German
X-31 program. He was able to produce a large collection of
business cards he had acquired from years in the aviation
business and air shows, including one for the U.S. Defense
Attach in Berlin.

3. (SBU) Regarding the questions in para 3 of reftel:
a) Ross said his initial contact with Athena Technologies
was at the 2005 Paris Air Show, where Athena had a display;
b) Ross initiated the contact with Athena; c) There is no
set timeline for deliverables with Athena, as there is no
contract in place yet between IBR and Athena. Ross did
state that the first demo flight of the Solar Impulse was
expected to be in 2008, so any deliverables would presumably
have to be completed by then; d) Ross was not able to
produce any documentation of IBR's relationship with Athena
or the European Space Agency (ESA). He explained this by
saying he had had only personal and e-mail contact with
Athena, and previous e-mails had been deleted. Ross was
able to produce business cards for Athena from the 2005
Paris Air Show -- one for James Dotan, VP of Business
Development, and another for Ben Motazed, Senior VP for
Strategy and Business. As there was no contract between the
two firms yet, there was no other documentation he could
share. Ross said he has had no direct contact with ESA up
till now.

4. (U) Post found no indication that Ross was
misrepresenting himself, or his business. He provided a
business card with the following information:

IBR Aeronautical Consulting
Hannes Ross
Dipl.-Ing
Andreas-Wagner-Str. 3
D-85640 Putzbrunn
Tel/Fax:0049-89-460-4026
Mobil:0049-173-983-6036
E-mail:hannes.ross@t-online.de

5. (U) This report has been coordinated with Embassy
Berlin.

6. (U) Previous reporting from Munich is available on our
SIPRNET website at www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/munich/ .

ROONEY

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