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Viewing cable 06MUNICH400, BLUE LANTERN PRE-CHECK ON DDTC LICENSE 05-973079:

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06MUNICH400 2006-06-30 16:10 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Munich
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