Landmark Aviation plans on divesting its FBO (fixed base operation) "Landmark Aviation Airport Services" and upon consultation with Merrill Lynch has placed the "Airport Services" division in a management trust operated and overseen by trustee's James Schlesinger, the former Secretary of Defense, Energy and CIA Director; former Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska (9/11 Commission); and Dov Zakheim, the former Pentagon comptroller.

(Background: Landmark Aviation was recently sold by the Carlyle Group to (DAE) Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Ltd.) Landmark Aviation and its "Airport Services" have also been suspected of running rendition flights out of Dulles Airport. (Links Below)

----------------------------------------------------

"DAE has placed Airport Services in a management trust. The FBO division is separated from the rest of DAE, and has its own infrastructure and support network. The trustees were selected in consultation with Merrill Lynch and include: James Schlesinger, the former Secretary of Defense; former Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska; and Dov Zakheim, the former Pentagon comptroller."

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=businessweekly&id=news/LAND08067.xml

----------------------------------------------------

"DAE planned to divest another entity, Landmark Aviation Airport Services, comprised of 33 fixed-base operations, an aircraft sales, charter and management business, and MRO operations associated with the FBO sites.

The operations of Landmark Aviation Airport Services and the sale process were to be overseen by an independent board of trustees made up of former U.S. Defense Secretary James Schlesinger, former Sen. Bob Kerrey and former Defense Department Comptroller Dov Zakheim."

http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/categories/military/15353.html

----------------------------------------------------

Landmark Aviation Announces Appointment of Shawn Vick as CEO of Airport Service

"The Landmark Aviation Airport Services’ sale process will be overseen by an independent board of trustees made up of former Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger, former Senator Bob Kerrey and former Pentagon Comptroller Dov Zakheim. The sale process will be conducted by Merrill Lynch. Vick, a longtime aviation industry executive, will lead the Airport Services during this period."

http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?id=4313&siteSection=1

----------------------------------------------------

James Schlesinger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_R._Schlesinger

Bob Kerrey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Kerrey

Dov Zakheim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dov_Zakheim

----------------------------------------------------

Former Defense Secretary Offers Insight Into (creation of) 9/11 Commission Inquiry

(Schlesinger's written statement delivered to Senate Governmental Affairs Committee) (1480)

Dr. James R. Schlesinger, former CIA director and former Secretary of
Defense in the Nixon and Ford Administrations, offered his
for-the-record remarks in lieu of an appearance before the Senate
Committee on Governmental Affairs hearing that took place February 7.

The hearing was called to consider the bill to establish a commission
to investigate why the U.S. Government failed to foresee the terrorist
attacks of September 11.

The Senate bill, S. 1867, is sponsored by Senator Joseph Lieberman
(Democrat-Connecticut) and Senator John McCain (Republican-Arizona).
Lieberman is chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.

FULL Schlesinger text:

http://cryptome.org/911-insight.htm

---------------------------------------------------------

Landmark Aviation and CIA Rendition Flights from Dulles Airport ?

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368475.html

Meet the CIA Torturers at Landmark Aviation (@Dulles Airport)

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/04/358578.shtml

"How did Carlyle pull it off? A little Washington grease always helps. The politically connected private equity underwriter (PEU) hired Akin, Gump to lobby for the Landmark sale. Their services for the first half of 2007 cost The Carlyle Group $400,000. Might another bill be coming as the deal didn't close until August 1st?

What else happened to seal the deal? Dubai Aerospace agreed to sell off Landmark's fixed based operation (Landmark Aviation Airport Services) which include charter services. It wouldn't behoove them to hold on to a division that flew rendition flights. Someone might find out and want revenge."

http://peureport.blogspot.com/2007/08/peu-schooling-by-carlyle-ports-vs.html

--------------------------------------------------------

Dubai's Owning Six Ports vs. Fifty Airports?

The Carlyle Group, a large politically connected private equity underwriter (PEU), kept news of a pending sale of two of its aerospace companies off its website. Three months ago Carlyle agreed to sell Standard Aero Holdings Inc. and Landmark Aviation, two U.S. aviation maintenance companies, to Dubai Aerospace for $1.8 billion. The deal is under review by U.S. regulatory authorities.

Recall that Dubai-owned DP World's purchase of terminals at six U.S. ports in 2006 triggered a furor among U.S. lawmakers such as Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who said the deal would compromise national security. DP World completed the sale of the facilities to AIG Global Investment Group on March 16, fulfilling a pledge to jettison U.S. operations.

Should this sale go through the United Arab Emirates would control an airport refueling and maintenance company with sites all across America and an aftermarket jet engine servicing company with worldwide aspirations. Fifty airports is a much bigger deal than six ports. No news of the sale exists on either the Landmark and Standard Aero websites. The Emirates have big plans for the aviation market intending to have $7 billion in sales in two years and will finance its expansion using Islamic bonds.

Carlye is well known for growing the government portion of the business and Landmark is no exception. It recently received a military refueling contract in San Antonio. If America's ports are an attractive target for terrorist infiltrators, how excited might they be at striking a blow at U.S. military might on its home turf? One intrepid blogger researched CIA rendition flights and tracked them back to Landmark Aviation's Dulles operations.

So why the huge fuss over ports back then and the silence since early April? Could it be private equity's considerable political connections and influence? They contribute heavily to both parties. For the 2008 presidential race five candidates have received over $50,000 in PEU contributions. That includes three Democrats and two Republicans. Or could it be Dubai Aerospace already plans to spin off much of the operation? One insider believes so. The merger agreement specifies the divestiture of the 30 airport operations run by Landmark Aviation.

So how much will Carlyle make on the deal, should it go through? They purchased Standard Aero in 2004 for $670 million. The history of Landmark is more convoluted as two companies merged, Garrett Aviation and Piedmont/Hawthorne. Carlyle did not reveal the purchase price of Garrett Aviation in 2004. Piedmont/Hawthorne was created in 1998 by the merger of two Carlyle companies, while a third was added in 2000. One can assume the prices paid for such assets are significantly less than current value given the growth in aviation services field.

For the sake of illustration, let's assume Carlyle gets a 100% return on their long held assets. A $900 million profit would require capital gains taxes of $135 million at the 15% rate. The Bush tax cuts keep $45 million from entering the federal treasury to pay for say those CIA rendition flights. If this story doesn't reflect America's bizarre present, I'm not sure what does...

http://peureport.blogspot.com/2007/07/dubais-owning-six-ports-vs-fifty.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------

PEU Schooling by Carlyle: Ports vs. Airports

For a lesson in private equity influence in America, one need look no further than The Carlyle Group's recent sale of two aviation service companies to Dubai Aerospace. The public foamed into a lather over the sale of six port operation to a different Dubai company. The two companies Carlyle sold have facilities at some fifty domestic airports, some even service aircraft engines. Wouldn't this seem a bigger risk than ports given 9-11? Might a rich citizen of the Emirates have any jihadist relatives, like the Saudi bin Laden family?

Very little of this story made the news during the time it took to "announce" and close the deal, from April to August. Carlyle didn't put out any press releases on this $1.9 billion transaction. They normally brag about flipping companies for huge profits, but not this time. I can understand the seller wanting to keep it "hush hush", but someone tried to tell the story, didn't they? Surely the media, regulators, elected officials (who jumped on their high horse over the ports deal) spoke out. Sorry.

How did Carlyle pull it off? A little Washington grease always helps. The politically connected private equity underwriter (PEU) hired Akin, Gump to lobby for the Landmark sale. Their services for the first half of 2007 cost The Carlyle Group $400,000. Might another bill be coming as the deal didn't close until August 1st?

What else happened to seal the deal? Dubai Aerospace agreed to sell off Landmark's fixed based operation which include charter services. It wouldn't behoove them to hold on to a division that flew rendition flights. Someone might find out and want revenge.

The deal got announced as a $1.8 billion transaction, but closed as a $1.9 billion deal. Did Carlyle raise the price to pass on their lobbying and hush money costs? If Carlyle cleared a $1 billion dollar profit on the deal, the Bush capital gains tax cut puts and extra $50 million in the PEU's.

Given the recent data on the rising number of uninsured children, Carlyle would be happy to pay a little more so kids could be covered, right? Even though the President is against it, surely the super wealthy making money hand over fist, want to help out? Sorry.

http://peureport.blogspot.com/2007/08/peu-schooling-by-carlyle-ports-vs.html

Hmmmmmmmm...........