Michelin Completes Tire Development for American Utilicraft

    GREENVILLE, S.C.--Feb. 7, 2003--Michelin Aircraft Tire Corp. today announced the completion of tire research and development for the American Utilicraft Corporation's FF-1080 aircraft.
    "Michelin is pleased to be associated with this exciting program," says Harvey Stackhouse, director of sales and marketing for Michelin Aircraft Tire Corp. "This new tire design will accommodate the wide variety of applications and configurations that are planned for this aircraft." The FF-1080 aircraft is designed to meet the unique requirements of the air cargo and military transport markets and consequently places specific demands on tire performance. "Improving mobility is at the core of Michelin's mission," notes Stackhouse. "Our tire development for this aircraft is another great example of how we fulfill that mission."
    Michelin Aircraft Tire Corp. (MATC) manufactures and sells tires for every type of aircraft including military, commercial, general aviation, corporate and regional applications. Michelin is the exclusive tire supplier for the U.S. Space Shuttle. Michelin North America, Inc., parent Company of MATC, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle and publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs 25,900 and operates 22 facilities in 18 locations.
    American Utilicraft Corporation was founded to target the ever-growing problem of addressing the overnight express and business-to-business e-commerce entities' inability to provide effective fulfillment and distribution in the short haul (or feeder) route segments of air cargo. The result of the Company's research and development is a new air vehicle, the FF-1080-200 Freight Feeder aircraft, in production and capable of carrying standard industry air containers on short-to-medium range/medium density routes, and an integrated air cargo information system for the freight feeder market.