Finmeccanica's directors agreed on 16 April that the company should "evaluate the possibility of taking a minority share" in FiatAvio. The Carlyle Group signed a memorandum of understanding on the deal earlier this month (Flight International, 15-21 April) which would see Carlyle taking around 70% of the Italian engine manufacturer, while Finmeccanica would hold the rest, including FiatAvio's space activities. Carlyle had previously cited Finmeccanica as a potential industrial partner, but last week's announcement is the first confirmation of the Italian company's involvement.
Source: Flight International
