1.   Analyst Byron Callan of Merrill Lynch, in a note to clients Monday, wrote that he believes the commercial aviation market could soon improve.

2.   Augustine stressed that Lockheed Martin has no interest in getting back into the commercial aviation market.

3.   But in the long run, that will not be the case in the global aviation market.

4.   Competition is assured, the companies argue, given the huge American presence in the European arms and aviation market.

5.   Even Airbus officials have said in recent years that McDonnell Douglas represented little threat in the commercial aviation market.

6.   Even in civilian aviation markets, manufacturers are slashing margins to capture orders and working feverishly to become the lowest-cost producers.

7.   For now, though, the aviation market is an abundant bazaar.

8.   French Transport Minister Anne-Marie Idrac said opening the aviation market to global competition had to be accompanied by worldwide air transport safety rules.

9.   If both airline acquisition deals get done, the resulting carriers will control half the U.S. aviation market.

10.   In particular, the commission wants access for European carriers to the domestic U.S. aviation market.