The chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee will spend part of his personal vacation this month doing a little state business in Germany — on his own dime, he said.

Sen. Bob Burns, R-9, departed Phoenix on Aug. 9 for England, Sweden and Germany. As part of his time in Germany, where he will reunite with a foreign exchange student he and his wife hosted here, Mr. Burns said he will meet with German trade officials to promote business with Arizona, including discussion about a possible re-establishment of Lufthansa service between that nation and Phoenix.

The German airline ceased service to Phoenix in 2003 because of a soft international economy and lack of a U.S. feeder airline. Mr. Burns said the proposed merger of America West Airlines and US Air might provide a feeder for Lufthansa in the future.

Rod Williams of the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority is traveling with Mr. Burns, and they will meet with three trade officials in Germany.

They are scheduled to meet with Michael Gotschlich, head of Foreign Trade/North America and Western Europe; Daniela Wiedmann, head of Trade with the United States; Dr. Lucie Merkle, Investment in Bavaria, and with Dr. Ulrich Maly, lord mayor of Nuremberg.

“As Appropriations chairman, I’m especially interested to discuss and compare thoughts on fiscal policy and the challenges they face in this area,” Mr. Burns said.

“We’ll let them lead the parade,” Mr. Burns said. “We’ll play it by ear.”

Mr. Burns will return on Aug. 26 —