  The purpose of this paper is twofold: first we want to introduce a new type
of hadronic interaction model (NEXUS), which has a much more solid theoretical
basis as, for example, presently used models like QGSJET and VENUS, and ensures
therefore a much more reliable extrapolation towards high energies. Secondly,
we want to promote an extensive air shower (EAS) calculation scheme, based on
cascade equations rather than explicit Monte Carlo simulations, which is very
accurate in calculations of main EAS characteristics and extremely fast
concerning computing time. We employ the NEXUS model to provide the necessary
data on particle production in hadron-air collisions and present the average
EAS characteristics for energies 10^14 - 10^17 eV. The experimental data of the
casa-blanka group are analyzed in the framework of the new model.
