Newsdesk – Commercial Aviation

The present report was initiated earlier this year and was due to go to the Ministers for Aviation, Trade and Primary Industry simultaneously as we closed for press. It is expected that an official statement on the Review will be made public in November.

Air India Accident Still Shrouded in Mystery:

The loss of an Air India 747 over the Atlantic in July is no closer to explanation even though a full analysis of the vital flight recorder has been performed. According to Indian air safety investigators, with the assistance of Boeing and Canadian officials, evidence from the flight recorder provides no conclusive data pointing to a bomb having caused the mid-air destruction of the aircraft.

As we closed for press Indian government officials were examining the feasibility of raising parts of the fuselage for further investigation. This would cost around $15m though the precise position of the major fuselage sections, particularly the all-important nose, are known to be at least 6,500ft below the surface of the Atlantic. Autopsies performed on recovered bodies showed no conclusive evidence of bomb blast

General Electric’s Unique New Propfan Engine Completes Initial Run:

General Electric conducted the initial run of its revolutionary Unducted Fan (UDF”) proof-of-concept test engine at its outdoor facilities during August, in cooperation with NASA.

The UDF, expected to be available for airline service in the 1990s, will provide fuel savings of 40 to 60 percent over current turbofan engines (refer p52 Sept AA). Ground testing of this full-scale engine, in the 25,000-pound thrust class, will resume after the completion of the performance instrumentation hookup. The test engine, with an F404 (as used in the F-18 Hornet) gas generator as its core, is designed to demonstrate the UDF concept.

Over the next several months, GE will test the engine at Peebles for mechanical integrity, performance, acoustic characteristics, and crosswind operation. Limited endurance testing will be run in preparation for the Boeing 727-100 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 flight tests commencing next year.

On the UDF, variable-pitch, unducted fan blades are driven directly, without a gearbox, by two counter-rotating turbines. In contrast to the propellers on current turboprop engines, the UDF’s fan blades are smaller in diameter, greater in number, and wider in chord. Although the engine is designed for both subsonic commercial and military transport aircraft, it will most likely be used initially on commercial aircraft built for 100 to 160 passengers.

Ansett 737s to the USA:

United States news sources have reported that the 12 Ansett Boeing 737-200s will be sold to Phoenix-based America West Airlines. Reported value of the transaction is said to be $US160m, which would provide a good return for Ansett in cash flow terms and help finance the incoming 737-300s and A320s which are being purchased without the aid of a government guarantee. Originally was hoped to retain ownership of the 737s and lease them overseas, perhaps to China, though the bid from America West offered particularly good terms and so the aircraft will be sold outright.

Dofa Looking at Improved Cabin Standards:

Following the spate of recent airline accidents the DotA is preparing a report on a number of safety aspects relating to airliner cabin furnishings. A coroner’s inquest established that the 55 people who died aboard the British Airtours 737 at Manchester on August 22 had all died as a result of inhalation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide introduced into the cabin by melting cabin linings. In the absence of these particularly lethal gases it is not known how many would have died from the heat and eventual flames, though officials believe the majority would have survived in the absence of such gases mixed with thick smoke.

One method of reducing the capability of seat cushions burning, and thus giving off lethal gases, is the use of new Fire Blocker covers. Fire Blocker delays the onset of combustion long enough for normal cabin evacuation to take place. The UK CAA has made it mandatory for all airline class transports to have Fire Blockers installed by December 1987. The US FAA requires Fire Blocker to be fitted one month earlier while most new aircraft now being built have it installed automatically.

In Australia there exists no such legislation relating to Fire Blocker. However, the DotA presently has a specialist team abroad studying the Manchester and other similar accidents. The team will be reporting during November and the DotA then hope to put out an ARP to industry no later than January, 1986 on a whole range of improvements that can be made to reduce the effects of fire and gas- producing cabin linings and furnishings

Airport Development a Feature of 85/86 Aviation Budget:

Increased funds for major airport development and a long term technical equipment program spanning most capital cities and rural and provincial Australia were a feature of the Aviation budget.

Specific budget outlays provided for 1985/86 included: $83. 9m for continuation of works on Brisbane Airport, $33. 5m for the continuation of work on Perth Airport International Terminal, $1. 0m for Townsville Airport for terminal upgrading (estimated total project cost $14. 1m). $1. 0m for Sydney taxiway development (estimated total, project cost $16. 4m) and $1. 0m for the improvement of International Terminal facilities at Sydney Airport. (Estimated total project cost $20. 0m. ) The DotA also would spend some $43. 7m for technical equipment during 1985/86, the major item of expenditure being the continuing installation of earth stations and associated technical equipment for the Department’s use of the National Communications Satellite.

Other major projects included purchase of equipment for the Brisbane airport redevelopment, Perth radar and the purchase of hardware for the Department’s General Computing Network.

The budget also made provision for $22. 7m in 1985/86 for payments under the Aerodrome and Local Ownership Plan. The Commonwealth’s commitment to development under the Plan over the next 3 years currently totals $81.0m. Major projects already approved or underway included, Broken Hill ($5. 2m), Tamworth ($1. 29m). Kingscote ($1. 8m). Coffs Harbour (9 0m); works for F28 aircraft services would take place at Armidale, Tamworth, Cooma and Casino.

The Government will be announcing the proposed site for a Second Sydney Airport later this year when studies are completed and is prepared to provide additional funds for the acquisition of land after the decision has been taken. The Government is also establishing a Federal Airports Corporation to control the operation and finances of major capital city. and some other airports. The Budget provides $1. 01m for development of this initiative. There were no increases in Air Navigation Charges in the Budget, but there will be adjustments to some regulatory charges in line with CPI movements to cover cost increases.

Airship Industries Turns First Profit:

Alan Bond’s Airship Industries has recorded its first ever working profit. The English based builder of airships recorded a nett profit of $A100,000 on turnover of $A16 5m for the fifteen months leading up to June 30, 1985 Prior to this the company had accrued losses of $A27m and still has a reported $A20m of loans falling due through 1988.

Things are looking up for Although with the market place active and airships in regular contract work for Fuji Film, Bond Corporation’s Swan Lager in the UK, Resorts International and the US Coast Guard who are still evaluating the airship as a possible surveillance plat- form A Model 600 will be delivered to the Canadian Engineering Services through mid 1986 while Swan Television in Perth will see the arrival of Western Australia’s first modern warship early next year when a Model 600 arrives for its Australian tour.

Equipped with computer-generated graphics on its voluminous hull, the airships are performing excellently in the promotional role over large audiences at sporting fixtures and at night using moving graphics and illumination. Airship Industries are hoping to build up to a minimum production run of six airships a year from 1987 onwards.

 Large Corporate Airliners Becoming More Popular:

As the basic cost of smaller corporate aircraft soars and a greater number of older, but proven, jet airliners come onto the used market at vastly reduced prices the number of airline class aircraft in corporate livery is rapidly increasing. A recent report in BCA magazine revealed that worldwide there were some 30 Boeing 7078 in corporate service along with 61 7278, 23 7378 and 2 747s. In the smaller league there were 6 Caravelles, 7 DC-8s, 12 DC-9s, 15 F28s and 44 BAC 111s. This figure does not include aircraft belonging to government or military agencies Price of a fully refurbished 727-100 with the specialised interior, updated avionics and long range underfloor tanks is in the region of $A10m while the cost of a substantially smaller and short legged Gulfstream IV or Falcon 900 is up to 50% more. While the newer aircraft is significantly more fuel-frugal the larger jet can often come up with lower DOCS when cost of serving the interest debt on the aircraft is taken into account.

That the market is now moving into new corporate airliners is significant in that a well-maintained new aircraft, such as a 737-300, will hold its resale value much better over a period of time than its regular airline transport cousin. This was instanced by a US corpora- tion which brought a new 737 from Boeing in 1970 for $US4. 3m and sold it last year for $US8. 5m. This is something Boeing point out cannot be done with the smaller business jet. The reason for this sizeable increase is that the corporate aircraft logs probably a fifth the hours of a typical airliner while generally being kept in better condition due to the nature of its service. Boeing nowadays have a special division set up to promote and service the corporate customer which in itself is an indication of the upsurge in this section of the market in recent years.

 Establishment of the Federal Airports Corporation:

Mr Peter Morris, the Minister for Aviation, has announced that the Government has decided to move as quickly as possible to introduce legislation for the establishment of the Federal Airports Corporation “The establishment of the Corporation means for the first time Australian airports will be placed on a commercial basis with proper disclosure of their operating and financial performance,” Mr Morris said.

*The Corporation will have to be financially self-supporting to reduce the burden on the taxpayer and will be able to operate with a degree of flexibility and responsiveness not available to a Government Department in its administration of airports. ” Mr Morris said that apart from the six international airports in State capital cities, the Corporation will take responsibility for Essendon, Coolangatta, Launceston and for the general aviation airports of Bankstown, Hoxton Park, Camden, Moorabbin, Parafield, Archerfield, Jandakot and Cambridge. Mr Morris said “The Government has decided that the Head Office of the Corporation should be established in the Sydney region where its major airport and operational responsibilities are located, as early as possible I expect that the Corporation will assume responsibility for its airports in the 1986/87 financial year”.

 Large Replacement Aircraft Market Appearing in Turboprop Inventory:

According to Avmark of the US, there are 2,817 active turboprops in regular airline service throughout the world. This fleet comprises 100 Casa Aviocars, 101 Convair 580s, 49 Convair 600/640s, 508 Twin Otters, 90 DHC Dash 7s, 244 Bandeirantes, 414 Fokker F27s and Fairchild FH-2278, 162 BAe 7488, 60 Jetstream 31s, 113 NAMC YS-118, 56 Viscounts, 153 Shorts 330/360s, 83 Electras, 53 L100 Hercules, 280 Fanchild Metros, 199 Beech 99/C99s and 50 Beech 1900s A brief perusal of the figures reveals that more than half of this fleet is 15 years or older and destined to be replaced by the new generation of turboprops just entering the market.

Propliner Lives:

That Bible of the propellor-driven airliner world, Propliner is back in action and looking as good as ever. Propliner was the brainchild of the late Stephen Piercey. who’s excellent aviation photo journalism graced the pages of Flight international and The Aeroplane.

Following Steve’s untimely death in May 1984, the future of Propliner was unclear and the journal disappeared from the publishing scene for more than a year. Fortunately today. thanks to former assistant editor, Tony Merton Jones, Propliner is alive and well and looking every bit a winner. If you are inspired by the technical elegance of the propellor-driven airliner, particularly the heavies of yesteryear then Propliner is for you. Published quarterly. Australian subscribers pay 12 pounds a year while remittances should be sent direct to Propliner, 10 Onger Close, Addlestone, Weybridge, Surrey UK, KT15 1BX.

Hawker Pacific Marketing New Safety Product:

In this year of appalling airline disasters any item or system that can readily increase safety levels deserves full recognition. Hawker Pacific have been hard at work marketing their new airliner lavatory fire detection system which has been trialled locally aboard MAS Boeing 747s. The system for MAS includes fire detection and sensing equipment, extinguisher bottles, and a warning system which can be located in the aircraft cockpit, lavatories and galley service areas.

Manufactured in the USA by the Total Flood Corporation, the systems are in use aboard TWA aircraft and will soon be installed on a number of the major airlines in North America and Europe as lavatory fire detection systems become mandatory.

 McDonnell Douglas to Increase MD-80 Production:

McDonnell Douglas is to increase its monthly MD-80 production rate from 6 aircraft to 8 effective January next year. At time of going to press a total of 556 orders and options had been taken against the MD-80. Based on firm orders only. MDC state that there is sufficient demand to keep the line busy to 1991. In Australia, the Long Beach manufacturer lost a long sales war to Boeing when both TAA and Ansett opted for the 737- 300 in preference to various versions of the stretched DC-9. MDC are however still active locally and could sell current and future versions of its MD-80 to either TAA or East West in the years ahead.

Between 1965 and 1981 McDonnell Douglas delivered 976 DC-9 aircraft, primarily of the popular Series 30 model, and has to date delivered 256 MD-80 aircraft.

Airports Are Big Business:

Airports are big business. For long the pariah of many communities, an airport nowadays is often seen as a mass employer in an area and a major resource to be developed as an asset of the region.

In Australia, Kingsford Smith Airport alone employs around 12,000 people, more than half of which live within ten kilometres of the airport. Remove this facility and you would have a lot of missing jobs and a general rundown in the entire community. Blacktown City Council, west of Sydney, has now realised this and has begun a pro-airport (at Badgery’s Creek) campaign to turn round years of airport bashing by a multitude of community environmental groups. Further to the south the City of Wollongong is working hard to ensure that Sydney’s second airport is located at Wilton. Wollongong Council see thousands of local job opportunities being created and don’t want to see the airport anywhere else – a far cry from a decade ago. A prime mover in this change of attitudes, apart from regional unemployment, is the new generation of extremely quiet aircraft epitomised by the BAe 146, 737-300, A300, 767 and 747 wide bodied jets.

In the USA, the massive Airport Improvement Programme is set to invest a record $US18 billion dollars in airports during the period leading up to the year 2000. The FAA predict that if urgent action is not taken now then there will be more than 100 capacity-constrained airports in North America alone. The AIP aims to create 66 new reliever airports in major metropolitan areas, 371 other GA fields and 40 new city helipads. To increase traffic volume ATC aircraft separations will be further fined-tuned leading to more closely spaced IFR aircraft operations, reduced longitudinal separation and better procedures for simultaneous use of short runways for commuter and GA aviation at major airports. If only our own DotA could think along these lines! Major airports create jobs. Heathrow employs 45,000 people, Gatwick over 15,000 while LAX employs 47,000 people directly and provides a sub-city of hotels that offer over 11,000 beds! The LA Chamber of Commerce estimates conservatively that the positive effect of airliner operations on the State of California during 1984 was $US22 billion! Closer to home, the employment effects of the second Sydney airport will provide 7,000 jobs in the fifteen-year construction period with an additional 12,500 jobs when the facility achieves full operational status while a further 2,300 jobs will be created locally in support industries. Additional to this, budgeted funds over the next three years by the DofA allows for an investment of$540m in major development of airports in Australia.

 McDonnell Douglas Pushing Hard for Launch Orders for MD-11:

McDonnell Douglas is seeking firm airline orders for its new generation MD-11 trijet. The St Louis based company hopes to be able to announce a programme launch in the first half of 1986 which would then see the first MD-118 in airline service by late 1989.

MDC foresee a requirement for 1,400 aircraft in the market sector occupied by the MD-11 during the nineteen nineties and hope to capture at least a quarter of these with their DC-10 derivative. Compared with the DC-10 though the MD-11 will feature greater passen. ger and cargo capacity plus longer range and increased profit potential Medium range, long range and freighter versions are being proposed. A longer fuselage increases passenger capacity to about 330 in a mixed-class configuration or about 50 more than the present DC-10-30. Maximum range of the MD- 11 LR versions will be in the order of 6,000nm and the aircraft will feature an EFIS two-man flight deck and the latest state-of-the-art engines in the 60,000lb class.

 Airbus Having a Great Year:

Airbus Industries have posted excellent results for the first half of 1985, the European airliner consortium sold 78 aircraft in the first six months of this year as against only 35 for the same period in 1984. During the period Al confirmed orders against 31 A320s, 18 A300s and 29 A310s.

Human Error Still the Major Cause of Aircraft Accidents:

A report issued by the US FAA cites human error as still the major cause of aircraft accidents. The report studies US accident data over fifteen years and states that 71% of major airline crashes in the US over the period were due to pilot error. Additionally, bad weather was involved in 49% of the accidents and more than three quarters occurred within two kilometres of the airport boundary, the majority being in the final stages of landing.