Newsdesk- Commercial Aviation

Boeing is assembling an international team to develop and build the short-to-medium range twinjet which will go into commercial service in early 1992.

The Japanese Aircraft Development Corporation – a consortium of Mitsubishi, Kawasaki and Fuji Heavy Industries-is an equity partner in the programme Short Brothers, of Belfast, Northern Ireland and Saab-Scania, of Linkop- ing, Sweden, are also programme associates with the same relative shareholding as HdH.

Boeing, largely with HdH, has a 15 year his- tory of cooperation with Australian aerospace firms, having placed more than $A350 million worth of component contracts for 727,737,747 and 757 aircraft.

In addition to significant technology development beneficial to Australian industry, Boeing work placement could exceed $A1 billion through the life of the 7J7 project as a 3% share would give HdH around $1m revenue per airframe sold. The agreement also does not exclude HdH from joining either Airbus or McDonnell Douglas on similar programmes providing the share does not exceed that previously negotiated with Boeing. Hawker de Havil- land is discussing collaboration with Airbus and hopes to have verification on joining the A330/340 team during the course of this issue. A government loan package is also under negotiation and this too is hoped to be approved before the end of this financial year.

A Tay Powered DC-9?:

Talks are progressing, according to Airclaims, between Rolls Royce and Airborne Express regarding re-engining DC-9-30 aircraft with the Rolls Royce Tay turbofan. The Tayis presently being developed in higher thrust versions out to 15,100lb and would not only offer fuel burn improvements over the early series Pratt & Whitney JT8s in the order of 25% + but would also totally meet ICAO Stage III noise requirements allowing Airborne to operate the modified aircraft into noise sensitive airports throughout the night.

Dee Howard, the large Texas based airframe conversion specialist, is also proposing re-engining BAC-111 airliners with the Tay though Rolls has to date been quiet on this as it obviously would kill some long-term Fokker 100 sales while BAe, who initially built the 111 and are still responsible for product support, see the hybrid being a threat to potential BAe 146 sales.

A Tay-powered DC-9 makes a lot of sense as this, like the 111, is an excellent airframe and with more than 560 such aircraft still in service there exists the market base for an economically viable number of conversions.

Boeing to Focus on Twin-Aisle 7j7 Airliner and New 737 Model:

Seattle, Washington – After months of intense market assessment and cost analysis, Boeing Commercial Airplane Company has developed a two-pronged strategy aimed at meeting the need for new short-to-medium-range jetliners.

Firstly Boeing is concentrating efforts to develop its 1992 advanced technology 7J7 airliner on a twin-aisle design offering six-abreast seating for about 150 passengers. Current studies are focusing on a 188-inch (4. 8m) fuselage diameter.

Secondly, in response to those airlines expressing a need for a smaller aircraft, Boeing is assessing interest in a new version of its 737 twinjet series.

The new version would seat 100 to 110 passengers and be equipped with the fuel-efficient engines and other features of the larger 737-300 model now in service worldwide. If the new 737 version is given a formal go-ahead early this year, first delivenes could be made in early 1990.

Earlier the company considered the possibility of developing a smaller version of the 7J7 for the 100-seat market. However, after examining the market and commonality with existing equipment Boeing had decided that at this time a small 737 would be the most effective alternative.

One of the key technologies for the 7J7 airliner is an ultra bypass propulsion system in which two engines with very large diameter fan stages offer dramatically reduced fuel consumption compared to today’s powerplants.

General Electric’s unducted fan engine is one of the leading contenders to power the 7J7. It features twin counter-rotating fans external to the engine’s nacelle. A proof-of-concept version is currently being flight tested in California. If selected for the 7J7, the GE engines would be mounted on the aft fuselage.

Another contender was the V2500 Superfan. Proposed in late 1986 by International Aero Engines, the engine would feature a large fan stage enclosed in a short nacelle. For the 7J7, this type of engine would be installed under the wings.

Boeing would study the two different engine configurations during the next several months and choose one of them based on the preference of potential 7J7 customers. He said detailed specifications for the new aircraft would follow with the aim of obtaining firm orders and a production go-ahead for initial deliveries in 1992

Superfan Becomes the Driver for the Airbus A340:

Airbus and International Aero Engines have formally decided to proceed with the ultra-long-range A340 with four IAE Superfan engines in place of the previously offered CFM568 and IAE V2500 turbofans.

The Superfan concept is based on the use of a large, geared ducted fan, driven by an existing V2500 core engine and therefore substantially increasing bypass ratio, offering as a result an expected fuel saving of over 12%.

The decision to go with the new Superfan also allows Airbus additional flexibility in developing their A340 as they now have sufficient power (over 30,000lb thrust) to offer two versions of the A340. These include a new and larger A340-300 seating 294 pax in a long-range, three-class cabin, and the currently proposed smaller A340-200 seating 262 pax in a similar layout. The larger aircraft offers a range of some 7,000nm with full passenger load while the shortened fuselage-300 version has even longer legs and can uplift a similar payload some 7,700nm.

MDC Md-87 and Fokker 100 Both Successfully Undertake Their First Flights:

Two hybrid twinjets from opposing sides of the World made their first flights in the weeks prior to last Christmas.

November 30 saw the first flight of Fokker’s immensely successful F100 twinjet while some 9 days later the shortened fuselage MD-87 took to the air from McDonnell Douglas’ Long Beach, California facility. Both fights went without incident and were described by the various manufacturers as highly successful Both aircraft will also attain FAA certification late in 1967 and will enter airline service early next year. To date the Fokker 100 has attracted 88 firm orders backed up by a further 91 options while the larger MD-87 has logged 26 firm orders.

New Version of Tay Makes Its First Run:

A new and more powerful sion of the Tay turbofan engine made its first run in Scotland during late December.

The engine, the Tay Mk650, will provide additional takeoff thrust for Fokker 100 airliner operators who want increased payload/range capability.

The 650 version ran on the development test bed at Rolls Royce’s East Kilbride factory near Glasgow. The engine reached its thrust rating of 15,100lb during its initial run-and subsequently exceeded it-with the test being reported by Rolls to have been impeccable. This achievement comes just two weeks after the first flight of the Fokker 100 from Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, powered by two Tay Mk620s of 13,850lb thrust.

The more powerful version has already been specified by two of the customers for the Fokker 100 USAir of America and GPA Fokker 100 Limited – and deliveries are due to commence in late 1988.

Rolls Royce Tay Project Manager Lan Kinnear said the successful test demonstrated the inherent growth potential for this engine. “The Tay has already shown it is capable of further development and we are evaluating further power increases that this sector of the market might require,” said Mr Kinnear.

The first Tay ran at East Kilbride in August 1984. It has also been chosen to power the new Gulfstream IV executive jet soon to enter service.

TNT Group Buys Bae 146 Freighter Aircraft:

TNT, the Australian-based worldwide freight forwarding organization has acquired a BAe 146QT freighter aircraft for operations within its European freight forward- ing network.

In announcing this, TNT Managing Director, Sir Peter Abeles, said the BAe 146’s proven reputation as the world’s quietest jetliner made it ideally suited to the airfreight role, especially in view of the extensive night operations required by the industry and its acquisition will allow TNT to even further enhance and expand its unique European express freight services.

The ‘QT Quiet Trader’ is the containerised freighter version of the successful BAe 146- 200 passenger airliner in service with Ansett WA and many other airlines worldwide. The TNT order follows the company’s recent trials of the aircraft at several key European ports during which it confirmed its ability to operate during curfew hours with negligible disturbance to airport neighbours.

The conversion of the BAe 146-200 passenger version to fulfil the freighter role entailed the installation of a large hydraulically operated main deck door, 3. 33m x 1. 93m (131in x 76in) and a mechanical freight handling system to permit loads of 10 tonnes to be carried at jet speeds over a distance of 2400km (1300 miles).

727/Udf Aircraft Reaches Mach 0. 84 Air Cruise Speed:

During its most recent flights, the modified Boeing 727 with the General Electric UDF (Unducted Fan) demonstrator engine has cruised at full power at Mach 0. 84 at 36,000.

Recent tests have shown that the engine thrust and SFC in-flight are meeting pre-test predictions. Community noise and near field noise are as predicted from scale model testing and there are no unusual installation effects impacting either performance or noise.

Brasilia Gets Lighter:

Embraer has reduced the equipped empty weight of the EMB-120 Brasilia by 390kg since delivering the first series production aircraft. This has been made possible through the adoption of lighter materials and increased utilization of composites in the aircraft’s structure.

Ten per cent of Brasilia’s basic equipped empty weight of 7,070kg is made up of composites, mainly kevlar, fibreglass and carbon fibre. Current production aircraft have passenger seats made of carbon fibre/kevlar, the floor and partitions of carbon fibre/Nomex sandwich and side panels and the ceiling of fibreglass/kevlar/nomex/carbon sandwich fibre The leading edges and tips of all flying surfaces are also made of kevlar/fibreglass, as are the wing-to-fuselage facings, radome and tail-cone (non-APU equipped aircraft only). Flaps are made of carbon fibre whereas Stanium now replaces stainless steel on engine cowlings and exhausts.

As a result, Brasilia can now have an equivalent weight increase in its payload or carry additional fuel for another 592km (320nm) while maintaining the same takeoff weight.

Airbus Joins International Consortium to Purchase Fifty A320 Twinjets Worth Sus Two Billion:

Airbus Industrie has joined forces with three international organizations – the GPA Group Limited, Pacific Western Airlines Corporation and Banque Paribas a joint venture leasing company which is to buy 50 new technology A320 twinjets worth $US two billion.

The joint venture organization, to be known as GPA Airbus 320, will be led by GPA as the major shareholder and take delivery of the first 25 aircraft between 1990 and 1992. The new company has also secured positions for a further 25 aircraft between 1992 and 1994. All 50 A320s will be offered on operating leases to airlines worldwide.

GPA is a privately held Irish financial services company specialising in aircraft asset management. Headquartered in Shannon, Ireland, GPA’s shareholder base is spread about one-third each in Europe, North America and Japan. Pacific Western Airlines Corporation, following its recent acquisition of Canadian Pacific Airlines, is now Canada’s second-largest airline. Paribas, with a strong traditional interest in the space and aviation industries, is one of the largest financial groups in the world and has already contributed significantly to the financing of the Airbus family of aircraft.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the GPA Group, Mr T. A. Ryan, said he expected the A320 to be a key aircraft in airline fleets well into the next century, meeting operator’s needs for aircraft in the 100 to 150 seat capacity range.

GPA, directly and through its various joint-venture associations, is investing over six billion dollars in new generation aircraft (including up to one hundred Fokker 100 Twinjets) to be delivered between now and the early 1990s

Airship Achieves Certification:

Alan Bond’s Airship Industries achieved a major objective in early January when their Skyship 600 formally obtained its CAA certificate of airworthiness. This then allows the commencement of scenic flights on a scale greater than that previously undertaken with the smaller Skyship 500. During the course of this issue, it is also expected that Australian DotA certification will be granted to the type that will allow regular scenic and passenger-carrying flights over major Australian tourist centres.

Aerospace Innovation Tested in the America’s Cup:

The drag reduction film used by Dennis Conner on Stars & Stripes in the latter stages of its recent America’s Cup campaign is hopefully going to lead the world’s airlines to considerable fuel savings in the decades ahead. Developed jointly by 3M and Boeing, with the assistance of NASA, the drag reduction film is presently being air tested aboard various types of aircraft to establish its precise benefit to large airliner applications Development is continuing, though even at this early stage it appears that an overall drag reduction of around 2% may be possible thereby providing a considerable fuel saving over the course of a year. If proven economically viable the new film will be available from next year for application to both new and existing aircraft of all shapes and types.

Dofa Appoints Specialist to Exam- Ine Airways System:

The DotA has appointed Dr Robert Ratner of Ratner Associates in California, to thoroughly examine the present Australian airways system and recommend changes that will enhance its effectiveness and safety levels.

Dr Ratner will look specifically at incidents over the past five years which led to a breakdown in aircraft separation, including several recent incidents. He will also report on any element of the ATC system that has changed significantly over the past five years and to assess the adequacy of procedures, facilities and staff management in the ATC system to prevent collision between aircraft.

Dr Ratner worked with the DotA on a similar consultancy several years ago and is scheduled to hand his report to the Secretary of the Department, Mr Rae Taylor, by early March.

McDonnell Douglas Launch the Long Awaited MD-11 Trijet:

On the second last day of 1986 McDonnell Douglas officially launched their MD-11 trijet.

The MD-11 is a follow on from the DC-10 and according to MDC has already logged orders and options for 92 aircraft valued at approximately $US9bn. Firm orders have been received from British Caledonian and Mitsui, a Japanese leasing company, while soft options and letters of intent have also been received from Alitalia, Dragonair, Federal Express, GPA, Korean Air, SAS, Swissair, Varig and Thai International.

The MD-11 is to be produced in two versions a standard fuselage long-range version and a shortened fuselage ultra-long-range model that boasts a max payload range of an impressive 7,700nm. A full Update on the new MD-11s is given on page 37 of this issue.

John Spiers Wins Prestigious Aviation Award:

John Spiers, lead aviation writer for the Australian and long time contributor for to Australian Aviation, took out first prize in the 1986 Sir Donald Anderson Aviation Journalism Award.

The award was inaugurated in 1985 and is sponsored jointly by the Department of Aviation and a major airline, BA in 1985 and Qantas in 1986. John Spiers won the award for a portfolio of specialist in-depth articles published in the Australian newspaper through 1986. Other award winners were Tony Harrington of the Melbourne Age and John Millard of the ABC Countrywide team. Congratulations to all.

Boeing Reports 1986 Sales Earnings:

Boeing has reported sales of US$16,341 million for 1986. Comparable figures for 1985 were sales of US$13,636 million. During 1986, the company delivered 4 7078, 21 737-2008, 120 737-3008, 35 7478, 357578, 27 7678 and 49 commuter aircraft, including 40 DHC-88, for a total of 291 aeroplanes. Compar- able 1985 deliveres were 3 7078, 32737-2008, 83 737-300s, 24 7478, 36 7578 and 25 7678 for a total of 203 airplanes. Current schedules call for the delivery of 9 7078, 23 737-2008, 139 737-3008, 22 7478, 36 7578, 33 7678 and 48 commuter aircraft, including 44 DHC-88, during 1987 for a total of 310 aircraft.

Total orders for the twelve month period were 341 jet transports and 94 turboprop aircraft valued at US$19. 8 billion. Orders for 390 jet transports valued at US$14. 9 billion were announced in 1985.

Tigers Saved at the Bell:

Flying Tigers, the world’s largest scheduled air cargo carrier, has lived to fly another day following a last-minute agreement between its pilots and management. The agreement calls for aircrew wage cuts of up to 25% plus a reduction in benefits and a modification of the company’s traditionally generous work rules.

Flying Tigers were faced with the choice of either massive internal reorganization or outright closure following two consecutive loss-making years. The primary problem for the company was their very generous senior employee remuneration structure which saw the average aircrew wage stand at a phenomenal $US173,000 per annum. Following months of unsuccessful negotiations between Flying Tigers management and the ALPA, representing the pilots, the company decided to sell off its assets and restructure to its own plans. Faced with no alternative the pilots then agreed to a rescue package which hopefully should turn the ailing freight airline onto a profitable heading for 1987.