Yesteryear

• Cimber Air phased out its two VFW-614 transports on 3 September and returned them to VFW-Fokker together with the hired factory owned example D-BABI. Two new Fokker F. 28 Fellowships are now used by Cimber Air in both scheduled domestic services and charter flights.

• British Aerospace announced the sale of 11 more HS. 125 business jets during September taking the overall total to 459 of which more than 100 are of the Series 700 version.

• The 11th CFM56 turbofan has completed a 150 hour endurance test at Villaroche. In all, more than 6,000 hours running time has now been logged by the CFM56. The programme of certification tests of the powerplant is expected to be completed during October. In other moves involving the CFM56, three more airlines have signed contracts with Cammacorp and CFM International to convert their DC-8s to Series 70 standard with the new engine. Involved in the recent deals are Spantax (three Series 61s), Cargolux (three Series 63Fs) and Capitol International (two Series 63Fs).

• TAP-Air Portugal has ordered three Lockheed Tristar 500s for delivery in 1982 and has options on a further two aircraft for 1983. The Tristars will replace Boeing 7078 on services to Africa and North and South America. The Tristar order book now stands at 230 firm sales plus 71 options.

• The first order for the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Series 15 variant has been placed by Aero mexico. Powered by the 46,500lbst CF6- 45B2 instead of the 41,000lb CF6-6 engines of the DC-10 Series 10, the new version will meet Mexican operating conditions where hot, high altitude airports impose payload limits on the standard Series 10. The CF6-45B2 is a derated version of the CF6-50C2 which is installed in the DC-10 Series 30.

• The first flight took place on 18 October of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 Series 81, a lengthened fuselage/increased wingspan version of the DC-9-50.

• Recent sales of the Boeing 747 to Alitalia (9). Cathay Pacific (1) and KLM (3) have taken total 747 sales to 501 and the total of all Boeing jetliners past the 4,000 mark.

20 Years Ago

• The first Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR. 1 for the RAF, XV230 was handed over on 1 October at a ceremony at Woodford. The first squadron to be re-equipped with Nimrods will be No. 201 at Kinloss presently operating Shackleton MR. 3.

• The first prototype BAC/Sud Concorde 001 F-WTSS flew supersonically for the first time on 1 October. During the flight, which was the 41st, it reached Mach 1. 05 at 36,000ft. The flight was part of the current third phase of testing which began at Toulouse on 21 September. The fourth phase will see speeds up to Mach 2 flown by Concorde 02 G-BSST presently being prepared at Fairford, Gloucestershire.

• Qantas’ last Boeing 707-1388 was sold during September to British West Indian Airways. Originally delivered to Qantas on 6 August 1961, VH-EBH left in BWIA colours as 9Y-TDC on 28 September.

• President Nixon gave the go-ahead on 23 September for the US supersonic transport programme and Congress will be asked for $762m for development over five years. If Congress approve the expenditure, Boeing expect to fly the prototype to be known as the Boeing 2707-300 in late 1972 and be ready for airline service by 1978. With a 141ft 8in span, 280ft length and 630,000lb gross weight, the 2707-300 will carry 250 passengers over a 4,000 mile range at Mach 2. 7. Delivery positions have so far been reserved for 122 aircraft by 26 airlines.

• The Royal Malaysian Air Force received 10 ex RAAF Avon Sabres at RAAF Butterworth on 1 October. The aircraft are a gift from Australia and will be operated by a new RMAF squadron, No. 11 based at Butterworth. Prior to the hand-over, the Sabres were flown from Australia in a ferry operation which saw them arrive at Butter- worth on 19 September.

• The Vickers VC-10 has been introduced into service on the London to Sydney via USA route. The inaugural flight was made by G-ARVH which arrived in Sydney on 28

October.

• Following the discovery of cracks in the tail sections of RAAF Canberras, restrictions were announced on 9 September regarding their flying operations. A modification programme to correct the problem has been put in place at the Government Aircraft Factory.

The first flight of the Cessna Citation took place at Wichita on 15 September. Previously known as the Fanjet 500, the Citation is powered by two 2,200lbst Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1 turbofans, has a maximum 406mph cruising speed and 1,400 mile range.

• Trials have recently been carried out by a Hawker Siddeley Sea Harrier on the Argentine Navy aircraft carrier 25 de Mayo. This carrier was previously the Royal Netherlands Navy ‘Karel Doorman’ and prior to that served with the RN as HMS “Venerable”.

30 Years Ago

• The first Qantas Boeing 707 service to London via Nadi, Honolulu, San Francisco and New York left Sydney on 5 September operated by VH-EBC ‘City of Melbourne’. Kangaroo Route services to London were inaugurated by VH-EBE ‘City of Perth’ when it departed from Sydney on 27 October.

• The last US Marine Corps Squadron to employ the Grumman F9F Cougar as a primary tactical aircraft, Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron 3 (VMCJ-3) based at Iwakuni Japan, is now converting to Chance- Vought F8U-1P Crusaders. The Marine Corps will retain some Cougars for utility and training purposes.

• The name Phantom II has been given to the McDonnell F4H-1 two seat shipboard interceptor and strike fighter.

• Lockheed delivered the 5,691st and final T-33A Shooting Star two seat trainer in early September. The prototype TF-80C first flew on 22 March 1948 and since then it is believed that more than 27,000 pilots have gained their wings on the type.

• Two additional Bristol Britannia have been ordered by Canadian Pacific Airlines taking their fleet fotal of the type to eight.

• Qantas has sold eight of its Lockheed Super Constellations and two of its Douglas DC-48. Of these, six have been traded in by Lockheed as part payment for the L. 188C Electras on order while the remaining two have gone to Boeing as part payment on the Boeing 7078.

• The last Mustangs in RAAF service, which were operated by No. 24 City of Adelaide Squadron, were withdrawn from use during October.

• Bad weather affected the flying at Air Force Week displays in the eastern states during September. Some of the aircraft participating at the Williamtown display on 19 September were Sabre A94-945, Meteor A77-157, Vampire FB. 30 A79-440, Canberra A84-211, Sikorsky S. 51 A80-374, Neptune A89-311 and Dakota A65-70. The weather caused the abandonment of high altitude aerobatics and a parachute drop.

• The last flying boat service to be operated by Tasman Empire Airways Ltd was flown by the Short Solent ZK-AMO ‘Aranui’ when it departed from Tahiti to Auckland on 15 September. • A ceremony was held at Nellis AFB, Nevada on 21 September to mark the formal acceptance of the first Republic F-105 Thunderchief by the USAF’s Tactical Air Command.

• The delivery took place on 28 September of the 800th Aero Commander, just over eight years from the initial delivery of the first production model, a 520, on 25 August 1951.

• The new Model 65 Queen Air six/seven seat utility transport based on the L-23F Seminole was revealed by Beech during October.