Newsdesk – Commercial Aviation

Boeing mentions the potential opening up of the Eastern European (and even Soviet) markets as a contributory factor to the revised estimates but the main reason is still the continuing growth in air travel combined with stable fuel prices. The company expects the largest number of sales (3,320) to come from the 120-170 seat category.

Pratt & Whitney Engines Have Record Year:

Orders and options for Pratt & Whitney commercial aircraft engines totalled about $US12 billion in 1989 a company record. The end of year tally more than doubled the company’s 1988 total of about $5 billion.

Pratt & Whitney said the orders and options totalled nearly 2,600 for its PW4000, PW2000 and JT8D-200 engine models, compared to about 1,300 engines in 1988. The $12 billion includes Pratt & Whitney’s share of International Aero Engines, a multi-national consortium based in East Hartford that markets V2500 engines for use on Airbus A320, A321 and McDonnell Douglas MD-90 aircraft.

In 1989, IAE received orders and options for about 850 V2500s worth more then $2. 4 billion. Pratt & Whitney’s share of the V2500 business last year was valued at about $1 billion. In 1988, IAE had orders and options for 34 V2500s valued at about $160 million.

Old Convairs Never Die:

It seems the old Convair CV240/340/440 series of twin engined transports refuses to go away and die. Manufactured in some numbers for both airline and military use from the late 1940s and throughout most of the 1950s, the Convairs have subsequently been subject to several successful conversion programs where the original Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines have been replaced with powerplants. Among those were the CV600 with Rolls-Royce Darts and the CV580 with 3,750shp Allison T568 similar to those installed on early model C-130 Her- cules. The latest conversion is based on the CV580 (but can be built from an original piston engined example) and is being marketed by Čanada’s Kelowna Flightcraft.

The conversion involves fitting more powerful (4,300shp) T568, stretching the fuselage by 4. 2m (13ft 9in) to accommodate up to 78 passengers (or a useful freight load) and increasing operating weights. Structural modifications and refurbishment is included in the $US6m price, the result being an aircraft offering an 8,164kg (18,000lb) payload, a 325kt (600km/h) cruising speed and a range of 780nm (1,450km) with maximum payload.

program includes the refurbishing installation of a new interior and flight control cabling, a Honeywell avionics package including EFIS and AFCS, a large cargo door, airframe life extension and compliance with Stage 3 noise standards.

Kelowna conservatively estimates its market to be between 50 and 80 aircraft from a flying fleet of nearly 140 CV340s, 440s and 580s. The first aircraft is scheduled to fly this October with deliveries beginning late in 1991.

More Power for V2500:

International Aero Engines (IAE) is proposing a series of developments of its V2500 turbofan which will see it produce up to 32,000lb thrust by the middle of the decade.

The engine is already in production or under development in five basic versions offering between 22,000lb and 30,000lb thrust for the Airbus A320 and A321 plus various models of the forthcoming McDonnell Douglas MD90 series. At present, only the 25,000lb thrust V2500-A1 for the A320 is in service with the other variants scheduled for certification in 1992/93. However, the V2500 is unlikely to be developed beyond 32,000lb thrust. Even though 34,000lb is considered possible, such a rating would require substantial redesign including a larger fan (and nacelle) plus modified mounting pylons.

Singapore’s Big Deal:

Singapore Airlines has placed big orders with both Boeing and McDonnell Douglas worth up to $8. 6bn for long range airliners.

The orders consist of 15 firm and 15 options on the Boeing 747-400 and five firm and 15 options on the recently flown McDonnell Douglas MD-11. Engine choice for the 747s is yet to be announced, but the airline is traditionally a Pratt & Whitney customer and has PW4000s on the five 747-400s it already has in service and the 15 others on option from an earlier contract. Delivery of this initial order will be completed by 1994 when hand- over of the first aircraft from the new contract (of both types) will begin.

The MD-11s will be used on ‘long thin’ routes and will accommodate 288 passengers in a three class configuration. SIA will have disposed of its 21 earlier model 7478 by the end of the century. Its 11 Airbus A310s will be retained, however.

New Hdh Facility:

Hawker de Havil- land has opened a new turbine engine servicing facility at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm Airport.

Initially, the facility will provide quick turn-around service support for modules from the Pratt & Whitney PT6 series of turboprop engines and it will have access to the company’s comprehensive maintenance facilities at Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. In the long term the new workshop will cater for the overhaul of engines other than just the PT6.

Also on powerplants, HDH has won a $10m contract from French engine manufacturer Snecma to build spool assemblies for the CFM56 turbofan which powers the Boe- ing 737 and Airbus A320, while another recently awarded contract will see it per- forming repair and modification work on General Electric F404 engines fitted to US Navy F-18 Hornet fighters based at Subic Bay in the Philippines.

737 Milestones:

Boeing’s ubiquitous twinjet airliner, the 737, recently achieved two milestones in its so far illustrious career.

The first event of noteis certification of the latest model, the 737-500, smallest of the current CFM56 powered range and capable of carrying 108 passengers in a typical mixed class configuration or up to 132 in a high density arrangement. The -500 completed 375 hours of flight testing before certification was awarded, during which time its mechanical dispatch reliability exceeded 99% Simultaneously, the 737 became the most produced jet airliner in history when the 1,833rd example recently rolled off the Renton, Washington production line. The previous record was held by the Boeing 727 Simultaneously, the 737 became the most produced jet airliner in history when the 1,833rd example recently rolled off the Renton, Washington production line. The previous record was held by the Boeing 727

Bigger A330:

In view of all the market forecasts predicting a continuation of the current boom airliner sales at least until the year 2005, Airbus lndustrie is examining future variants of its A330 twin engined widebody as well as its four engined long range A340 derivative Areas being looked at include improving the payload/range performance of both types as well as both shortened and stret-ched versions of the A330, the former offering reduced passenger capacity but very long range and the latter 380 seats in two class configuration (45 more than the A330 currently on offer). One option being looked at is the mating of the A330 wing and engines with the present A300-600 fuselage, something which would result in a very long range twinjet. Airbus had previously announced a lower deck seating option for the A330. Combining that with the fuselage stretch would increase maximum single class passenger capacity to 463.

747-500 Coming:

Boeing is proposing the first version of its 747 series to feature a fuselage stretch.

The 747 Super or -500 will have a longer fuselage, a maximum weight of more than 453 tonnes (1,000,000lb) and capacity for around 600 passengers. Engines producing thrust in the region of 70,000lb each would be required. Although at this stage serious development studies have not been launched due to a lack of interested customers, Boeing says the 747 Super will probably become a reality near the end of the century.

GE and Cfmi Move Into 1990s on Wave of $21 Billion Year:

1989 proved to be most successful for both GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE) and CFM International (CFMI), as the two companies took engine orders, options, and commitments for a combined total of nearly 3,700 commercial transport engines with a potential value of nearly $US21 billion.

GEAE, a leading supplier of high thrust, high bypass turbofan engines, received commercial orders, options, and commitments for its CF6-80C2 and -80E1 engines with a value of nearly $US10 billion. A total of 448 engines were placed on firm order and 526 on option, by 17 new and 21 follow on customers. Nearly 400 GE powered Airbus Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas widebody aircraft were placed on firm and option order in 1989.

CFMI, a 50/50 joint company of General Electric (USA) and Snecma (France), is the world’s largest manufacturer of engines for transport aircraft. In 1989, 40 customers placed orders, took options, or made commitments for a total of more than 2,700 CFM56-3, and CFM56-5 engines valued at more than $US11 billion.

 MD-11 Stretch:

McDonnell Douglas will spend more than $US750m developing a stretched version of the recently flown MD-11 trijet. First deliveries are planned for the mid-1990s and British Airways and Japan Airlines are targeted as launch customers. BA is looking at at least 20 aircraft to replace its Lockheed TriStars and JAL twice that number to replace its DC-10s.

Dubbed the MD-12, the new airliner will be 10. 4m (34ft) longer than the MD-11 and will carry 372 passengers in a mixed class configuration compared with 323 in the MD-11. It will feature an enlarged and substantially modified wing, a four wheel centre undercarriage bogie, a maximum takeoff weight of 303,500kg (670,000lb) and an initial range of 5,500nm (10,200km).

A longer range (8,000mm/15,000km) version with completely new wing is also under investigation and the company is looking for a risk sharing partner in the project. To this end, MDC has been talking to Mitsui of Japan.

Bae Strike Ends:

After four months, the damaging strike by workers at British Aerospace’s Chester and Preston factories (Newsdesk 1/90 and 3/90) finally ended in March, although at the time of writing the dispute was continuing at Kingston.

Apart from affecting its own products and services, the strike also crippled Airbus production as the wings for all the international consortium’s aircraft are built at Chester. The end of the strike has allowed Airbus Industrie to resume production, although it could take nearly two years to clear the backlog.

Delays with the A320 will not be overcome until March 1992 and those associated with the A300/310 will take at least until mid-1991 to be sorted out. There is a possibility that Airbus Industrie will claim compensation for the losses incurred due to the strike.

Regional Growth Predicted:

A regional air transport market forecast prepared by Boeing Canada (or De Havilland Canada still, for we oldies!) has predicted a doubling of regional airline seats (for aircraft carrying between 15 and 70 passengers) by the year 2000 and a sustained average annual growth of 5. 2% through to 2010.

The forecast predicts demand for aircraft in the 15-19 seat category will decline but those of between 20 and 70 seats will increase dramatically with some 2,846 units required by the turn of the century. To meet its own expected demand, Boeing Canada plans to increase production of its Dash 8 regional airliner from the current 60 to an average 90 per annum over the next 11 years.

 Sia’s Big Engine Order:

Singapore Airlines has placed a massive order with Pratt & Whitney for 234 PW4000 turbofan engines to power the 15 Boeing 747-400s and five McDonnell Douglas MD-118 it ordered earlier this year.

The airline has placed firm orders so far for 99 PW4000s with another 135 on option. The options will be converted to firm contracts if the options it holds on another 15 7478 and 15 MD-11s are taken up. The total potential value of the order to Pratt & Whitney is $US2. 2bn.

Quieter Jt8ds:

Pratt & Whitney’s JT8D turbofan – as fitted as original equipment to Boeing 7278, 737-100/2008 and Douglas DC-98 – is now subject to another ‘hushkitting’ program, this one aimed principally at the operators of the 1,100 Boeing 7378 flying with these powerplants.

Texas-based Sound Solutions has developed the kit which it has claimed will increase takeoff thrust by 5% and substantially decrease perceived noise in the sideline, takeoff flyover and approach axes.

Sound Solution’s kit involves the engine’s exhaust ejecting at a much lower temperature, Mach number and pressure, thus reducing noise.

The company estimates that of the available 7378, at least 375 of them represent a potential market for the $US2. 7m (target price) system with most airlines able to install it at their own maintenance centres.

The system will be certified (in late 1991) on the JT8D-17 but will be available for lower powered versions of the engine as well. It could also be applied to the DC-9.

 Hdh Airbus Parts:

Continuing a long association with Airbus Industrie as a subcontractor to British Aerospace by manufacturing wing parts for the A300, A310 and A320, Hawker de Havilland has now added the A330 and A340 to its repertoire.

Again under contract to British Aerospace, the company will now build wing , wing to body fillet fairings, wing- tips and winglets for the new airliners and with the follow up orders expected, the value of the contract should exceed $100m.

Manufacturing techniques involved include numerically controlled milling of structures, the use of carbon fibres and for the first time by HDH, use of new aluminium-lithium alloys. HDH started making parts for Airbus wings in 1980 and it recently delivered its 10,000th wing rib to the company.

Better Satellite Communications:

A $4. 5m contract between the Civil Aviation Authority and Sydney based Associated Press/Reuters Communications to provide an integrated communications network will improve communications between
air traffic controllers and aircraft. The contract is part of the CAA’s $14m satellite data system project which already has 94 satellite ground stations throughout Australia. The new contract will allow 50 airports to be equipped to receive aeronautical data via the Aussat satellite and they are scheduled to be in service by September next year.

Caa Tests New Landing Aid:

The CAA is evaluating a visual landing aid which could be offered as an alternative to the Australian designed and widely acclaimed T-VASIS system.

The system Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) is being tested by the Authority at Brisbane and Mount Isa Airports. Like T-VASIS, it gives pilots a visual indication of when they are following the correct approach slope to the runway.

PAPI has been used extensively overseas for some years and is known to be cheaper to maintain and install than other systems, such as T-VASIS. The CAA decided to carry out trials on the system to establish its suitability in Australian conditions as an alternative where a less sophisticated, but more economical system would be adequate.

It has not been suggested that PAPI or any other similar system should replace T-VASIS as an ICAO approved system. T-VASIS has been in use in Australia for 20 years and is recognised as superior to other systems presently available. However, the CAA considers that PAPI, approved by ICAO, could have certain appropriate applications in Australia.

 Major Changi Upgrades Approved:

Plans to greatly enlarge the capacity of Changi airport have been approved by the Singaporean Government.

The development of what is already one of the world’s best airports will see the lengthening of Changi’s second runway to 4,000m and the commencement of terminal three. Terminal two is scheduled to open this October and will greatly relieve the congestion that has been noticeable at peak times at the airport over the past year. In 1989 Changi processed 14m pax, by 1997 this is expected to soar to 36m and to 50m by 2005. Also approved in concept is the commencement of another massive land reclamation project that will see a third runway added before 2010 with space for additional terminal and SIA maintenance infrastructure.

747-400 Dispatch Reliability Down:

Like some other airlines operating Boeing’s latest, Qantas has been experiencing a number of problems in achieving an acceptable dispatch reliability for its 747-4008.

By mid March a figure of 90% had been achieved, and although modest in itself, is reportedly a substantial improvement on earlier figures. It is important to note, however, that the vast majority of departure delays have been caused not by a fault with the aeroplane itself but ironically with its Advanced failure sensing equipment, which has been sending out false warnings on a regular basis, many of them concerning the Rolls-Royce engines’ automatic fuel control system.

Obviously these warnings have to be checked, thus causing delays whether they are genuine or not. Such early problems are to be expected on such an advanced aircraft and they are also expected to be sorted out quickly.

Boeing Ads Issued :

The Airworthiness Directives proposed by the US FAA last year (refer Newsdesk 7/89) pertaining to major structural modifications to and increased inspection and replacement cycles for high time Boeing airliners have been brought into effect.

The required modifications cover 74 specific areas on 7278 which have reached 60,000 flights, 56 for the 737 (75,000 flights) and 31 for the 747 at 20,000 flights. Currently, some 67 7278, 28 7378 and 20 7478 are affected, all of them more than 20 years old. The AD covers only US registered aircraft but if foreign authorities follow suit, as is expected, then some 3,600 airliners must be added to the list.

Modifications required to the 727 include reinforcement of the cockpit window frames, wing, main fin spar and the joint between the horizontal and vertical tail surfaces and replacement of flap track bolts, rivets on the cold bonded skin sections and the main entry door stop. The work will take approximately 17,400 manhours and cost about $US1m.

737 work includes some of the above plus replacement of the elevator rear spars, cargo door stops and landing gear beam bolts at a cost of $US800,000. 7478 will require replacement of nose section fuselage frames, countersunk rivets in the lower fuselage skin and flap tracks plus reinforcement of the lower wing splice and vertical wing ribs and the installation of rivets in the fuselage tear straps. Manhours per 747 are 35,000 and the cost about $US2. 3m. All three types will also be subject to increased corrosion protective measures including more frequent inspections under galleys, toilets and in the wheel wells and the replacement of corroded skin panels and other components.