Yesteryear

• The Canadair Challenger was certified by the Canadian Transport Department on 11 August, 22 months after the first flight on 8 November 1978. Five aircraft are ready for immediate delivery and the production rate will increase from 2-3 per month to seven a month by late 1981. Firm orders are held for 128 standard aircraft and 40 orders and deposits are held for the Challenger E and standard Challenger with GE powerplants.

• The USAF has awarded a US$68m contract to Lockheed-Georgia to start production of new wing torsion boxes to be retrofitted to 77 C-5As. A 55 flight programme started on 14 August using one of two sets of wings built for test and evaluation, the other wing has completed the first of two simulated 30,000hr fatigue tests.

• The first production Learjet Longhorn 50 series had its maiden flight at Tuscon on 11 August. Two prototypes have accumulated 435 hours of testing and certification is expected by the end of the year.

• The solar powered Gossamer Penguin was flown over a 2 mile distance by Janice Brown at Edwards Air Force Base on 7 August. The 42ft span Penguin is a development of Dr Paul McCready’s manpowered Gossamer Albatross.

• The first flight of the Boeing Vertol Model 234 Commercial Chinook took place on 19 August. Based on the military CH-47 it will seat a maximum of 44 passengers in a long range version.

• Deliveries of the General Dynamics F-16 have now passed the 200 mark with the delivery of the 128th F-16B Fighting Falcon to the USAF at MacDill AFB last month. Another 72 F-16A/Bs are also in service with the Belgian, Danish, Dutch, Israeli and Norwegian air forces.

20 Years Ago

• The McDonnell Douglas DC-10, the first of the wide-bodied trijet airliners, had its maiden flight at Long Beach on 29 August. Since the first aircraft registered N10DC was rolled out on 23 July, additional orders from five more airlines have taken total sales and options to 241.

• American Airlines commenced their three times a week service to Sydney on 3 August with Boeing 707 N8433.

• The first of 10 Macchi MB-326H aircraft for the RAN was delivered this month. They will replace Sea Venoms used for general duties and Vampires employed as trainers.

• Ten more One-Elevens have been sold to four airlines by the British Aircraft Corporation. These recent orders worth £20m including spares, have taken total One-Eleven sales to 200 aircraft worth £300m.

• Qantas will dry-lease two Boeing 707-320s to increase capacity until the first of their Boeing 747B fleet arrives in September 1971. The leased aircraft will be Aer Lingus’ EI-ASO due next month and a Braniff 707, configured as a freighter, will commence its lease next January.

• The Defence Minister Mr Fraser has announced that the RAAF has selected the Boeing Vertol CH-47C Chinook as its medium lift helicopter. The cost of the 12 Chinooks including spares will be $37m.

• Senator Cotton, the Civil Aviation Minister, told the Senate on 19 August that he expected to receive a report within a month regarding the selection of a site for Sydney’s proposed second airport.

• The purchase of five Lockheed C-5A Galaxies by the RAF is under consideration to support a continued British military presence in the Far East.

• No 11 Squadron Royal Malaysian Air Force will become operational later this year using ten Commonwealth Sabre Mk328 donated by the RAAF. A conversion course for Malay- sian pilots is being conducted at RAAF

Butterworth,

Air New Zealand has received government approval to replace its DC-8 fleet with DC-10-30s. A letter of intent has been placed for three aircraft with deliveries due between April 1973 and April 1974 and an option on a fourth aircraft for October 1975 delivery has also been taken.

30 Years Ago

• Victa Consolidated Industries Pty Ltd is to put the Millicer Airtourer into quantity production. The first production Airtourer powered by a 95hp Continental will be delivered in April 1961 and by the end of June, seven will have come off the production line. An initial run of 50 Airtourers at a rate of five per month has been planned to make them readily available to aero clubs as a Tiger Moth replacement.

• Three new British aircraft types have been given names. The de Havilland DH 121 will be known as the Trident, the Aviation Traders ATL-98 will be named the Carvair and the Blackburn NA-39 will be called the Buccaneer. • The Rhodes Berry Company of California has converted a Douglas B-26B bomber into a 14 seat executive transport called the Silver City.

• The North American X-15A research aircraft was flown by USAF Major Robert White to a 136,500ft altitude on 12 August.

• The RAF has ordered five de Havilland Comet 4Cs for delivery during 1961 and 1962. • BOAC celebrated the 21st anniversary of the airmail service between Britain and North America on 5 August. The Short C-Class flying boat ‘Caribou’ having inaugurated the service between Southampton and New York in August 1939.

• While a firm decision has yet to be taken by Boeing regarding the configuration of its proposed Model 727, it is expected that it will have three engines in a cluster at the rear of the fuselage.

• TAA received VH-TLC, its third Lockheed L188C Electra on 29 August and it will return VH-ECD which had been chartered from Qantas on 7 September.

• The Department of Supply has purchased two De Havilland DHC-3 Otters to be used as transports carrying range instrument operators and equipment at the Weapons Research Establishment in South Australia. The Otters will be flown and maintained by the RAAF.

• North American has received contracts valued at $168m for the production of the A-3J Vigilante. The USN is expected to receive the first production A-3Js early in 1961.

• The Ministry of Aviation has placed an additional order for 16 Armstrong Whitworth 660 Military Transports and they will be known as the Argosy C-Mk 1 in RAF service.