Newsdesk — Commercial Aviation

The Spanish contract is an important step for Interscan International, one that should lead to further contracts in other nations who should have all instrument landing systems (ILS) replaced by 1998. The company is actively marketing its products in Europe, as well as an agreement with its Spanish partner, it has an agreement with Selenia SPA of Italy – with which it already manufactures secondary surveillance radar (SSR)-for the marketing of MLS to Italy and neighbouring countries, and license manufacture is contracts are awarded in that region.

Meanwhile, Interscan installed the first Australian operational MLS at Canberra Airport during July, and continues development of systems at its Sydney base.

 Airbus to Question Airlines on Future A330/340 Versions:

Airbus plans to poll airlines on preferred A330 and A340 derivatives.

The Airbus poll is designed to determine airline demands for the further development of the already successful A330/340 series. One option being considered is the development of the A340-300 with CFM56 engines uprated to 34,000lb thrust and offering a 350nm (649km) range increase. The airliner could ultimately have a max pax range of more than 7,000nm (12,970km), though less with fuselage stretch and/or underfloor pa senger cabin.

Further development of the A330 could involve a 650nm (1,204km) range increase, possibly with a stretched cabin and even an underfloor cabin, though (like the A340) whether this would hold seated passengers remains to be seen.

How to Wash a Jumbo:

Japan Airlines and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have jointly developed the world’s first fully automated jumbo jet washing machine.

The new machine, called “Plane Wash” and valued at $US13m per unit, uses computer controlled wash and brush units to very effectively wash down large airliners. It has been designed to wash any aircraft in the JAL fleet including DC-10, 767 and all models of the 747. The washing system is housed on a giant outdoor framework measuring some 90m (299ft) wide, 100m (328ft) long and 26. 2m (86ft) high. It cuts down the washing time of a 747, which usually takes a gang of 20 workers armed with mops and hosepipes about four hours, to just one hour and twenty minutes with five operators.

 Aging Airliner Deadline Extension Requested:

US airlines have approached the FAA seeking an extension of the deadlines imposed for the completion of structural modifications to older Boeing jet transports.

According to airline officials, operators affected by the FAA aging aircraft airworthiness directives are already struggling to modify their older airliners, despite having a four year period in which to do so. The removal of cold bonding epoxy and scrim cloth from fuselage lap splices of older 7278 and 737s has proven more difficult than expected, and therefore is taking up more time and manpower than was originally planned. This is slowing down the process to the extent that some operators face the prospect of eventually grounding aircraft unless an extension of deadlines is granted.

Meanwhile, FedEx is experimenting with a new method of epoxy and cloth removal in which frozen carbon dioxide beads are

blasted through the opened seams. It is hoped this will speed up the modification process and be less labour intensive.

Japanese Lessor Buys Braniff Positions:

Orix Corp, part of the Jap anese Orient Leasing Group, has acquired the right to purchase up to 74 A320s which were ordered or optioned by Braniff.

It was previously reported that Airbus had made a $US50m bid for the aircraft to make up for time lost through two recent strikes, including that at BAe Filton where the A320 wings are produced. Orix’s $US62m bid (including $US14m to Airbus) was, however, approved by the bankruptcy court over that of Airbus. Orix now assumes all Braniff obligations to Airbus for the 24 firm A320 orders and 50 options. All aircraft will be offered for lease, the sale being the first on such a large scale to a Japanese leasing company.

 Airbus Offers Extended Range A310:

In response to the apparent sales success of the Boeing 767 over the A310, Airbus has developed a longer ranged A310-300 with increased payload.

Airbus has tackled the areas seen as needing attention to allow the A310 to compete better with the 767, mainly maximum takeoff weight and range. The consortium has developed an A310-300 option with a range increase of 400nm (741km) and a maximum takeoff weight up from 157t (346,000lb) to 1641 (361,500lb). Engine takeoff thrust ratings are increased to those already used on the A300-600. Changes to the aircraft to facilitate this include local strengthening of the wing and centre section, and the installation of A300-600 type wheels, carbon brakes and radial tyres. Airlines that have already designated the new option are Aeroflot, Austrian Airlines and Trans European Airways.

In addition to maximum takeoff weight increase, the A310 can now also have one or two removable 7. 200 litre (1,584 gallons) auxiliary fuel tanks installed in the underfloor cargo hold to provide an increase in range when needed.

ASTA Delivers First 757 Rudder Assembly:

AeroSpace Technologies of Australia (ASTA) has handed over the first 757 rudder assembly to Boeing.

The rudder assembly is one of a number of projects awarded to ASTA by Boeing. ASTA will manufacture and assemble 300 rudders with options for additional shipsets taking the period of the program into the late 1990s. The potential value of this contract is about $100m. The rudder contract and others awarded to ASTA- by Boeing, MDC, Skor- sky, Aerospatiale and BAe are fine indicators of what Australian industry can achieve given interest and support. Boeing’s Director of Quality Control summed up ASTA’s effort by saying: “The [rudder] is of superior quality and was delivered on time. No small feat as ASTA had to first bring together the technology, tooling, materials and manpower required for this aerospace program. “” Providing components for the major overseas manufacturers is a vital portion of ASTA’s future as the Hornet and Seahawk programs wind down. As a result of the latter, ASTA recently retrenched 400 workers.

Inflight Rest Periods Beneficial to Long Haul Pilots:

A recent study has found that pilots of long haul airline flights who are allowed to sleep for brief periods during the long cruise sections, are significantly more alert during landing.

The NASA Flight Human Factors Branch study made use of 10 volunteer 747 three member crews from Northwest and United flying on regular transpacific flights. The crews were monitored during their final four flights of a typical six leg duty cycle. Each flight was between seven and 10 hours duration. Three crews helped researchers test the data gathering apparatus, four crews took 40 minute naps (one crew member at a time) during specified periods of low workload, while the remaining three crews operated as per usual. Sleeping crew members were able to fall so soundly asleep that they could not be easily woken, the average sleeping time being about 25 minutes. The study found that crews who had rested for forty minutes during each flight remained quite vigilant in their final legs, while those who did not sleep displayed a marked decline in alertness.

The study results show definitely that short rest periods do leave flight crew more alert in the potentially more dangerous periods of approach and landing. The airlines and FAA will now be encouraged to allow crew rests during long overseas flights; it is currently against regulations to sleep in the cockpit of US airlines, but industry sources state that pilots do occasionally nod off on such flights anyway. The safety of sleeping in two crew cockpits has not been tested.

BAe To Develop New Regional Jet:

British Aerospace has announced the development of a new regional jet, the RJ70. The new aircraft will be based on the 146-100 airframe and will have 146 model systems, including an electronic flight instrumentation system (EFIS), and will be powered by four derated Textron Lycoming ALF502 engines. Aimed at the North American market, the RJ70 is larger than its perceived opposition (the Canadair RJ and Embraer EMB-145) and will have a 70 seat capacity with, BAe claims, a 30 passenger break even load for routes over 300nm.

Initial BAe figures are for an airliner with a typical payload of 6,820kg MTOW of 36,360kg and maximum range of about 800nm (1,480km). The thrust rating of the ALF502 engines is yet to be decided, though it will probably be about 10% less than the 146 engines, or about 6,110-6,250lb per unit.

Critics of the proposed new aircraft argue that the RJ70 is little more than a very ‘thinly disguised 146-100’, which of late has experienced an apparent drop in sales. BAe counters this by highlighting the RJ70’s proposed new electronic cockpit and derated engines offering improved reliability and maintenance over the 146-100. Neither Canadair nor Embraer have expressed concern about the potential threat to their sales, Embraer saying that the aircraft will be too large to impinge on the 50 seat regional jet market. Nor are they particularly concerned by news that Fokker is actively looking at developing a shortened fuselage version of the F100 of around 65-70 seats which in many ways would be a 1990’s version of the original F28-1000, an aircraft that many now claim was conceptionally decades ahead of its time. This new development would provide the real competition for the BAe RJ70.

BAe plans to implement an assistance program to help potential RJ70 customers convert from turboprop to jet airliners, while current 146 users may be attracted by the hoped for supplemental type certification and a common 146/RJ70 pilot rating. At a flyaway cost of $US18m, the aircraft is about $US2m more expensive than the Canadair RJ and $US4-5m more than the projected cost of the EMB-145, though this does still represent less cost per seat. BAe faces the daunting task, however, of convincing the mainly US market that it needs the RJ70 regional jet which, despite BAe’s claims, is essentially a modification of the 146, a type which has not sold particularly well in the lucrative North American market.

MDC Md-80 Production at Full Pace:

McDonnell Douglas delivered no less than 59 MD-80 series twinjets in the first half of this year.

Delivery of the 59 aircraft-representing a production rate of 9. 8 aircraft per month-is the highest number yet achieved by MDC for first half year deliveries of any jet airliner type. It is part of an MDC plan to keep production rates high to cope with the huge MD-80 series order backlog. MDC has so far delivered 745 MD-80s, but an additional 804 commitments for the type are held.

The type recently passed the 500 millionth passenger carried mark after just less than 10 years’ service and will no doubt reach the billion passenger mark within the next decade. Douglas Aircraft-now the commercial aircraft division of McDonnell Douglas Corporation has produced more than 45,750 aircraft in its 70 year history, including 16,600 transports and nearly 2,700 jetliners.

Csiro Proposes New Inflight Volcanic Ash Cloud Detector:

The CSIRO has proposed the development of a new inflight warning system to detect volcanic ash clouds.

The CSIRO’s proposed new system will utilise satelite technology to provide on-board information about the location of volcanic ash clouds and the need to divert. In conjunction with this, the CSIRO also hopes to develop, with a private sector partner, a sophisticated infra-red sensor to be used on board the aircraft. The combined satellite/ infra-red system would help to not only provide on the spot ash cloud information, but would also be useful for detecting other aviation hazards such as clear air turbulence. The need for such a system was clearly demonstrated in early July when a Qantas flight inbound to Bangkok encountered clear air turbulence not revealed on the present radar system; some twenty people were injured, at least two needing hospitalisation. Volcanic ash cloud has been the cause of several incidents during the past decade. On more than one occasion, including Singapore/Australia flights over Indonesia, ash cloud has been responsible for temporary full power loss. While no crashes have been directly attributable to ash cloud, it has placed lives at risk and has caused millions of dollars damage to engines, fuselages and cockpit systems-not to mention the costs of diversions. A modern and more reliable detection system would therefore be no doubt welcomed.

 Air Pacific Adds 767 to Fleet:

On the 8th July Air Pacific’s new Boeing 767 commenced operations on their Melbourne/ Nadi service.

The leased 767 will service the Melbourne/Nadi route four times per week, offering a 63% passenger capacity increase over the previous once weekly 747 flight. The new service is partly in response to last year’s 22% growth in demand for Australia/Fiji flights and allows the airline to be more competitive with greater arrival and departure flexibility for passengers.

The aircraft is configured with 18 business class and 194 economy class seats, reflecting the fact that Fiji is primarily a holiday destination.

 Indian Airlines A320 Fleet Allowed to Fly:

Indian Airlines has received official permission to recommence A320 operations.

A320 flight approval came following implementation by Indian Airlines and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of recommendations put forth by the Banga- lore investigating Ramdas Committee. These include more training for Indian Airlines A320 fight crew and engineers, a restructuring of maintenance operations and improved defect analysis and spares inventory procedures.

Despite the Bangalore crash having been attributed to pilot error, there is a strong emphasis on maintenance of the aircraft (perhaps suggesting the Ramdas Committee investigated many more aspects of the airline’s operations than just the Bangalore crash!). The airline has been advised to carry out intensive 300 hour maintenance checks to ensure that all aircraft defects have been rectified. Before being allowed to fly the aircraft on commercial operations, Indian Airlines pilots will be required to undertake a six day refresher course on the ground with simulator training and about 90 minutes of practice flying. The DGCA meanwhile has withdrawn its waiver on the requirement that aircrew undergoing conversion to become A320 captains should also have 100 hours experience as A320 copilots. It has also been directed that A320 pilots should not be allowed to operate any other aircraft, while examinations will be conducted to test all A320 engineers’ proficiency.