Commercial Aircraft Sales

Performance improvements for the Tay 650 powered 727 includes a 250nm greater range, a higher climb rate and an 80% reduction in noise emission. A market for retrofitting 727-200s with the more powerful Tay 670 is also being developed whilst both programs look like becoming very successful as the resale value of 727s continues to drop.

American & Douglas Settle MD-11 Dispute:

American Airlines and McDonnell Douglas have settled the dispute over the MD-11’s performance and documentation.

American had been less than satisfied with its first MD-11, citing mainly problems with the aircraft’s computer software systems and higher than anticipated fuel burn as reasons to criticise MDC’s new airliner. However, MDC has now introduced major changes to the MD-11’s flight and maintenance manuals, as well as minor airframe modifications to reduce fuel burn. American has therefore accepted delivery of its second MD-11, and its first MD-11 has now been put into domestic service while San Jose/ Tokyo services will commence on 1 June

Heathrow May Get Fifth Terminal:

A planning application has been made to build a fifth terminal complex at London’s Heathrow Airport to cope with the predicted huge increase in passenger numbers.

The British Airports Authority is currently seeking permission to build the new £1. 5bn ($A3. 27bn) terminal, which would be capable of handling 30 million passengers per year.

 Garuda Selects Tren T for A330s:

Garuda has selected the Rolls-Royce Trent to power its Airbus A330 twinjets scheduled for delivery from 1996.

Garuda holds firm orders for nine A330s, which will be delivered during 1996 and 1997 and powered by 67,500Ib thrust Trent engines. Garuda’s engine selection takes to 39 the number of firm orders for Trent powered A330s, and 34 the number of options giving Rolls-Royce over one-third of the market for the A330 powerplant. Total orders and options for Trent engines on A330 twinjets and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 trijets stands at about 200, the engine having been launched as a program in 1988. Rolls-Royce is now offering the Trent as an engine option for the new Boeing 777 twinjet at thrust ratings of up to 85,000lb.

 Us Industry Posts Record Trade Surplus:

The US aerospace industry posted a record trade surplus of $US27bn in 1990, up 22% over 1989. according to the US Aerospace Industries Association (AIAL

The year 1990 was therefore the fourth straight year in which a new record trade surplus was recorded by the industry, which remains the leading US net exporter of manufactured products. Exports were valued at $US39. 1bn, civil exports having rose 23% to a record $US31. 5bn and military up by 17% to $US7. 6bn. Aerospace imports on the other hand were valued at nearly $US12b an 18% increase on 1989.

 New Brazilian Airline Buys 146:

A new Brazilian airline, Air Brasil, has been launched and plans to commence operations in July with BAe 146-200 aircraft,

The airline, jointly owned by Lider Tax Aero and TNT SAVA (the Brazilian Sao Paulo based subsidiary of Australia’s TNT Worldwide) will initially operate three BAe 146-200 with five abreast, 85 seat configurations These will in turn be replaced by -300 series aircraft offering increased capacity.

Boeing Launches Air Traffic Stimulation Campaign:

Boeing has launched a major advertising campaign as its part in helping to rebuild airline business travel to pre-Gulf War levels.

Full page advertisements began appearing in key economic newspapers in Asia, North America and Europe during mid March, the theme of the campaign being “Sometimes There’s No Substitute For Being There”. As such the multi-million dollar campaign focuses on the business traveller and is intended to complement similar advertising and marketing campaigns being implemented by airlines worldwide. With the war over, the campaign is Boeing’s signal “that airline traffic should be returning to normal. ”