Commercial Aircraft Sales

DC-9-30 Hushkits Certified:

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has flight certified a noise reduction kit which will enable JT8D powered McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s to comply with Stage 3 noise regulations.

The hushkit was jointly developed by ABS Partnership and Pratt & Whitney for the OC-9-30, and follows on from the DC-9-10 hushkit certified in February this year. The kit consists of an acoustically treated inlet and tailpipe, modified thrust reverser, respaced inlet guide vanes and an advanced technology internal exhaust mixer. It is certified to operate at a gross takeoff weight of up to 47,670kg (105,000lb). ABS provides changes to the air frame to facilitate to the fitting of the kit, while Pratt & Whitney is responsible for modifying the engine. The new DC-9-30 hushkit is priced between $US1. 5-1. 9 million, depending on aircraft weight configuration.

MD-11 Wing Stretch Proposed:

McDonnell Douglas is considering a redesign of the MD-11’s wing to help achieve the

aircraft’s original payload/range guarantee. The new airliner has been suffering from ower than predicted range performance figures, primarily because of higher than expected weight, air frame drag and engine fuel burn. T he problems have been such that American Airlines for instance has had to sacrifice some cargo payload to carry additional fuel to enable its GE CF6-80C2 powered MD-11s to operate from the US West Coast to Tokyo, while Singapore Airlines will have difficultly (when its first MD-11 is delivered in 1994) flying the aircraft’s planned Singapore/ Paris route with a full payload in the face of the 80-90kt headwinds typical of the sector. t was actually Singapore Airlines itself which proposed the reconfigured wing as a solution to the problem. T he redesigned wing would be extended by about 3. 2 metres (10ft), while other modifications to the wing trailing edge could be made and an additional 5,700 litre belly tank could be installed.

However the new wing will only be introduced if present attempts to improve drag are not successful. But even if it is introduced, it will only be available on production aircraft from about 1994, too late to benefit American Airlines unless it holds back on some of its later options

Dornier Plans Stretched 328:

Dornier plans to launch a stretched, 46 seat version of its 328 commuter aircraft in response to market demand.

At least one US airline has signalled that it will only buy the standard 32 seat version ifa stretched variant is also developed. Other customers and potential clients have also expressed interest in a stretched variant, and preliminary studies by Dornier report that some 400 stretched 3288 could be sold. The stretch would place the aircraft in the same class as the 42 seat ATR42, over which it would be some 70kt faster.

A stretch of the airframe would be achieved by inserting two 3m fuselage plugs in front and behind the wing, increasing the power of the PW119 turboprop engines, and strengthening the undercarriage, with a development cost of about $A250 million. A decision on the new version will not, however, be made until the prototype 328 has first flown in late September this year, and the stretched 328 would not be available until at least 1996.

Fairchild Seeks Partner for New Aircraft:

Fairchild Aircraft’s new owners are seeking partners to develop new 30-50 seat commuter turboprop and jet aircraft.

The company has already launched an aggressive marketing campaign to capture a portion of the developing airline market in Eastern Europe. It is however restricted to marketing its existing, updated versions of the Metro, including the Metro 23 which is planned to remain in production for another 10-15 years. A successor to the highly successful Metro line is needed before the aircraft becomes too dated and sales begin to drop off markedly. Fairchild is therefore looking at entering a partnership to develop and produce a new 30-50 seat airliner during the next decade.

In Eastern Europe, Fairchild is pushing the Metro’s established commuter capability hard, believing the commuter background will be a key to capturing a larger slice of the market. The Metro 23 is to be demonstrated throughout the region and the USSR later this year.

 Light Launch Vehicle Planned for Australia:

Australia’s leading space engineering companies have joined forces to establish a light launch vehicle service from the Woomera rocket range in South Australia.

Prime contractor BAe Australia has, together with Auspace and Hawker de Havilland, lodged a firm proposal with the Australian Space Office to develop the launch service at Woomera. It will be geared to meet both domestic and international requirements, the primary aim being to develop a competitive service to launch payloads of up

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to 1,000kg into low Earth orbit. BAeA managing director Alastair Hodgson said the project would take “particular advantage of Australia’s competitive situation in regard to the availability of Woomera as an existing and highly suitable launch site. The polar orbit capability of Woomera is especially well matched to the bulk of low Earth orbit market requirements such as communications and remote sensing. ” The plan has been welcomed in particular by the South Australian Government, which has been keen to find a suitable use for the Woomera site. The government had already identified the space industry as a key element of its own State development plans.

Melbourne Atc Sets New Record:

Melbourne Approach Controllers have set new records for aircraft landing rates at Melbourne Airport.

Civil Aviation Authority data shows that landing rates at Melbourne are now as high as 19 aircraft per half hour (in peak periods). thanks in part to the new Australian AUS- CATS computerised radar display system before AUSCATS, Melbourne controllers were handling only 15 arrivals an hour. The AUSCATS system, installed into Caims, Coolangatta and Melbourne last year, has enabled Melbourne controllers to safely reduce aircraft separation distances and has helped in implementing new procedures using simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) on both runways. This has led to new rates and just about eliminated the once all too familiar landing delays at Melbourne.

The supply of the AUSCATS system was an all Australian effort. The main contract was placed with the Canberra based Thomson Radar Australia Corporation P/L (TRAC) and Adacel P/L in Melbourne. Subcontracts were placed with Data General Australia P/L for supply and installation of the computers and with ESS for project management, system. design and computer software development. With this experience in mind, the AUS- CATS designers have been quick to criticise CAA chairman Dick Smith for his belief that Australian industry is not capable of building an ATC system as required for the new two centre system (refer p. 5 July 91 AA), and that “the calibre of businessmen in this country is very low”. Mr Smith, in calling for tenders for the new system, initially excluded Australian businesses from the process, leaving only international companies IBM, Siemens Plessey. Thomson CSF, Hughes, NEC and Alenia to tender (refer p5 July 91 AAL This situation was only rectified after an industry outcry.

F28 Hushkit Proposed:

Fokker and French airline TAT have jointly launched an F28 hushkit project, designed to extend the economic life of the F28 Fellowship by 15 years.

The hushkit will be designed to allow the F28 to meet FAA Stage 3 noise regulations, which until now have threatened to make the sturdily built aircraft obsolete well before its time. Without the hushkit, the Stage 2 F28 would, under ICAO regulations, be pro- gressively banned from airports in Europe, North America and here in Australia from 1996 onwards. Already, the importation of additional F28s is prohibited. The first hushkits should become available about 1993, the first deliveries being made to TAT (which currently operates a fleet of 22) and then to other operators; TAT also plans to offer a hushkitting service, with an estimated cost of $US2. 5 million per aircraft. Besides the basic hushkit, other planned modifications are wingtip vortex diffusers and antishock micro generators to reduce wing drag, and also flow separation suppressors in the area of the engine pylons. The number of F28s which ultimately will need hushkits to continue operations is over 180, and Fokker believes at least half will have the new kits fitted.