Commercial Aircraft Sales

Hong Kong Airport Issue Finally Resolved:

After more than a year of wrangling, the British and Chinese governments have agreed to proceed with the new 24 hour, dual runway airport proposed for reclaimed land on Chek Lap Kok, an island off Kowloon peninsula.

The new airport will replace the overcrowded Kai Tak Airport and is of vital importance to the colony’s political and commercial future after the Chinese take control in 1997. Plans for the new airport were first announced in 1989 and problems immediately arose. with the Chinese demanding more say in all aspects of its financing, construction and administration. Without China’s support, the $US10bn project would have faced difficulties raising the hoped for private investment. The new arrangements remove much of this unease.

Dhc Offer Rejected:

The Canadian government has rejected a joint offer by France’s Aerospatiale and Italy’s Alenia to purchase Boeing’s de Havilland Canada division.

The decision was based on the Aerospatiale/Alenia proposal being of insufficient benefit to Canada, which wants to see ant arrangement under which the company can stand on its own two feet. Part of the concern has been the fact that DHC’s Dash 81 family of turboprop regional aircraft are in direct competition with the European con- sortium’s ATR42/72 series and that production of the Canadian aircraft might be terminated, thus reducing DHC to merely a components manufacturer for ATR.

Additionally, the Aerospatiale/Alenia proposal included a request for a $C500m subsidy from the Canadian government for research and development over the next ten years along with requests for larger sums of general subsidies. At the time of writing, a revised proposal was being prepared by the European companies.

DHC has delivered 270 Dash 8s to 43 customers and presently has an order back-log of some 100 aircraft.

 Embraer Bailed Out:

Financially troubled Brazilian manufacturer Embraer is to receive $US600m from its government, money which will enable it to retire much of its debt and to invest in its current and planned projects.

Most pressing is the EMB-145 regional jet, which has undergone a major redesign since it was first announced in 1989. Even though its formal launch is imminent, the assumed powerplant – Allison’s GMA 3007 turbofan – is not necessarily the final choice as alternatives from Lycoming (LF500), GE (CF34) and Pratt & Whitney (PW400) are still being investigated.

Embraer has been searching for partners in the EMB-145 program and South Africa’s Atlas Aircraft Co has been known to be negotiating with the Brazilians. The joint Embraer-FMA (of Argentina) CBA-123 Vector twin pusher prop commuter aircraft has also been subject to partnership negotiations, this time to a US manufacturer. .

It’s interesting to note that the Vector – which first flew in 1990-will not be available to its intended civil market until 1994, as the governments of its sponsoring countries are expected to order at least 60 between them and these will be delivered first.

Centrespread

Without doubt one of the most elegant airliners ever built, the Vickers VC10 was also regrettably a commercial disaster largely due to the ongoing obstructionism of the then BOAC board.

Not helping matters also was the fact that Vickers had, like almost all UK aircraft manufacturers of the era, left their run too late and were thus well behind the Americans with their hot selling 707 and DC-8 long range jetliners. Consequently a grand total of only 54 VC10s was to be built, though appropriately enough the type has had the last laugh and soldiers on nowadays as a tanker with the Royal Air Force.

In all, a total of 18 standard fuselage VC108 were built with a further 22 of the stretched Super VC10. The RAF also originally acquired 14 VC10s as strategic airlifters though nowadays ironically has some 38 in inventory, 28 of which are in active service as tankers with a further 10 held in reserve for later conversion or as sources of spares.

Readers wanting to know more about this beautiful aircraft are reminded that the VC10 is the subject of this issue’s Profile series. Good reading.

Meanwhile, the established EMB-120 Brasilia twin turboprop needs some general updating in the areas of overall quality and cabin noise levels.

Embraer is currently 63% owned by the Brazilian government, although complete privatisation will probably occur in the next year or so. When that happens, it is likely that 49% of the company’s shares will be allowed to go to overseas investors.

 Computerised Automatic Terminal Information Service (Catis) Likely to Revolutionise Heavy Jet Destination Information:

The Australian-developed NEC CATIS system is a joint venture development with the CAA which applies the latest developments in voice and digital processing technology to generate easily understood ATIS messages independent of the language speaking skills of individual Air Traffic Controllers.

The CATIS system allows the following functions to occur simultaneously.  broadcast of ATIS data on the VHF ATIS (Airfield Terminal Information Service) frequency, or via navaids. broadcast of ATIS data via datalink, displaying ATIS data in text format in the cockpit of suitably equipped aircraft. distribution of ATIS via AFTN (Aeronautic Fixed Telecommunications Network) to briefing offices and airlines.  remote access to ATIS data via dial up telephone link or AFTN interface availability of ATIS data to area/radar controllers display of incoming METAR forecast on the CATIS VDU via an AFTN interface.

Though CATIS is presently of interest to mainly the major airlines, its use will in time spread much further with many corporate and third level RPT aircraft being able to enjoy the benefits of the system before the end of the decade.

Convertible MD-11 Announced:

McDonnell Douglas has announced a convertible freighter version of its MD-11 long range trijet, supplementing the passenger, freighter and Combi variants already available.

Dubbed the MD-11CF, the convertible features a large main deck cargo door and enlarged doors for the lower deck forward and aft cargo compartments. A lightweight powered cargo handling system serves the lower deck and the total capacity of aircraft in freighter configuration is about 21,000cu ft (595cu m) or 184,000lb (83,500kg). Up to 26 96x125in (244x317cm) or 35 88x108in (223x274cm) pallets can be accommodated on the main deck.

In passenger configuration the MD-11CF can typically carry 293 passengers (in a three class layout) a distance of 6,900nm (12,780km) Certification is planned for late 1994.

 Interscan Sells to China:

Sydney based manufacturer Interscan International has received a contract from China to supply its Microwave Landing System (MLS).

Won against tough international competition, the initial contract is for the supply of a single MLS system (worth about $2m), followed later by two more units. The deal will develop into a long term partnership with China, which has about 150 airfields which will eventually be equipped with MLS.

MDC Declares MD-95:

McDonnell Douglas has made known plans for its new 100 seat class MD-95, a shortened version of the MD-87.

The 100 seat MD-95 is expected to be for- mally launched towards the end of this year, with the aircraft almost certainly to be built in China and Northwest expected to be the launch customer. MDC, which remains “very optimistic” of winning the Chinese Trunkliner competition with its MD-90-30T, is hoping to link the MD-95 up with the Trunkliner project so it can be built on Chinese production lines. Northwest, which is seeking a replacement for its ageing DC-9 fleet (Northwest’s is the world’s largest DC-9 fleet!), is known to be looking at the MD-95 amongst several options. It is being targeted as a possible high profile launch customer. The MD-95 will, at just 37. 3m in length, be the smallest of the MD-80/90 twinjets, being just a metre longer than the DC-9-30. With a range of about 1,600nm (2,965km) and powered by either the P&W J T8D-218 or Rolls-Royce Tay 670 (both of about 16,500Ib thrust), the MD-95 would compete directly with such aircraft as the Fokker 100 and Boeing 737-300, as well as proposed airliners such as the BAe 146-NRA, DAA 92/122 and Airbus A319. Should all negotiations go to plan, the project will be launched at the end of this year, the first MD-95 will be assembled in mid 1993, first flight will be made a year later and initial deliveries will take place in late 1995

The MD-95 will, at just 37.3m in length, be the smallest of the MD-80/90 twinjets, being just a metre longer than the DC-9-30. With a range of about 1,600nm (2,965km) and powered by either the P&W J T8D-218 or Rolls-Royce Tay 670 (both of about 16,500Ib thrust), the MD-95 would compete directly with such aircraft as the Fokker 100 and Boeing 737-300, as well as proposed airliners such as the BAe 146-NRA, DAA 92/122 and Airbus A319. Should all negotiations go to plan, the project will be launched at the end of this year, the first MD-95 will be assembled in mid 1993, first flight will be made a year later and initial deliveries will take place in late 1995