Newsdesk – Commercial Aviation

Airbus points to the recent sales drought of the 747-400 compared to the A340 as evidence of many airlines’ acceptance of this philosophy.

Because of its smaller capacity, Airbus sees the A340 opening up a myriad of ‘thin’ long range routes, particularly across the Pacific where the 747 has long reigned supreme. David Jennings, Vice President Marketing, pointed out that there are currently only half a dozen major gateways on either side of the Pacific. The A340’s ability to operate the long range sectors with smaller capacity should see it open up the trans Pacific market and increase the number of city pairs in much the same way that twins, such as the 767 and A300/310, have done on the Atlantic where nowadays 80% of capacity is provided by widebody twinjets.

Collins Doing Well in Russia:

Collins Avionics has been awarded the avionics programme for the Bravia Tupolev 204 airliner programme. Bravia is the British-Russian Aviation Corporation, a joint company responsible for the RR engined Tu-204.

Collins has been selected to supply and integrate all the 204’s avionics including digital autopilot flight controls, sixtube EFIS displays, flight management systems, weather radar, traffic alert/collision avoidance systems and navigation and communicationssystems. The Tu-204 (which is similar to the Boeing 757) will be certificated by the Russians in 1996 and by the USA the following year.

Collins is also supplying avionics for the Ilyushin Il-96M widebody which is powered by four Pratt & Whitney PW2337 engines. The aircraft recorded its first flight last April and is now conducting its flight test programme with a view to certification in 1995.

Safety Issue Causes Ructions:

The Civil Aviation Authority has strongly repudiated accusations that key evidence in a report by the chairman of an enquiry into safety standards (Captain Alan Terrell) had been suppressed or sanitised.

The alleged inaction by the CAA resulted in the tabling of the Terrell Report’ in the Senate by Senator Bronwyn Bishop. Qantas’ concerns are in the report and the alleged inaction resulted in industrial action by licenced aircraft engineers in Canberra.

The Minister for Transport and Communications, Senator Bob Collins, says the report (which was commissioned by the CAA) did not find a decline in air safety standards had occurred but he acknowledged that Captain Terrell had alleged a drop in standards in a personal letter to the CAA chairman, Ted Butcher.

The parts allegedly ‘left out’ of the draft report to the CAA board after it had been handed to Mr Butcher involved attachments and appendices relating to the results of interviews with 160 people and submissions from 31 industry sources.

Among them was a letter from Qantas’ deputy chief executive, operations (Capt R Heiniger) which said in part: “The very credibility of, and industry confidence in, the Safety Regulation and Standards Division is in serious jeopardy. Unless this is properly and effectively addressed there could be serious industrial implications and an erosion of public confidence when the facts of the report are made public”.

For its part, the CAA says it took various courses of action upon receipt of the report, among them the asking of a steering com- mittee and three working groups to produce a response and the forming of the opinion that “questions of defamation might arise in relation to some of the appendices to the report, and that publication ofthe full report might give rise to legal action against Mr Terrell and the Authority”.

The CAA says the full report was tabled at the March 31 Board meeting and “subsequently distributed to the safety committee, members and individuals in the working groups, including industry and union representatives who were drawing up findings and recommendations, under conditions which took into account the legal advice received”.

Gulfstream Hushkit Ready for Testing:

A production model hushkit and thrust reverser for Rolls-Royce Spey powered Gulfstream II and III corpo- rate jets will begin flight testing this month.

Developed by Gulfstream Aerospace, the hushkit will enable the G2 and G3 to meet FAR Stage 3 noise level requirements. The ‘Quiet Spey programme has been developed to enable operators of these aircraft to continue flying them with operational flexibility and to protect their values. About 440 Spey powered Gulfstreams are currently flying around the world.

Scramjet Closer to Reality:

The ‘scramjet – a hypersonic ramjet capable of powering aircraft or space vehicles at speeds of up to Mach 8-has always been a theoretical possibility but one which has eluded the best efforts of scientists around the world for three decades.

But the breakthrough appears to have come from the University of Queensland, where a team of engineers under the direction of Professor Ray Stalker has successfully tested a scramjet in the university’s hypersonic wind tunnel.

The scramjet (supersonic ramjet) works by intaking air at hypersonic speeds, mixing it with hydrogen fuel and propelling it to produce thrust. Its uses range from future ultra high speed airliners to the launching of space payloads such as satellites. Compared with conventional launching methods (rockets need liquid oxygen) the scramjet would be cheaper to operate and environmentally friendly as it produces no pollutants, only water vapour.

However, Professor Stalker’s team needs at least $20m peryearto develop the scramjet to its full commercial potential, although he believes there’s no chance the Australian government will provide it despite the fact that Australia could gain about 25% of the $1bna year space launchindustry bythe end of the decade. Another great Aussie initiative about to go overseas-so much for the ‘clever country’!

Atc’s Team Concept:

The ‘team’ concept of air traffic controlling has been introduced by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Teaming was recommended in reports on Australian Air Traffic Services which followed reviews by the American consultant Dr John Ratner in 1987 and 1991. The primary objectives of teaming are to ensure supervision closer to the workface and to improve communications between management and controllers.

Teamleaders undertake some of the work of former shift supervisors, handling performance appraisal and administration of matters such as shift and leave rostering. Typical teams comprise six to ten members and a specific training programme has been developed. The result of this will be the closer involvement of everyone and hopefully enhanced efficiency and safety.

Farnborough Loses a Day:

The 1994 Farnborough Air Show will be held over seven rather than the usual eight days and other changes will be made to ensure the show remains competitive and offers realistic value to exhibitors.

The revamped schedule sees the traditional Press Day go along with one of the previously three public days. The 1994 show will comprise five trade and two public days only. The move reinforces the show’s position as primarily a trade affair, and it is likely the flying display will be shortened on the trade days.

The 1994 Farnborough Air Show will be held on September 5-11.

Challenges for Uhca:

Anumber of technological challenges exist and need to be addressed before an Ultra High Capaity Aircraft (UHCA) programme becomes a reality.

Largely due to the massive weight of any such aircraft, around 600 tonnes, current technology means that such an aircraft would be uneconomic. Structural problems would result from the unusual levels of mass and stiffness distribution, increasing rela- tive weight growth per seat, handling prob- lems due to high mass moment of inertia, airport and runway compatibility, noise, and emergency evacuation. According to Air- bus’ Joachim Szodruch, General Manager Research and Technology, solutions not available with current technology are needed as these problems begintoincrease on anonlinear basis with rising aircraft size.

In view of this though, new technologies are under development which could make the UHCA a commercially viable reality by the end of the decade. In aiming to keep aircraft weight down, new materials are currently being developed which have the potential benefit to reduce structural weight by as much as 13% over the use of conventional materials.

One promising new material is Glare, which is a hybrid fibre metal laminate which promises a weight reduction of 20 to 50% over current materials in the same application. Aluminium lithium, which has been under development for a number of years is also back in favour, in light of recent Russian revelations.

Laminar flow, wingtip turbines and riblets are all new technologies that Airbus feels could be for the first time integrated into a commercially viable airliner. Other aspects such as variable camber and ultra high bypass turbofans could also combine to offer the savings promised by a UHCA aircraft.

Both Boeing and Airbus have various studies of UHCA configurations underway. Boeing is in fact talking to the Airbus partners directly, without AI involvement, a move seen by many as an effective way of splitting up the consortium. Airbus however feels that it will be involved in any mega-jumbo programme as a complete entity.

Given the enormous cost involved in such a project, both Boeing and Airbus privately recognise the need for an alliance of some sort. Interestingly, the major European manufacturers came to the same conclusiona quarter century ago when they looked at constructing a 300 seat ‘airbus’.

Jetstream 61 Launched:

British Aerospace has finally decided it will rename its ATP regional turboprop the Jetstream 61, but with the name change comes some major improvements designed to increase the aircraft’s appeal in the marketplace.

Aircraft to the new specification will be available from the first quarter of next year and the changes include more powerful 2750shp PW127D engines and increased operating weights which give the J61 improved payload/range and hot and high’ takeoff performance characteristics. Passenger loads in such conditions are increased by up to 11 people assuming the newly regulated increased passenger unit weight of 100kg (220lb).

The J61 also features an improved interior layout with 70 seats at 31 inch (78. 7cm) pitch, increased baggage capacity and lower maintenance costs.

BAe has also announced an upgraded Jetstream 41 29 passenger turboprop with more powerful 1650shp (flat rated) Garrett TPE331-14 engines and increased weights, the combination also offering improved payload/range and ‘hot and high’ airfield performance. Existing J41s can be modified to the new standard.