iscover
The Douglas DC-8 is set for another 30 years in service, despite first flying in 1958. Of the 556DC-Bs built, 316 remain in service, most as freighters, although some are still in airline operation. _ UPS is currently installing glass cockpits on its fleet of 49 CFM56 powered DC-8-70s, and intends operating the type through to 2010. The French air force plans to keep its fleet of four DC-Bs m service until 2020. These aircraft perform transport and Electronic Counter Measures roles. Pictured is a DC-8 in the livery of /celandair. (Bruce Malcolm}
Commercial Aircraft Sales
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A319 Receives First Airline Order:
The Airbus A319 short fuselage version of the A320 twinjet airliner has received its first airline order with French internal carrier Air Inter ordering nine examples and placing options on a further nine. (Leasing company ILFC ordered six A319s in late 1992).
The A319 has high equipment and systems commonality with the A320 and stretched A321 as well as an identical cock- pit which means a common type rating will apply to pilots.
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Air Inter’s A319s will have a high density 142 seat single class configuration and when the airline takes delivery of its first aircraft it will join other Airbus products in the fleet A320, A321 (the first to be delivered mid year), A330 (just entered service configured in a high density layout of more than 400 seats), and the A300, for which Air Inter was an early customer.
Airbus Industrie has launched four major airliner projects in recent times; the A319, A321, A330 and A340.
Record Roller:
As an indication of the reliability of the modern jet engine, particularly when compared with the big pistons of a bygone era, a Rolls-Royce RB211 has achieved 25,000 hours on the wing (or to be absolutely correct, the tail) of a Delta Air Lines Lockheed TriStar.
In its five and a half years’ service, the 50,000lb thrust RB211-524B4 has undergone only routine maintenance. The 25,000 hour milestone was achieved while the TriStar was flying between Frankfurt and Atlanta last December. The occasion also marked the 20th anniversary of Delta’s first Rolls-Royce powered aircraft entering service.
Thomson Wins Second Time Around:
The Thomson Radar Australia Corporation has been awarded the to provide The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) by the Civil Aviation Authority.
This is the second time Thomson has won the contract, but the first was cancelled after irregularities regarding its awarding were alleged. The contract was relet, the previous major contenders – Thomson and Hughes-again contesting it. In awarding the contract to Thomson, CAA Chairman Peter Gration said both companies were capable of implementing TAAATS and both met or exceeded expetations for Australian industry involvement. Thomson was selected on the basis of significant commitments to work with in- dustry and the export potential it offered (upto $550m by the end of the decade) and the local jobs which go with that.
In order to avoid the problems which arose after the awarding of the original eye on things this time around. The auditor made monthly reports to the CAA board and has concluded that the evaluation was undertaken in a manner which addressed each company’s proposals in a fair and unbiased way. (Refer NZ News, p67 for more details).
Airbus Sales up Despite Deliveries Drop:
Airbus Industrie recorded a $US1bn increase in sales to $US8. 3bn in 1993 despite a reduction in deliveries and a net reduction in orders. Its operating surplus for the year is estimated at $US260m.
The consortium delivered 138 new airliners during 1993, 19 fewer than the previous year and plans to deliver 134 this year before the expected industry recovery will push deliveries back up slightly over the next two years.
1993 deliveries comprised 22 A300s, 22 A310s, 71 A320s, one A330 and 22 A340s. Like other airliner manufacturers, Air- bus suffered from cancellations and ended the year with a net reduction in orders. While only 38 new orders were received last year (versus 135 in 1992), cancellations totalled 69 aircraft worth $US6bn, largely from Continental, TWA and GPA. This left Airbus’ backlog at $US55bn, $US11bn lower than at the end of 1992.
In terms of numbers of aircraft, Airbus’ backlog at January this year was 71 A300s, 38 A310s, 15 A319s, 210 A320s, 153 A321s, 117 A330s and 95 Á340s.
P&W Record Level of Testing:
Pratt & Whitney currently has a record number of nine engine flight test programmes underway featuring engines ranging from 26,500 to 84,000 pounds thrust.
Of the nine tests, the largest currently underway is that of the 84,000lb thrust PW4084 designed for the Boeing 777. Featuring a massive 2. 84m diameter fan, FAA certification for the PW4084 is currently due to be awarded in April. Interestingly the engine is flying on Boeing’s historic RA001 747 aircraft, the first 747 ever built. Flight testing is also underway of the 68,000-lb thrust PW4168 for the Airbus A330. First deliveries of the PW4168 will take place in August. Other tests involve: Phase III durability and performance improvement programme of the PW4000 family which powers the 767, 747, MD-11, A300 Condor
Centrespread
An Air BC DHC-6 Twin Otter floatplane taxis on Vancouver harbour.
The rugged Twin Otter is used extensively throughout Canada, Alaska and the US’s Pacific Northwest, mounted onwheels skids or floats. Floatplanes in particular proliferate throughout those areas, the large numbers of lakes and often hostile mountainous terrain makes them a crucial link with isolated communities. Indeed, this area has the largest concentration of floatplanes in the world.
Air BC is an Air Canada Connector airline, and operates an extensive regional route network in the Canadian Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan from Vancouver and Calgary. Alongside its four Twin Otters, Air BC operates five BAe 1468, six Jetstream 31s and 18 Dash 8s.
and A310; demonstration flight testing of the P&W F117 (a military derivative of the PW2037) for the C-17 Globemaster III freighter; flight tests of the PW2037 aboard the Ilyushin Il-96M; testing a durability improvement package for the PW2037; certification flight testing of the 30,000lb thrust IAE V2500-A5 for the A321; flight testing of the 28,500lb thrust IAE V2500-D5 for the MD-90; and lastly, flight testing of the 26,500lb V2500-A5 for the A320.
Meeting a Man From the Mo- Tor Trade. . . .
In addition to its previously announced intention to explore the possibilities of cooperating with Indonesia on the design and manufacture of regional turboprops, British Aerospace is also working at motor car collaboration with our northern neighbour.
Two Memoranda of Understanding have been signed, the first with IPTN on the regional turboprop issue and one between the Rover Group (which is owned by BAe) and the Indonesian Agency for Strategic Industries. In a technology transfer programme, a Rover/Indonesian designed. small car powered by a 1. 1 litre Rover engine will be built in Indonesia. Speculative footnote: Bearing in mind BAe’s decision to call its joint company with Taiwan Aerospace ‘Avro’, perhaps this new car will be called the ‘Alvis’, or ‘Austin’ or ‘Allard’ or ‘Aston Martin’. . .
