Yesteryear

Cessna reached a milestone with the delivery of its 1,200th Citation. Since 1971, the Citation line has expanded to include the original model, Citation I, II, and the new Citation III. Meanwhile, in the military sector, the Westland Lynx 3 made its first flight at Yeovil, and the U.S. Navy accepted its first production P-3C Update III Orion, a version Lockheed claims is twice as effective as its 1977 predecessor. Finally, the Saab-Fairchild 340 received its Swedish Type Certificate and entered service with Crossair in Switzerland.

20 Years Ago

United Aircraft of Canada began testing the PT6A-50 turboprop, intended for the De Havilland Canada DHC-7. The engine, producing 840 kW (1,120 shp), was mounted on the nose of a Vickers Viscount for trials. In naval aviation, the Lockheed S-3A Viking is set to enter operational service aboard the USS John F. Kennedy.

De Havilland Canada has restarted production of the Buffalo after receiving an order for 15 aircraft from customers including Zaire. On the fighter front, the Northrop YF-17 experimental prototype—the design ancestor of the Cobra—flew for the first time at Edwards AFB on June 9. Just two days later, it exceeded Mach 1 without using an afterburner.

In Australia, Ansett’s Short Sandringham flying boat VH-BRC was blown from its moorings at Lord Howe Island on June 9. Despite a damaged wing and a lost float, it was repaired and flown back to Sydney. In the UK, the BAC One-Eleven G-ASYD flew with “hushkits” for its Rolls-Royce Spey engines to meet new noise regulations. Additionally, the first of the RAN’s ten Westland Sea King Mk 50s (N16-098) made its maiden flight at Yeovil.

30 Years Ago

The Hawker Siddeley 125 was granted its Certificate of Airworthiness on June 4, becoming the first jet specifically designed for executive use to qualify. In Australian defence news, Senator Paltridge announced that the RAAF would not use the Boeing B-47E as an interim aircraft while waiting for the F-111A. The F-111A is currently being developed by General Dynamics, with Grumman as the main subcontractor for the naval F-111B version.

Rolls-Royce celebrated a reliability record when a Dart engine was removed from a BEA Vickers Viscount after 5,000 hours of flight without an overhaul—the longest undisturbed operating time for any aero engine. Meanwhile, the British Defence Ministry denied reports that the McDonnell Phantom Mk 2 would be ordered for the RAF, reaffirming the P.1154 VTOL as the Hunter replacement.