Yesteryear

The first Boeing 767-300 was rolled out at Everett on January 14 and had its first flight on January 30. Powered by 48,000lb (215kN) Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D engines it will be delivered to Japan Air Lines in September. The second 767-300 will be powered by 50,000lb (224kN) General Electric CF6-80C2 powerplants and is expected to fly in March.

Encouraged by the success of the 737-300, Boeing is studying a version with a further stretch, with the designation 737-300L. It would feature a 2.5m (8ft 4in) fuselage extension permitting a 17 passenger increase, compared with the -300 in a comparable mixed class layout.

ATR has announced its decision to go ahead with a stretched version of the ATR 42, to be known as the ATR 72. The go-ahead was made on the basis of the 21 orders and options placed since the marketing launch announced on May 30 1985.

The USN Blue Angels flight demonstration team will receive 11 F/A-18 Hornets to replace its A-4 Skyhawks which have been used since 1974.

The fleet of Lockheed F-104 Starfighters used by NASA as chase planes at the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility in California has been retired. They will be replaced by eight MDC F/A-18 Hornets on loan from the USN.

GEC Avionics has been given six months from February by the UK Ministry of Defence to demonstrate that it can complete the radar development for the Nimrod AEW Mk 3 to the satisfaction of the RAF. During this period up to £50m will be spent, shared between GEC and the Ministry of Defence. In the meantime, the MoD will investigate alternatives.

20 Years Ago

The USAF plans to have all of its combat aircraft out of Thailand by the end of January. The Korat Air Base (located about 275km north of Bangkok) will be closed when its 50 aircraft are withdrawn.

McDonnell Douglas delivered the 800th DC-9, OY-LYN for Finnair, on January 27.

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle officially entered service with the USAF Tactical Air Command at Langley AFB, Virginia on January 9. For the past year, the F-15 has been operated by the 55th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Luke AFB, Arizona where more than 2000 sorties were flown. The USAF has now received over 40 production F-15s in addition to 20 for the now completed research and development programme.

The Lockheed S-3A Viking was introduced into service with the USN Pacific Fleet in January when nine pilots of VS-29 completed their carrier qualifications on board the USS Enterprise off the coast of Southern California.

Concorde entered service on January 21 1976.

The first supersonic passenger services took place on January 21 when simultaneous flights were operated by British Airways and Air France. British Airways flew Concorde 206 G-BOAA from London to Bahrain in 3hr 38min flying time while Air France operated Concorde 205 F-BVFA from Paris to Rio de Janeiro via Dakar, in 6hr 14min.

The Boeing 747SP received its full FAA certification on February 4, seven months after the first flight. The three aircraft involved in the test programme logged 544.5 hours during 340 flights. Orders for the 747SP now total 17.

Flight testing of the GAF Nomad N24 began in January, with one of the six aircraft on order to the Northern Territory Medical Service. The N24 has a 1.8m (6ft) fuselage stretch enabling an increase in passenger capacity from 12 to 16.

Fairey Gannet AEW Mk 3 XL494 was handed over by Westland at Old Mixon, Weston-super-Mare on February 12. It is the last of its type to be refurbished for the Royal Navy. After 17 years service with the RN, the Gannet AEW Mk 3 is currently scheduled to remain in service into the 1980s.

Two additional ski-equipped Lockheed LC-130R Hercules have been ordered by the USN for use in Antarctica. They will join four others already in service.

30 Years Ago

A new airline, Laker Airways, was announced by Freddie Laker on February 8. Mr Laker resigned as managing director of British United Airways last November. Operations will commence on April 1 1966 using three 74 seat BAC One-Elevens to be delivered between December 1966 and February 1967.

The success of the Qantas service through Mexico has led to the introduction this month of a second weekly service, via Tahiti, which will terminate at Mexico City.

Details were released on February 8 of a new twin engined turboprop executive and feederliner aircraft, the Handley Page Jetstream. The 20 passenger 275kt (505km/h) Jetstream which will weigh well under 5675kg (12,500lb) and cost about £125,000 in basic form. Powerplants will be either the 840eshp (625kW) Turbomeca Astazou or the 1200eshp (895kW) Lycoming T53.

The prototype Bell JetRanger was rolled out on January 10. The JetRanger is powered by a 317hp (236kW) Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine and will have a 122kt (225km/h) top speed.

On January 20 the first of 10 Short Belfast C.1s ordered by the RAF, XR367, was handed over to No 53 Squadron at Brize Norton.

The first flight took place on January 15 at Afton, Wyoming of the prototype CallAir B-1 agricultural aircraft, which is developed from the smaller A-9.

The UK’s Plowden Report gives details of British military, transport and light aircraft production since the war. The figures show the total built or on order as at August 1 1965. The military figures actually start in 1944 while the other two categories commence in 1946. They show that the five most numerous military aircraft produced are the Gloster Meteor 3788, de Havilland Vampire/Sea Vampire 3268, Hawker Hunter 1525, Hawker Fury/Sea Fury 1079 and de Havilland Chipmunk 1014. The top production figure for transport aircraft is the de Havilland Dove/Devon at 540 while the highest light aircraft production figure is 466 for the Auster AOP.9/T.7.

A decision is soon expected on the aircraft to replace the Republic F-84F of the Dutch and Belgian air forces. Under consideration are the Douglas A-4E Skyhawk, the LTV A-7A Corsair II and a modified version of the Lockheed F-104.