Yester year

The Czechoslovakian aircraft manufacturer Let Kunovice was declared bankrupt by a Czech Regional Court on October 24. One reason for the company’s difficulties was its inability to secure sufficient sales for its 40 passenger Let L-610G. Let was formed in1950 initially building the Yak-11 as the C-11 and built several types, notably over 1000 L-410s twin turboprops.

In the first sale of the type to a European customer Sikorsky announced the sale on October 9 of nine S-70A Blackhawk helicopters to the Austrian Ministry of Defence to satisfy the requirement for a search and rescue and utility helicopter.

On October 4 amongst some major defence agreements signed between India and Russia was one for the acquisition of the Russian Kiev class aircraft carrier *Admiral Gorshkov**, originally laid down on December 26 1978. The carrier, which has been in dock at Rostov since 1994 following an engine fire, will be completely refitted. Russia will supply the carrier free of charge while India will pay for refit costs. Some navalised MiG-29Ks will be acquired to serve on the carrier.

Bombardier Aerospace announced on October 4 that assembly of the prototype CRJ900 regional jet has begun with a first flight scheduled for the first quarter of 2001. The 86 seat aircraft is being converted from the CRJ700 prototype C-FRJX retaining the wing, engines, wheels and brakes while modifying the fuselage through the addition of two fuselage plugs of 2.29m and 1.57m.

On October 31 the final F-111G to be upgraded with an advanced digital flight control system by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company and Tenix Defence Systems was handed over at RAAF Amberley.

The Czech Defence Minister Vladimir Vetchy said on October 17 that the Czech Republic will launch a tender on November 30 to replace the Air Force’s MiG-21s with 24 to 36 new fighters, likely to be selected from the Boeing F/A-18, Dassault Mirage 2000-5, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16 and Saab JAS 39 Gripen. A condition of the US$2.5 billion deal will be a 150% offset agreement.

25 Years Ago

The first of five Grumman E-2C Hawkeye AEW aircraft for land-based use was delivered to Egypt on October 3.

Four of seven USN Grumman F-14 Tomcats launched from USS *Saratoga** on October 10 intercepted an Egyptian Boeing 737 over international waters and directed it to Sigonella, Sicily. On board the airliner were four Arab terrorists who had been involved in the earlier hijack of the Italian cruise liner *Achille Lauro** on October 7 and the murder of a US citizen. During the operation the F-14s were refuelled by KA-6D tankers and were assisted in the interception by USN E-2C Hawkeyes, EA-6B Prowlers and a USAF C-135.

A ceremony was held at NAS Lemoore, California on October 19 to mark the the first receipt of a F/A-18 by a Naval Reserve squadron, VFA-303. On October 31 Lieutenant Bram B Arnold from the squadron carried out the first aircraft carrier landing of a F/A-18 by a Reserve pilot on USS *Ranger**.

Racing car driver Niki Lauda’s charter airline Lauda Air Luftfahrt has ordered a Boeing 737-300 for delivery in July 1986, taking Boeing 737 sales to 1350 of which 233 are of the 737-300 version.

The largest order yet received for the de Havilland Canada Dash 8 has been placed by Horizon Air of Seattle, Washinton for 10 aircraft to be delivered from late 1986. Dash 8 orders and and options have now passed 100.

Flight testing of General Electric’s new 25,000 lb st UDF (Unducted Fan) is to be carried out on a McDonnell Douglas MD-80 replacing the existing port JT8D-209 engine.

The Boeing 747-400 has been launched with an order for 10 aircraft from Northwest Airlines of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Following a rollout at Everett, Washington in the first quarter of 1988 deliveries will commence to Northwest from late 1988. This new version will have the same fuselage dimensions of the extended upper deck 747-300 but will have the wing span increased by 3.66m (12ft) and 1.83m (6ft) high winglets will be fitted to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The two-pilot flight-deck will have digital instrumentation, takeoff weight will increase to 385,554kg (850,000lb) and range will exceed 12,875km (8000 miles).

The First Brazilian-built AMX built by Embraer in collaboration with Aeritalia and Aermacchi, YA-1 4200, had its maiden flight from Sao Jose dos Campos on October 16.

50 Years Ago

The departure of BEA’s last scheduled DC-3 service from London to Birmingham on October 31 was not only the airline’s last DC-3 service, but also the final schedule piston-engined airliner to depart from London(Heathrow).

The first tethered flight of the first prototype Hawker P.1127 experimental V/STOL tactical fighter, XP831, secured by restraining cables, took place on October 21 at Dunsfold to a height of a few inches above a special grid flown by test pilot Bill Bedford.

Names given recently to aircraft which were previously identified with model numbers are the Blackburn NA.39 to be named the Buccaneer, de Havilland D.H.121 the Trident and the forthcoming Aviation Traders ATL-98 will be known as the Carvair.

The Silver Sixty executive transport conversion of a Douglas B-26B, N5510V which first flew on June 25, is being offered by the Rhodes Berry Company at Whitman Airpark, California. The fuselage has been significantly enlarged to carry 14 passengers and a freight version has a drop-down cargo loading ramp incorporated in the rear fuselage to aid access.

A firm decision is yet to be made by Boeing regarding the configuration of its proposed short-range Model 727 transport although it is expected it will have a cluster of three engines in the rear fuselage.

The new Rocketdyne-developed AR2-3 variable thrust rocket engine can be used to boost performance of the North American F-86F Sabre fighter. It increases the rate of climb above the critical 40,000ft altitude, raises the service ceiling from 45,000ft to over 60,000ft and increases maximum speed to over Mach 1.

The recent increase in Australian real estate activity has seen aircraft used to take prospective purchasers to inspect property sub-divisions in NSW coastal resort areas. NSW real estate company C H Degotardi purchased the Lockheed 10B Electra VH-CHD (originally Ansett Airways VH-UZO) for this purpose to become the first company in this field to have its own aircraft. Other companies have charted other types for their clients offering free flights for property viewing, including Austers, Cessnas, DC-3s and a Sandringham flying boat.

Three USAF Lockheed U-2s supported by four Martin JB-57s, two search and rescue C-54s and C-124 transports arrived at RAAF East Sale in late Oxtober to conduct high altitude air sampling south of the Australian continent between 40 and 50 degrees south latitude.