Yesteryear

5 hours.

Cathay Pacific announced on January 7 it will become the launch customer for the 747-400 Special Freighter conversion program.

The initial agreement will see at least six, and possibly 12, passenger 747-400s converted to freighters with the first 747-400SF delivered to the airline in December 2005.

A UK Ministry of Defence announcement on January 26 said AirTanker Ltd has been selected to provide aircraft for the RAF’s Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FTSA) requirement, based on modified Airbus A330-200s.

The exact number is presently not known but could be 16 comprising both new and second hand aircraft.

The formal rollout of the prototype Embraer 190 took place on February 9.

Orders have been so far received for 110 aircraft plus 150 options while the total sales of the Embraer 170/190 family stand at 245 firm orders plus 305 options.

The first production Tiger Armed Reconnaissance helicopter for the Australian army, (F-ZVLH which will become A38-001), had its maiden flight from the Marignane facility on February 20.

Of the 22 Tigers on order, four will be built in France with the remainder assembled by Eurocopter’s Australian Aerospace subsidiary in Brisbane.

25 years ago

Lufthansa confirmed its position as a launch customer for the Airbus A340 with a contract signed on February 15 for 15 aircraft plus 15 options.

The order covers the -200 and -300 versions, both powered by CFM56-5C-2 turbofans, which in Lufthansa service will seat 222 and 256 passengers respectively in a three-class configuration.

The first Soviet Union aircraft to be fitted with a fly-by-wire control system is the Tupolev Tu-204, which had its maiden flight on January 2.

Powered by two Rolls-Royce RB211-534E4 engines, it’s notable as the first Soviet aircraft to use Western powerplants.

An engagement about 70 miles from the Libyan coast north of Tobruk in international waters on January 5 saw two USN Grumman F-14A Tomcats, acting in self defence, destroy two Libyan MiG-23 Floggers flown from the Al Bumbah air base in the action.

The incident was labelled as ‘premeditated aggression’ by Libyan leader President Gadaffi.

The aircraft were operating from VF‑32 deployed with CVW-3 aboard USS John F Kennedy engaged in routine training exercises at the time.

A protest has been lodged by feminist groups following the Pentagon announcement in Washington, DC on January 24 lifting the ban on pin-ups appearing on fuselage sides of USAF aircraft.

The last flight of a RAAF Mirage took place on February 8 when the IIID A3-101 flew from ARDU at RAAF Edinburgh to Woomera where it joined 47 other Mirages in storage where they are held pending a decision on their disposal.

50 years ago

On February 29 President Johnson publicly revealed details of the Lockheed A-11 for the first time, which has been in secret development since 1959, together with photographs released of A-11 60-6934, the serial indicating it was built in fiscal year 1960.

The aircraft is constructed primarily of titanium and it’s claimed has been tested in sustained flight at a speed over 3,200km/h (2,000mph) at an altitude above 70,000ft.

Trials of the A-11 commenced on April 26 1962.

The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, addressed Department of Supply guests at Avalon on January 29 for the handover to the RAAF of the first Australian-assembled Mirage IIIO, A3-3.

The milestone was marked by the handover of the logbook for the aircraft by Minister for Supply, Allen Fairhall, to Minister for Air, David Fairbairn.

The aircraft, equipped with test instrumentation, has since flown to Darwin to conduct tropical trials.

The Boeing 727 entered airline service with Eastern Air Lines and United Airlines on February 1 and 6 respectively.

Although the aircraft was tailored for the requirements of both airlines, Boeing hopes sales will reach the hoped-for 300, with 127 so far ordered.

Qantas announced it has signed a £13,500,000 contract with Boeing for the supply of three 707-320C aircraft, taking its jet fleet to 16 by September 1965 including 13 smaller 707-138Bs.

The airline said the order has been placed to cater for the expansion of its air cargo business.

The new aircraft, with the first delivery in February 1965, will accommodate 20 first class and 84 economy class passengers, similar to the -138Bs.

However it will have a volumetric payload of 20,652kg (45,530lb) compared to 14,724kg (32,460lb) on their earlier 707s and cargo hold capacity is increased from 37.

15m3 (1312cu ft) to 77.

42m3 (2734cu ft) aided by the 3.

35m x 2.

29m (11ft x 7.

5ft) cargo door.