Yesteryear

Boeing plans to have the major sub-assemblies built by contractors delivered to Seattle with assembly for each 787 achieved in three days.

One factor which may influence increasing production is the number of 747 LCF aircraft which fly in large 787 sub-assemblies.

Following the crash of a commuter aircraft in North Carolina last year which was partly due to uneven weight distribution, the FAA has instructed US airlines to increase the average passenger weight by about 12kg when performing aircraft weight calculations.

Prime Minister John Howard officially launched the Australia-Antarctic Airlink from Hobart to Casey Station on September 2 at Hobart.

The initiative will be funded by $46.

3 million over four years.

The direct air link is considered crucial with Australia responsible for an area of almost 6,000,000 square kilometres or 42 per cent of Antarctica’s area.

The Australian Government’s Antarctic Division has undertaken site trials of an ice runway near Casey Station with flight trials during the summer of 2006‑2007 before a full service in 2007-2008.

The four and a half hour flight will replace a one week sea journey.

A statue of R J Mitchell, designer of the Supermarine Spitfre, funded by the Sidney E Frank Foundation, was unveiled at the Science Museum, London on September 15.

Composed of nearly 400,000 pieces of stacked Welsh slate, the statue shows Mitchell at a drawing board with a carving of the first complete Supermarine drawing of the prototype Spitfire, K5054, which had its maiden flight on March 5 1936.

The statue was constructed by artist Stephen Kettle, who lived originally at Castle Bromwich, where the factory which built over 11,000 Spitfires was located.

25 years ago

The maiden flight of the Lockheed-General Dynamics-Boeing YF-22A contender for the USAF Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program took place on September 29 from Edwards AFB, California.

Flown by the aircraft’s project pilot Dave Ferguson, a speed of 250kt and altitude of 12,500ft were reached during the 18min flight.

The RAAF’s Roulettes aerobatic team will complete its conversion from the Macchi MB-326H to the Pilatus PC-9 in January 1991 when the 14th and final aircraft for the team is delivered to the Central Flying School at RAAF East Sale.

Training on the new type has been in progress for some months.

Merpati Nusantara Airlines has taken delivery of a Lockheed L-100 Hercules in an all-passenger arrangement.

The type has received FAA certification to carry 97 passengers in an all-economy configuration.

Switzerland recently retired the last of its de Havilland Vampire T Mk 55 jet trainers and most of its surviving single-seat Vampire FB Mk 6s.

At retirement, 32 trainers were in service together with 59 Mk 6s.

A few single-seaters remain in use as target towing aircraft.

The Aeritalia G.

222 has been selected by the USAF in preference to the Airtech CN-235M as its C-27A Rapid-Response Intra-Theater Airlifter.

A US$80.

2 million contract has been awarded to Aeritalia’s US partner in the program, Chrysler Technology Airborne Systems, for an initial batch of five aircraft.

Safe Air Ltd ceased airline operations on September 30.

It had an established history as a Bristol 170 Freighter operator and more recently acquired two Hawker Siddeley Argosy 220s.

The Argosies had been used for domestic cargo flights and a combined passenger/cargo service to the Chatham Islands east of New Zealand.

It will continue in business as a maintenance and engineering company.

50 years ago

The maiden flight of the prototype Bell Model 209 AH-1 HueyCobra, N209J, took place from Fort Worth, Texas on September 7 flown by chief test pilot Bill Quinlan.

The helicopter was built as a private venture with construction of the prototype costing US$1,040,000.

Developed from the the UH-1 Iroquois it was designed to meet a need identified in Vietnam for a specialised attack helicopter.

The Aero Commander Division of the Rockwell-Standard Corporation is entering the single-engined market with two new all-metal four-seat models, the Aero Commander 100 and Aero Commander 200.

The 100 high-wing aircraft was previously built by Volaircraft Inc as the Model 100 while the 200 low-wing type was developed and cerified by the Meyers Aircraft Co.

Former Volaircraft and Meyers plants at Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and Tecumseh, Michigan respectively, have been taken over to speed production to be augmented by a new facility at Albany, Georgia.

Procurement of the Northrop F-5 for the Canadian Forces has been approved.

It will be designated the CF-5 and built to Canadian specifications by Canadair Ltd.

Approximately 125 single-seat fighters and twin-seat training aircraft will be acquired.

Following the cancellation of the TSR-2 a special version of the Mirage IVA has been offered as a Canberra replacement, jointly sponsored by Dassault, Rolls-Royce and BAC to the RAF.

It would be powered by two Rolls-Royce Speys to increase range, particularly at low level, and would have a strengthened wing.

It’s viewed as a cheaper option to the General Dynamics F-111.

An extensively modified de Havilland Chipmunk for agricultural use has been developed by Aerostructures of Bankstown and Sasin Aircraft Service of Goulburn.

The Spraymaster SA-29 is equipped with a 50 gallon tank as a low-density sprayer.