Yesteryear

The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, which ceased production in 1989 after 844 aircraft were delivered, may be reborn. Viking Air of British Columbia, Canada owns the Twin Otter type certificate and is investigating a new Series 400 version powered by P&WC PT6A-34/35 turboprop engines and a modernised cockpit. Viking is looking at a go-ahead for the project early in 2007 with a first flight in 2009.

Airbus A380 MSN002 completed a series of trial flights on November 30 at Toulouse. One of the sectors was from O R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg to Sydney on November 28 covering 7,296nm (13,512km) in about 16 hours, circling the South Pole on the way.

Boeing announced on November 15 that its ScanEagle unmanned aerial system had flown a preproduction prototype Block D ScanEagle for 22hr 8min on a simulated mission profile from its test range in Boardman, Oregon. The ScanEagle has logged over 20,000 flight hours supporting US Marine ground force missions in Iraq.

A ceremony at the USAF Hurlbert Field installation, Florida on November 16 marked the acceptance of the first of 50 Bell-Boeing CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. They will replace the Sikorsky MH-53 for special forces insertion.

Restored ex Qantas Boeing 707-138B VH-XBA, the former VH-EBA, departed Southend on December 8 arriving in Sydney on December 16. It will go on display with the Qantas Founders Outback Museum at Longreach.

25 years ago

The USS Lexington was decommissioned at NAS Pensacola, Florida on November 8. Commissioned in 1943 the Essex-class aircraft carrier became famous as the “Blue Ghost” that the Japanese were unable to sink.

The US fiscal year 1992 defence authorization budget currently being finalised in Congress will see Northrop B-2 stealth bomber production suspended but will have provision to re-open the Lockheed F-117A stealth fighter production line. Prompted by the type’s success in Desert Storm, 12 new F-117As will be built.

Aerospatiale and Deutsche Airbus have announced a new consortium SATIC – Special Aircraft Transport International Company – to develop and manufacture the four SAT aircraft based on the A300-600R to replace Airbus’s four Boeing 377SG Super Guppies.

The success of the McDonnell Douglas AH-64A Apache in Desert Storm operations has seen several countries showing renewed interest in the type, with a recent sale of 20 to the Greek Army included in an arms deal with the USA.

Production E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (J-STARS) aircraft will be converted at Grumman’s facilities at Lake Charles, Louisiana and Melbourne, Florida. The basic airframe modifications, to second-hand Boeing 707s, will be carried out at the Lake Charles site and they will be flown to Melbourne for electronics systems installation and integration. The two J-STARS prototypes, N770JS/86-0416 and N8411/86-0417 have been converted from former American Airlines Boeing 707-323Cs.

General Dynamics’ decision to concentrate on its defence products will see it sell its Cessna commercial aircraft division. A hurdle could be current US product liability laws with an estimated 100,000 Cessnas still potentially airworthy worldwide.

50 years ago

A USAF Military Airlift Command Lockheed C-141 StarLifter became the first jet aircraft to land in Antarctica when it arrived at McMurdo Sound on November 14 after a 2,200 miles flight from Christchurch, New Zealand.

A Hawker Siddeley Trident 1C equipped with a Smiths Autoland system made three test landings at London Heathrow on November 4 in conditions of 150ft visibility when all other operations had been cancelled.

Based on experience gained in Vietnam, the USAF has ordered 99 examples of the McDonnell F-4E Phantom which features a built-in nose-mounted 6,000rpm 20mm Vulcan cannon.

A £7 million contract has been placed by Chile with Hawker Siddeley for 21 refurbished Hunters (18 F. 6s and three T. 7s) to replace the air force’s Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars.

The first of seven Saab-37 Viggen (Thunderbolt) prototypes was rolled out at Linkoping on November 24. The Swedish air force is anticipated to take delivery of 800 Viggens comprising strike-fighter, reconnaissance and two-seat trainer versions, which will be able to use road strips currently used by J 35 Drakens. In 1971 Viggens will begin replacing units flying Saab A 32 Lansens.

The 1967 model Cessna 150 incorporating several improvements such as a redesigned instrument panel and cabin layout and rubber buffers reducing cabin engine noise, is offered for a price of $8,750 fly-away from Bankstown.

Pan American World Airways made its 150,000th crossing of the Atlantic during the month on Flight 115 from Paris to New York. The first crossing was made on June 28 1939 by Boeing Model 314 flying boat, NC 18605 Dixie Clipper, carrying 12 passengers and 12 crew from Long Island to Marseilles on a 29. 5 hours flight.