Yesteryear

US Navy Secretary Donald Winter officially announced at a Pentagon ceremony on January 16 that the aircraft carrier CVN-78 would be named USS *Gerald R Ford** in honour of the former US President. The late President served with the USN during WWII.

Airbus announced the first order for the A350XWB on January 4 placed by Pegasus Aviation Finance Company, for two examples plus six A330-200s.

The two main civil aircraft manufacturers had a buoyant year in 2006 with Airbus delivering 434 aircraft and Boeing 398. Boeing also delivered 126 military aircraft, the three most numerous were 42 F/A-18E/Fs, 31 new build AH-64Ds and 16 C-17s.

The certification of the Mooney M20 TN Acclaim on January 4 has seen the company claim that the aircraft is the fastest piston light aircraft in worldwide production, with a 237kt cruising speed at 25,000ft.

The first Boeing Next-Generation 737-700ER was rolled out after final assembly at Renton, Washington on January 2 before painting and pre-flight testing prior to delivery to launch customer All Nippon Airways on February 16. The aircraft, inspired by the Boeing Business Jet, is designed for long-range commercial applications. With up to nine auxiliary tanks and optional Blended Winglets it has a 5150nm range, 2145nm longer than the present 737-700.

25 Years Ago

On January 24 Textron Inc agreed to purchase Cessna Aircraft from General Dynamics for US$600 million. Textron will take-on all 5400 Cessna employees while the McCauley propeller manufacturing division and aircraft financing subsidiary are included in the package.

The last operational squadron to operate the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, VMFA-112 at NAS Dallas, Texas, held a retirement ceremony on January 18 for its last F-4 operational flight made by Col John Brennan on January 10. The maiden flight of the F4H-1 took place on May 27 1958.

USS *Forestal** was redesignated as a training carrier on February 5 replacing USS *Lexington** in the role, a move taking the USN’s total of active carriers to 14 plus one training carrier.

Iconic Trans World Airlines filed for protection on January 31 from its creditors under Chapter 11 provision of the US Bankruptcy Court. The airline has slipped from its once number one position to seventh ranking among US airlines. The airline is confident it will quickly re-emerge from this status.

Delivery of the last production Grumman A-6 Intruder was made to the USN on January 31 concluding 31 years of production. The aircraft is destined for VA-145 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.

President Bush’s State of the Union address to Congress on January 28 highlighted an acceleration in reducing defence spending. Measures involving the USAF included stopping Northrop B-2 production after only 20 airframes and a stop to KC-135 re-engining.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 26 1991, Russia will now considerably reduce military aircraft production and focus on building civil aircraft. One example is the MiG-29 Fulcrum factory in Moscow, now being converted to Ilyushin Il-114 regional aircraft production. The facility built over 650 MiG-29s and will only re-start MiG-29 production if the MiG-29K version is required for the Russian Navy.

50 Years Ago

US astronauts USN Lt Cmdr Roger Chaffee, USAF Lt Cols Virgil Grissom and Edward White were tragically lost in a flash fire during a preflight rehearsal of an Apollo capsule for the Apollo 1 mission on January 27 at Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, Florida.

The first application of aerial mining in North Vietnam took place on February 26 when seven A-6s from USS *Enterprise** planted minefields in the mouths of the Song Ca and Song Giang rivers, aimed at stopping coastal barges moving supplies to immediate areas.

The maiden flight of the first prototype Saab AJ37 Viggen (Thunderbolt) flown by chief test pilot Erik Dahlstrom took place on February 8.

At a press conference in London on January 5, Mr Pat Burgess of BAC Filton who is in charge of Concorde sales, predicted that sales would reach at least 200 by 1975 and 400 by 1980. On the most pessimistic outlook he said sales would be 220.

The US Defense Secretary, Mr Robert McNamara, recently revealed that US tactical air power comprising fighter, attack and reconnaissance aircraft total about 4800, with some 2600 based overseas, of which 800 are in South Vietnam.

The Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Swartz, said that 3300ft of Canberra’s 5430ft east-west runway will be strengthened to enable regular Viscount operations. Viscounts previously operated from the north-south runway with operational problems such as diversions in cross-wind conditions. Completed and pending taxiway work will also permit use by Boeing 727s and Lockheed Electras. The cost of the work will be $400,000, the RAAF contributing $120,000 and DCA $280,000.

Victa Ltd closed down its aviation division at Milperra, NSW on January 20. The Airtourer design, with other items such as jigs and tools, have been sold to a New Zealand company with a production line to be established at Rukuhia aerodrome, Hamilton. The lack of government assistance via a bounty has also seen Cropmaster Aircraft exit the field leaving only Transavia.