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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0960.PDF
958 gsssig vv Short Brothers' Future By now, the reverberations of last Friday's blunt statement by the chairman of Short Brothers and Harland should have been felt even in the remotest corridor of power in Whitehall. Mr C. E. Wrangham said, quite firmly but without histrionics, that if his company did not receive a further order for Belfasts, or some form of financial assistance, it would not be able to stay in business. All Short Bros activities, said Mr Wrangham, "stand or fall by the Belfast." [The UK Government is the company's largest (69 per cent) shareholder, and last year the Northern Ireland Government was empowered to lend up to £5m for develop ment of the Belfast, break-even figure for which is 30. The Air Minister reiterated recently that no more than ten would be ordered for RAF Transport Command.] It was to show the range of their activi ties, and the productive capacity available for building large aircraft like the Belfast, that Shorts invited Flight International to join a visit to Queen's Island at the end of last week; and this was the occasion the chairman took to throw down the gauntlet to the Government. By the end of this year, if no response is forthcoming, redundancy would be necessary; it could be a bleak Christmas for some of Shorts' 7,000 employees. Meanwhile, the company is not sitting back in passive despair; both current activi ties and future projects indicate a determina tion to keep the flag of the " oldest aircraft manufacturers in the world " still flying. Five of the ten Belfasts ordered have been laid down (the ship metaphor is appro priate, considering the size of the aircraft and method of construction, and the proximity of Harland and Wolff's yards); Upavon Dust-up Hawker chief test pilot A. O R L D the prototype Skyvan is well advanced; Seacat missile production continues at Castlereagh; and the precision and general engineering divisions add a pillow of diversification against hard times—though it would take a phenomenal number of carpet sweepers, or over 500 missiles a month, to keep the company going if no aircraft orders were forthcoming. Shorts have sent to the MoA upwards of fifty proposals for developments of the Belfast, and some of these were described last Friday by Mr Hugh Conway, one of the company's two joint managing directors. He laid particular stress on a strategic freighter version, which would have a payload and range greater than anything even the US have in prospect, and on a STOL Belfast using boundary layer control through a compressed air unit placed above the wing centre section. Mr Conway also spoke enthusiastically of prospects for the Skyvan, which he emphasized is not to be a bush operator's aeroplane but one for airlines serving remote or difficult terrain. Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea provide potential markets, and Mr Conway did not think there would be any difficulty in selling the aircraft in the United States. The first Skyvan will have Continental engines; but production models, known as the Turbo-Skyvan, will be powered by Turbomeca Astazous. The aircraft offers a carrying capacity of 18 passengers or 4,0001b of freight over a stage length of 120 miles. In addition to their own aircraft activities, Shorts act as agents for Beechcraft. But all their diversifications will be of no avail unless, as Mr Wrangham has emphasized, the order for ten Belfasts for RAF Trans port Command can be increased. '. (Bill) Bedford demonstrates the P.I 127 at the FLIGHT International, 21 June 795; NEWS Indian Fighters During the past week discussions have continued between the governments of India and other countries with a view to early equipment of the IAF with a fighter able to match the performance of the F-104s supplied to Pakistan. It is widely believed in New Delhi that a late-series Mig is the best answer, although British, French and American Governments and company representatives are obviously applying whatever pressure they can bring to bear to secure acceptance of their own aircraft. Meanwhile, the question of a powerplant for the ultimate M2 version of India's own HF-24 remains in doubt. Engines for the first production series will be the Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 703, which is coming into production at Bangalore later this year. Macchi Executives With production of the 326 trainer, AL.60 utility and a small part of their F-104G order under way, Macchi are now considering their next design venture Advanced studies have already been com pleted for two potential executive types— the 330, using many of the 326 major assem blies and powered by two rear-mounted Turbomeca Aubisques; and the 328, powered by two Turbomeca Astazous. The problem is to decide, in view of the complex market prospects, which of these types to make in order to use the full resources of the company. Macchi want to make a complete aircraft rather than to continue sub-contracts. Bearing the tentative name Jet Starlet, the 330 uses the wing, tail surfaces, under carriage and systems of the 326 trainer. An entirely new fuselage, bearing the Aubisques Jubilee Display, reported on pages 968-970 "Flight International" photograph ..,:*•''
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