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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0111.PDF
76 FUGHT International, 16 January 1964 WORLD E W S Balzac Misfortune The Dassault Balzac, development pro- totype for the Mirage III-V VTOL strike aircraft, crashed at about 5 p.m. on January 10 at the Centre d'Essais en Vol, Melun- Villaroche, killing the CEV civilian test pilot, Jacques Pinier. The loss of this much discussed aircraft (which had vir- tually completed its flight test programme and transitions) is not, however, likely to hinder substantially the Mirage III-V pro- gramme; the prototype of the definitive tactical aircraft is expected to fly in about three months time. Last Friday's crash occurred from a height of about 325ft, when the Balzac was hovering. The aircraft was making its 125th flight and M Pinier was checking lateral stability in the hover. The aircraft descended rapidly and, shortly before striking the ground, rolled to almost 90° bank, hitting with one wing-tip and, under the effect of the lift engines, flopping on to its back. Fire broke out but was rapidly extinguished; and the airframe, though extensively damaged, is said to be just possibly repairable. The pilot had said nothing over the r/t during the descent and is believed to have been unaware that he was in danger. He had apparently made no attempt to use his ejection seat. Although the cause of the accident had not been determined when these words were written, both airframe and engines were reported to have been absolved from blame. During its test programme the Balzac had been proved able to survive the failure of any one or two of its battery of eight Rolls-Royce RB.108 lift engines. Recently it had been fitted with lift-jet deflector doors, for ground running and short, forward- running take-offs. These had been made at a lift-off speed of 60kt. Hughes 300 in Europe A European demonstration tour of the Hughes 300 three-seat helicopter was scheduled to begin at London Gatwick last Monday, January 13, after a TWA cargo flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow the previous day. Powered by a 205 h.p. Lycoming derated to 180 h.p., with fuel injection, the Model 300 is de- veloped from the Hughes 269A. According to the Aircraft Division of Hughes Tool Co, the machine has a retail price ($29,875) which is 30-40 per cent below that of com- petitive three-seat helicopters. Other data include: cruising speed, 80 m.p.h.; maximum speed, 86 m.p.h.; sea-level rate of climb, 1,450ft/min; hover ceiling, more than 7,100ft; service ceiling, 14,000ft. Belfast First-flight Data As a postscript to our Belfast first-flight feature (pages 94-97) we are able to publish data—received as we go to press—from chief test pilot Denis Tayler's debriefing report. Rotation speed on take-off was HOkt and the climb with 15° take-off flap setting and undercarriage down was made at 150kt. Undercarriage retraction, at 5,500ft and 155kt, took 19sec, extension 19.5sec and retraction again 19sec. The flaps were then inched up in 2° stages and the aircraft trimmed at each stage. A speed check was made against the Queen Air chase plane at 165kt. The undercarriage was again ex- tended at this speed, in 19sec, reducing speed by 5kt but demanding no trim- change. Following a climb to 9,600ft the Belfast was trimmed to 155kt and then 15° flap was selected. At 135kt 25° was selected, with very little trim-change, and then 40°. Speed was reduced to 112kt—well below estimated normal runway threshold speed. Following a practice overshoot at altitude and a descent to Aldergrove, the threshold was crossed at 117kt and the air- craft touched down at lOOkt. (All the speeds quoted here are i.a.s., from the cap- tain's instrument.) The air conditioning and pressurization systems were working throughout the flight, and de-icing of the propellers and the Rolls-Royce Tyne engines was operational for most of the time. USN Adopts the Jindivik Jindivik target drones to the value of over £750,000 have been ordered by the US Navy from the Australian Government Aircraft Factory at Fisherman's Bend, it was announced last week. The present pro- duction Jindivik Mk 3 has an operational ceiling in excess of 60,000ft and is powered by a Bristol Siddeley Viper 11 engine of 2,5001b thrust. The USN's purchase is the second export order which GAF have booked for the drone, the previous one having been from Sweden. Materials Expert Retires Major P. L. Teed, OBE, BL, ARSM, MIMM, FRSA, FIM, FRAes, FinstMets, deputy chief of aeronautical research and development of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, since 1945, retired at the turn of the year. Maj Teed, who was born in 1889 and New Whine ... In 17 years over 1,500 radial-engined DHC Beavers have been built: now comes a turboprop conversion which made its first flight on December 30 (news item on this page) Turboprop Beaver Flies The 1,525th de Havilland Canada Beaver off the 17-year-old Downsview, Ont, pro- duction line, the prototype Turbo-Beaver, made its first flight on December 30. An all-Canadian product, with the Canadian Pratt & Whitney PT-6A 578 s.h.p. turbine engine in place of the US P & W R985 radial, the Turbo-Beaver has its cabin extended by 30in—permitting two extra seats—and an enlarged fin. Standard cruising speed is increased from 130 m.p.h. to 146 m.p.h. Typical take-off distance to 50ft, at gross weight, is reduced from 1,015ft to 900ft. The manufacturers claim that increased work capacity and lower running costs will give a 35 per cent improvement in efficiency and economy. The modification, first extensive change to the basic Beaver since production began in 1947, can be applied retrospectively to existing Beavers.
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